diff --git a/test/functional/rpc_setban.py b/test/functional/rpc_setban.py
index 9b684ae4574..7d1873c796a 100755
--- a/test/functional/rpc_setban.py
+++ b/test/functional/rpc_setban.py
@@ -26,19 +26,28 @@ class SetBanTests(BitcoinTestFramework):
         peerinfo = self.nodes[1].getpeerinfo()[0]
         assert "noban" not in peerinfo["permissions"]
 
-        # Node 0 get banned by Node 1
+        # Node 0 gets banned by Node 1
         self.nodes[1].setban("127.0.0.1", "add")
+        self.wait_until(lambda: not self.nodes[0].is_connected_to(self.nodes[1]))
 
         # Node 0 should not be able to reconnect
+        self.restart_node(1, [])
         context = ExitStack()
-        context.enter_context(self.nodes[1].assert_debug_log(expected_msgs=['dropped (banned)\n'], timeout=50))
+        context.enter_context(self.nodes[1].assert_debug_log(expected_msgs=["dropped (banned)\n"]))
         # When disconnected right after connecting, a v2 node will attempt to reconnect with v1.
-        # Wait for that to happen so that it cannot mess with later tests.
-        if self.options.v2transport:
-            context.enter_context(self.nodes[0].assert_debug_log(expected_msgs=['trying v1 connection'], timeout=50))
+        # Wait for all disconnects on node0, so that it cannot mess with later tests.
+        context.enter_context(self.nodes[0].assert_debug_log(
+            expected_msgs=[
+                "retrying with v1 transport protocol for peer=2",
+                "Cleared nodestate for peer=2",
+                "Cleared nodestate for peer=3",
+            ] if self.options.v2transport else [
+                "Cleared nodestate for peer=2",  # Just one v1 disconnect to wait for
+            ],
+            timeout=8))
         with context:
-            self.restart_node(1, [])
             self.nodes[0].addnode("127.0.0.1:" + str(p2p_port(1)), "onetry")
+        assert not self.nodes[0].is_connected_to(self.nodes[1])
 
         # However, node 0 should be able to reconnect if it has noban permission
         self.restart_node(1, ['-whitelist=127.0.0.1'])
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
index 36445144503..067388c6f67 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
@@ -549,16 +549,20 @@ class BitcoinTestFramework(metaclass=BitcoinTestMetaClass):
     def wait_for_node_exit(self, i, timeout):
         self.nodes[i].process.wait(timeout)
 
-    def connect_nodes(self, a, b, *, peer_advertises_v2=None, wait_for_connect: bool = True):
-        """
-        Kwargs:
-            wait_for_connect: if True, block until the nodes are verified as connected. You might
-                want to disable this when using -stopatheight with one of the connected nodes,
-                since there will be a race between the actual connection and performing
-                the assertions before one node shuts down.
-        """
+    def connect_nodes(self, a, b, *, peer_advertises_v2=None):
         from_connection = self.nodes[a]
         to_connection = self.nodes[b]
+
+        # Use subversion as peer id. Test nodes have their node number appended to the user agent string
+        from_connection_subver = from_connection.getnetworkinfo()['subversion']
+        to_connection_subver = to_connection.getnetworkinfo()['subversion']
+
+        def find_conn(node, peer_subversion, inbound):
+            return next(filter(lambda peer: peer['subver'] == peer_subversion and peer['inbound'] == inbound, node.getpeerinfo()), None)
+
+        self.wait_until(lambda: not find_conn(from_connection, to_connection_subver, inbound=False))
+        self.wait_until(lambda: not find_conn(to_connection, from_connection_subver, inbound=True))
+
         ip_port = "127.0.0.1:" + str(p2p_port(b))
 
         if peer_advertises_v2 is None:
@@ -571,16 +575,6 @@ class BitcoinTestFramework(metaclass=BitcoinTestMetaClass):
             # compatibility with older clients
             from_connection.addnode(ip_port, "onetry")
 
-        if not wait_for_connect:
-            return
-
-        # Use subversion as peer id. Test nodes have their node number appended to the user agent string
-        from_connection_subver = from_connection.getnetworkinfo()['subversion']
-        to_connection_subver = to_connection.getnetworkinfo()['subversion']
-
-        def find_conn(node, peer_subversion, inbound):
-            return next(filter(lambda peer: peer['subver'] == peer_subversion and peer['inbound'] == inbound, node.getpeerinfo()), None)
-
         self.wait_until(lambda: find_conn(from_connection, to_connection_subver, inbound=False) is not None)
         self.wait_until(lambda: find_conn(to_connection, from_connection_subver, inbound=True) is not None)
 
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
index bf0250f745e..1ba2e09b221 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -914,6 +914,11 @@ class TestNode():
 
         self.wait_until(lambda: self.num_test_p2p_connections() == 0)
 
+    def is_connected_to(self, other):
+        assert isinstance(other, TestNode)
+        other_subver = other.getnetworkinfo()["subversion"]
+        return any(peer["subver"] == other_subver for peer in self.getpeerinfo())
+
     def bumpmocktime(self, seconds):
         """Fast forward using setmocktime to self.mocktime + seconds. Requires setmocktime to have
         been called at some point in the past."""