diff --git a/.aegir.js b/.aegir.js
index 4765d7f7a6..93a928004c 100644
--- a/.aegir.js
+++ b/.aegir.js
@@ -4,11 +4,9 @@ const IPFSFactory = require('ipfsd-ctl')
 const MockPreloadNode = require('./test/utils/mock-preload-node')
 const EchoServer = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/echo-http-server')
 
-const promisify = require('promisify-es6')
-
 const ipfsdServer = IPFSFactory.createServer()
-const preloadNode = promisify(MockPreloadNode.createNode())
-const echoServer = promisify(EchoServer.createServer())
+const preloadNode = MockPreloadNode.createNode()
+const echoServer = EchoServer.createServer()
 
 module.exports = {
   bundlesize: { maxSize: '652kB' },
diff --git a/test/cli/dht.js b/test/cli/dht.js
index 71b2012155..d593f7d079 100644
--- a/test/cli/dht.js
+++ b/test/cli/dht.js
@@ -3,33 +3,12 @@
 'use strict'
 
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
-const path = require('path')
-const DaemonFactory = require('ipfsd-ctl')
-const df = DaemonFactory.create({
-  type: 'js',
-  IpfsClient: require('ipfs-http-client')
-})
-
+const factory = require('../utils/factory')
 const ipfsExec = require('../utils/ipfs-exec')
 
-const daemonOpts = {
-  exec: path.resolve(`${__dirname}/../../src/cli/bin.js`),
-  config: {
-    Bootstrap: [],
-    Discovery: {
-      MDNS: {
-        Enabled: false
-      },
-      webRTCStar: {
-        Enabled: false
-      }
-    }
-  },
-  initOptions: { bits: 512 }
-}
-
 // TODO: unskip when DHT is enabled: https://github.com/ipfs/js-ipfs/pull/1994
 describe.skip('dht', () => {
+  const df = factory({ type: 'js' })
   const nodes = []
   let ipfsA
   let ipfsB
@@ -41,11 +20,11 @@ describe.skip('dht', () => {
   before(async function () {
     this.timeout(80 * 1000)
 
-    const ipfsdA = await df.spawn(daemonOpts)
+    const ipfsdA = await df.spawn()
     ipfsA = ipfsExec(ipfsdA.repoPath)
     nodes.push(ipfsdA)
 
-    const ipfsdB = await df.spawn(daemonOpts)
+    const ipfsdB = await df.spawn()
     ipfsB = ipfsExec(ipfsdB.repoPath)
     nodes.push(ipfsdB)
   })
@@ -71,7 +50,7 @@ describe.skip('dht', () => {
     return nodes[0].api.swarm.connect(multiaddrB)
   })
 
-  after(() => Promise.all(nodes.map((node) => node.stop())))
+  after(() => df.clean())
 
   it('should be able to put a value to the dht and get it afterwards', async function () {
     this.timeout(60 * 1000)
diff --git a/test/cli/name-pubsub.js b/test/cli/name-pubsub.js
index fb7d02a645..900b9dee0b 100644
--- a/test/cli/name-pubsub.js
+++ b/test/cli/name-pubsub.js
@@ -3,34 +3,13 @@
 'use strict'
 
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
+const factory = require('../utils/factory')
 const path = require('path')
 const ipfsExec = require('../utils/ipfs-exec')
 
-const DaemonFactory = require('ipfsd-ctl')
-const df = DaemonFactory.create({
-  type: 'js',
-  IpfsClient: require('ipfs-http-client')
-})
-
-const spawnDaemon = () => df.spawn({
-  exec: path.resolve(`${__dirname}/../../src/cli/bin.js`),
-  args: ['--enable-namesys-pubsub'],
-  initOptions: { bits: 512 },
-  config: {
-    Bootstrap: [],
-    Discovery: {
-      MDNS: {
-        Enabled: false
-      },
-      webRTCStar: {
-        Enabled: false
-      }
-    }
-  }
-})
-
 describe('name-pubsub', () => {
   describe('enabled', () => {
+    const df = factory({ type: 'js', args: ['--enable-namesys-pubsub'] })
     let ipfsA
     let ipfsB
     let nodeAId
@@ -44,12 +23,12 @@ describe('name-pubsub', () => {
       // timeout for the before step
       this.timeout(80 * 1000)
 
-      const nodeA = await spawnDaemon()
-      ipfsA = ipfsExec(nodeA.repoPath)
+      const nodeA = await df.spawn()
+      ipfsA = ipfsExec(nodeA.path)
       nodes.push(nodeA)
 
-      const nodeB = await spawnDaemon()
-      ipfsB = ipfsExec(nodeB.repoPath)
+      const nodeB = await df.spawn()
+      ipfsB = ipfsExec(nodeB.path)
       nodes.push(nodeB)
     })
 
@@ -71,7 +50,7 @@ describe('name-pubsub', () => {
       expect(out).to.eql(`connect ${bMultiaddr} success\n`)
     })
 
-    after(() => Promise.all(nodes.map((node) => node.stop())))
+    after(() => df.clean())
 
     describe('pubsub commands', () => {
       it('should get enabled state of pubsub', async function () {
@@ -114,6 +93,7 @@ describe('name-pubsub', () => {
   })
 
   describe('disabled', () => {
+    const df = factory({ type: 'js' })
     let ipfsA
     let node
 
@@ -123,19 +103,11 @@ describe('name-pubsub', () => {
       // timeout for the before step
       this.timeout(80 * 1000)
 
-      node = await df.spawn({
-        exec: path.resolve(`${__dirname}/../../src/cli/bin.js`),
-        config: {},
-        initOptions: { bits: 512 }
-      })
+      node = await df.spawn()
       ipfsA = ipfsExec(node.repoPath)
     })
 
-    after(() => {
-      if (node) {
-        return node.stop()
-      }
-    })
+    after(() => df.clean())
 
     it('should get disabled state of pubsub', async function () {
       const res = await ipfsA('name pubsub state')
diff --git a/test/cli/ping.js b/test/cli/ping.js
index 66216fe0d2..ef59ce51e7 100644
--- a/test/cli/ping.js
+++ b/test/cli/ping.js
@@ -3,23 +3,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
-const DaemonFactory = require('ipfsd-ctl')
+const factory = require('../utils/factory')
 const ipfsExec = require('../utils/ipfs-exec')
-const path = require('path')
-const df = DaemonFactory.create({
-  type: 'js',
-  IpfsClient: require('ipfs-http-client')
-})
-
-const config = {
-  Bootstrap: [],
-  Discovery: {
-    MDNS: {
-      Enabled:
-        false
-    }
-  }
-}
 
 describe('ping', function () {
   this.timeout(60 * 1000)
@@ -28,15 +13,12 @@ describe('ping', function () {
   let bMultiaddr
   let ipfsdBId
   let cli
+  const df = factory({ type: 'js' })
 
   before(async function () {
     this.timeout(60 * 1000)
 
-    ipfsdB = await df.spawn({
-      exec: path.resolve(`${__dirname}/../../src/cli/bin.js`),
-      config,
-      initOptions: { bits: 512 }
-    })
+    ipfsdB = await df.spawn()
     const peerInfo = await ipfsdB.api.id()
     ipfsdBId = peerInfo.id
     bMultiaddr = peerInfo.addresses[0]
@@ -45,30 +27,17 @@ describe('ping', function () {
   before(async function () {
     this.timeout(60 * 1000)
 
-    ipfsdA = await df.spawn({
-      exec: path.resolve(`${__dirname}/../../src/cli/bin.js`),
-      config,
-      initOptions: { bits: 512 }
-    })
+    ipfsdA = await df.spawn()
     // Without DHT we need to have an already established connection
     await ipfsdA.api.swarm.connect(bMultiaddr)
   })
 
   before(() => {
     this.timeout(60 * 1000)
-    cli = ipfsExec(ipfsdA.repoPath)
+    cli = ipfsExec(ipfsdA.path)
   })
 
-  after(() => {
-    if (ipfsdA) {
-      return ipfsdA.stop()
-    }
-  })
-  after(() => {
-    if (ipfsdB) {
-      return ipfsdB.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => df.clean())
 
   it('ping host', async () => {
     this.timeout(60 * 1000)
diff --git a/test/cli/pubsub.js b/test/cli/pubsub.js
index 5255946ee1..4bf49c7b3a 100644
--- a/test/cli/pubsub.js
+++ b/test/cli/pubsub.js
@@ -6,23 +6,11 @@ const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
 const delay = require('delay')
 const series = require('async/series')
 const ipfsExec = require('../utils/ipfs-exec')
-const IPFS = require('../../src')
-const path = require('path')
-const DaemonFactory = require('ipfsd-ctl')
-
-const config = {
-  Bootstrap: [],
-  Discovery: {
-    MDNS: {
-      Enabled:
-        false
-    }
-  }
-}
+const factory = require('../utils/factory')
 
 describe('pubsub', function () {
   this.timeout(80 * 1000)
-
+  const df = factory()
   let node
   let ipfsdA
   let ipfsdB
@@ -36,15 +24,7 @@ describe('pubsub', function () {
   before(async function () {
     this.timeout(60 * 1000)
 
-    const df = DaemonFactory.create({
-      type: 'proc',
-      IpfsClient: require('ipfs-http-client')
-    })
-    ipfsdA = await df.spawn({
-      exec: IPFS,
-      initOptions: { bits: 512 },
-      config
-    })
+    ipfsdA = await df.spawn({ type: 'proc' })
     node = ipfsdA.api
   })
 
@@ -55,17 +35,9 @@ describe('pubsub', function () {
   })
 
   before(async () => {
-    const df = DaemonFactory.create({
-      type: 'js',
-      IpfsClient: require('ipfs-http-client')
-    })
-    ipfsdB = await df.spawn({
-      initOptions: { bits: 512 },
-      exec: path.resolve(`${__dirname}/../../src/cli/bin.js`),
-      config
-    })
+    ipfsdB = await df.spawn({ type: 'js' })
     httpApi = ipfsdB.api
-    httpApi.repoPath = ipfsdB.repoPath
+    httpApi.repoPath = ipfsdB.path
   })
 
   after(() => {
diff --git a/test/cli/swarm.js b/test/cli/swarm.js
index 2b3b08f017..9fac1ceadd 100644
--- a/test/cli/swarm.js
+++ b/test/cli/swarm.js
@@ -4,31 +4,15 @@
 
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
 const sinon = require('sinon')
-const ipfsExec = require('../utils/ipfs-exec')
-const path = require('path')
-const addrsCommand = require('../../src/cli/commands/swarm/addrs')
-
 const multiaddr = require('multiaddr')
 const PeerInfo = require('peer-info')
+const ipfsExec = require('../utils/ipfs-exec')
 const PeerId = require('peer-id')
-
-const DaemonFactory = require('ipfsd-ctl')
-const df = DaemonFactory.create({
-  type: 'js',
-  IpfsClient: require('ipfs-http-client')
-})
-
-const config = {
-  Bootstrap: [],
-  Discovery: {
-    MDNS: {
-      Enabled:
-        false
-    }
-  }
-}
+const addrsCommand = require('../../src/cli/commands/swarm/addrs')
+const factory = require('../utils/factory')
 
 describe('swarm', () => {
+  const df = factory({ type: 'js' })
   afterEach(() => {
     sinon.restore()
   })
@@ -39,31 +23,21 @@ describe('swarm', () => {
     let bMultiaddr
     let ipfsA
 
-    const nodes = []
     before(async function () {
       // CI takes longer to instantiate the daemon, so we need to increase the
       // timeout for the before step
       this.timeout(80 * 1000)
 
       const res = await Promise.all([
-        df.spawn({
-          exec: path.resolve(`${__dirname}/../../src/cli/bin.js`),
-          config,
-          initOptions: { bits: 512 }
-        }),
-        df.spawn({
-          exec: path.resolve(`${__dirname}/../../src/cli/bin.js`),
-          config,
-          initOptions: { bits: 512 }
-        })
+        df.spawn(),
+        df.spawn()
       ])
-      ipfsA = ipfsExec(res[0].repoPath)
+      ipfsA = ipfsExec(res[0].path)
       const id = await res[1].api.id()
       bMultiaddr = id.addresses[0]
-      nodes.push(...res)
     })
 
-    after(() => Promise.all(nodes.map((node) => node.stop())))
+    after(() => df.clean())
 
     it('connect', async () => {
       const out = await ipfsA(`swarm connect ${bMultiaddr}`)
diff --git a/test/core/interface.spec.js b/test/core/interface.spec.js
index bff879b5ef..f64215e4f6 100644
--- a/test/core/interface.spec.js
+++ b/test/core/interface.spec.js
@@ -4,34 +4,40 @@
 const tests = require('interface-ipfs-core')
 const { isNode } = require('ipfs-utils/src/env')
 const merge = require('merge-options')
-const ctl = require('ipfsd-ctl')
+const { createFactory } = require('ipfsd-ctl')
 const IPFS = require('../../src')
 
-/** @ignore @typedef { import("ipfsd-ctl").FactoryOptions } FactoryOptions */
+/** @ignore @typedef { import("ipfsd-ctl").ControllerOptions } ControllerOptions */
 
 describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', function () {
-  /** @type FactoryOptions */
+  /** @type ControllerOptions */
   const commonOptions = {
+    test: true,
     type: 'proc',
-    ipfsApi: {
+    ipfsModule: {
       path: require.resolve('../../src'),
       ref: IPFS
     },
-    ipfsHttp: {
+    ipfsHttpModule: {
       path: require.resolve('ipfs-http-client'),
       ref: require('ipfs-http-client')
     },
-    ipfsBin: './src/cli/bin.js'
+    ipfsOptions: {
+      pass: 'ipfs-is-awesome-software'
+    }
+  }
+  const overrides = {
+    js: {
+      ipfsBin: require.resolve('../../src/cli/bin.js')
+    }
   }
-  const commonFactory = ctl.createTestsInterface(commonOptions)
+  const commonFactory = createFactory(commonOptions, overrides)
 
   tests.bitswap(commonFactory, {
-    skip: [
-      {
-        name: 'should get the wantlist by peer ID for a diffreent node',
-        reason: 'TODO: find the reason'
-      }
-    ]
+    skip: isNode ? null : [{
+      name: 'should get the wantlist by peer ID for a different node',
+      reason: 'FIXME: Does not find wantlist list in the browser'
+    }]
   })
 
   tests.block(commonFactory)
@@ -60,32 +66,24 @@ describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', function () {
 
   tests.filesMFS(commonFactory)
 
-  tests.key(ctl.createTestsInterface(merge(commonOptions, {
-    ipfsOptions: {
-      pass: 'ipfs-is-awesome-software'
-    }
-  })))
+  tests.key(commonFactory)
 
-  tests.miscellaneous(ctl.createTestsInterface(merge(commonOptions, {
-    ipfsOptions: {
-      pass: 'ipfs-is-awesome-software'
-    }
-  })))
+  tests.miscellaneous(commonFactory)
 
-  tests.name(ctl.createTestsInterface(merge(commonOptions, {
+  tests.name(createFactory(merge(commonOptions, {
     ipfsOptions: {
       pass: 'ipfs-is-awesome-software',
       offline: true
     }
-  })))
+  }), overrides))
 
-  tests.namePubsub(ctl.createTestsInterface(merge(commonOptions, {
+  tests.namePubsub(createFactory(merge(commonOptions, {
     ipfsOptions: {
       EXPERIMENTAL: {
         ipnsPubsub: true
       }
     }
-  })))
+  }), overrides))
 
   tests.object(commonFactory, {
     skip: [
@@ -100,7 +98,11 @@ describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', function () {
 
   tests.ping(commonFactory)
 
-  tests.pubsub(commonFactory)
+  tests.pubsub(createFactory(merge(commonOptions,
+    {
+      args: ['--enable-pubsub-experiment']
+    }
+  ), overrides))
 
   tests.repo(commonFactory)
 
diff --git a/test/utils/factory.js b/test/utils/factory.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5deb0ba1f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/utils/factory.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+'use strict'
+const { createFactory } = require('ipfsd-ctl')
+const merge = require('merge-options')
+
+const factory = (options, overrides) => {
+  return createFactory(
+    merge({
+      test: true,
+      type: 'proc',
+      ipfsModule: {
+        path: require.resolve('../../src'),
+        ref: require('../../src')
+      },
+      ipfsHttpModule: {
+        path: require.resolve('ipfs-http-client'),
+        ref: require('ipfs-http-client')
+      },
+      ipfsBin: require.resolve('../../src/cli/bin.js')
+    }, options),
+    merge({
+      js: {
+        ipfsBin: require.resolve('../../src/cli/bin.js')
+      }
+    }, overrides)
+  )
+}
+module.exports = factory
diff --git a/test/utils/on-and-off.js b/test/utils/on-and-off.js
index c88af2821c..94528c3adc 100644
--- a/test/utils/on-and-off.js
+++ b/test/utils/on-and-off.js
@@ -5,13 +5,9 @@ const hat = require('hat')
 
 const ipfsExec = require('../utils/ipfs-exec')
 const clean = require('../utils/clean')
+const factory = require('./factory')
 const os = require('os')
 
-const DaemonFactory = require('ipfsd-ctl')
-const df = DaemonFactory.create({
-  IpfsClient: require('ipfs-http-client')
-})
-const path = require('path')
 const origLocale = process.env.LC_ALL
 
 function off (tests) {
@@ -46,6 +42,7 @@ function off (tests) {
 function on (tests) {
   describe('daemon on (through http-api)', function () {
     this.timeout(60 * 1000)
+    const df = factory({ type: 'js' })
     const thing = {
       on: true
     }
@@ -59,14 +56,9 @@ function on (tests) {
       // before step
       this.timeout(60 * 1000)
 
-      ipfsd = await df.spawn({
-        type: 'js',
-        exec: path.resolve(`${__dirname}/../../src/cli/bin.js`),
-        initOptions: { bits: 512 },
-        config: { Bootstrap: [] }
-      })
-      thing.ipfs = ipfsExec(ipfsd.repoPath)
-      thing.ipfs.repoPath = ipfsd.repoPath
+      ipfsd = await df.spawn()
+      thing.ipfs = ipfsExec(ipfsd.path)
+      thing.ipfs.repoPath = ipfsd.path
     })
 
     after(function () {