diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3967a7d6..ddad618a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
         "local:start": "cd scripts/localdev; ./start.sh",
         "local:setup": "cd scripts/localdev; ./deploy.sh",
         "local:test": "cd scripts/localdev; npx mocha --require mocha-suppress-logs ../e2e/",
-        "local:ci": "cd scripts/localdev; ./ci.sh && exit",
+        "local:ci": "cd scripts/localdev; (./start.sh &); ./ci.sh",
         "local:chainonly": "cd scripts/localdev; LOCAL_CHAIN_ONLY=true ./start.sh",
         "local:axelaronly": "cd scripts/localdev; node axelar_setup.js",
         "stop": "cd scripts/localdev; ./stop.sh"
diff --git a/scripts/localdev/ci.sh b/scripts/localdev/ci.sh
index 82724f1a..f21a19cc 100755
--- a/scripts/localdev/ci.sh
+++ b/scripts/localdev/ci.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -x
 
-./start.sh &
-sleep 10
-
 # Try at most 300 seconds
 counter=1
 while [ $counter -le 300 ]