diff --git a/pkg/models/node_info.go b/pkg/models/node_info.go
index 5db51d451f..c889618216 100644
--- a/pkg/models/node_info.go
+++ b/pkg/models/node_info.go
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ func (n *NodeInfo) Copy() *NodeInfo {
 	// Deep copy maps
 	cpy.Labels = maps.Clone(n.Labels)
 	cpy.SupportedProtocols = slices.Clone(n.SupportedProtocols)
-	cpy.ComputeNodeInfo = *n.ComputeNodeInfo.Copy()
-	cpy.BacalhauVersion = *n.BacalhauVersion.Copy()
+	cpy.ComputeNodeInfo = copyOrZero(n.ComputeNodeInfo.Copy())
+	cpy.BacalhauVersion = copyOrZero(n.BacalhauVersion.Copy())
 	return cpy
 }
 
@@ -173,9 +173,9 @@ func (c *ComputeNodeInfo) Copy() *ComputeNodeInfo {
 	cpy.ExecutionEngines = slices.Clone(c.ExecutionEngines)
 	cpy.Publishers = slices.Clone(c.Publishers)
 	cpy.StorageSources = slices.Clone(c.StorageSources)
-	cpy.MaxCapacity = *c.MaxCapacity.Copy()
-	cpy.QueueUsedCapacity = *c.QueueUsedCapacity.Copy()
-	cpy.AvailableCapacity = *c.AvailableCapacity.Copy()
-	cpy.MaxJobRequirements = *c.MaxJobRequirements.Copy()
+	cpy.MaxCapacity = copyOrZero(c.MaxCapacity.Copy())
+	cpy.QueueUsedCapacity = copyOrZero(c.QueueUsedCapacity.Copy())
+	cpy.AvailableCapacity = copyOrZero(c.AvailableCapacity.Copy())
+	cpy.MaxJobRequirements = copyOrZero(c.MaxJobRequirements.Copy())
 	return cpy
 }
diff --git a/pkg/models/utils.go b/pkg/models/utils.go
index 33d8702f36..d86243e1fa 100644
--- a/pkg/models/utils.go
+++ b/pkg/models/utils.go
@@ -22,3 +22,12 @@ func ValidateSlice[T Validatable](slice []T) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// Helper function for copying or getting zero value
+func copyOrZero[T any](v *T) T {
+	var zero T // Create zero value
+	if v == nil {
+		return zero
+	}
+	return *v
+}
diff --git a/pkg/test/utils/watcher.go b/pkg/test/utils/watcher.go
index f4dccc3716..bc87c02b62 100644
--- a/pkg/test/utils/watcher.go
+++ b/pkg/test/utils/watcher.go
@@ -28,14 +28,7 @@ func CreateComputeEventStore(t *testing.T) watcher.EventStore {
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	database := watchertest.CreateBoltDB(t)
-
-	eventStore, err := boltdb_watcher.NewEventStore(database,
-		boltdb_watcher.WithEventsBucket("events"),
-		boltdb_watcher.WithCheckpointBucket("checkpoints"),
-		boltdb_watcher.WithEventSerializer(eventObjectSerializer),
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	eventStore := createEventStore(t, eventObjectSerializer)
 	return eventStore
 }
 
@@ -43,36 +36,35 @@ func CreateJobEventStore(t *testing.T) watcher.EventStore {
 	eventObjectSerializer := watcher.NewJSONSerializer()
 	err := errors.Join(
 		eventObjectSerializer.RegisterType(jobstore.EventObjectExecutionUpsert, reflect.TypeOf(models.ExecutionUpsert{})),
-		eventObjectSerializer.RegisterType(jobstore.EventObjectEvaluation, reflect.TypeOf(models.Event{})),
+		eventObjectSerializer.RegisterType(jobstore.EventObjectEvaluation, reflect.TypeOf(models.Evaluation{})),
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	database := watchertest.CreateBoltDB(t)
-
-	eventStore, err := boltdb_watcher.NewEventStore(database,
-		boltdb_watcher.WithEventsBucket("events"),
-		boltdb_watcher.WithCheckpointBucket("checkpoints"),
-		boltdb_watcher.WithEventSerializer(eventObjectSerializer),
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	eventStore := createEventStore(t, eventObjectSerializer)
 	return eventStore
 }
 
+// CreateStringEventStore creates a new event store for string events using BoltDB
+// and returns both the event store and an envelope registry.
+// The returned EventStore must be closed by the caller when no longer needed.
 func CreateStringEventStore(t *testing.T) (watcher.EventStore, *envelope.Registry) {
 	eventObjectSerializer := watcher.NewJSONSerializer()
 	require.NoError(t, eventObjectSerializer.RegisterType(TypeString, reflect.TypeOf("")))
 
-	database := watchertest.CreateBoltDB(t)
+	eventStore := createEventStore(t, eventObjectSerializer)
+	registry := envelope.NewRegistry()
+	require.NoError(t, registry.Register(TypeString, ""))
 
+	return eventStore, registry
+}
+
+func createEventStore(t *testing.T, serializer *watcher.JSONSerializer) watcher.EventStore {
+	database := watchertest.CreateBoltDB(t)
 	eventStore, err := boltdb_watcher.NewEventStore(database,
 		boltdb_watcher.WithEventsBucket("events"),
 		boltdb_watcher.WithCheckpointBucket("checkpoints"),
-		boltdb_watcher.WithEventSerializer(eventObjectSerializer),
+		boltdb_watcher.WithEventSerializer(serializer),
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	registry := envelope.NewRegistry()
-	require.NoError(t, registry.Register(TypeString, ""))
-
-	return eventStore, registry
+	return eventStore
 }
diff --git a/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/compute/manager_test.go b/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/compute/manager_test.go
index f3c19f9ae8..c4f40fa4b2 100644
--- a/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/compute/manager_test.go
+++ b/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/compute/manager_test.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func (s *ConnectionManagerTestSuite) SetupTest() {
 	}
 
 	// Setup mock responder
-	mockResponder, err := ncltest.NewMockResponder(s.natsConn, nil)
+	mockResponder, err := ncltest.NewMockResponder(s.ctx, s.natsConn, nil)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	s.mockResponder = mockResponder
 
diff --git a/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/test/control_plane.go b/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/test/control_plane.go
index c9474171cb..00b2dcac9a 100644
--- a/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/test/control_plane.go
+++ b/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/test/control_plane.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ type MockResponder struct {
 
 // NewMockResponder creates a new mock responder with the given behavior.
 // If behavior is nil, default success responses are used.
-func NewMockResponder(conn *nats.Conn, behavior *MockResponderBehavior) (*MockResponder, error) {
+func NewMockResponder(ctx context.Context, conn *nats.Conn, behavior *MockResponderBehavior) (*MockResponder, error) {
 	if behavior == nil {
 		behavior = &MockResponderBehavior{
 			HandshakeResponse: struct {
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ func NewMockResponder(conn *nats.Conn, behavior *MockResponderBehavior) (*MockRe
 		responder: responder,
 	}
 
-	if err := mr.setupHandlers(context.Background()); err != nil {
-		responder.Close(context.Background())
+	if err := mr.setupHandlers(ctx); err != nil {
+		responder.Close(ctx)
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/test/nodes.go b/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/test/nodes.go
index 4830ac7187..a6ea73bcfe 100644
--- a/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/test/nodes.go
+++ b/pkg/transport/nclprotocol/test/nodes.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func NewMockNodeInfoProvider() *MockNodeInfoProvider {
 func (m *MockNodeInfoProvider) GetNodeInfo(ctx context.Context) models.NodeInfo {
 	m.mu.RLock()
 	defer m.mu.RUnlock()
-	return m.nodeInfo
+	return *m.nodeInfo.Copy()
 }
 
 func (m *MockNodeInfoProvider) SetNodeInfo(nodeInfo models.NodeInfo) {