diff --git a/pkg/testutils/testcluster/testcluster.go b/pkg/testutils/testcluster/testcluster.go
index 87c358448b05..2341230a9761 100644
--- a/pkg/testutils/testcluster/testcluster.go
+++ b/pkg/testutils/testcluster/testcluster.go
@@ -141,7 +141,6 @@ func StartTestCluster(t testing.TB, nodes int, args base.TestClusterArgs) *TestC
 		stopper:         stop.NewStopper(),
 		replicationMode: args.ReplicationMode,
 	}
-	tc.stopper = stop.NewStopper()
 
 	// Check if any of the args have a locality set.
 	noLocalities := true