diff --git a/lnd_test.go b/lnd_test.go
index bf48c1bc..e014ee35 100644
--- a/lnd_test.go
+++ b/lnd_test.go
@@ -1763,7 +1763,6 @@ func testOpenChannelAfterReorg(net *lntest.NetworkHarness, t *harnessTest) {
 	var (
 		ctxb = context.Background()
 		temp = "temp"
-		perm = "perm"
 	)
 
 	// Set up a new miner that we can use to cause a reorg.
@@ -1901,9 +1900,7 @@ func testOpenChannelAfterReorg(net *lntest.NetworkHarness, t *harnessTest) {
 	// Now we disconnect Alice's chain backend from the original miner, and
 	// connect the two miners together. Since the temporary miner knows
 	// about a longer chain, both miners should sync to that chain.
-	err = net.Miner.Node.Node(
-		btcjson.NRemove, net.BackendCfg.P2PAddr(), &perm,
-	)
+	err = net.BackendCfg.DisconnectMiner()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to remove node: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -1934,9 +1931,7 @@ func testOpenChannelAfterReorg(net *lntest.NetworkHarness, t *harnessTest) {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to remove node: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	err = net.Miner.Node.Node(
-		btcjson.NConnect, net.BackendCfg.P2PAddr(), &perm,
-	)
+	err = net.BackendCfg.ConnectMiner()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to remove node: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -13316,13 +13311,6 @@ var testsCases = []*testCase{
 func TestLightningNetworkDaemon(t *testing.T) {
 	ht := newHarnessTest(t)
 
-	// Start a btcd chain backend.
-	chainBackend, cleanUp, err := lntest.NewBtcdBackend()
-	if err != nil {
-		ht.Fatalf("unable to start btcd: %v", err)
-	}
-	defer cleanUp()
-
 	// Declare the network harness here to gain access to its
 	// 'OnTxAccepted' call back.
 	var lndHarness *lntest.NetworkHarness
@@ -13343,7 +13331,6 @@ func TestLightningNetworkDaemon(t *testing.T) {
 		"--debuglevel=debug",
 		"--logdir=" + minerLogDir,
 		"--trickleinterval=100ms",
-		"--connect=" + chainBackend.P2PAddr(),
 	}
 	handlers := &rpcclient.NotificationHandlers{
 		OnTxAccepted: func(hash *chainhash.Hash, amt btcutil.Amount) {
@@ -13373,6 +13360,13 @@ func TestLightningNetworkDaemon(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}()
 
+	// Start a btcd chain backend.
+	chainBackend, cleanUp, err := lntest.NewBtcdBackend(miner.P2PAddress())
+	if err != nil {
+		ht.Fatalf("unable to start btcd: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer cleanUp()
+
 	if err := miner.SetUp(true, 50); err != nil {
 		ht.Fatalf("unable to set up mining node: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/lntest/btcd.go b/lntest/btcd.go
index 48e4d71f..84cd6830 100644
--- a/lntest/btcd.go
+++ b/lntest/btcd.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/btcsuite/btcd/btcjson"
 	"github.com/btcsuite/btcd/chaincfg"
 	"github.com/btcsuite/btcd/integration/rpctest"
 	"github.com/btcsuite/btcd/rpcclient"
@@ -13,14 +14,23 @@ import (
 // logDir is the name of the temporary log directory.
 const logDir = "./.backendlogs"
 
+// perm is used to signal we want to establish a permanent connection using the
+// btcd Node API.
+//
+// NOTE: Cannot be const, since the node API expects a reference.
+var perm = "perm"
+
 // BtcdBackendConfig is an implementation of the BackendConfig interface
 // backed by a btcd node.
 type BtcdBackendConfig struct {
 	// rpcConfig houses the connection config to the backing btcd instance.
 	rpcConfig rpcclient.ConnConfig
 
-	// p2pAddress is the p2p address of the btcd instance.
-	p2pAddress string
+	// harness is the backing btcd instance.
+	harness *rpctest.Harness
+
+	// minerAddr is the p2p address of the miner to connect to.
+	minerAddr string
 }
 
 // GenArgs returns the arguments needed to be passed to LND at startup for
@@ -37,21 +47,27 @@ func (b BtcdBackendConfig) GenArgs() []string {
 	return args
 }
 
-// P2PAddr returns the address of this node to be used when connection over the
-// Bitcoin P2P network.
-func (b BtcdBackendConfig) P2PAddr() string {
-	return b.p2pAddress
+// ConnectMiner is called to establish a connection to the test miner.
+func (b BtcdBackendConfig) ConnectMiner() error {
+	return b.harness.Node.Node(btcjson.NConnect, b.minerAddr, &perm)
+}
+
+// DisconnectMiner is called to disconnect the miner.
+func (b BtcdBackendConfig) DisconnectMiner() error {
+	return b.harness.Node.Node(btcjson.NRemove, b.minerAddr, &perm)
 }
 
 // NewBtcdBackend starts a new rpctest.Harness and returns a BtcdBackendConfig
-// for that node.
-func NewBtcdBackend() (*BtcdBackendConfig, func(), error) {
+// for that node. miner should be set to the P2P address of the miner to
+// connect to.
+func NewBtcdBackend(miner string) (*BtcdBackendConfig, func(), error) {
 	args := []string{
 		"--rejectnonstd",
 		"--txindex",
 		"--trickleinterval=100ms",
 		"--debuglevel=debug",
 		"--logdir=" + logDir,
+		"--connect=" + miner,
 	}
 	netParams := &chaincfg.SimNetParams
 	chainBackend, err := rpctest.New(netParams, nil, args)
@@ -64,8 +80,9 @@ func NewBtcdBackend() (*BtcdBackendConfig, func(), error) {
 	}
 
 	bd := &BtcdBackendConfig{
-		rpcConfig:  chainBackend.RPCConfig(),
-		p2pAddress: chainBackend.P2PAddress(),
+		rpcConfig: chainBackend.RPCConfig(),
+		harness:   chainBackend,
+		minerAddr: miner,
 	}
 
 	cleanUp := func() {
diff --git a/lntest/node.go b/lntest/node.go
index 3afbd5d0..8aa69e69 100644
--- a/lntest/node.go
+++ b/lntest/node.go
@@ -99,9 +99,11 @@ type BackendConfig interface {
 	// for using this node as a chain backend.
 	GenArgs() []string
 
-	// P2PAddr returns the address of this node to be used when connection
-	// over the Bitcoin P2P network.
-	P2PAddr() string
+	// ConnectMiner is called to establish a connection to the test miner.
+	ConnectMiner() error
+
+	// DisconnectMiner is called to bitconneeeect the miner.
+	DisconnectMiner() error
 }
 
 type nodeConfig struct {