diff --git a/src/bin/testnode.rs b/src/bin/testnode.rs
index 3d8e4f212..175717834 100644
--- a/src/bin/testnode.rs
+++ b/src/bin/testnode.rs
@@ -116,7 +116,6 @@ fn main() {
     eprintln!("creating networking stack...");
 
     let exit = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
-    let rpu = Rpu::new(bank, last_id, Some(Duration::from_millis(1000)));
     let serve_sock = UdpSocket::bind(&serve_addr).unwrap();
     serve_sock
         .set_read_timeout(Some(Duration::new(1, 0)))
@@ -139,7 +138,10 @@ fn main() {
     let respond_socket = UdpSocket::bind(local.clone()).unwrap();
 
     eprintln!("starting server...");
-    let threads = rpu.serve(
+    let rpu = Rpu::new1(
+        bank,
+        last_id,
+        Some(Duration::from_millis(1000)),
         d,
         serve_sock,
         broadcast_socket,
@@ -149,7 +151,7 @@ fn main() {
         stdout(),
     );
     eprintln!("Ready. Listening on {}", serve_addr);
-    for t in threads {
+    for t in rpu.thread_hdls {
         t.join().expect("join");
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/rpu.rs b/src/rpu.rs
index c6ee2d6f5..fa85f6b97 100644
--- a/src/rpu.rs
+++ b/src/rpu.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ pub struct Rpu {
     bank: Arc<Bank>,
     start_hash: Hash,
     tick_duration: Option<Duration>,
+    pub thread_hdls: Vec<JoinHandle<()>>,
 }
 
 impl Rpu {
@@ -32,9 +33,36 @@ impl Rpu {
             bank: Arc::new(bank),
             start_hash,
             tick_duration,
+            thread_hdls: vec![],
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn new1<W: Write + Send + 'static>(
+        bank: Bank,
+        start_hash: Hash,
+        tick_duration: Option<Duration>,
+        me: ReplicatedData,
+        requests_socket: UdpSocket,
+        broadcast_socket: UdpSocket,
+        respond_socket: UdpSocket,
+        gossip: UdpSocket,
+        exit: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+        writer: W,
+    ) -> Self {
+        let mut rpu = Self::new(bank, start_hash, tick_duration);
+        let thread_hdls = rpu.serve(
+            me,
+            requests_socket,
+            broadcast_socket,
+            respond_socket,
+            gossip,
+            exit,
+            writer,
+        );
+        rpu.thread_hdls.extend(thread_hdls);
+        rpu
+    }
+
     /// Create a UDP microservice that forwards messages the given Rpu.
     /// This service is the network leader
     /// Set `exit` to shutdown its threads.
diff --git a/src/thin_client.rs b/src/thin_client.rs
index 36a446438..3e3b8dadf 100644
--- a/src/thin_client.rs
+++ b/src/thin_client.rs
@@ -193,14 +193,16 @@ mod tests {
         let bank = Bank::new(&alice);
         let bob_pubkey = KeyPair::new().pubkey();
         let exit = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
-        let rpu = Rpu::new(bank, alice.last_id(), Some(Duration::from_millis(30)));
 
         let mut local = serve.local_addr().unwrap();
         local.set_port(0);
         let broadcast_socket = UdpSocket::bind(local).unwrap();
         let respond_socket = UdpSocket::bind(local.clone()).unwrap();
 
-        let threads = rpu.serve(
+        let rpu = Rpu::new1(
+            bank,
+            alice.last_id(),
+            Some(Duration::from_millis(30)),
             d,
             serve,
             broadcast_socket,
@@ -232,7 +234,7 @@ mod tests {
         }
         assert_eq!(balance.unwrap(), 500);
         exit.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
-        for t in threads {
+        for t in rpu.thread_hdls {
             t.join().unwrap();
         }
     }
@@ -245,7 +247,6 @@ mod tests {
         let bank = Bank::new(&alice);
         let bob_pubkey = KeyPair::new().pubkey();
         let exit = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
-        let rpu = Rpu::new(bank, alice.last_id(), Some(Duration::from_millis(30)));
         let serve_addr = leader_serve.local_addr().unwrap();
 
         let mut local = leader_serve.local_addr().unwrap();
@@ -253,7 +254,10 @@ mod tests {
         let broadcast_socket = UdpSocket::bind(local).unwrap();
         let respond_socket = UdpSocket::bind(local.clone()).unwrap();
 
-        let threads = rpu.serve(
+        let rpu = Rpu::new1(
+            bank,
+            alice.last_id(),
+            Some(Duration::from_millis(30)),
             leader_data,
             leader_serve,
             broadcast_socket,
@@ -289,7 +293,7 @@ mod tests {
         trace!("exiting");
         exit.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
         trace!("joining threads");
-        for t in threads {
+        for t in rpu.thread_hdls {
             t.join().unwrap();
         }
     }
@@ -394,17 +398,17 @@ mod tests {
         let bob_pubkey = KeyPair::new().pubkey();
         let exit = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
 
-        let leader_bank = {
-            let bank = Bank::new(&alice);
-            Rpu::new(bank, alice.last_id(), None)
-        };
+        let leader_bank = Bank::new(&alice);
 
         let mut local = leader.2.local_addr().unwrap();
         local.set_port(0);
         let broadcast_socket = UdpSocket::bind(local).unwrap();
         let respond_socket = UdpSocket::bind(local.clone()).unwrap();
 
-        let mut threads = leader_bank.serve(
+        let rpu = Rpu::new1(
+            leader_bank,
+            alice.last_id(),
+            None,
             leader.0.clone(),
             leader.2,
             broadcast_socket,
@@ -414,6 +418,7 @@ mod tests {
             sink(),
         );
 
+        let mut threads = rpu.thread_hdls;
         for _ in 0..N {
             replicant(&leader.0, exit.clone(), &alice, &mut threads);
         }
diff --git a/src/tpu.rs b/src/tpu.rs
index 6b4720735..39f6da055 100644
--- a/src/tpu.rs
+++ b/src/tpu.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ use crdt::{Crdt, ReplicatedData};
 use hash::Hash;
 use packet;
 use record_stage::RecordStage;
-use result::Result;
 use sig_verify_stage::SigVerifyStage;
 use std::io::Write;
 use std::net::UdpSocket;
@@ -23,6 +22,7 @@ pub struct Tpu {
     bank: Arc<Bank>,
     start_hash: Hash,
     tick_duration: Option<Duration>,
+    pub thread_hdls: Vec<JoinHandle<()>>,
 }
 
 impl Tpu {
@@ -32,9 +32,27 @@ impl Tpu {
             bank: Arc::new(bank),
             start_hash,
             tick_duration,
+            thread_hdls: vec![],
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn new1<W: Write + Send + 'static>(
+        bank: Bank,
+        start_hash: Hash,
+        tick_duration: Option<Duration>,
+        me: ReplicatedData,
+        requests_socket: UdpSocket,
+        broadcast_socket: UdpSocket,
+        gossip: UdpSocket,
+        exit: Arc<AtomicBool>,
+        writer: W,
+    ) -> Self {
+        let mut tpu = Tpu::new(bank, start_hash, tick_duration);
+        let thread_hdls = tpu.serve(me, requests_socket, broadcast_socket, gossip, exit, writer);
+        tpu.thread_hdls.extend(thread_hdls);
+        tpu
+    }
+
     /// Create a UDP microservice that forwards messages the given Tpu.
     /// This service is the network leader
     /// Set `exit` to shutdown its threads.