diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_olp_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_olp_SUITE.erl
index 7389b259c..2c418ebdf 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_olp_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_olp_SUITE.erl
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ end_per_suite(Config) ->
     emqx_cth_suite:stop(?config(apps, Config)).
 
 init_per_testcase(_, Config) ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:boot_modules(all),
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([]),
     emqx_olp:enable(),
     case wait_for(fun() -> lc_sup:whereis_runq_flagman() end, 10) of
         true -> ok;
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_quic_multistreams_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_quic_multistreams_SUITE.erl
index b2205a659..da1ee9191 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_quic_multistreams_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_quic_multistreams_SUITE.erl
@@ -144,19 +144,35 @@ groups() ->
     ].
 
 init_per_suite(Config) ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([]),
-    UdpPort = 14567,
-    start_emqx_quic(UdpPort),
-    %% Turn off force_shutdown policy.
-    ShutdownPolicy = emqx_config:get_zone_conf(default, [force_shutdown]),
-    ct:pal("force shutdown config: ~p", [ShutdownPolicy]),
-    emqx_config:put_zone_conf(default, [force_shutdown], ShutdownPolicy#{enable := false}),
-    [{shutdown_policy, ShutdownPolicy}, {port, UdpPort}, {pub_qos, 0}, {sub_qos, 0} | Config].
+    Apps = start_emqx(Config),
+    [{port, 14567}, {pub_qos, 0}, {sub_qos, 0}, {apps, Apps} | Config].
 
 end_per_suite(Config) ->
-    emqx_config:put_zone_conf(default, [force_shutdown], ?config(shutdown_policy, Config)),
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:stop_apps([]),
-    ok.
+    emqx_cth_suite:stop(?config(apps, Config)).
+
+start_emqx(Config) ->
+    emqx_cth_suite:start(
+        [mk_emqx_spec()],
+        #{work_dir => emqx_cth_suite:work_dir(Config)}
+    ).
+
+stop_emqx(Config) ->
+    emqx_cth_suite:stop(?config(apps, Config)).
+
+restart_emqx(Config) ->
+    ok = stop_emqx(Config),
+    emqx_cth_suite:start(
+        [mk_emqx_spec()],
+        #{work_dir => emqx_cth_suite:work_dir(Config), boot_type => restart}
+    ).
+
+mk_emqx_spec() ->
+    {emqx,
+        %% Turn off force_shutdown policy.
+        "force_shutdown.enable = false"
+        "\n listeners.quic.default {"
+        "\n   enable = true, bind = 14567, acceptors = 16, idle_timeout_ms = 15000"
+        "\n }"}.
 
 init_per_group(pub_qos0, Config) ->
     [{pub_qos, 0} | Config];
@@ -190,11 +206,6 @@ init_per_group(_, Config) ->
 end_per_group(_, Config) ->
     Config.
 
-init_per_testcase(_, Config) ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([]),
-    start_emqx_quic(?config(port, Config)),
-    Config.
-
 t_quic_sock(Config) ->
     Port = 4567,
     SslOpts = [
@@ -1582,9 +1593,13 @@ t_multi_streams_remote_shutdown(Config) ->
 
     {quic, _Conn, _Ctrlstream} = proplists:get_value(socket, emqtt:info(C)),
 
-    ok = stop_emqx(),
-    %% Client should be closed
-    assert_client_die(C, 100, 200).
+    ok = stop_emqx(Config),
+    try
+        %% Client should be closed
+        assert_client_die(C, 100, 200)
+    after
+        restart_emqx(Config)
+    end.
 
 t_multi_streams_remote_shutdown_with_reconnect(Config) ->
     erlang:process_flag(trap_exit, true),
@@ -1636,10 +1651,8 @@ t_multi_streams_remote_shutdown_with_reconnect(Config) ->
 
     {quic, _Conn, _Ctrlstream} = proplists:get_value(socket, emqtt:info(C)),
 
-    ok = stop_emqx(),
+    _Apps = restart_emqx(Config),
 
-    timer:sleep(200),
-    start_emqx_quic(?config(port, Config)),
     ?assert(is_list(emqtt:info(C))),
     emqtt:stop(C).
 
@@ -2028,16 +2041,6 @@ calc_pkt_id(1, Id) ->
 calc_pkt_id(2, Id) ->
     Id.
 
--spec start_emqx_quic(inet:port_number()) -> ok.
-start_emqx_quic(UdpPort) ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([]),
-    application:ensure_all_started(quicer),
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:ensure_quic_listener(?MODULE, UdpPort).
-
--spec stop_emqx() -> ok.
-stop_emqx() ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:stop_apps([]).
-
 %% select a random port picked by OS
 -spec select_port() -> inet:port_number().
 select_port() ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_ratelimiter_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_ratelimiter_SUITE.erl
index f414c3759..29f268f7c 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_ratelimiter_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_ratelimiter_SUITE.erl
@@ -47,23 +47,23 @@ all() ->
     emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE).
 
 init_per_suite(Config) ->
-    load_conf(),
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([?APP]),
-    Config.
+    Apps = emqx_cth_suite:start([emqx], #{work_dir => emqx_cth_suite:work_dir(Config)}),
+    ok = load_conf(),
+    [{apps, Apps} | Config].
 
-end_per_suite(_Config) ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:stop_apps([?APP]).
+end_per_suite(Config) ->
+    emqx_cth_suite:stop(?config(apps, Config)).
 
 init_per_testcase(_TestCase, Config) ->
-    emqx_config:erase(limiter),
-    load_conf(),
+    ok = emqx_config:erase(limiter),
+    ok = load_conf(),
     Config.
 
 end_per_testcase(_TestCase, Config) ->
     Config.
 
 load_conf() ->
-    ok = emqx_common_test_helpers:load_config(emqx_limiter_schema, ?BASE_CONF).
+    emqx_common_test_helpers:load_config(emqx_limiter_schema, ?BASE_CONF).
 
 init_config() ->
     emqx_config:init_load(emqx_limiter_schema, ?BASE_CONF).
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_request_responser_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_request_responser_SUITE.erl
index 2685b4ac3..299ebf854 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_request_responser_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_request_responser_SUITE.erl
@@ -22,12 +22,11 @@
 -include_lib("common_test/include/ct.hrl").
 
 init_per_suite(Config) ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:boot_modules(all),
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([]),
-    Config.
+    Apps = emqx_cth_suite:start([emqx], #{work_dir => emqx_cth_suite:work_dir(Config)}),
+    [{apps, Apps} | Config].
 
-end_per_suite(_Config) ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:stop_apps([]).
+end_per_suite(Config) ->
+    emqx_cth_suite:stop(?config(apps, Config)).
 
 all() ->
     emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE).
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_shared_sub_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_shared_sub_SUITE.erl
index 8af3b2190..a5d2567d0 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_shared_sub_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_shared_sub_SUITE.erl
@@ -49,31 +49,11 @@
 all() -> emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?SUITE).
 
 init_per_suite(Config) ->
-    DistPid =
-        case net_kernel:nodename() of
-            ignored ->
-                %% calling `net_kernel:start' without `epmd'
-                %% running will result in a failure.
-                emqx_common_test_helpers:start_epmd(),
-                {ok, Pid} = net_kernel:start(['master@127.0.0.1', longnames]),
-                ct:pal("start epmd, node name: ~p", [node()]),
-                Pid;
-            _ ->
-                undefined
-        end,
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:boot_modules(all),
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([]),
-    [{dist_pid, DistPid} | Config].
+    Apps = emqx_cth_suite:start([emqx], #{work_dir => emqx_cth_suite:work_dir(Config)}),
+    [{apps, Apps} | Config].
 
 end_per_suite(Config) ->
-    DistPid = ?config(dist_pid, Config),
-    case DistPid of
-        Pid when is_pid(Pid) ->
-            net_kernel:stop();
-        _ ->
-            ok
-    end,
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:stop_apps([]).
+    emqx_cth_suite:stop(?config(apps, Config)).
 
 init_per_testcase(Case, Config) ->
     try
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_sup_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_sup_SUITE.erl
index d2780469e..7a2461c20 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_sup_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_sup_SUITE.erl
@@ -24,12 +24,11 @@
 all() -> emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE).
 
 init_per_suite(Config) ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:boot_modules(all),
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([]),
-    Config.
+    Apps = emqx_cth_suite:start([emqx], #{work_dir => emqx_cth_suite:work_dir(Config)}),
+    [{apps, Apps} | Config].
 
-end_per_suite(_Config) ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:stop_apps([]).
+end_per_suite(Config) ->
+    emqx_cth_suite:stop(proplists:get_value(apps, Config)).
 
 t_child(_) ->
     ?assertMatch({error, _}, emqx_sup:start_child(undef, worker)),