diff --git a/core/src/test_validator.rs b/core/src/test_validator.rs
index 0685fe161e..83ba53dca3 100644
--- a/core/src/test_validator.rs
+++ b/core/src/test_validator.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 use {
-    crate::validator::{Validator, ValidatorConfig, ValidatorStartProgress},
+    crate::{
+        tower_storage::TowerStorage,
+        validator::{Validator, ValidatorConfig, ValidatorStartProgress},
+    },
     solana_client::rpc_client::RpcClient,
     solana_gossip::{
         cluster_info::{ClusterInfo, Node},
@@ -76,6 +79,7 @@ impl Default for TestValidatorNodeConfig {
 pub struct TestValidatorGenesis {
     fee_rate_governor: FeeRateGovernor,
     ledger_path: Option<PathBuf>,
+    tower_storage: Option<Arc<dyn TowerStorage>>,
     pub rent: Rent,
     rpc_config: JsonRpcConfig,
     rpc_ports: Option<(u16, u16)>, // (JsonRpc, JsonRpcPubSub), None == random ports
@@ -97,6 +101,11 @@ impl TestValidatorGenesis {
         self
     }
 
+    pub fn tower_storage(&mut self, tower_storage: Arc<dyn TowerStorage>) -> &mut Self {
+        self.tower_storage = Some(tower_storage);
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Check if a given TestValidator ledger has already been initialized
     pub fn ledger_exists(ledger_path: &Path) -> bool {
         ledger_path.join("vote-account-keypair.json").exists()
@@ -484,7 +493,7 @@ impl TestValidator {
             }
         }
 
-        let validator_config = ValidatorConfig {
+        let mut validator_config = ValidatorConfig {
             rpc_addrs: Some((
                 SocketAddr::new(IpAddr::V4(Ipv4Addr::new(0, 0, 0, 0)), node.info.rpc.port()),
                 SocketAddr::new(
@@ -514,6 +523,9 @@ impl TestValidator {
             no_wait_for_vote_to_start_leader: true,
             ..ValidatorConfig::default()
         };
+        if let Some(ref tower_storage) = config.tower_storage {
+            validator_config.tower_storage = tower_storage.clone();
+        }
 
         let validator = Some(Validator::new(
             node,
diff --git a/core/src/tower_storage.rs b/core/src/tower_storage.rs
index dedfacc6db..f2d748125b 100644
--- a/core/src/tower_storage.rs
+++ b/core/src/tower_storage.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use {
     },
     std::{
         fs::{self, File},
-        io::BufReader,
+        io::{self, BufReader},
         path::PathBuf,
     },
 };
@@ -70,9 +70,10 @@ pub struct NullTowerStorage {}
 
 impl TowerStorage for NullTowerStorage {
     fn load(&self, _node_pubkey: &Pubkey) -> Result<SavedTower> {
-        Err(TowerError::WrongTower(
-            "NullTowerStorage has no storage".into(),
-        ))
+        Err(TowerError::IoError(io::Error::new(
+            io::ErrorKind::Other,
+            "NullTowerStorage::load() not available",
+        )))
     }
 
     fn store(&self, _saved_tower: &SavedTower) -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/core/src/validator.rs b/core/src/validator.rs
index 80bc2733be..4ee13192e4 100644
--- a/core/src/validator.rs
+++ b/core/src/validator.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use crate::{
     serve_repair_service::ServeRepairService,
     sigverify,
     snapshot_packager_service::{PendingSnapshotPackage, SnapshotPackagerService},
-    tower_storage::{FileTowerStorage, TowerStorage},
+    tower_storage::TowerStorage,
     tpu::{Tpu, DEFAULT_TPU_COALESCE_MS},
     tvu::{Sockets, Tvu, TvuConfig},
 };
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ impl Default for ValidatorConfig {
             wal_recovery_mode: None,
             poh_verify: true,
             require_tower: false,
-            tower_storage: Arc::new(FileTowerStorage::new(PathBuf::default())),
+            tower_storage: Arc::new(crate::tower_storage::NullTowerStorage::default()),
             debug_keys: None,
             contact_debug_interval: DEFAULT_CONTACT_DEBUG_INTERVAL_MILLIS,
             contact_save_interval: DEFAULT_CONTACT_SAVE_INTERVAL_MILLIS,
diff --git a/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs b/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs
index 905ad9dd2b..dc77f4eac7 100644
--- a/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs
+++ b/validator/src/bin/solana-test-validator.rs
@@ -509,6 +509,8 @@ fn main() {
     let mut genesis = TestValidatorGenesis::default();
     genesis.max_ledger_shreds = value_of(&matches, "limit_ledger_size");
 
+    let tower_storage = Arc::new(FileTowerStorage::new(ledger_path.clone()));
+
     let admin_service_cluster_info = Arc::new(RwLock::new(None));
     admin_rpc_service::run(
         &ledger_path,
@@ -522,7 +524,7 @@ fn main() {
             validator_exit: genesis.validator_exit.clone(),
             authorized_voter_keypairs: genesis.authorized_voter_keypairs.clone(),
             cluster_info: admin_service_cluster_info.clone(),
-            tower_storage: Arc::new(FileTowerStorage::new(ledger_path.clone())),
+            tower_storage: tower_storage.clone(),
         },
     );
     let dashboard = if output == Output::Dashboard {
@@ -540,6 +542,7 @@ fn main() {
 
     genesis
         .ledger_path(&ledger_path)
+        .tower_storage(tower_storage)
         .add_account(
             faucet_pubkey,
             AccountSharedData::new(faucet_lamports, 0, &system_program::id()),