diff --git a/examples/minimal.rs b/examples/minimal.rs
index f5849fbb73..bb8f8e5055 100644
--- a/examples/minimal.rs
+++ b/examples/minimal.rs
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 //! command-line option for more details.
 //!
 
+use futures::future::join_all;
 use hex_fmt::HexFmt;
 use log::{info, LevelFilter};
 use sn_routing::{
@@ -42,9 +43,11 @@ use sn_routing::{
 use std::{
     collections::HashSet,
     convert::TryInto,
+    iter,
     net::{IpAddr, Ipv4Addr, SocketAddr},
 };
 use structopt::StructOpt;
+use tokio::task::JoinHandle;
 
 /// Minimal example node.
 #[derive(Debug, StructOpt)]
@@ -52,7 +55,13 @@ struct Options {
     /// Socket address (e.g. 203.0.113.45:6789) of a node(s) to bootstrap against. Multiple
     /// contacts can be specified by passing the option multiple times. If omitted, will try to use
     /// contacts cached from previous run, if any.
-    #[structopt(short, long, name = "bootstrap-contact", value_name = "SOCKET_ADDRESS")]
+    #[structopt(
+        short,
+        long,
+        name = "bootstrap-contact",
+        value_name = "SOCKET_ADDRESS",
+        required_unless = "first"
+    )]
     bootstrap_contacts: Vec<SocketAddr>,
     /// Whether this is the first node ("genesis node") of the network. Only one node can be first.
     #[structopt(short, long, conflicts_with = "bootstrap-contact")]
@@ -91,15 +100,13 @@ struct Options {
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() {
-    if cfg!(feature = "mock") {
-        panic!("This example must be built without the `mock` feature");
-    }
-
     let opts = Options::from_args();
     init_log(opts.verbosity);
 
-    if opts.count <= 1 {
-        start_single_node(opts.first, opts.bootstrap_contacts, opts.ip, opts.port).await
+    let handles: Vec<_> = if opts.count <= 1 {
+        let handle =
+            start_single_node(opts.first, opts.bootstrap_contacts, opts.ip, opts.port).await;
+        iter::once(handle).collect()
     } else {
         start_multiple_nodes(
             opts.count,
@@ -109,7 +116,8 @@ async fn main() {
             opts.port,
         )
         .await
-    }
+    };
+    let _ = join_all(handles).await;
 }
 
 // Starts a single node and block until it terminates.
@@ -118,8 +126,9 @@ async fn start_single_node(
     contacts: Vec<SocketAddr>,
     ip: Option<IpAddr>,
     port: Option<u16>,
-) {
-    let _contact = start_node(0, first, contacts.into_iter().collect(), ip, port).await;
+) -> JoinHandle<()> {
+    let (_contact, handle) = start_node(0, first, contacts.into_iter().collect(), ip, port).await;
+    handle
 }
 
 // Starts `count` nodes and blocks until all of them terminate.
@@ -132,35 +141,24 @@ async fn start_multiple_nodes(
     mut contacts: Vec<SocketAddr>,
     ip: Option<IpAddr>,
     base_port: Option<u16>,
-) {
+) -> Vec<JoinHandle<()>> {
+    let mut handles = Vec::new();
     let first_index = if first {
-        let first_contact = spawn_first_node(ip, base_port).await;
+        let (first_contact, first_handle) =
+            start_node(0, true, Vec::default(), ip, base_port).await;
         contacts.push(first_contact);
+        handles.push(first_handle);
         1
     } else {
         0
     };
 
     for index in first_index..count {
-        spawn_other_node(index, contacts.clone(), ip, base_port).await;
+        let (_contact_info, handle) =
+            start_node(index, false, contacts.clone(), ip, base_port).await;
+        handles.push(handle);
     }
-}
-
-// Spawns the first (genesis) node in its own thread
-async fn spawn_first_node(ip: Option<IpAddr>, base_port: Option<u16>) -> SocketAddr {
-    start_node(0, true, Vec::default(), ip, base_port).await
-}
-
-// Spawns regular (non-first) node in its own thread.
-//
-// `index` is used to differentiate the nodes in the log output. Should be unique.
-async fn spawn_other_node(
-    index: usize,
-    contacts: Vec<SocketAddr>,
-    ip: Option<IpAddr>,
-    base_port: Option<u16>,
-) {
-    let _contact_info = start_node(index, false, contacts, ip, base_port).await;
+    handles
 }
 
 // Starts a single node and blocks until it terminates.
@@ -170,7 +168,7 @@ async fn start_node(
     contacts: Vec<SocketAddr>,
     ip: Option<IpAddr>,
     base_port: Option<u16>,
-) -> SocketAddr {
+) -> (SocketAddr, JoinHandle<()>) {
     let ip = ip.unwrap_or_else(|| Ipv4Addr::LOCALHOST.into());
     let port = base_port.map(|base_port| {
         index
@@ -202,21 +200,20 @@ async fn start_node(
     let contact_info = node
         .our_connection_info()
         .expect("Failed to obtain node's contact info.");
+    let handle = run_node(index, node, event_stream);
 
-    run_node(index, node, event_stream).await;
-
-    contact_info
+    (contact_info, handle)
 }
 
-// Runs the nodes event loop. Blocks until terminated.
-async fn run_node(index: usize, mut node: Routing, mut event_stream: EventStream) {
+// Spawns a task to run the node until terminated.
+fn run_node(index: usize, mut node: Routing, mut event_stream: EventStream) -> JoinHandle<()> {
     tokio::spawn(async move {
         while let Some(event) = event_stream.next().await {
             if !handle_event(index, &mut node, event).await {
                 break;
             }
         }
-    });
+    })
 }
 
 // Handles the event emitted by the node.