diff --git a/test/fn-api-tests/utils.go b/test/fn-api-tests/utils.go
index 27e2bf23b..84b9066db 100644
--- a/test/fn-api-tests/utils.go
+++ b/test/fn-api-tests/utils.go
@@ -46,11 +46,6 @@ func APIClient() *client.Fn {
 	return client.New(transport, strfmt.Default)
 }
 
-var (
-	getServer sync.Once
-	s         *server.Server
-)
-
 func checkServer(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if ctx.Err() != nil {
 		log.Print("Server check failed, timeout")
@@ -81,57 +76,104 @@ func getEnv(key, fallback string) string {
 	return fallback
 }
 
+var (
+	srvLock     sync.Mutex
+	srvRefCount uint64
+	srvInstance *server.Server
+	srvDone     chan struct{}
+	srvCancel   func()
+)
+
+func stopServer(ctx context.Context) {
+	srvLock.Lock()
+	defer srvLock.Unlock()
+	if srvRefCount == 0 {
+		log.Printf("Server not running, ref count %v", srvRefCount)
+		return
+	}
+
+	srvRefCount--
+	if srvRefCount != 0 {
+		log.Printf("Server decrement ref count %v", srvRefCount)
+		return
+	}
+
+	srvCancel()
+
+	select {
+	case <-srvDone:
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		log.Panic("Server Cleanup failed, timeout")
+	}
+}
+
 func startServer() {
 
-	getServer.Do(func() {
-		ctx := context.Background()
+	srvLock.Lock()
+	srvRefCount++
 
-		timeString := time.Now().Format("2006_01_02_15_04_05")
-		dbURL := os.Getenv(server.EnvDBURL)
-		tmpDir := os.TempDir()
-		tmpMq := fmt.Sprintf("%s/fn_integration_test_%s_worker_mq.db", tmpDir, timeString)
-		tmpDb := fmt.Sprintf("%s/fn_integration_test_%s_fn.db", tmpDir, timeString)
-		mqURL := fmt.Sprintf("bolt://%s", tmpMq)
-		if dbURL == "" {
-			dbURL = fmt.Sprintf("sqlite3://%s", tmpDb)
+	if srvRefCount != 1 {
+		log.Printf("Server already running, ref count %v", srvRefCount)
+		srvLock.Unlock()
+
+		// check once
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithDeadline(context.Background(), time.Now().Add(time.Duration(2)*time.Second))
+		defer cancel()
+		err := checkServer(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Panicf("Server check failed: %s", err)
 		}
 
-		s = server.New(ctx,
-			server.WithLogLevel(getEnv(server.EnvLogLevel, server.DefaultLogLevel)),
-			server.WithDBURL(dbURL),
-			server.WithMQURL(mqURL),
-			server.WithFullAgent(),
-		)
+		return
+	}
 
-		go func() {
-			s.Start(ctx)
-			os.Remove(tmpMq)
-			os.Remove(tmpDb)
-		}()
+	log.Printf("Starting server, ref count %v", srvRefCount)
 
-		startCtx, startCancel := context.WithDeadline(ctx, time.Now().Add(time.Duration(10)*time.Second))
-		defer startCancel()
-		for {
-			err := checkServer(startCtx)
-			if err == nil {
-				break
-			}
-			select {
-			case <-time.After(time.Second * 1):
-			case <-ctx.Done():
-			}
-			if ctx.Err() != nil {
-				log.Panic("Server check failed, timeout")
-			}
+	srvDone = make(chan struct{})
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	srvCancel = cancel
+
+	timeString := time.Now().Format("2006_01_02_15_04_05")
+	dbURL := os.Getenv(server.EnvDBURL)
+	tmpDir := os.TempDir()
+	tmpMq := fmt.Sprintf("%s/fn_integration_test_%s_worker_mq.db", tmpDir, timeString)
+	tmpDb := fmt.Sprintf("%s/fn_integration_test_%s_fn.db", tmpDir, timeString)
+	mqURL := fmt.Sprintf("bolt://%s", tmpMq)
+	if dbURL == "" {
+		dbURL = fmt.Sprintf("sqlite3://%s", tmpDb)
+	}
+
+	srvInstance = server.New(ctx,
+		server.WithLogLevel(getEnv(server.EnvLogLevel, server.DefaultLogLevel)),
+		server.WithDBURL(dbURL),
+		server.WithMQURL(mqURL),
+		server.WithFullAgent(),
+	)
+
+	go func() {
+		srvInstance.Start(ctx)
+		log.Print("Stopped server")
+		os.Remove(tmpMq)
+		os.Remove(tmpDb)
+		close(srvDone)
+	}()
+
+	srvLock.Unlock()
+
+	startCtx, startCancel := context.WithDeadline(ctx, time.Now().Add(time.Duration(10)*time.Second))
+	defer startCancel()
+	for {
+		err := checkServer(startCtx)
+		if err == nil {
+			break
+		}
+		select {
+		case <-time.After(time.Second * 1):
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+		}
+		if ctx.Err() != nil {
+			log.Panic("Server check failed, timeout")
 		}
-	})
-
-	// check once
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithDeadline(context.Background(), time.Now().Add(time.Duration(2)*time.Second))
-	defer cancel()
-	err := checkServer(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Panicf("Server check failed: %s", err)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -166,6 +208,9 @@ func RandStringBytes(n int) string {
 // SetupHarness creates a test harness for a test case - this picks up external options and
 func SetupHarness() *TestHarness {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 60*time.Second)
+
+	startServer()
+
 	ss := &TestHarness{
 		Context:      ctx,
 		Cancel:       cancel,
@@ -182,13 +227,12 @@ func SetupHarness() *TestHarness {
 		IdleTimeout:  int32(30),
 		createdApps:  make(map[string]bool),
 	}
-
-	startServer()
 	return ss
 }
 
 func (s *TestHarness) Cleanup() {
-	ctx := context.Background()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 60*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
 
 	//for _,ar := range s.createdRoutes {
 	//	deleteRoute(ctx, s.Client, ar.appName, ar.routeName)
@@ -197,6 +241,8 @@ func (s *TestHarness) Cleanup() {
 	for app, _ := range s.createdApps {
 		safeDeleteApp(ctx, s.Client, app)
 	}
+
+	stopServer(ctx)
 }
 
 func EnvAsHeader(req *http.Request, selectedEnv []string) {
diff --git a/test/fn-system-tests/system_test.go b/test/fn-system-tests/system_test.go
index 939137278..ae74fef35 100644
--- a/test/fn-system-tests/system_test.go
+++ b/test/fn-system-tests/system_test.go
@@ -37,11 +37,14 @@ func NewSystemTestNodePool() (pool.RunnerPool, error) {
 
 type state struct {
 	memory string
+	cancel func()
 }
 
 func SetUpSystem() (*state, error) {
-	ctx := context.Background()
-	state := &state{}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	state := &state{
+		cancel: cancel,
+	}
 
 	api, err := SetUpAPINode(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -106,6 +109,11 @@ func CleanUpSystem(st *state) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+
+	if st.cancel != nil {
+		st.cancel()
+	}
+
 	// Wait for shutdown - not great
 	time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)