diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index bdc4c68ff..b7b4d2aef 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -155,16 +155,6 @@ func NewNode(config *cfg.Config,
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// If an address is provided, listen on the socket for a connection from an
-	// external signing process.
-	if config.PrivValidatorListenAddr != "" {
-		// FIXME: we should start services inside OnStart
-		privValidator, err = createPrivValidatorSocketClient(config.PrivValidatorListenAddr, genDoc.ChainID, logger)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error with private validator socket client: %w", err)
-		}
-	}
-
 	// Make MempoolReactor
 	mempool, mempoolReactor := createMempoolAndMempoolReactor(config, proxyApp, state, memplMetrics, logger)
 
@@ -307,6 +297,16 @@ func (n *Node) OnStart() error {
 		time.Sleep(genTime.Sub(now))
 	}
 
+	// If an address is provided, listen on the socket for a connection from an
+	// external signing process. This will overwrite the privvalidator provided in the constructor
+	if n.config.PrivValidatorListenAddr != "" {
+		var err error
+		n.privValidator, err = createPrivValidatorSocketClient(n.config.PrivValidatorListenAddr, n.genesisDoc.ChainID, n.Logger)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error with private validator socket client: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	pubKey, err := n.privValidator.GetPubKey()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("can't get pubkey: %w", err)
diff --git a/node/node_test.go b/node/node_test.go
index dd5c7a8be..c29d79f84 100644
--- a/node/node_test.go
+++ b/node/node_test.go
@@ -191,6 +191,8 @@ func TestNodeSetPrivValTCP(t *testing.T) {
 
 	n, err := DefaultNewNode(config, log.TestingLogger())
 	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, n.Start())
+	defer n.Stop() //nolint:errcheck
 	assert.IsType(t, &privval.RetrySignerClient{}, n.PrivValidator())
 }
 
@@ -203,7 +205,7 @@ func TestPrivValidatorListenAddrNoProtocol(t *testing.T) {
 	config.BaseConfig.PrivValidatorListenAddr = addrNoPrefix
 
 	_, err := DefaultNewNode(config, log.TestingLogger())
-	assert.Error(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 }
 
 func TestNodeSetPrivValIPC(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/node/setup.go b/node/setup.go
index 6c74ffb45..dd6a21a9c 100644
--- a/node/setup.go
+++ b/node/setup.go
@@ -651,12 +651,6 @@ func createPrivValidatorSocketClient(
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to start private validator: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// try to get a pubkey from private validate first time
-	_, err = pvsc.GetPubKey()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("can't get pubkey: %w", err)
-	}
-
 	const (
 		retries = 50 // 50 * 100ms = 5s total
 		timeout = 100 * time.Millisecond