diff --git a/go/test/endtoend/cluster/topo_process.go b/go/test/endtoend/cluster/topo_process.go
index 328f0a6919f..e7438165d02 100644
--- a/go/test/endtoend/cluster/topo_process.go
+++ b/go/test/endtoend/cluster/topo_process.go
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ type TopoProcess struct {
 	VerifyURL          string
 	PeerURL            string
 	ZKPorts            string
+	Client             interface{}
 
 	proc *exec.Cmd
 	exit chan error
@@ -128,7 +129,6 @@ func (topo *TopoProcess) SetupEtcd() (err error) {
 // SetupZookeeper spawns a new zookeeper topo service and initializes it with the defaults.
 // The service is kept running in the background until TearDown() is called.
 func (topo *TopoProcess) SetupZookeeper(cluster *LocalProcessCluster) (err error) {
-
 	host, err := os.Hostname()
 	if err != nil {
 		return
@@ -174,7 +174,6 @@ type PortsInfo struct {
 // SetupConsul spawns a new consul service and initializes it with the defaults.
 // The service is kept running in the background until TearDown() is called.
 func (topo *TopoProcess) SetupConsul(cluster *LocalProcessCluster) (err error) {
-
 	topo.VerifyURL = fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:%d/v1/kv/?keys", topo.Host, topo.Port)
 
 	_ = os.MkdirAll(topo.LogDirectory, os.ModePerm)
@@ -237,6 +236,14 @@ func (topo *TopoProcess) SetupConsul(cluster *LocalProcessCluster) (err error) {
 	timeout := time.Now().Add(60 * time.Second)
 	for time.Now().Before(timeout) {
 		if topo.IsHealthy() {
+			cli, cerr := clientv3.New(clientv3.Config{
+				Endpoints:   []string{net.JoinHostPort(topo.Host, fmt.Sprintf("%d", topo.Port))},
+				DialTimeout: 5 * time.Second,
+			})
+			if cerr != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			topo.Client = cli
 			return
 		}
 		select {
@@ -277,6 +284,15 @@ func (topo *TopoProcess) TearDown(Cell string, originalVtRoot string, currentRoo
 			topo.removeTopoDirectories(Cell)
 		}
 
+		if topo.Client != nil {
+			switch cli := topo.Client.(type) {
+			case *clientv3.Client:
+				_ = cli.Close()
+			default:
+				log.Errorf("Unknown topo client type %T", cli)
+			}
+		}
+
 		// Attempt graceful shutdown with SIGTERM first
 		_ = topo.proc.Process.Signal(syscall.SIGTERM)
 
@@ -338,12 +354,12 @@ func (topo *TopoProcess) ManageTopoDir(command string, directory string) (err er
 		return err
 	} else if command == "rmdir" {
 		if *topoFlavor == "etcd2" {
-			cli, err := clientv3.New(clientv3.Config{
-				Endpoints:   []string{net.JoinHostPort(topo.Host, fmt.Sprintf("%d", topo.Port))},
-				DialTimeout: 5 * time.Second,
-			})
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
+			if topo.Client == nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("etcd client is not initialized")
+			}
+			cli, ok := topo.Client.(*clientv3.Client)
+			if !ok {
+				return fmt.Errorf("etcd client is invalid")
 			}
 			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), vtopo.RemoteOperationTimeout)
 			defer cancel()
diff --git a/go/test/endtoend/clustertest/etcd_test.go b/go/test/endtoend/clustertest/etcd_test.go
index 58d5ab08d5f..5239d960c47 100644
--- a/go/test/endtoend/clustertest/etcd_test.go
+++ b/go/test/endtoend/clustertest/etcd_test.go
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ import (
 func TestEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
 	defer cluster.PanicHandler(t)
 
-	// Confirm basic cluster health.
+	// Confirm the basic etcd cluster health.
 	etcdHealthURL := fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:%d/health", clusterInstance.Hostname, clusterInstance.TopoPort)
 	testURL(t, etcdHealthURL, "generic etcd health url")
 
-	// Confirm that we have the expected global keys for the
-	// cluster's cell.
+	// Confirm that we have a working topo server by looking for some
+	// expected keys.
 	etcdClientOptions := []clientv3.OpOption{
 		clientv3.WithPrefix(),
 		clientv3.WithKeysOnly(),
@@ -48,10 +48,15 @@ func TestEtcdServer(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer cli.Close()
-	keyPrefixes := []string{fmt.Sprintf("/vitess/global/cells/%s", cell)}
+	keyPrefixes := []string{
+		// At a minimum, this prefix confirms that we have a functioning
+		// global topo server with a valid cell from the test env.
+		fmt.Sprintf("/vitess/global/cells/%s", cell),
+	}
 	for _, keyPrefix := range keyPrefixes {
 		res, err := cli.Get(cli.Ctx(), keyPrefix, etcdClientOptions...)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.NotNil(t, res)
 		// Confirm that we have at least one key matching the prefix.
 		require.Greaterf(t, len(res.Kvs), 0, "no keys found matching prefix: %s", keyPrefix)
 	}