diff --git a/src/Makefile.test.include b/src/Makefile.test.include
index 39aba1e3b46..e167bb0b568 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.test.include
+++ b/src/Makefile.test.include
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ BITCOIN_TESTS =\
   test/streams_tests.cpp \
   test/test_bitcoin.cpp \
   test/test_bitcoin.h \
+  test/test_bitcoin_main.cpp \
   test/test_random.h \
   test/testutil.cpp \
   test/testutil.h \
diff --git a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
index 83fdead9624..77b29045734 100644
--- a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 // Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
 // file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
 
-#define BOOST_TEST_MODULE Bitcoin Test Suite
-
 #include "test_bitcoin.h"
 
 #include "chainparams.h"
@@ -28,10 +26,8 @@
 #include <memory>
 
 #include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
-#include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 #include <boost/thread.hpp>
 
-std::unique_ptr<CConnman> g_connman;
 uint256 insecure_rand_seed = GetRandHash();
 FastRandomContext insecure_rand_ctx(insecure_rand_seed);
 
@@ -74,11 +70,14 @@ TestingSetup::TestingSetup(const std::string& chainName) : BasicTestingSetup(cha
         pblocktree = new CBlockTreeDB(1 << 20, true);
         pcoinsdbview = new CCoinsViewDB(1 << 23, true);
         pcoinsTip = new CCoinsViewCache(pcoinsdbview);
-        InitBlockIndex(chainparams);
+        if (!InitBlockIndex(chainparams)) {
+            throw std::runtime_error("InitBlockIndex failed.");
+        }
         {
             CValidationState state;
-            bool ok = ActivateBestChain(state, chainparams);
-            BOOST_CHECK(ok);
+            if (!ActivateBestChain(state, chainparams)) {
+                throw std::runtime_error("ActivateBestChain failed.");
+            }
         }
         nScriptCheckThreads = 3;
         for (int i=0; i < nScriptCheckThreads-1; i++)
@@ -158,18 +157,3 @@ CTxMemPoolEntry TestMemPoolEntryHelper::FromTx(const CTransaction &txn, CTxMemPo
     return CTxMemPoolEntry(MakeTransactionRef(txn), nFee, nTime, dPriority, nHeight,
                            inChainValue, spendsCoinbase, sigOpCost, lp);
 }
-
-void Shutdown(void* parg)
-{
-  exit(0);
-}
-
-void StartShutdown()
-{
-  exit(0);
-}
-
-bool ShutdownRequested()
-{
-  return false;
-}
diff --git a/src/test/test_bitcoin_main.cpp b/src/test/test_bitcoin_main.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..34beef55390
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/test_bitcoin_main.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2011-2016 The Bitcoin Core developers
+// Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
+// file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
+
+#define BOOST_TEST_MODULE Bitcoin Test Suite
+
+#include "net.h"
+
+#include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
+
+std::unique_ptr<CConnman> g_connman;
+
+void Shutdown(void* parg)
+{
+  exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+}
+
+void StartShutdown()
+{
+  exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+}
+
+bool ShutdownRequested()
+{
+  return false;
+}