diff --git a/src/interfaces/node.h b/src/interfaces/node.h
--- a/src/interfaces/node.h
+++ b/src/interfaces/node.h
@@ -284,12 +284,14 @@
     virtual std::unique_ptr<Handler>
     handleNotifyHeaderTip(NotifyHeaderTipFn fn) = 0;
 
-    //! Return pointer to internal chain interface, useful for testing.
+    //! Get and set internal node context. Useful for testing, but not
+    //! accessible across processes.
     virtual NodeContext *context() { return nullptr; }
+    virtual void setContext(NodeContext *context) {}
 };
 
 //! Return implementation of Node interface.
-std::unique_ptr<Node> MakeNode();
+std::unique_ptr<Node> MakeNode(NodeContext *context = nullptr);
 
 } // namespace interfaces
 
diff --git a/src/interfaces/node.cpp b/src/interfaces/node.cpp
--- a/src/interfaces/node.cpp
+++ b/src/interfaces/node.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@
 
     class NodeImpl : public Node {
     public:
+        NodeImpl(NodeContext *context) { setContext(context); }
         void initError(const std::string &message) override {
             InitError(Untranslated(message));
         }
@@ -108,13 +109,13 @@
         bool
         appInitMain(Config &config, RPCServer &rpcServer,
                     HTTPRPCRequestProcessor &httpRPCRequestProcessor) override {
-            m_context.chain = MakeChain(m_context, config.GetChainParams());
+            m_context->chain = MakeChain(*m_context, config.GetChainParams());
             return AppInitMain(config, rpcServer, httpRPCRequestProcessor,
-                               m_context);
+                               *m_context);
         }
         void appShutdown() override {
-            Interrupt(m_context);
-            Shutdown(m_context);
+            Interrupt(*m_context);
+            Shutdown(*m_context);
         }
         void startShutdown() override { StartShutdown(); }
         bool shutdownRequested() override { return ShutdownRequested(); }
@@ -126,20 +127,22 @@
                 StopMapPort();
             }
         }
+        // PR18571: return SetupServerArgs(*m_context)
+        // See https://reviews.bitcoinabc.org/D7993
         void setupServerArgs() override { return SetupServerArgs(); }
         bool getProxy(Network net, proxyType &proxy_info) override {
             return GetProxy(net, proxy_info);
         }
         size_t getNodeCount(CConnman::NumConnections flags) override {
-            return m_context.connman ? m_context.connman->GetNodeCount(flags)
-                                     : 0;
+            return m_context->connman ? m_context->connman->GetNodeCount(flags)
+                                      : 0;
         }
         bool getNodesStats(NodesStats &stats) override {
             stats.clear();
 
-            if (m_context.connman) {
+            if (m_context->connman) {
                 std::vector<CNodeStats> stats_temp;
-                m_context.connman->GetNodeStats(stats_temp);
+                m_context->connman->GetNodeStats(stats_temp);
 
                 stats.reserve(stats_temp.size());
                 for (auto &node_stats_temp : stats_temp) {
@@ -161,52 +164,52 @@
             return false;
         }
         bool getBanned(banmap_t &banmap) override {
-            if (m_context.banman) {
-                m_context.banman->GetBanned(banmap);
+            if (m_context->banman) {
+                m_context->banman->GetBanned(banmap);
                 return true;
             }
             return false;
         }
         bool ban(const CNetAddr &net_addr, int64_t ban_time_offset) override {
-            if (m_context.banman) {
-                m_context.banman->Ban(net_addr, ban_time_offset);
+            if (m_context->banman) {
+                m_context->banman->Ban(net_addr, ban_time_offset);
                 return true;
             }
             return false;
         }
         bool unban(const CSubNet &ip) override {
-            if (m_context.banman) {
-                m_context.banman->Unban(ip);
+            if (m_context->banman) {
+                m_context->banman->Unban(ip);
                 return true;
             }
             return false;
         }
         bool disconnect(const CNetAddr &net_addr) override {
-            if (m_context.connman) {
-                return m_context.connman->DisconnectNode(net_addr);
+            if (m_context->connman) {
+                return m_context->connman->DisconnectNode(net_addr);
             }
             return false;
         }
         bool disconnect(NodeId id) override {
-            if (m_context.connman) {
-                return m_context.connman->DisconnectNode(id);
+            if (m_context->connman) {
+                return m_context->connman->DisconnectNode(id);
             }
             return false;
         }
         int64_t getTotalBytesRecv() override {
-            return m_context.connman ? m_context.connman->GetTotalBytesRecv()
-                                     : 0;
+            return m_context->connman ? m_context->connman->GetTotalBytesRecv()
+                                      : 0;
         }
         int64_t getTotalBytesSent() override {
-            return m_context.connman ? m_context.connman->GetTotalBytesSent()
-                                     : 0;
+            return m_context->connman ? m_context->connman->GetTotalBytesSent()
+                                      : 0;
         }
         size_t getMempoolSize() override {
-            return m_context.mempool ? m_context.mempool->size() : 0;
+            return m_context->mempool ? m_context->mempool->size() : 0;
         }
         size_t getMempoolDynamicUsage() override {
-            return m_context.mempool ? m_context.mempool->DynamicMemoryUsage()
-                                     : 0;
+            return m_context->mempool ? m_context->mempool->DynamicMemoryUsage()
+                                      : 0;
         }
         bool getHeaderTip(int &height, int64_t &block_time) override {
             LOCK(::cs_main);
@@ -243,16 +246,16 @@
         bool getReindex() override { return ::fReindex; }
         bool getImporting() override { return ::fImporting; }
         void setNetworkActive(bool active) override {
-            if (m_context.connman) {
-                m_context.connman->SetNetworkActive(active);
+            if (m_context->connman) {
+                m_context->connman->SetNetworkActive(active);
             }
         }
         bool getNetworkActive() override {
-            return m_context.connman && m_context.connman->GetNetworkActive();
+            return m_context->connman && m_context->connman->GetNetworkActive();
         }
         CFeeRate estimateSmartFee() override {
-            return m_context.mempool ? m_context.mempool->estimateFee()
-                                     : CFeeRate();
+            return m_context->mempool ? m_context->mempool->estimateFee()
+                                      : CFeeRate();
         }
         CFeeRate getDustRelayFee() override { return ::dustRelayFee; }
         UniValue executeRpc(Config &config, const std::string &command,
@@ -287,7 +290,7 @@
         }
         std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Wallet>> getWallets() override {
             std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Wallet>> wallets;
-            for (auto &client : m_context.chain_clients) {
+            for (auto &client : m_context->chain_clients) {
                 auto client_wallets = client->getWallets();
                 std::move(client_wallets.begin(), client_wallets.end(),
                           std::back_inserter(wallets));
@@ -299,7 +302,7 @@
                    bilingual_str &error,
                    std::vector<bilingual_str> &warnings) const override {
             return MakeWallet(
-                LoadWallet(params, *m_context.chain, name, error, warnings));
+                LoadWallet(params, *m_context->chain, name, error, warnings));
         }
         WalletCreationStatus
         createWallet(const CChainParams &params, const SecureString &passphrase,
@@ -308,7 +311,7 @@
                      std::unique_ptr<Wallet> &result) override {
             std::shared_ptr<CWallet> wallet;
             WalletCreationStatus status = CreateWallet(
-                params, *m_context.chain, passphrase, wallet_creation_flags,
+                params, *m_context->chain, passphrase, wallet_creation_flags,
                 name, error, warnings, wallet);
             result = MakeWallet(wallet);
             return status;
@@ -363,14 +366,22 @@
                        GuessVerificationProgress(Params().TxData(), block));
                 }));
         }
-        NodeContext *context() override { return &m_context; }
-        NodeContext m_context;
+        NodeContext *context() override { return m_context; }
+        void setContext(NodeContext *context) override {
+            m_context = context;
+            if (context) {
+                m_context_ref.Set(*context);
+            } else {
+                m_context_ref.Clear();
+            }
+        }
+        NodeContext *m_context{nullptr};
         util::Ref m_context_ref{m_context};
     };
 } // namespace
 
-std::unique_ptr<Node> MakeNode() {
-    return std::make_unique<NodeImpl>();
+std::unique_ptr<Node> MakeNode(NodeContext *context) {
+    return std::make_unique<NodeImpl>(context);
 }
 
 } // namespace interfaces
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <httprpc.h>
 #include <interfaces/handler.h>
 #include <interfaces/node.h>
+#include <node/context.h>
 #include <noui.h>
 #include <qt/bitcoingui.h>
 #include <qt/clientmodel.h>
@@ -510,7 +511,9 @@
     SetupEnvironment();
     util::ThreadSetInternalName("main");
 
-    std::unique_ptr<interfaces::Node> node = interfaces::MakeNode();
+    NodeContext node_context;
+    std::unique_ptr<interfaces::Node> node =
+        interfaces::MakeNode(&node_context);
 
     // Subscribe to global signals from core
     std::unique_ptr<interfaces::Handler> handler_message_box =
diff --git a/src/qt/test/addressbooktests.cpp b/src/qt/test/addressbooktests.cpp
--- a/src/qt/test/addressbooktests.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/test/addressbooktests.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <key.h>
 #include <key_io.h>
 #include <wallet/wallet.h>
+#include <walletinitinterface.h>
 
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QMessageBox>
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@
  */
 void TestAddAddressesToSendBook(interfaces::Node &node) {
     TestChain100Setup test;
+    node.setContext(&test.m_node);
 
     std::shared_ptr<CWallet> wallet = std::make_shared<CWallet>(
         Params(), node.context()->chain.get(), WalletLocation(),
diff --git a/src/qt/test/test_main.cpp b/src/qt/test/test_main.cpp
--- a/src/qt/test/test_main.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/test/test_main.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@
     // All tests must use their own testing setup (if needed).
     { BasicTestingSetup dummy{CBaseChainParams::REGTEST}; }
 
-    std::unique_ptr<interfaces::Node> node = interfaces::MakeNode();
+    NodeContext node_context;
+    std::unique_ptr<interfaces::Node> node =
+        interfaces::MakeNode(&node_context);
 
     bool fInvalid = false;
 
diff --git a/src/qt/test/wallettests.cpp b/src/qt/test/wallettests.cpp
--- a/src/qt/test/wallettests.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/test/wallettests.cpp
@@ -112,8 +112,7 @@
         test.CreateAndProcessBlock(
             {}, GetScriptForRawPubKey(test.coinbaseKey.GetPubKey()));
     }
-    node.context()->connman = std::move(test.m_node.connman);
-    node.context()->mempool = std::move(test.m_node.mempool);
+    node.setContext(&test.m_node);
     std::shared_ptr<CWallet> wallet = std::make_shared<CWallet>(
         Params(), node.context()->chain.get(), WalletLocation(),
         WalletDatabase::CreateMock());
diff --git a/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp b/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp
--- a/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp
+++ b/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <consensus/validation.h>
 #include <crypto/sha256.h>
 #include <init.h>
+#include <interfaces/chain.h>
 #include <logging.h>
 #include <miner.h>
 #include <net.h>
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@
 #include <util/validation.h>
 #include <validation.h>
 #include <validationinterface.h>
+#include <walletinitinterface.h>
 
 #include <functional>
 #include <memory>
@@ -100,6 +102,9 @@
     InitSignatureCache();
     InitScriptExecutionCache();
 
+    m_node.chain = interfaces::MakeChain(m_node, Params());
+    g_wallet_init_interface.Construct(m_node);
+
     fCheckBlockIndex = true;
     static bool noui_connected = false;
     if (!noui_connected) {