diff --git a/src/cluster_info.rs b/src/cluster_info.rs
index 0e0dd4418ae4d6..636da2440630fb 100644
--- a/src/cluster_info.rs
+++ b/src/cluster_info.rs
@@ -1023,7 +1023,7 @@ impl ClusterInfo {
         let len = data.len();
         let now = Instant::now();
         let self_id = me.read().unwrap().gossip.id;
-        trace!("PullResponse me: {} len={}", self_id, len);
+        trace!("PullResponse me: {} from: {} len={}", self_id, from, len);
         me.write()
             .unwrap()
             .gossip
diff --git a/src/cluster_tests.rs b/src/cluster_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..d7eb18aa2d52cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cluster_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/// Cluster independant integration tests
+///
+/// All tests must start from an entry point and a funding keypair and
+/// discover the rest of the network.
+use crate::client::mk_client;
+use crate::contact_info::ContactInfo;
+use crate::gossip_service::discover;
+use solana_sdk::signature::{Keypair, KeypairUtil};
+use solana_sdk::system_transaction::SystemTransaction;
+
+/// Spend and verify from every node in the network
+pub fn spend_and_verify_all_nodes(
+    entry_point_info: &ContactInfo,
+    funding_keypair: &Keypair,
+    nodes: usize,
+) {
+    let cluster_nodes = discover(&entry_point_info, nodes);
+    assert!(cluster_nodes.len() >= nodes);
+    for ingress_node in &cluster_nodes {
+        let random_keypair = Keypair::new();
+        let mut client = mk_client(&ingress_node);
+        let bal = client
+            .poll_get_balance(&funding_keypair.pubkey())
+            .expect("balance in source");
+        assert!(bal > 0);
+        let mut transaction = SystemTransaction::new_move(
+            &funding_keypair,
+            random_keypair.pubkey(),
+            1,
+            client.get_last_id(),
+            0,
+        );
+        let sig = client
+            .retry_transfer(&funding_keypair, &mut transaction, 5)
+            .unwrap();
+        for validator in &cluster_nodes {
+            let mut client = mk_client(&validator);
+            client.poll_for_signature(&sig).unwrap();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/fullnode.rs b/src/fullnode.rs
index e4ec336fbe95b2..eb3ca02beb0e52 100644
--- a/src/fullnode.rs
+++ b/src/fullnode.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ use std::net::{IpAddr, Ipv4Addr, SocketAddr};
 use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
 use std::sync::mpsc::{channel, Receiver, RecvTimeoutError, Sender};
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex, RwLock};
+use std::thread::JoinHandle;
 use std::thread::{spawn, Result};
 use std::time::Duration;
 
@@ -324,18 +325,18 @@ impl Fullnode {
 
     // Runs a thread to manage node role transitions.  The returned closure can be used to signal the
     // node to exit.
-    pub fn run(
+    pub fn start(
         mut self,
         rotation_notifier: Option<Sender<(FullnodeReturnType, u64)>>,
-    ) -> impl FnOnce() {
+    ) -> (JoinHandle<()>, Arc<AtomicBool>, Receiver<bool>) {
         let (sender, receiver) = channel();
         let exit = self.exit.clone();
         let timeout = Duration::from_secs(1);
-        spawn(move || loop {
+        let handle = spawn(move || loop {
             if self.exit.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
                 debug!("node shutdown requested");
                 self.close().expect("Unable to close node");
-                sender.send(true).expect("Unable to signal exit");
+                let _ = sender.send(true);
                 break;
             }
 
@@ -359,6 +360,14 @@ impl Fullnode {
                 _ => (),
             }
         });
+        (handle, exit, receiver)
+    }
+
+    pub fn run(
+        self,
+        rotation_notifier: Option<Sender<(FullnodeReturnType, u64)>>,
+    ) -> impl FnOnce() {
+        let (_, exit, receiver) = self.start(rotation_notifier);
         move || {
             exit.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
             receiver.recv().unwrap();
diff --git a/src/gossip_service.rs b/src/gossip_service.rs
index 698f73053ad92a..fb78a3bc093f7f 100644
--- a/src/gossip_service.rs
+++ b/src/gossip_service.rs
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ pub fn make_listening_node(
     (gossip_service, new_node_cluster_info_ref, new_node, id)
 }
 
+pub fn discover(entry_point_info: &NodeInfo, num_nodes: usize) -> Vec<NodeInfo> {
+    converge(entry_point_info, num_nodes)
+}
+
+//TODO: deprecate this in favor of discover
 pub fn converge(node: &NodeInfo, num_nodes: usize) -> Vec<NodeInfo> {
     info!("Wait for convergence with {} nodes", num_nodes);
     // Let's spy on the network
@@ -102,14 +107,21 @@ pub fn converge(node: &NodeInfo, num_nodes: usize) -> Vec<NodeInfo> {
     // Wait for the cluster to converge
     for _ in 0..15 {
         let rpc_peers = spy_ref.read().unwrap().rpc_peers();
-        if rpc_peers.len() == num_nodes {
-            debug!("converge found {} nodes: {:?}", rpc_peers.len(), rpc_peers);
+        if rpc_peers.len() >= num_nodes {
+            debug!(
+                "converge found {}/{} nodes: {:?}",
+                rpc_peers.len(),
+                num_nodes,
+                rpc_peers
+            );
             gossip_service.close().unwrap();
             return rpc_peers;
         }
         debug!(
-            "converge found {} nodes, need {} more",
+            "spy_node: {} converge found {}/{} nodes, need {} more",
+            id,
             rpc_peers.len(),
+            num_nodes,
             num_nodes - rpc_peers.len()
         );
         sleep(Duration::new(1, 0));
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index bb6c9e831315ac..de6ed84403076d 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ pub mod blockstream;
 pub mod blockstream_service;
 pub mod blocktree_processor;
 pub mod cluster_info;
+pub mod cluster_tests;
 pub mod db_window;
 pub mod entry;
 #[cfg(feature = "erasure")]
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ pub mod gossip_service;
 pub mod leader_confirmation_service;
 pub mod leader_schedule;
 pub mod leader_schedule_utils;
+pub mod local_cluster;
 pub mod local_vote_signer_service;
 pub mod packet;
 pub mod poh;
diff --git a/src/local_cluster.rs b/src/local_cluster.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..7e052ef1fd4d68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/local_cluster.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+use crate::blocktree::{create_new_tmp_ledger, tmp_copy_blocktree};
+use crate::client::mk_client;
+use crate::cluster_info::{Node, NodeInfo};
+use crate::fullnode::{Fullnode, FullnodeConfig};
+use crate::gossip_service::discover;
+use crate::thin_client::retry_get_balance;
+use crate::thin_client::ThinClient;
+use crate::voting_keypair::VotingKeypair;
+use solana_sdk::genesis_block::GenesisBlock;
+use solana_sdk::pubkey::Pubkey;
+use solana_sdk::signature::{Keypair, KeypairUtil};
+use solana_sdk::system_transaction::SystemTransaction;
+use std::fs::remove_dir_all;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::thread::JoinHandle;
+
+pub struct LocalCluster {
+    /// Keypair with funding to particpiate in the network
+    pub funding_keypair: Keypair,
+    /// Entry point from which the rest of the network can be discovered
+    pub entry_point_info: NodeInfo,
+    fullnode_hdls: Vec<(JoinHandle<()>, Arc<AtomicBool>)>,
+    ledger_paths: Vec<String>,
+}
+
+impl LocalCluster {
+    pub fn new(num_nodes: usize, cluster_lamports: u64, lamports_per_node: u64) -> Self {
+        let leader_keypair = Arc::new(Keypair::new());
+        let leader_pubkey = leader_keypair.pubkey();
+        let leader_node = Node::new_localhost_with_pubkey(leader_keypair.pubkey());
+        let (genesis_block, mint_keypair) =
+            GenesisBlock::new_with_leader(cluster_lamports, leader_pubkey, lamports_per_node);
+        let (genesis_ledger_path, _last_id) = create_new_tmp_ledger!(&genesis_block);
+        let leader_ledger_path = tmp_copy_blocktree!(&genesis_ledger_path);
+        let mut ledger_paths = vec![];
+        ledger_paths.push(genesis_ledger_path.clone());
+        ledger_paths.push(leader_ledger_path.clone());
+        let voting_keypair = VotingKeypair::new_local(&leader_keypair);
+        let fullnode_config = FullnodeConfig::default();
+        let leader_node_info = leader_node.info.clone();
+        let leader_server = Fullnode::new(
+            leader_node,
+            &leader_keypair,
+            &leader_ledger_path,
+            voting_keypair,
+            None,
+            &fullnode_config,
+        );
+        let (thread, exit, _) = leader_server.start(None);
+        let mut fullnode_hdls = vec![(thread, exit)];
+        let mut client = mk_client(&leader_node_info);
+        for _ in 0..(num_nodes - 1) {
+            let validator_keypair = Arc::new(Keypair::new());
+            let voting_keypair = VotingKeypair::new_local(&validator_keypair);
+            let validator_pubkey = validator_keypair.pubkey();
+            let validator_node = Node::new_localhost_with_pubkey(validator_keypair.pubkey());
+            let ledger_path = tmp_copy_blocktree!(&genesis_ledger_path);
+            ledger_paths.push(ledger_path.clone());
+
+            // Send each validator some tokens to vote
+            let validator_balance = Self::transfer(
+                &mut client,
+                &mint_keypair,
+                &validator_pubkey,
+                lamports_per_node,
+            );
+            info!(
+                "validator {} balance {}",
+                validator_pubkey, validator_balance
+            );
+            let validator_server = Fullnode::new(
+                validator_node,
+                &validator_keypair,
+                &ledger_path,
+                voting_keypair,
+                Some(&leader_node_info),
+                &FullnodeConfig::default(),
+            );
+            let (thread, exit, _) = validator_server.start(None);
+            fullnode_hdls.push((thread, exit));
+        }
+        discover(&leader_node_info, num_nodes);
+        Self {
+            funding_keypair: mint_keypair,
+            entry_point_info: leader_node_info,
+            fullnode_hdls,
+            ledger_paths,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn exit(&self) {
+        for node in &self.fullnode_hdls {
+            node.1.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
+        }
+    }
+    pub fn close(&mut self) {
+        self.exit();
+        while let Some(node) = self.fullnode_hdls.pop() {
+            node.0.join().expect("join");
+        }
+        for path in &self.ledger_paths {
+            remove_dir_all(path).unwrap();
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn transfer(
+        client: &mut ThinClient,
+        source_keypair: &Keypair,
+        dest_pubkey: &Pubkey,
+        lamports: u64,
+    ) -> u64 {
+        trace!("getting leader last_id");
+        let last_id = client.get_last_id();
+        let mut tx =
+            SystemTransaction::new_account(&source_keypair, *dest_pubkey, lamports, last_id, 0);
+        info!(
+            "executing transfer of {} from {} to {}",
+            lamports,
+            source_keypair.pubkey(),
+            *dest_pubkey
+        );
+        client
+            .retry_transfer(&source_keypair, &mut tx, 5)
+            .expect("client transfer");
+        retry_get_balance(client, dest_pubkey, Some(lamports)).expect("get balance")
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for LocalCluster {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        self.close()
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_local_cluster_start_and_exit() {
+        solana_logger::setup();
+        let network = LocalCluster::new(1, 100, 2);
+        drop(network)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/local_cluster.rs b/tests/local_cluster.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..3ce99e7ad7e9f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/local_cluster.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+extern crate solana;
+
+use solana::cluster_tests;
+use solana::local_cluster::LocalCluster;
+
+#[test]
+fn test_spend_and_verify_all_nodes_1() -> () {
+    solana_logger::setup();
+    let num_nodes = 1;
+    let local = LocalCluster::new(num_nodes, 10_000, 100);
+    cluster_tests::spend_and_verify_all_nodes(
+        &local.entry_point_info,
+        &local.funding_keypair,
+        num_nodes,
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_spend_and_verify_all_nodes_2() -> () {
+    solana_logger::setup();
+    let num_nodes = 2;
+    let local = LocalCluster::new(num_nodes, 10_000, 100);
+    cluster_tests::spend_and_verify_all_nodes(
+        &local.entry_point_info,
+        &local.funding_keypair,
+        num_nodes,
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_spend_and_verify_all_nodes_3() -> () {
+    solana_logger::setup();
+    let num_nodes = 3;
+    let local = LocalCluster::new(num_nodes, 10_000, 100);
+    cluster_tests::spend_and_verify_all_nodes(
+        &local.entry_point_info,
+        &local.funding_keypair,
+        num_nodes,
+    );
+}