diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_common_test_helpers.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_common_test_helpers.erl
index c26e63a62..8d2bd3ba3 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_common_test_helpers.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_common_test_helpers.erl
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
     deps_path/2,
     flush/0,
     flush/1,
+    load/1,
     render_and_load_app_config/1,
     render_and_load_app_config/2
 ]).
@@ -637,25 +638,53 @@ emqx_cluster(Specs0, CommonOpts) ->
 %% Lower level starting API
 
 -spec start_slave(shortname(), node_opts()) -> nodename().
-start_slave(Name, Opts) ->
-    {ok, Node} = ct_slave:start(
-        list_to_atom(atom_to_list(Name) ++ "@" ++ host()),
-        [
-            {kill_if_fail, true},
-            {monitor_master, true},
-            {init_timeout, 10000},
-            {startup_timeout, 10000},
-            {erl_flags, erl_flags()}
-        ]
-    ),
-
+start_slave(Name, Opts) when is_list(Opts) ->
+    start_slave(Name, maps:from_list(Opts));
+start_slave(Name, Opts) when is_map(Opts) ->
+    SlaveMod = maps:get(peer_mod, Opts, ct_slave),
+    Node = node_name(Name),
+    DoStart =
+        fun() ->
+            case SlaveMod of
+                ct_slave ->
+                    ct_slave:start(
+                        Node,
+                        [
+                            {kill_if_fail, true},
+                            {monitor_master, true},
+                            {init_timeout, 10000},
+                            {startup_timeout, 10000},
+                            {erl_flags, erl_flags()}
+                        ]
+                    );
+                slave ->
+                    slave:start_link(host(), Name, ebin_path())
+            end
+        end,
+    case DoStart() of
+        {ok, _} ->
+            ok;
+        {error, started_not_connected, _} ->
+            ok;
+        Other ->
+            throw(Other)
+    end,
     pong = net_adm:ping(Node),
+    put_peer_mod(Node, SlaveMod),
     setup_node(Node, Opts),
+    ok = snabbkaffe:forward_trace(Node),
     Node.
 
 %% Node stopping
-stop_slave(Node) ->
-    ct_slave:stop(Node).
+stop_slave(Node0) ->
+    Node = node_name(Node0),
+    SlaveMod = get_peer_mod(Node),
+    erase_peer_mod(Node),
+    case SlaveMod:stop(Node) of
+        ok -> ok;
+        {ok, _} -> ok;
+        {error, not_started, _} -> ok
+    end.
 
 %% EPMD starting
 start_epmd() ->
@@ -693,9 +722,12 @@ setup_node(Node, Opts) when is_map(Opts) ->
         {Type, listener_port(BasePort, Type)}
      || Type <- [tcp, ssl, ws, wss]
     ]),
+    %% we need a fresh data dir for each peer node to avoid unintended
+    %% successes due to sharing of data in the cluster.
+    PrivDataDir = maps:get(priv_data_dir, Opts, "/tmp"),
 
     %% Load env before doing anything to avoid overriding
-    [ok = rpc:call(Node, application, load, [App]) || App <- LoadApps],
+    lists:foreach(fun(App) -> rpc:call(Node, ?MODULE, load, [App]) end, LoadApps),
 
     %% Needs to be set explicitly because ekka:start() (which calls `gen`) is called without Handler
     %% in emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps(...)
@@ -721,7 +753,19 @@ setup_node(Node, Opts) when is_map(Opts) ->
             %% Otherwise, configuration gets loaded and all preset env in EnvHandler is lost
             LoadSchema andalso
                 begin
+                    %% to avoid sharing data between executions and/or
+                    %% nodes.  these variables might notbe in the
+                    %% config file (e.g.: emqx_ee_conf_schema).
+                    NodeDataDir = filename:join([
+                        PrivDataDir,
+                        node(),
+                        integer_to_list(erlang:unique_integer())
+                    ]),
+                    os:putenv("EMQX_NODE__DATA_DIR", NodeDataDir),
+                    os:putenv("EMQX_NODE__COOKIE", atom_to_list(erlang:get_cookie())),
                     emqx_config:init_load(SchemaMod),
+                    os:unsetenv("EMQX_NODE__DATA_DIR"),
+                    os:unsetenv("EMQX_NODE__COOKIE"),
                     application:set_env(emqx, init_config_load_done, true)
                 end,
 
@@ -750,6 +794,11 @@ setup_node(Node, Opts) when is_map(Opts) ->
         _ ->
             case rpc:call(Node, ekka, join, [JoinTo]) of
                 ok ->
+                    %% fix cluster rpc, as the conf app is not
+                    %% restarted with the current test procedure.
+                    StartApps andalso
+                        lists:member(emqx_conf, Apps) andalso
+                        (ok = erpc:call(Node, emqx_cluster_rpc, reset, [])),
                     ok;
                 ignore ->
                     ok;
@@ -762,8 +811,27 @@ setup_node(Node, Opts) when is_map(Opts) ->
 
 %% Helpers
 
+put_peer_mod(Node, SlaveMod) ->
+    put({?MODULE, Node}, SlaveMod),
+    ok.
+
+get_peer_mod(Node) ->
+    case get({?MODULE, Node}) of
+        undefined -> ct_slave;
+        SlaveMod -> SlaveMod
+    end.
+
+erase_peer_mod(Node) ->
+    erase({?MODULE, Node}).
+
 node_name(Name) ->
-    list_to_atom(lists:concat([Name, "@", host()])).
+    case string:tokens(atom_to_list(Name), "@") of
+        [_Name, _Host] ->
+            %% the name already has a @
+            Name;
+        _ ->
+            list_to_atom(atom_to_list(Name) ++ "@" ++ host())
+    end.
 
 gen_node_name(Num) ->
     list_to_atom("autocluster_node" ++ integer_to_list(Num)).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_conf/test/emqx_conf_app_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_conf/test/emqx_conf_app_SUITE.erl
index 84ced5362..c34eb9dc3 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_conf/test/emqx_conf_app_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_conf/test/emqx_conf_app_SUITE.erl
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ all() ->
     emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE).
 
 t_copy_conf_override_on_restarts(_Config) ->
-    net_kernel:start(['master@127.0.0.1', longnames]),
     ct:timetrap({seconds, 120}),
     snabbkaffe:fix_ct_logging(),
     Cluster = cluster([core, core, core]),
@@ -165,11 +164,10 @@ cluster(Specs) ->
         {env, Env},
         {apps, [emqx_conf]},
         {load_schema, false},
-        {join_to, false},
+        {join_to, true},
         {env_handler, fun
             (emqx) ->
                 application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, []),
-                io:format("~p~p~n", [node(), application:get_all_env(emqx)]),
                 ok;
             (_) ->
                 ok