diff --git a/tests/testlib/s2n_ktls_test_utils.c b/tests/testlib/s2n_ktls_test_utils.c
index 569f4c4a94b..20c0897c4e3 100644
--- a/tests/testlib/s2n_ktls_test_utils.c
+++ b/tests/testlib/s2n_ktls_test_utils.c
@@ -152,6 +152,19 @@ ssize_t s2n_test_ktls_recvmsg_io_stuffer(void *io_context, struct msghdr *msg)
     return bytes_read;
 }
 
+S2N_RESULT s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer_send(struct s2n_connection *conn,
+        struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer *io)
+{
+    RESULT_ENSURE_REF(conn);
+    RESULT_ENSURE_REF(io);
+
+    RESULT_GUARD_POSIX(s2n_stuffer_growable_alloc(&io->data_buffer, 0));
+    RESULT_GUARD_POSIX(s2n_stuffer_growable_alloc(&io->ancillary_buffer, 0));
+    RESULT_GUARD(s2n_ktls_set_sendmsg_cb(conn, s2n_test_ktls_sendmsg_io_stuffer, io));
+
+    return S2N_RESULT_OK;
+}
+
 S2N_RESULT s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer(struct s2n_connection *server,
         struct s2n_connection *client, struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer_pair *io_pair)
 {
@@ -172,13 +185,20 @@ S2N_RESULT s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer(struct s2n_connection *server,
     return S2N_RESULT_OK;
 }
 
+S2N_CLEANUP_RESULT s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_free(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer *io)
+{
+    RESULT_ENSURE_REF(io);
+    RESULT_GUARD_POSIX(s2n_stuffer_free(&io->data_buffer));
+    RESULT_GUARD_POSIX(s2n_stuffer_free(&io->ancillary_buffer));
+    return S2N_RESULT_OK;
+}
+
 S2N_CLEANUP_RESULT s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_pair_free(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer_pair *pair)
 {
     RESULT_ENSURE_REF(pair);
-    RESULT_GUARD_POSIX(s2n_stuffer_free(&pair->client_in.data_buffer));
-    RESULT_GUARD_POSIX(s2n_stuffer_free(&pair->client_in.ancillary_buffer));
-    RESULT_GUARD_POSIX(s2n_stuffer_free(&pair->server_in.data_buffer));
-    RESULT_GUARD_POSIX(s2n_stuffer_free(&pair->server_in.ancillary_buffer));
+
+    RESULT_GUARD(s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_free(&pair->client_in));
+    RESULT_GUARD(s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_free(&pair->server_in));
 
     return S2N_RESULT_OK;
 }
diff --git a/tests/testlib/s2n_ktls_test_utils.h b/tests/testlib/s2n_ktls_test_utils.h
index 9adacc46ebc..aed6b546bd8 100644
--- a/tests/testlib/s2n_ktls_test_utils.h
+++ b/tests/testlib/s2n_ktls_test_utils.h
@@ -62,8 +62,11 @@ struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer_pair {
 ssize_t s2n_test_ktls_sendmsg_io_stuffer(void *io_context, const struct msghdr *msg);
 ssize_t s2n_test_ktls_recvmsg_io_stuffer(void *io_context, struct msghdr *msg);
 
+S2N_RESULT s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer_send(struct s2n_connection *conn,
+        struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer *io);
 S2N_RESULT s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer(struct s2n_connection *server,
         struct s2n_connection *client, struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer_pair *io_pair);
+S2N_CLEANUP_RESULT s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_free(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer *io);
 S2N_CLEANUP_RESULT s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_pair_free(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer_pair *pair);
 S2N_RESULT s2n_test_validate_data(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer *ktls_io, uint8_t *expected_data,
         uint16_t expected_len);
diff --git a/tests/unit/s2n_ktls_io_test.c b/tests/unit/s2n_ktls_io_test.c
index c0874d2487f..936bbf29bd9 100644
--- a/tests/unit/s2n_ktls_io_test.c
+++ b/tests/unit/s2n_ktls_io_test.c
@@ -136,11 +136,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         {
             DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_connection *server = s2n_connection_new(S2N_SERVER),
                     s2n_connection_ptr_free);
-            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_connection *client = s2n_connection_new(S2N_CLIENT),
-                    s2n_connection_ptr_free);
-            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer_pair io_pair = { 0 },
-                    s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_pair_free);
-            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer(server, client, &io_pair));
+            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer client_in = { 0 },
+                    s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_free);
+            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer_send(server, &client_in));
 
             struct iovec msg_iov = { .iov_base = test_data, .iov_len = S2N_TEST_TO_SEND };
             s2n_blocked_status blocked = S2N_NOT_BLOCKED;
@@ -150,22 +148,19 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             EXPECT_EQUAL(blocked, S2N_NOT_BLOCKED);
 
             /* confirm sent data */
-            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_ancillary(&io_pair.client_in, test_record_type, S2N_TEST_TO_SEND));
-            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_data(&io_pair.client_in, test_data, S2N_TEST_TO_SEND));
+            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_ancillary(&client_in, test_record_type, S2N_TEST_TO_SEND));
+            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_data(&client_in, test_data, S2N_TEST_TO_SEND));
 
-            EXPECT_EQUAL(io_pair.client_in.sendmsg_invoked_count, 1);
-            EXPECT_EQUAL(io_pair.server_in.sendmsg_invoked_count, 0);
+            EXPECT_EQUAL(client_in.sendmsg_invoked_count, 1);
         };
 
         /* Happy case: msg_iovlen > 1 */
         {
             DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_connection *server = s2n_connection_new(S2N_SERVER),
                     s2n_connection_ptr_free);
-            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_connection *client = s2n_connection_new(S2N_CLIENT),
-                    s2n_connection_ptr_free);
-            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer_pair io_pair = { 0 },
-                    s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_pair_free);
-            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer(server, client, &io_pair));
+            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer client_in = { 0 },
+                    s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_free);
+            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer_send(server, &client_in));
 
             struct iovec msg_iov[S2N_TEST_MSG_IOVLEN] = { 0 };
             size_t total_sent = 0;
@@ -182,26 +177,24 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             EXPECT_EQUAL(blocked, S2N_NOT_BLOCKED);
 
             /* confirm sent data */
-            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_ancillary(&io_pair.client_in, test_record_type, total_sent));
-            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_data(&io_pair.client_in, test_data, total_sent));
+            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_ancillary(&client_in, test_record_type, total_sent));
+            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_data(&client_in, test_data, total_sent));
             /* validate only 1 record was sent  */
-            EXPECT_EQUAL(s2n_stuffer_data_available(&io_pair.client_in.ancillary_buffer),
+            EXPECT_EQUAL(s2n_stuffer_data_available(&client_in.ancillary_buffer),
                     S2N_TEST_KTLS_MOCK_HEADER_SIZE);
 
-            EXPECT_EQUAL(io_pair.client_in.sendmsg_invoked_count, 1);
+            EXPECT_EQUAL(client_in.sendmsg_invoked_count, 1);
         };
 
         /* Simulate a blocked network and handle a S2N_ERR_IO_BLOCKED error */
         {
             DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_connection *server = s2n_connection_new(S2N_SERVER),
                     s2n_connection_ptr_free);
-            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_connection *client = s2n_connection_new(S2N_CLIENT),
-                    s2n_connection_ptr_free);
-            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer_pair io_pair = { 0 },
-                    s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_pair_free);
-            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer(server, client, &io_pair));
+            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer client_in = { 0 },
+                    s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_free);
+            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer_send(server, &client_in));
             /* disable growable to simulate blocked/network buffer full */
-            io_pair.client_in.data_buffer.growable = false;
+            client_in.data_buffer.growable = false;
 
             struct iovec msg_iov = { .iov_base = test_data, .iov_len = S2N_TEST_TO_SEND };
             s2n_blocked_status blocked = S2N_NOT_BLOCKED;
@@ -216,15 +209,15 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
             /* enable growable to unblock write */
             /* cppcheck-suppress redundantAssignment */
-            io_pair.client_in.data_buffer.growable = true;
+            client_in.data_buffer.growable = true;
             EXPECT_OK(s2n_ktls_sendmsg(server, test_record_type, &msg_iov, 1, &blocked, &bytes_written));
             EXPECT_EQUAL(bytes_written, S2N_TEST_TO_SEND);
 
             /* confirm sent data */
-            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_ancillary(&io_pair.client_in, test_record_type, S2N_TEST_TO_SEND));
-            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_data(&io_pair.client_in, test_data, S2N_TEST_TO_SEND));
+            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_ancillary(&client_in, test_record_type, S2N_TEST_TO_SEND));
+            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_validate_data(&client_in, test_data, S2N_TEST_TO_SEND));
 
-            EXPECT_EQUAL(io_pair.client_in.sendmsg_invoked_count, blocked_invoked_count + 1);
+            EXPECT_EQUAL(client_in.sendmsg_invoked_count, blocked_invoked_count + 1);
         };
 
         /* Both EWOULDBLOCK and EAGAIN should return a S2N_ERR_IO_BLOCKED error */
@@ -277,11 +270,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         {
             DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_connection *server = s2n_connection_new(S2N_SERVER),
                     s2n_connection_ptr_free);
-            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_connection *client = s2n_connection_new(S2N_CLIENT),
-                    s2n_connection_ptr_free);
-            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer_pair io_pair = { 0 },
-                    s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_pair_free);
-            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer(server, client, &io_pair));
+            DEFER_CLEANUP(struct s2n_test_ktls_io_stuffer client_in = { 0 },
+                    s2n_ktls_io_stuffer_free);
+            EXPECT_OK(s2n_test_init_ktls_io_stuffer_send(server, &client_in));
 
             s2n_blocked_status blocked = S2N_NOT_BLOCKED;
             size_t bytes_written = 0;
@@ -297,7 +288,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             EXPECT_EQUAL(blocked, S2N_NOT_BLOCKED);
             EXPECT_EQUAL(bytes_written, 0);
 
-            EXPECT_EQUAL(io_pair.client_in.sendmsg_invoked_count, 2);
+            EXPECT_EQUAL(client_in.sendmsg_invoked_count, 2);
         };
     };