diff --git a/vms/avm/base_tx_test.go b/vms/avm/base_tx_test.go
index e236230..78ebfa6 100644
--- a/vms/avm/base_tx_test.go
+++ b/vms/avm/base_tx_test.go
@@ -624,6 +624,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSyntacticVerifyUninitialized(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBaseTxSemanticVerify(t *testing.T) {
 	genesisBytes, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	genesisTx := GetFirstTxFromGenesisTest(genesisBytes, t)
 
@@ -688,6 +689,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSemanticVerify(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyUnknownFx(t *testing.T) {
 	genesisBytes, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	vm.codec.RegisterType(&ava.TestVerifiable{})
 
@@ -737,6 +739,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyUnknownFx(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyWrongAssetID(t *testing.T) {
 	genesisBytes, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	vm.codec.RegisterType(&ava.TestVerifiable{})
 
@@ -809,6 +812,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyUnauthorizedFx(t *testing.T) {
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 
 	vm := &VM{}
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 	err := vm.Initialize(
 		ctx,
 		memdb.New(),
@@ -894,6 +898,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyUnauthorizedFx(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyInvalidSignature(t *testing.T) {
 	genesisBytes, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	genesisTx := GetFirstTxFromGenesisTest(genesisBytes, t)
 
@@ -945,6 +950,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyInvalidSignature(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyMissingUTXO(t *testing.T) {
 	genesisBytes, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	genesisTx := GetFirstTxFromGenesisTest(genesisBytes, t)
 
@@ -1009,6 +1015,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyMissingUTXO(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyInvalidUTXO(t *testing.T) {
 	genesisBytes, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	genesisTx := GetFirstTxFromGenesisTest(genesisBytes, t)
 
@@ -1141,6 +1148,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyPendingInvalidUTXO(t *testing.T) {
 
 	ctx.Lock.Lock()
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	vm.PendingTxs()
 
@@ -1272,6 +1280,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyPendingWrongAssetID(t *testing.T) {
 
 	ctx.Lock.Lock()
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	vm.PendingTxs()
 
@@ -1437,6 +1446,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyPendingUnauthorizedFx(t *testing.T) {
 
 	ctx.Lock.Lock()
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	vm.PendingTxs()
 
@@ -1586,6 +1596,7 @@ func TestBaseTxSemanticVerifyPendingInvalidSignature(t *testing.T) {
 
 	ctx.Lock.Lock()
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	vm.PendingTxs()
 
diff --git a/vms/avm/export_tx_test.go b/vms/avm/export_tx_test.go
index 98df9b0..f3cf508 100644
--- a/vms/avm/export_tx_test.go
+++ b/vms/avm/export_tx_test.go
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ func TestIssueExportTx(t *testing.T) {
 
 	ctx.Lock.Lock()
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	txs := vm.PendingTxs()
 	if len(txs) != 1 {
@@ -350,6 +351,7 @@ func TestClearForceAcceptedExportTx(t *testing.T) {
 
 	ctx.Lock.Lock()
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 
 	txs := vm.PendingTxs()
 	if len(txs) != 1 {
diff --git a/vms/avm/import_tx_test.go b/vms/avm/import_tx_test.go
index e0f5605..4f7ac43 100644
--- a/vms/avm/import_tx_test.go
+++ b/vms/avm/import_tx_test.go
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ func TestIssueImportTx(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer func() { ctx.Lock.Lock(); vm.Shutdown(); ctx.Lock.Unlock() }()
 
 	msg := <-issuer
 	if msg != common.PendingTxs {
@@ -265,6 +266,7 @@ func TestForceAcceptImportTx(t *testing.T) {
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 
 	vm := &VM{platform: platformID}
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 	err := vm.Initialize(
 		ctx,
 		memdb.New(),
diff --git a/vms/avm/prefixed_state_test.go b/vms/avm/prefixed_state_test.go
index 1d790d5..f97757e 100644
--- a/vms/avm/prefixed_state_test.go
+++ b/vms/avm/prefixed_state_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import (
 func TestPrefixedSetsAndGets(t *testing.T) {
 	_, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
 	ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer func() { ctx.Lock.Lock(); vm.Shutdown(); ctx.Lock.Unlock() }()
+
 	state := vm.state
 
 	vm.codec.RegisterType(&ava.TestVerifiable{})
@@ -113,6 +115,8 @@ func TestPrefixedSetsAndGets(t *testing.T) {
 func TestPrefixedFundingNoAddresses(t *testing.T) {
 	_, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
 	ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer func() { ctx.Lock.Lock(); vm.Shutdown(); ctx.Lock.Unlock() }()
+
 	state := vm.state
 
 	vm.codec.RegisterType(&ava.TestVerifiable{})
@@ -137,6 +141,8 @@ func TestPrefixedFundingNoAddresses(t *testing.T) {
 func TestPrefixedFundingAddresses(t *testing.T) {
 	_, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
 	ctx.Lock.Unlock()
+	defer func() { ctx.Lock.Lock(); vm.Shutdown(); ctx.Lock.Unlock() }()
+
 	state := vm.state
 
 	vm.codec.RegisterType(&testAddressable{})
diff --git a/vms/avm/state_test.go b/vms/avm/state_test.go
index aac77c1..4b8aa05 100644
--- a/vms/avm/state_test.go
+++ b/vms/avm/state_test.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 
 func TestStateIDs(t *testing.T) {
 	_, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
+	defer func() { ctx.Lock.Lock(); vm.Shutdown(); ctx.Lock.Unlock() }()
 	ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 	state := vm.state.state
 
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ func TestStateIDs(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestStateStatuses(t *testing.T) {
 	_, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
+	defer func() { ctx.Lock.Lock(); vm.Shutdown(); ctx.Lock.Unlock() }()
 	ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 	state := vm.state.state
 
@@ -175,6 +177,7 @@ func TestStateStatuses(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestStateUTXOs(t *testing.T) {
 	_, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
+	defer func() { ctx.Lock.Lock(); vm.Shutdown(); ctx.Lock.Unlock() }()
 	ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 	state := vm.state.state
 
@@ -246,6 +249,7 @@ func TestStateUTXOs(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestStateTXs(t *testing.T) {
 	_, _, vm := GenesisVM(t)
+	defer func() { ctx.Lock.Lock(); vm.Shutdown(); ctx.Lock.Unlock() }()
 	ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 	state := vm.state.state
 
diff --git a/vms/avm/vm_test.go b/vms/avm/vm_test.go
index cfd09e8..03f692f 100644
--- a/vms/avm/vm_test.go
+++ b/vms/avm/vm_test.go
@@ -396,6 +396,7 @@ func TestInvalidGenesis(t *testing.T) {
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 
 	vm := &VM{}
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 	err := vm.Initialize(
 		/*context=*/ ctx,
 		/*db=*/ memdb.New(),
@@ -415,6 +416,7 @@ func TestInvalidFx(t *testing.T) {
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 
 	vm := &VM{}
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 	err := vm.Initialize(
 		/*context=*/ ctx,
 		/*db=*/ memdb.New(),
@@ -436,6 +438,7 @@ func TestFxInitializationFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 
 	vm := &VM{}
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 	err := vm.Initialize(
 		/*context=*/ ctx,
 		/*db=*/ memdb.New(),
@@ -457,6 +460,7 @@ func (tx *testTxBytes) UnsignedBytes() []byte { return tx.unsignedBytes }
 
 func TestIssueTx(t *testing.T) {
 	genesisBytes, issuer, vm := GenesisVM(t)
+	defer func() { ctx.Lock.Lock(); vm.Shutdown(); ctx.Lock.Unlock() }()
 
 	newTx := NewTx(t, genesisBytes, vm)
 
@@ -503,6 +507,7 @@ func TestGenesisGetUTXOs(t *testing.T) {
 // transaction should be issued successfully.
 func TestIssueDependentTx(t *testing.T) {
 	genesisBytes, issuer, vm := GenesisVM(t)
+	defer func() { ctx.Lock.Lock(); vm.Shutdown(); ctx.Lock.Unlock() }()
 
 	genesisTx := GetFirstTxFromGenesisTest(genesisBytes, t)
 
@@ -638,6 +643,7 @@ func TestIssueNFT(t *testing.T) {
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 
 	vm := &VM{}
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 	err := vm.Initialize(
 		ctx,
 		memdb.New(),
@@ -796,6 +802,7 @@ func TestIssueProperty(t *testing.T) {
 	defer ctx.Lock.Unlock()
 
 	vm := &VM{}
+	defer vm.Shutdown()
 	err := vm.Initialize(
 		ctx,
 		memdb.New(),