diff --git a/src/fullnode.rs b/src/fullnode.rs
index 98077a6ad5..c87cd2bbc8 100644
--- a/src/fullnode.rs
+++ b/src/fullnode.rs
@@ -110,54 +110,7 @@ impl Fullnode {
         server
     }
 
-    pub fn new_with_bank(
-        keypair: Keypair,
-        bank: Bank,
-        entry_height: u64,
-        ledger_tail: &[Entry],
-        mut node: TestNode,
-        leader_info: Option<NodeInfo>,
-        exit: Arc<AtomicBool>,
-        ledger_path: Option<&str>,
-        sigverify_disabled: bool,
-    ) -> Self {
-        let bank = Arc::new(bank);
-        let thread_hdls = match leader_info {
-            Some(leader_info) => {
-                // Start in validator mode.
-                Self::create_validator_threads(
-                    keypair,
-                    &bank,
-                    entry_height,
-                    &ledger_tail,
-                    node,
-                    &leader_info,
-                    exit.clone(),
-                    ledger_path,
-                    sigverify_disabled,
-                )
-            }
-            None => {
-                // Start in leader mode.
-                node.data.leader_id = node.data.id;
-
-                Self::create_leader_threads(
-                    keypair,
-                    &bank,
-                    entry_height,
-                    &ledger_tail,
-                    node,
-                    exit.clone(),
-                    ledger_path.expect("ledger path"),
-                    sigverify_disabled,
-                )
-            }
-        };
-
-        Fullnode { exit, thread_hdls }
-    }
-
-    /// Create a server instance acting as a leader.
+    /// Create a fullnode instance acting as a leader or validator.
     ///
     /// ```text
     ///              .---------------------.
@@ -180,86 +133,7 @@ impl Fullnode {
     ///              |  `-----`   `-----`  |    |            |
     ///              |                     |    `------------`
     ///              `---------------------`
-    /// ```
-    fn create_leader_threads(
-        keypair: Keypair,
-        bank: &Arc<Bank>,
-        entry_height: u64,
-        ledger_tail: &[Entry],
-        node: TestNode,
-        exit: Arc<AtomicBool>,
-        ledger_path: &str,
-        sigverify_disabled: bool,
-    ) -> Vec<JoinHandle<()>> {
-        let tick_duration = None;
-        // TODO: To light up PoH, uncomment the following line:
-        //let tick_duration = Some(Duration::from_millis(1000));
-
-        let mut thread_hdls = vec![];
-        let rpu = Rpu::new(
-            &bank,
-            node.sockets.requests,
-            node.sockets.respond,
-            exit.clone(),
-        );
-        thread_hdls.extend(rpu.thread_hdls());
-
-        let mut drone_addr = node.data.contact_info.tpu;
-        drone_addr.set_port(DRONE_PORT);
-        let rpc_addr = SocketAddr::new(IpAddr::V4(Ipv4Addr::new(0, 0, 0, 0)), RPC_PORT);
-        let rpc_service = JsonRpcService::new(
-            &bank,
-            node.data.contact_info.tpu,
-            drone_addr,
-            rpc_addr,
-            exit.clone(),
-        );
-        thread_hdls.extend(rpc_service.thread_hdls());
-
-        let blob_recycler = BlobRecycler::default();
-        let window =
-            window::new_window_from_entries(ledger_tail, entry_height, &node.data, &blob_recycler);
-
-        let crdt = Arc::new(RwLock::new(Crdt::new(node.data).expect("Crdt::new")));
-
-        let (tpu, blob_receiver) = Tpu::new(
-            keypair,
-            &bank,
-            &crdt,
-            tick_duration,
-            node.sockets.transaction,
-            &blob_recycler,
-            exit.clone(),
-            ledger_path,
-            sigverify_disabled,
-        );
-        thread_hdls.extend(tpu.thread_hdls());
-        let ncp = Ncp::new(
-            &crdt,
-            window.clone(),
-            Some(ledger_path),
-            node.sockets.gossip,
-            node.sockets.gossip_send,
-            exit.clone(),
-        ).expect("Ncp::new");
-        thread_hdls.extend(ncp.thread_hdls());
-
-        let broadcast_stage = BroadcastStage::new(
-            node.sockets.broadcast,
-            crdt,
-            window,
-            entry_height,
-            blob_recycler.clone(),
-            blob_receiver,
-        );
-        thread_hdls.extend(broadcast_stage.thread_hdls());
-
-        thread_hdls
-    }
-
-    /// Create a server instance acting as a validator.
     ///
-    /// ```text
     ///               .-------------------------------.
     ///               | Validator                     |
     ///               |                               |
@@ -286,71 +160,143 @@ impl Fullnode {
     ///   `--------`  |                               |    `------------`
     ///               `-------------------------------`
     /// ```
-    fn create_validator_threads(
+    pub fn new_with_bank(
         keypair: Keypair,
-        bank: &Arc<Bank>,
+        bank: Bank,
         entry_height: u64,
         ledger_tail: &[Entry],
-        node: TestNode,
-        entry_point: &NodeInfo,
+        mut node: TestNode,
+        leader_info: Option<NodeInfo>,
         exit: Arc<AtomicBool>,
         ledger_path: Option<&str>,
-        _sigverify_disabled: bool,
-    ) -> Vec<JoinHandle<()>> {
-        let mut thread_hdls = vec![];
-        let rpu = Rpu::new(
-            &bank,
-            node.sockets.requests,
-            node.sockets.respond,
-            exit.clone(),
-        );
-        thread_hdls.extend(rpu.thread_hdls());
+        sigverify_disabled: bool,
+    ) -> Self {
+        if leader_info.is_none() {
+            node.data.leader_id = node.data.id;
+        }
 
-        let mut drone_addr = entry_point.contact_info.ncp;
-        drone_addr.set_port(DRONE_PORT);
-        let rpc_addr = SocketAddr::new(IpAddr::V4(Ipv4Addr::new(0, 0, 0, 0)), RPC_PORT);
-        let rpc_service = JsonRpcService::new(
-            &bank,
-            node.data.contact_info.tpu,
-            drone_addr,
-            rpc_addr,
-            exit.clone(),
-        );
-        thread_hdls.extend(rpc_service.thread_hdls());
+        let bank = Arc::new(bank);
+        let thread_hdls = match leader_info {
+            Some(leader_info) => {
+                // Start in validator mode.
+                let mut thread_hdls = vec![];
+                let rpu = Rpu::new(
+                    &bank,
+                    node.sockets.requests,
+                    node.sockets.respond,
+                    exit.clone(),
+                );
+                thread_hdls.extend(rpu.thread_hdls());
 
-        let blob_recycler = BlobRecycler::default();
-        let window =
-            window::new_window_from_entries(ledger_tail, entry_height, &node.data, &blob_recycler);
+                let rpc_addr = SocketAddr::new(IpAddr::V4(Ipv4Addr::new(0, 0, 0, 0)), RPC_PORT);
+                let rpc_service = JsonRpcService::new(bank.clone(), rpc_addr, exit.clone());
+                thread_hdls.extend(rpc_service.thread_hdls());
 
-        let crdt = Arc::new(RwLock::new(Crdt::new(node.data).expect("Crdt::new")));
-        crdt.write()
-            .expect("'crdt' write lock before insert() in pub fn replicate")
-            .insert(&entry_point);
+                let blob_recycler = BlobRecycler::default();
+                let window = window::new_window_from_entries(
+                    ledger_tail,
+                    entry_height,
+                    &node.data,
+                    &blob_recycler,
+                );
 
-        let ncp = Ncp::new(
-            &crdt,
-            window.clone(),
-            ledger_path,
-            node.sockets.gossip,
-            node.sockets.gossip_send,
-            exit.clone(),
-        ).expect("Ncp::new");
+                let crdt = Arc::new(RwLock::new(Crdt::new(node.data).expect("Crdt::new")));
+                crdt.write()
+                    .expect("'crdt' write lock before insert() in pub fn replicate")
+                    .insert(&leader_info);
 
-        let tvu = Tvu::new(
-            keypair,
-            &bank,
-            entry_height,
-            crdt.clone(),
-            window.clone(),
-            node.sockets.replicate,
-            node.sockets.repair,
-            node.sockets.retransmit,
-            ledger_path,
-            exit.clone(),
-        );
-        thread_hdls.extend(tvu.thread_hdls());
-        thread_hdls.extend(ncp.thread_hdls());
-        thread_hdls
+                let ncp = Ncp::new(
+                    &crdt,
+                    window.clone(),
+                    ledger_path,
+                    node.sockets.gossip,
+                    node.sockets.gossip_send,
+                    exit.clone(),
+                ).expect("Ncp::new");
+
+                let tvu = Tvu::new(
+                    keypair,
+                    &bank,
+                    entry_height,
+                    crdt.clone(),
+                    window.clone(),
+                    node.sockets.replicate,
+                    node.sockets.repair,
+                    node.sockets.retransmit,
+                    ledger_path,
+                    exit.clone(),
+                );
+                thread_hdls.extend(tvu.thread_hdls());
+                thread_hdls.extend(ncp.thread_hdls());
+                thread_hdls
+            }
+            None => {
+                // Start in leader mode.
+                let ledger_path = ledger_path.expect("ledger path");
+                let tick_duration = None;
+                // TODO: To light up PoH, uncomment the following line:
+                //let tick_duration = Some(Duration::from_millis(1000));
+
+                let mut thread_hdls = vec![];
+                let rpu = Rpu::new(
+                    &bank,
+                    node.sockets.requests,
+                    node.sockets.respond,
+                    exit.clone(),
+                );
+                thread_hdls.extend(rpu.thread_hdls());
+
+                let rpc_addr = SocketAddr::new(IpAddr::V4(Ipv4Addr::new(0, 0, 0, 0)), RPC_PORT);
+                let rpc_service = JsonRpcService::new(bank.clone(), rpc_addr, exit.clone());
+                thread_hdls.extend(rpc_service.thread_hdls());
+
+                let blob_recycler = BlobRecycler::default();
+                let window = window::new_window_from_entries(
+                    ledger_tail,
+                    entry_height,
+                    &node.data,
+                    &blob_recycler,
+                );
+
+                let crdt = Arc::new(RwLock::new(Crdt::new(node.data).expect("Crdt::new")));
+
+                let (tpu, blob_receiver) = Tpu::new(
+                    keypair,
+                    &bank,
+                    &crdt,
+                    tick_duration,
+                    node.sockets.transaction,
+                    &blob_recycler,
+                    exit.clone(),
+                    ledger_path,
+                    sigverify_disabled,
+                );
+                thread_hdls.extend(tpu.thread_hdls());
+                let ncp = Ncp::new(
+                    &crdt,
+                    window.clone(),
+                    Some(ledger_path),
+                    node.sockets.gossip,
+                    node.sockets.gossip_send,
+                    exit.clone(),
+                ).expect("Ncp::new");
+                thread_hdls.extend(ncp.thread_hdls());
+
+                let broadcast_stage = BroadcastStage::new(
+                    node.sockets.broadcast,
+                    crdt,
+                    window,
+                    entry_height,
+                    blob_recycler.clone(),
+                    blob_receiver,
+                );
+                thread_hdls.extend(broadcast_stage.thread_hdls());
+
+                thread_hdls
+            }
+        };
+
+        Fullnode { exit, thread_hdls }
     }
 
     //used for notifying many nodes in parallel to exit