diff --git a/runtime/app.go b/runtime/app.go
index 504e26b1ef8b..2ceb7cd3eeb3 100644
--- a/runtime/app.go
+++ b/runtime/app.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ type App struct {
 	beginBlockers     []func(sdk.Context, abci.RequestBeginBlock)
 	endBlockers       []func(sdk.Context, abci.RequestEndBlock) []abci.ValidatorUpdate
 	baseAppOptions    []BaseAppOption
+	msgServiceRouter  *baseapp.MsgServiceRouter
 }
 
 // RegisterModules registers the provided modules with the module manager and
diff --git a/runtime/builder.go b/runtime/builder.go
index d5032a0ca4e3..f73805c17cac 100644
--- a/runtime/builder.go
+++ b/runtime/builder.go
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ func (a *AppBuilder) Build(
 	logger log.Logger,
 	db dbm.DB,
 	traceStore io.Writer,
-	msgServiceRouter *baseapp.MsgServiceRouter,
 	baseAppOptions ...func(*baseapp.BaseApp),
 ) *App {
 	for _, option := range a.app.baseAppOptions {
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ func (a *AppBuilder) Build(
 	}
 
 	bApp := baseapp.NewBaseApp(a.app.config.AppName, logger, db, nil, baseAppOptions...)
-	bApp.SetMsgServiceRouter(msgServiceRouter)
+	bApp.SetMsgServiceRouter(a.app.msgServiceRouter)
 	bApp.SetCommitMultiStoreTracer(traceStore)
 	bApp.SetVersion(version.Version)
 	bApp.SetInterfaceRegistry(a.app.interfaceRegistry)
diff --git a/runtime/module.go b/runtime/module.go
index f7e26ba1dff5..fe598f22ee42 100644
--- a/runtime/module.go
+++ b/runtime/module.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package runtime
 import (
 	"fmt"
 
+	abci "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/abci/types"
+
 	runtimev1alpha1 "cosmossdk.io/api/cosmos/app/runtime/v1alpha1"
 	"cosmossdk.io/core/appmodule"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/baseapp"
@@ -12,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/std"
 	storetypes "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/store/types"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types/module"
-	abci "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/abci/types"
 )
 
 // BaseAppOption is a depinject.AutoGroupType which can be used to pass
@@ -62,15 +63,17 @@ func provideCodecs(moduleBasics map[string]AppModuleBasicWrapper) (
 	std.RegisterLegacyAminoCodec(amino)
 
 	cdc := codec.NewProtoCodec(interfaceRegistry)
+	msgServiceRouter := baseapp.NewMsgServiceRouter()
 	app := &App{
 		storeKeys:         nil,
 		interfaceRegistry: interfaceRegistry,
 		cdc:               cdc,
 		amino:             amino,
 		basicManager:      basicManager,
+		msgServiceRouter:  msgServiceRouter,
 	}
 
-	return interfaceRegistry, cdc, amino, app, cdc, baseapp.NewMsgServiceRouter()
+	return interfaceRegistry, cdc, amino, app, cdc, msgServiceRouter
 }
 
 type appInputs struct {
diff --git a/simapp/app.go b/simapp/app.go
index 94b931f78924..e3e7cfa5def7 100644
--- a/simapp/app.go
+++ b/simapp/app.go
@@ -210,7 +210,6 @@ func NewSimApp(
 	}
 
 	var appBuilder *runtime.AppBuilder
-	var msgServiceRouter *baseapp.MsgServiceRouter
 
 	if err := depinject.Inject(AppConfig,
 		&appBuilder,
@@ -229,12 +228,11 @@ func NewSimApp(
 		&app.SlashingKeeper,
 		&app.MintKeeper,
 		&app.EvidenceKeeper,
-		&msgServiceRouter,
 	); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	app.App = appBuilder.Build(logger, db, traceStore, msgServiceRouter, baseAppOptions...)
+	app.App = appBuilder.Build(logger, db, traceStore, baseAppOptions...)
 
 	app.keys = sdk.NewKVStoreKeys(
 		distrtypes.StoreKey,
diff --git a/testutil/network/network.go b/testutil/network/network.go
index 95202486e4ab..c335a78d3b69 100644
--- a/testutil/network/network.go
+++ b/testutil/network/network.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 
 	"cosmossdk.io/math"
+
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/baseapp"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/tx"
@@ -135,35 +136,37 @@ func DefaultConfigWithAppConfig(appConfig depinject.Config) (Config, error) {
 
 	var (
 		appBuilder        *runtime.AppBuilder
-		msgServiceRouter  *baseapp.MsgServiceRouter
 		txConfig          client.TxConfig
 		legacyAmino       *codec.LegacyAmino
-		codec             codec.Codec
+		cdc               codec.Codec
 		interfaceRegistry codectypes.InterfaceRegistry
 	)
 
 	if err := depinject.Inject(appConfig,
 		&appBuilder,
-		&msgServiceRouter,
 		&txConfig,
-		&codec,
+		&cdc,
 		&legacyAmino,
 		&interfaceRegistry,
 	); err != nil {
 		return Config{}, err
 	}
 
-	cfg.Codec = codec
+	cfg.Codec = cdc
 	cfg.TxConfig = txConfig
 	cfg.LegacyAmino = legacyAmino
 	cfg.InterfaceRegistry = interfaceRegistry
 	cfg.GenesisState = appBuilder.DefaultGenesis()
 	cfg.AppConstructor = func(val Validator) servertypes.Application {
+		// we build a unique app instance for every validator here
+		var appBuilder *runtime.AppBuilder
+		if err := depinject.Inject(appConfig, &appBuilder); err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
 		app := appBuilder.Build(
 			val.Ctx.Logger,
 			dbm.NewMemDB(),
 			nil,
-			msgServiceRouter,
 			baseapp.SetPruning(pruningtypes.NewPruningOptionsFromString(val.AppConfig.Pruning)),
 			baseapp.SetMinGasPrices(val.AppConfig.MinGasPrices),
 		)
diff --git a/testutil/sims/app_helpers.go b/testutil/sims/app_helpers.go
index 01b1f336bc33..be27dc96eddd 100644
--- a/testutil/sims/app_helpers.go
+++ b/testutil/sims/app_helpers.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 	tmtypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 	dbm "github.com/tendermint/tm-db"
 
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/baseapp"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
 	codectypes "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec/types"
 	cryptocodec "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/crypto/codec"
@@ -54,17 +53,16 @@ func Setup(appConfig depinject.Config, extraOutputs ...interface{}) (*runtime.Ap
 	// create app
 	//
 	var appBuilder *runtime.AppBuilder
-	var msgServiceRouter *baseapp.MsgServiceRouter
 	var codec codec.Codec
 
 	if err := depinject.Inject(
 		appConfig,
-		append(extraOutputs, &appBuilder, &msgServiceRouter, &codec)...,
+		append(extraOutputs, &appBuilder, &codec)...,
 	); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to inject dependencies: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	app := appBuilder.Build(log.NewNopLogger(), dbm.NewMemDB(), nil, msgServiceRouter)
+	app := appBuilder.Build(log.NewNopLogger(), dbm.NewMemDB(), nil)
 	if err := app.Load(true); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load app: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/x/group/client/testutil/cli_test.go b/x/group/client/testutil/cli_test.go
index f23e88847c30..be88858caf3c 100644
--- a/x/group/client/testutil/cli_test.go
+++ b/x/group/client/testutil/cli_test.go
@@ -7,12 +7,15 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/testutil/network"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/group/testutil"
 
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
 )
 
 func TestIntegrationTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
-	cfg := network.DefaultConfig()
+	cfg, err := network.DefaultConfigWithAppConfig(testutil.AppConfig)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	cfg.NumValidators = 2
 	suite.Run(t, NewIntegrationTestSuite(cfg))
 }
diff --git a/x/group/testutil/app.yaml b/x/group/testutil/app.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..251759067b55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x/group/testutil/app.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+modules:
+  - name: runtime
+    config:
+      "@type": cosmos.app.runtime.v1alpha1.Module
+
+      app_name: GroupApp
+
+      begin_blockers: [staking, auth, bank, genutil, authz, group, params]
+      end_blockers: [staking, auth, bank, genutil, authz, group, params]
+      init_genesis: [auth, bank, staking, genutil, authz, group, params]
+
+  - name: auth
+    config:
+      "@type": cosmos.auth.module.v1.Module
+      bech32_prefix: cosmos
+      module_account_permissions:
+        - account: fee_collector
+        - account: bonded_tokens_pool
+          permissions: [burner, staking]
+        - account: not_bonded_tokens_pool
+          permissions: [burner, staking]
+
+  - name: bank
+    config:
+      "@type": cosmos.bank.module.v1.Module
+
+  - name: params
+    config:
+      "@type": cosmos.params.module.v1.Module
+
+  - name: tx
+    config:
+      "@type": cosmos.tx.module.v1.Module
+
+  - name: staking
+    config:
+      "@type": cosmos.staking.module.v1.Module
+
+  - name: authz
+    config:
+      "@type": cosmos.authz.module.v1.Module
+
+  - name: group
+    config:
+      "@type": cosmos.group.v1.module.v1.Module
+
+  - name: genutil
+    config:
+      "@type": cosmos.genutil.module.v1.Module
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/x/group/testutil/app_config.go b/x/group/testutil/app_config.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8e7129635df4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x/group/testutil/app_config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package testutil
+
+import (
+	_ "embed"
+
+	"cosmossdk.io/core/appconfig"
+	_ "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth"
+	_ "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/auth/tx/module"
+	_ "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/authz"
+	_ "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/bank"
+	_ "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/genutil"
+	_ "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/group"
+	_ "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/params"
+	_ "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/staking"
+)
+
+//go:embed app.yaml
+var appConfig []byte
+
+var AppConfig = appconfig.LoadYAML(appConfig)