diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -215,13 +215,16 @@
                 raise FailedToStartError(self._node_msg(
                     'bitcoind exited with status {} during initialization'.format(self.process.returncode)))
             try:
-                self.rpc = get_rpc_proxy(rpc_url(self.datadir, self.host, self.rpc_port),
-                                         self.index, timeout=self.rpc_timeout, coveragedir=self.coverage_dir)
-                self.rpc.getblockcount()
+                rpc = get_rpc_proxy(rpc_url(self.datadir, self.host, self.rpc_port),
+                                    self.index, timeout=self.rpc_timeout, coveragedir=self.coverage_dir)
+                rpc.getblockcount()
                 # If the call to getblockcount() succeeds then the RPC connection is up
+                self.log.debug("RPC successfully started")
+                if self.use_cli:
+                    return
+                self.rpc = rpc
                 self.rpc_connected = True
                 self.url = self.rpc.url
-                self.log.debug("RPC successfully started")
                 return
             except IOError as e:
                 if e.errno != errno.ECONNREFUSED:  # Port not yet open?