diff --git a/test/e2e/generator/generate.go b/test/e2e/generator/generate.go
index 75342f4e7..61b4bf7d3 100644
--- a/test/e2e/generator/generate.go
+++ b/test/e2e/generator/generate.go
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ type Options struct {
 func generateTestnet(r *rand.Rand, opt map[string]interface{}) (e2e.Manifest, error) {
 	manifest := e2e.Manifest{
 		IPv6:             ipv6.Choose(r).(bool),
+		ABCIProtocol:     nodeABCIProtocols.Choose(r),
 		InitialHeight:    int64(opt["initialHeight"].(int)),
 		InitialState:     opt["initialState"].(map[string]string),
 		Validators:       &map[string]int64{},
@@ -275,7 +276,6 @@ func generateNode(
 		Mode:             string(mode),
 		StartAt:          startAt,
 		Database:         nodeDatabases.Choose(r),
-		ABCIProtocol:     nodeABCIProtocols.Choose(r),
 		PrivvalProtocol:  nodePrivvalProtocols.Choose(r),
 		Mempool:          nodeMempools.Choose(r),
 		StateSync:        e2e.StateSyncDisabled,
@@ -332,7 +332,6 @@ func generateLightNode(r *rand.Rand, startAt int64, providers []string) *e2e.Man
 		Mode:            string(e2e.ModeLight),
 		StartAt:         startAt,
 		Database:        nodeDatabases.Choose(r),
-		ABCIProtocol:    "builtin",
 		PersistInterval: ptrUint64(0),
 		PersistentPeers: providers,
 	}
diff --git a/test/e2e/pkg/manifest.go b/test/e2e/pkg/manifest.go
index d5c9cb7f2..16b99cfda 100644
--- a/test/e2e/pkg/manifest.go
+++ b/test/e2e/pkg/manifest.go
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ type Manifest struct {
 
 	// Number of bytes per tx. Default is 1kb (1024)
 	TxSize int64
+
+	// ABCIProtocol specifies the protocol used to communicate with the ABCI
+	// application: "unix", "tcp", "grpc", or "builtin". Defaults to builtin.
+	// builtin will build a complete Tendermint node into the application and
+	// launch it instead of launching a separate Tendermint process.
+	ABCIProtocol string `toml:"abci_protocol"`
 }
 
 // ManifestNode represents a node in a testnet manifest.
@@ -87,12 +93,6 @@ type ManifestNode struct {
 	// "rocksdb", "boltdb", or "badgerdb". Defaults to goleveldb.
 	Database string `toml:"database"`
 
-	// ABCIProtocol specifies the protocol used to communicate with the ABCI
-	// application: "unix", "tcp", "grpc", or "builtin". Defaults to unix.
-	// builtin will build a complete Tendermint node into the application and
-	// launch it instead of launching a separate Tendermint process.
-	ABCIProtocol string `toml:"abci_protocol"`
-
 	// PrivvalProtocol specifies the protocol used to sign consensus messages:
 	// "file", "unix", "tcp", or "grpc". Defaults to "file". For tcp and unix, the ABCI
 	// application will launch a remote signer client in a separate goroutine.
diff --git a/test/e2e/pkg/testnet.go b/test/e2e/pkg/testnet.go
index a6d5b2485..ee6a283aa 100644
--- a/test/e2e/pkg/testnet.go
+++ b/test/e2e/pkg/testnet.go
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ type Testnet struct {
 	Evidence         int
 	LogLevel         string
 	TxSize           int64
+	ABCIProtocol     string
 }
 
 // Node represents a Tendermint node in a testnet.
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@ func LoadTestnet(file string) (*Testnet, error) {
 		KeyType:          "ed25519",
 		LogLevel:         manifest.LogLevel,
 		TxSize:           manifest.TxSize,
+		ABCIProtocol:     manifest.ABCIProtocol,
 	}
 	if len(manifest.KeyType) != 0 {
 		testnet.KeyType = manifest.KeyType
@@ -150,6 +152,9 @@ func LoadTestnet(file string) (*Testnet, error) {
 	if manifest.InitialHeight > 0 {
 		testnet.InitialHeight = manifest.InitialHeight
 	}
+	if testnet.ABCIProtocol == "" {
+		testnet.ABCIProtocol = string(ProtocolBuiltin)
+	}
 
 	// Set up nodes, in alphabetical order (IPs and ports get same order).
 	nodeNames := []string{}
@@ -169,7 +174,7 @@ func LoadTestnet(file string) (*Testnet, error) {
 			ProxyPort:        proxyPortGen.Next(),
 			Mode:             ModeValidator,
 			Database:         "goleveldb",
-			ABCIProtocol:     ProtocolBuiltin,
+			ABCIProtocol:     Protocol(testnet.ABCIProtocol),
 			PrivvalProtocol:  ProtocolFile,
 			StartAt:          nodeManifest.StartAt,
 			BlockSync:        "v0",
@@ -192,9 +197,6 @@ func LoadTestnet(file string) (*Testnet, error) {
 		if nodeManifest.Database != "" {
 			node.Database = nodeManifest.Database
 		}
-		if nodeManifest.ABCIProtocol != "" {
-			node.ABCIProtocol = Protocol(nodeManifest.ABCIProtocol)
-		}
 		if nodeManifest.PrivvalProtocol != "" {
 			node.PrivvalProtocol = Protocol(nodeManifest.PrivvalProtocol)
 		}