diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SharedMediaDriverSupport.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SharedMediaDriverSupport.scala
index 0632d27c48..bdf5dccf4f 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SharedMediaDriverSupport.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/SharedMediaDriverSupport.scala
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ import java.util.function.Consumer
 
 import scala.annotation.tailrec
 import scala.util.control.NonFatal
-
 import akka.remote.RemoteSettings
 import akka.remote.artery.ArterySettings
+import akka.remote.artery.ArterySettings.AeronUpd
 import akka.remote.artery.aeron.TaskRunner
 import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeConfig
 import akka.remote.testkit.MultiNodeSpec
@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@ object SharedMediaDriverSupport {
   private val mediaDriver = new AtomicReference[Option[MediaDriver]](None)
 
   def loadArterySettings(config: MultiNodeConfig): ArterySettings =
-    (new RemoteSettings(ConfigFactory.load(config.config))).Artery
+    new RemoteSettings(ConfigFactory.load(config.config)).Artery
 
   def startMediaDriver(config: MultiNodeConfig): Unit = {
     val arterySettings = loadArterySettings(config)
-    if (arterySettings.Enabled) {
+    if (arterySettings.Enabled && arterySettings.Transport == AeronUpd) {
       val aeronDir = arterySettings.Advanced.Aeron.AeronDirectoryName
       require(aeronDir.nonEmpty, "aeron-dir must be defined")
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ object SharedMediaDriverSupport {
           })
           catch {
             case NonFatal(e) =>
-              println(e.getMessage)
+              println("Exception checking isDriverActive: " + e.getMessage)
               false
           }
           if (active) false
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/StressSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/StressSpec.scala
index a124228c08..3fd7ca38e1 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/StressSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/StressSpec.scala
@@ -129,8 +129,6 @@ private[cluster] object StressMultiJvmSpec extends MultiNodeConfig {
 
     akka.remote.artery.advanced.aeron {
       idle-cpu-level = 1
-      embedded-media-driver = off
-      aeron-dir = "target/aeron-StressSpec"
     }
 
     akka.actor.default-dispatcher.fork-join-executor {
@@ -678,11 +676,7 @@ class StressMultiJvmNode12 extends StressSpec
 class StressMultiJvmNode13 extends StressSpec
 
 abstract class StressSpec
-    extends MultiNodeSpec({
-      // Aeron media driver must be started before ActorSystem
-      SharedMediaDriverSupport.startMediaDriver(StressMultiJvmSpec)
-      StressMultiJvmSpec
-    })
+    extends MultiNodeSpec(StressMultiJvmSpec)
     with MultiNodeClusterSpec
     with BeforeAndAfterEach
     with ImplicitSender {