diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeMembershipSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeMembershipSpec.scala
index 4b9436165d..22c76cae67 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeMembershipSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeMembershipSpec.scala
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ abstract class NodeMembershipSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeMembershipMultiJvmSp
 
   override def initialParticipants = 3
 
-  var node: Cluster = _
+  def node() = Cluster(system)
 
   after {
     testConductor.enter("after")
@@ -54,63 +54,33 @@ abstract class NodeMembershipSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeMembershipMultiJvmSp
 
     "(when two systems) start gossiping to each other so that both systems gets the same gossip info" in {
 
-      def assertMembers: Unit = {
-        val members = node.latestGossip.members.toIndexedSeq
+      runOn(first, second) {
+        awaitCond(node().latestGossip.members.size == 2)
+        val members = node().latestGossip.members.toIndexedSeq
         members.size must be(2)
         members(0).address must be(firstAddress)
         members(1).address must be(secondAddress)
         awaitCond {
-          node.latestGossip.members.forall(_.status == MemberStatus.Up)
+          node().latestGossip.members.forall(_.status == MemberStatus.Up)
         }
-      }
-
-      runOn(first) {
-        node = Cluster(system)
-        awaitCond(node.latestGossip.members.size == 2)
-        assertMembers
-        node.convergence.isDefined
-      }
-
-      runOn(second) {
-        node = Cluster(system)
-        awaitCond(node.latestGossip.members.size == 2)
-        assertMembers
-        node.convergence.isDefined
+        awaitCond(node().convergence.isDefined)
       }
 
     }
 
     "(when three systems) start gossiping to each other so that both systems gets the same gossip info" in {
 
-      def assertMembers: Unit = {
-        val members = node.latestGossip.members.toIndexedSeq
-        members.size must be(3)
-        members(0).address must be(firstAddress)
-        members(1).address must be(secondAddress)
-        members(2).address must be(thirdAddress)
-        awaitCond {
-          node.latestGossip.members.forall(_.status == MemberStatus.Up)
-        }
-      }
-
-      runOn(third) {
-        node = Cluster(system)
-        awaitCond(node.latestGossip.members.size == 3)
-        awaitCond(node.convergence.isDefined)
-        assertMembers
-      }
-
-      runOn(first) {
-        awaitCond(node.latestGossip.members.size == 3)
-        assertMembers
-        node.convergence.isDefined
-      }
-
-      runOn(second) {
-        awaitCond(node.latestGossip.members.size == 3)
-        assertMembers
-        node.convergence.isDefined
+      // runOn all
+      awaitCond(node().latestGossip.members.size == 3)
+      val members = node().latestGossip.members.toIndexedSeq
+      members.size must be(3)
+      members(0).address must be(firstAddress)
+      members(1).address must be(secondAddress)
+      members(2).address must be(thirdAddress)
+      awaitCond {
+        node().latestGossip.members.forall(_.status == MemberStatus.Up)
       }
+      awaitCond(node().convergence.isDefined)
 
     }
   }
diff --git a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeStartupSpec.scala b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeStartupSpec.scala
index 6d95b4d651..5f79d85ecb 100644
--- a/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeStartupSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-cluster/src/multi-jvm/scala/akka/cluster/NodeStartupSpec.scala
@@ -41,29 +41,25 @@ abstract class NodeStartupSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeStartupMultiJvmSpec) wi
 
   override def initialParticipants = 2
 
-  var node: Cluster = _
+  def node() = Cluster(system)
 
   after {
     testConductor.enter("after")
   }
 
-  runOn(first) {
-    node = Cluster(system)
-  }
-
   "A first cluster node with a 'node-to-join' config set to empty string (singleton cluster)" must {
 
     "be a singleton cluster when started up" in {
       runOn(first) {
-        awaitCond(node.isSingletonCluster)
+        awaitCond(node().isSingletonCluster)
         // FIXME #2117 singletonCluster should reach convergence
-        //awaitCond(firstNode.convergence.isDefined)
+        //awaitCond(node().convergence.isDefined)
       }
     }
 
     "be in 'Joining' phase when started up" in {
       runOn(first) {
-        val members = node.latestGossip.members
+        val members = node().latestGossip.members
         members.size must be(1)
         val firstAddress = testConductor.getAddressFor(first).await
         val joiningMember = members find (_.address == firstAddress)
@@ -75,26 +71,16 @@ abstract class NodeStartupSpec extends MultiNodeSpec(NodeStartupMultiJvmSpec) wi
 
   "A second cluster node with a 'node-to-join' config defined" must {
     "join the other node cluster when sending a Join command" in {
-      val secondAddress = testConductor.getAddressFor(second).await
 
-      def awaitSecondUp = awaitCond {
+      // runOn all
+      val secondAddress = testConductor.getAddressFor(second).await
+      awaitCond {
         node.latestGossip.members.exists { member ⇒
           member.address == secondAddress && member.status == MemberStatus.Up
         }
       }
-
-      runOn(second) {
-        // start cluster on second node, and join
-        node = Cluster(system)
-        awaitSecondUp
-        node.convergence.isDefined
-      }
-
-      runOn(first) {
-        awaitSecondUp
-        node.latestGossip.members.size must be(2)
-        node.convergence.isDefined
-      }
+      node().latestGossip.members.size must be(2)
+      awaitCond(node().convergence.isDefined)
     }
   }