diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
index 1cbadf01534..921f12d9fb4 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
@@ -171,8 +171,6 @@ class BitcoinTestFramework(metaclass=BitcoinTestMetaClass):
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(usage="%(prog)s [options]")
         parser.add_argument("--nocleanup", dest="nocleanup", default=False, action="store_true",
                             help="Leave bitcoinds and test.* datadir on exit or error")
-        parser.add_argument("--noshutdown", dest="noshutdown", default=False, action="store_true",
-                            help="Don't stop bitcoinds after the test execution")
         parser.add_argument("--cachedir", dest="cachedir", default=os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(test_file) + "/../cache"),
                             help="Directory for caching pregenerated datadirs (default: %(default)s)")
         parser.add_argument("--tmpdir", dest="tmpdir", help="Root directory for datadirs (must not exist)")
@@ -325,18 +323,15 @@ class BitcoinTestFramework(metaclass=BitcoinTestMetaClass):
 
         self.log.debug('Closing down network thread')
         self.network_thread.close()
-        if not self.options.noshutdown:
+        if self.success == TestStatus.FAILED:
+            self.log.info("Not stopping nodes as test failed. The dangling processes will be cleaned up later.")
+        else:
             self.log.info("Stopping nodes")
             if self.nodes:
                 self.stop_nodes()
-        else:
-            for node in self.nodes:
-                node.cleanup_on_exit = False
-            self.log.info("Note: bitcoinds were not stopped and may still be running")
 
         should_clean_up = (
             not self.options.nocleanup and
-            not self.options.noshutdown and
             self.success != TestStatus.FAILED and
             not self.options.perf
         )
@@ -584,15 +579,10 @@ class BitcoinTestFramework(metaclass=BitcoinTestMetaClass):
         if extra_args is None:
             extra_args = [None] * self.num_nodes
         assert_equal(len(extra_args), self.num_nodes)
-        try:
-            for i, node in enumerate(self.nodes):
-                node.start(extra_args[i], *args, **kwargs)
-            for node in self.nodes:
-                node.wait_for_rpc_connection()
-        except Exception:
-            # If one node failed to start, stop the others
-            self.stop_nodes()
-            raise
+        for i, node in enumerate(self.nodes):
+            node.start(extra_args[i], *args, **kwargs)
+        for node in self.nodes:
+            node.wait_for_rpc_connection()
 
         if self.options.coveragedir is not None:
             for node in self.nodes:
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
index d67b5bc7a53..f7d6ba78d23 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import time
 import urllib.parse
 import collections
 import shlex
+import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from .authproxy import (
@@ -158,7 +159,6 @@ class TestNode():
         self.rpc = None
         self.url = None
         self.log = logging.getLogger('TestFramework.node%d' % i)
-        self.cleanup_on_exit = True # Whether to kill the node when this object goes away
         # Cache perf subprocesses here by their data output filename.
         self.perf_subprocesses = {}
 
@@ -200,11 +200,11 @@ class TestNode():
     def __del__(self):
         # Ensure that we don't leave any bitcoind processes lying around after
         # the test ends
-        if self.process and self.cleanup_on_exit:
+        if self.process:
             # Should only happen on test failure
             # Avoid using logger, as that may have already been shutdown when
             # this destructor is called.
-            print(self._node_msg("Cleaning up leftover process"))
+            print(self._node_msg("Cleaning up leftover process"), file=sys.stderr)
             self.process.kill()
 
     def __getattr__(self, name):