diff --git a/core/src/vote_simulator.rs b/core/src/vote_simulator.rs
index 1d8ba5ff33..c912d0518f 100644
--- a/core/src/vote_simulator.rs
+++ b/core/src/vote_simulator.rs
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ pub fn initialize_state(
     );
 
     genesis_config.poh_config.hashes_per_tick = Some(2);
-    let bank0 = Bank::new(&genesis_config);
+    let bank0 = Bank::new_for_tests(&genesis_config);
 
     for pubkey in validator_keypairs_map.keys() {
         bank0.transfer(10_000, &mint_keypair, pubkey).unwrap();
diff --git a/program-test/src/lib.rs b/program-test/src/lib.rs
index a48455f476..f206780d1e 100644
--- a/program-test/src/lib.rs
+++ b/program-test/src/lib.rs
@@ -754,7 +754,7 @@ impl ProgramTest {
         debug!("Payer address: {}", mint_keypair.pubkey());
         debug!("Genesis config: {}", genesis_config);
 
-        let mut bank = Bank::new(&genesis_config);
+        let mut bank = Bank::new_for_tests(&genesis_config);
 
         // Add loaders
         macro_rules! add_builtin {
diff --git a/runtime/src/bank.rs b/runtime/src/bank.rs
index b2a0ff5cfa..1217bae129 100644
--- a/runtime/src/bank.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/bank.rs
@@ -1048,6 +1048,12 @@ impl Default for BlockhashQueue {
 
 impl Bank {
     pub fn new(genesis_config: &GenesisConfig) -> Self {
+        // this will go away in a coming pr where many replacements in test code will get made
+        Self::new_for_tests(genesis_config)
+    }
+
+    pub fn new_for_tests(genesis_config: &GenesisConfig) -> Self {
+        // this will diverge
         Self::new_with_paths(
             genesis_config,
             Vec::new(),
diff --git a/runtime/src/bank_utils.rs b/runtime/src/bank_utils.rs
index 94a7b91afd..a032bcf634 100644
--- a/runtime/src/bank_utils.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/bank_utils.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ pub fn setup_bank_and_vote_pubkeys(num_vote_accounts: usize, stake: u64) -> (Ban
             &validator_voting_keypairs,
             vec![stake; validator_voting_keypairs.len()],
         );
-    let bank = Bank::new(&genesis_config);
+    let bank = Bank::new_for_tests(&genesis_config);
     (bank, vote_pubkeys)
 }