diff --git a/src/bin/fullnode.rs b/src/bin/fullnode.rs
index 35a3453a5..7fa30834d 100644
--- a/src/bin/fullnode.rs
+++ b/src/bin/fullnode.rs
@@ -83,11 +83,11 @@ fn main() -> () {
         let testnet_addr: SocketAddr = testnet_address_string.parse().unwrap();
         drone_addr.set_ip(testnet_addr.ip());
 
-        Fullnode::new(node, false, ledger_path, keypair, Some(testnet_addr))
+        Fullnode::new(node, ledger_path, keypair, Some(testnet_addr))
     } else {
         node.data.leader_id = node.data.id;
 
-        Fullnode::new(node, true, ledger_path, keypair, None)
+        Fullnode::new(node, ledger_path, keypair, None)
     };
 
     let mut client = mk_client(&repl_clone);
diff --git a/src/fullnode.rs b/src/fullnode.rs
index bfbb7b98c..abe7b2f3d 100644
--- a/src/fullnode.rs
+++ b/src/fullnode.rs
@@ -51,14 +51,13 @@ impl Config {
 impl Fullnode {
     fn new_internal(
         node: TestNode,
-        leader: bool,
         ledger_path: &str,
         keypair: Keypair,
-        network_entry_for_validator: Option<SocketAddr>,
+        leader_addr: Option<SocketAddr>,
         sigverify_disabled: bool,
     ) -> Self {
         info!("creating bank...");
-        let bank = Bank::new_default(leader);
+        let bank = Bank::new_default(leader_addr.is_some());
 
         let entries = read_ledger(ledger_path, true).expect("opening ledger");
 
@@ -79,7 +78,6 @@ impl Fullnode {
         );
         let exit = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
         Self::new_with_bank(
-            leader,
             keypair,
             bank,
             entry_height,
@@ -87,13 +85,12 @@ impl Fullnode {
             node,
             exit,
             ledger_path,
-            network_entry_for_validator,
             sigverify_disabled,
+            leader_addr,
         )
     }
 
     fn new_with_bank(
-        leader: bool,
         keypair: Keypair,
         bank: Bank,
         entry_height: u64,
@@ -101,79 +98,70 @@ impl Fullnode {
         mut node: TestNode,
         exit: Arc<AtomicBool>,
         ledger_path: &str,
-        network_entry_for_validator: Option<SocketAddr>,
         sigverify_disabled: bool,
+        leader_addr: Option<SocketAddr>,
     ) -> Self {
         let local_requests_addr = node.sockets.requests.local_addr().unwrap();
         let requests_addr = node.data.contact_info.rpu;
-        if !leader {
-            let testnet_addr = network_entry_for_validator.expect("validator requires entry");
-
-            let network_entry_point = NodeInfo::new_entry_point(testnet_addr);
-            let server = Self::new_validator(
-                keypair,
-                bank,
-                entry_height,
-                &ledger_tail,
-                node,
-                &network_entry_point,
-                exit.clone(),
-                Some(ledger_path),
-                sigverify_disabled,
-            );
-            info!(
+        match leader_addr {
+            Some(leader_addr) => {
+                let network_entry_point = NodeInfo::new_entry_point(leader_addr);
+                let server = Self::new_validator(
+                    keypair,
+                    bank,
+                    entry_height,
+                    &ledger_tail,
+                    node,
+                    &network_entry_point,
+                    exit.clone(),
+                    Some(ledger_path),
+                    sigverify_disabled,
+                );
+                info!(
                 "validator ready... local request address: {} (advertising {}) connected to: {}",
-                local_requests_addr, requests_addr, testnet_addr
+                local_requests_addr, requests_addr, leader_addr
             );
-            server
-        } else {
-            node.data.leader_id = node.data.id;
+                server
+            }
+            None => {
+                node.data.leader_id = node.data.id;
 
-            let server = Self::new_leader(
-                keypair,
-                bank,
-                entry_height,
-                &ledger_tail,
-                node,
-                exit.clone(),
-                ledger_path,
-                sigverify_disabled,
-            );
-            info!(
-                "leader ready... local request address: {} (advertising {})",
-                local_requests_addr, requests_addr
-            );
-            server
+                let server = Self::new_leader(
+                    keypair,
+                    bank,
+                    entry_height,
+                    &ledger_tail,
+                    node,
+                    exit.clone(),
+                    ledger_path,
+                    sigverify_disabled,
+                );
+                info!(
+                    "leader ready... local request address: {} (advertising {})",
+                    local_requests_addr, requests_addr
+                );
+                server
+            }
         }
     }
 
     pub fn new(
         node: TestNode,
-        leader: bool,
         ledger: &str,
         keypair: Keypair,
         network_entry_for_validator: Option<SocketAddr>,
     ) -> Self {
-        Self::new_internal(
-            node,
-            leader,
-            ledger,
-            keypair,
-            network_entry_for_validator,
-            false,
-        )
+        Self::new_internal(node, ledger, keypair, network_entry_for_validator, false)
     }
 
     pub fn new_without_sigverify(
         node: TestNode,
-        leader: bool,
         ledger_path: &str,
         keypair: Keypair,
         network_entry_for_validator: Option<SocketAddr>,
     ) -> Self {
         Self::new_internal(
             node,
-            leader,
             ledger_path,
             keypair,
             network_entry_for_validator,
diff --git a/tests/multinode.rs b/tests/multinode.rs
index 7d74086be..696461a31 100644
--- a/tests/multinode.rs
+++ b/tests/multinode.rs
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ fn test_multi_node_ledger_window() -> result::Result<()> {
         writer.write_entries(entries).unwrap();
     }
 
-    let leader = Fullnode::new(leader, true, &leader_ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
+    let leader = Fullnode::new(leader, &leader_ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
 
     // Send leader some tokens to vote
     let leader_balance =
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ fn test_multi_node_ledger_window() -> result::Result<()> {
     let validator_data = validator.data.clone();
     let validator = Fullnode::new(
         validator,
-        false,
         &zero_ledger_path,
         keypair,
         Some(leader_data.contact_info.ncp),
@@ -218,7 +217,7 @@ fn test_multi_node_validator_catchup_from_zero() -> result::Result<()> {
     );
     ledger_paths.push(zero_ledger_path.clone());
 
-    let server = Fullnode::new(leader, true, &leader_ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
+    let server = Fullnode::new(leader, &leader_ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
 
     // Send leader some tokens to vote
     let leader_balance =
@@ -237,7 +236,6 @@ fn test_multi_node_validator_catchup_from_zero() -> result::Result<()> {
 
         let mut val = Fullnode::new(
             validator,
-            false,
             &ledger_path,
             keypair,
             Some(leader_data.contact_info.ncp),
@@ -272,7 +270,6 @@ fn test_multi_node_validator_catchup_from_zero() -> result::Result<()> {
     let validator = TestNode::new_localhost_with_pubkey(keypair.pubkey());
     let val = Fullnode::new(
         validator,
-        false,
         &zero_ledger_path,
         keypair,
         Some(leader_data.contact_info.ncp),
@@ -335,7 +332,7 @@ fn test_multi_node_basic() {
 
     let (alice, leader_ledger_path) = genesis("multi_node_basic", 10_000);
     ledger_paths.push(leader_ledger_path.clone());
-    let server = Fullnode::new(leader, true, &leader_ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
+    let server = Fullnode::new(leader, &leader_ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
 
     // Send leader some tokens to vote
     let leader_balance =
@@ -350,7 +347,6 @@ fn test_multi_node_basic() {
         ledger_paths.push(ledger_path.clone());
         let val = Fullnode::new(
             validator,
-            false,
             &ledger_path,
             keypair,
             Some(leader_data.contact_info.ncp),
@@ -396,7 +392,7 @@ fn test_boot_validator_from_file() -> result::Result<()> {
     ledger_paths.push(leader_ledger_path.clone());
 
     let leader_data = leader.data.clone();
-    let leader_fullnode = Fullnode::new(leader, true, &leader_ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
+    let leader_fullnode = Fullnode::new(leader, &leader_ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
     let leader_balance =
         send_tx_and_retry_get_balance(&leader_data, &alice, &bob_pubkey, Some(500)).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(leader_balance, 500);
@@ -411,7 +407,6 @@ fn test_boot_validator_from_file() -> result::Result<()> {
     ledger_paths.push(ledger_path.clone());
     let val_fullnode = Fullnode::new(
         validator,
-        false,
         &ledger_path,
         keypair,
         Some(leader_data.contact_info.ncp),
@@ -433,7 +428,7 @@ fn create_leader(ledger_path: &str) -> (NodeInfo, Fullnode) {
     let leader_keypair = Keypair::new();
     let leader = TestNode::new_localhost_with_pubkey(leader_keypair.pubkey());
     let leader_data = leader.data.clone();
-    let leader_fullnode = Fullnode::new(leader, true, &ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
+    let leader_fullnode = Fullnode::new(leader, &ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
     (leader_data, leader_fullnode)
 }
 
@@ -480,7 +475,6 @@ fn test_leader_restart_validator_start_from_old_ledger() -> result::Result<()> {
 
     let val_fullnode = Fullnode::new(
         validator,
-        false,
         &stale_ledger_path,
         keypair,
         Some(leader_data.contact_info.ncp),
@@ -538,8 +532,7 @@ fn test_multi_node_dynamic_network() {
     let alice_arc = Arc::new(RwLock::new(alice));
     let leader_data = leader.data.clone();
 
-    let server =
-        Fullnode::new_without_sigverify(leader, true, &leader_ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
+    let server = Fullnode::new_without_sigverify(leader, &leader_ledger_path, leader_keypair, None);
 
     // Send leader some tokens to vote
     let leader_balance = send_tx_and_retry_get_balance(
@@ -609,7 +602,6 @@ fn test_multi_node_dynamic_network() {
                     info!("starting {} {:x}", keypair.pubkey(), rd.debug_id());
                     let val = Fullnode::new_without_sigverify(
                         validator,
-                        false,
                         &ledger_path,
                         keypair,
                         Some(leader_data.contact_info.ncp),