diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 791fe0a2b..33f66d82e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@
     "cross-env": "^6.0.0",
     "detect-node": "^2.0.4",
     "go-ipfs-dep": "^0.4.22",
-    "interface-ipfs-core": "^0.124.0",
-    "ipfsd-ctl": "^0.47.1",
+    "interface-ipfs-core": "~0.125.0",
+    "ipfsd-ctl": "^1.0.0",
     "ndjson": "^1.5.0",
     "nock": "^11.4.0",
     "pull-stream": "^3.6.14",
diff --git a/test/commands.spec.js b/test/commands.spec.js
index 2f7b1f5e3..9e68a1e01 100644
--- a/test/commands.spec.js
+++ b/test/commands.spec.js
@@ -2,30 +2,18 @@
 'use strict'
 
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
-const ipfsClient = require('../src')
 const f = require('./utils/factory')
 
 describe('.commands', function () {
   this.timeout(60 * 1000)
 
-  let ipfsd
   let ipfs
 
   before(async () => {
-    ipfsd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    ipfs = ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr)
+    ipfs = (await f.spawn()).api
   })
 
-  after(async () => {
-    if (ipfsd) {
-      await ipfsd.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => f.clean())
 
   it('lists commands', async () => {
     const res = await ipfs.commands()
diff --git a/test/constructor.spec.js b/test/constructor.spec.js
index 60bfc9f33..a1a000c84 100644
--- a/test/constructor.spec.js
+++ b/test/constructor.spec.js
@@ -93,24 +93,18 @@ describe('ipfs-http-client constructor tests', () => {
   })
 
   describe('integration', () => {
-    let apiAddr
     let ipfsd
 
     before(async function () {
       this.timeout(60 * 1000) // slow CI
 
-      ipfsd = await f.spawn({ initOptions: { bits: 1024, profile: 'test' } })
-      apiAddr = ipfsd.apiAddr.toString()
+      ipfsd = await f.spawn()
     })
 
-    after(async () => {
-      if (ipfsd) {
-        await ipfsd.stop()
-      }
-    })
+    after(() => f.clean())
 
     it('can connect to an ipfs http api', async () => {
-      await clientWorks(ipfsClient(apiAddr))
+      await clientWorks(ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr))
     })
   })
 })
diff --git a/test/dag.spec.js b/test/dag.spec.js
index cd58002ad..de9217d13 100644
--- a/test/dag.spec.js
+++ b/test/dag.spec.js
@@ -6,29 +6,17 @@
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
 const { DAGNode } = require('ipld-dag-pb')
 const CID = require('cids')
-const ipfsClient = require('../src')
 const f = require('./utils/factory')
 
-let ipfsd
 let ipfs
 
 describe('.dag', function () {
   this.timeout(20 * 1000)
   before(async function () {
-    ipfsd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    ipfs = ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr)
+    ipfs = (await f.spawn()).api
   })
 
-  after(async () => {
-    if (ipfsd) {
-      await ipfsd.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => f.clean())
 
   it('should be able to put and get a DAG node with format dag-pb', async () => {
     const data = Buffer.from('some data')
diff --git a/test/diag.spec.js b/test/diag.spec.js
index e42716214..37a1911e7 100644
--- a/test/diag.spec.js
+++ b/test/diag.spec.js
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
 const platform = require('browser-process-platform')
-const ipfsClient = require('../src')
 const f = require('./utils/factory')
 
 describe('.diag', function () {
@@ -12,24 +11,13 @@ describe('.diag', function () {
   // go-ipfs does not support these on Windows
   if (platform === 'win32') { return }
 
-  let ipfsd
   let ipfs
 
   before(async () => {
-    ipfsd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    ipfs = ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr)
+    ipfs = (await f.spawn()).api
   })
 
-  after(async () => {
-    if (ipfsd) {
-      await ipfsd.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => f.clean())
 
   describe('api API', () => {
     // Disabled in go-ipfs 0.4.10
diff --git a/test/files-mfs.spec.js b/test/files-mfs.spec.js
index 6ae508d1d..0e3d6b1af 100644
--- a/test/files-mfs.spec.js
+++ b/test/files-mfs.spec.js
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ const values = require('pull-stream/sources/values')
 const pull = require('pull-stream/pull')
 const collect = require('pull-stream/sinks/collect')
 
-const ipfsClient = require('../src')
 const f = require('./utils/factory')
 const expectTimeout = require('./utils/expect-timeout')
 
@@ -31,26 +30,15 @@ const HASH_ALGS = [
 describe('.files (the MFS API part)', function () {
   this.timeout(20 * 1000)
 
-  let ipfsd
   let ipfs
 
   const expectedMultihash = 'Qma4hjFTnCasJ8PVp3mZbZK5g2vGDT4LByLJ7m8ciyRFZP'
 
   before(async () => {
-    ipfsd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    ipfs = ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr)
+    ipfs = (await f.spawn()).api
   })
 
-  after(async () => {
-    if (ipfsd) {
-      await ipfsd.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => f.clean())
 
   it('.add file for testing', async () => {
     const res = await ipfs.add(testfile)
diff --git a/test/get.spec.js b/test/get.spec.js
index 7c1a63e74..a6fb3aaa4 100644
--- a/test/get.spec.js
+++ b/test/get.spec.js
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
 const loadFixture = require('aegir/fixtures')
 
-const ipfsClient = require('../src')
 const f = require('./utils/factory')
 
 describe('.get (specific go-ipfs features)', function () {
@@ -21,26 +20,14 @@ describe('.get (specific go-ipfs features)', function () {
     data: fixture('test/fixtures/testfile.txt')
   }
 
-  let ipfsd
   let ipfs
 
   before(async () => {
-    ipfsd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    ipfs = ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr)
-
+    ipfs = (await f.spawn()).api
     await ipfs.add(smallFile.data)
   })
 
-  after(async () => {
-    if (ipfsd) {
-      await ipfsd.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => f.clean())
 
   it('no compression args', async () => {
     const files = await ipfs.get(smallFile.cid)
diff --git a/test/interface.spec.js b/test/interface.spec.js
index dc41ec325..5435518cf 100644
--- a/test/interface.spec.js
+++ b/test/interface.spec.js
@@ -2,47 +2,41 @@
 'use strict'
 
 const tests = require('interface-ipfs-core')
-const isNode = require('detect-node')
-const CommonFactory = require('./utils/interface-common-factory')
+const merge = require('merge-options')
+const { isNode } = require('ipfs-utils/src/env')
+const { createFactory } = require('ipfsd-ctl')
+const { findBin } = require('ipfsd-ctl/src/utils')
 const isWindows = process.platform && process.platform === 'win32'
 
-describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', () => {
-  const defaultCommonFactory = CommonFactory.createAsync()
-
-  tests.bitswap(defaultCommonFactory, {
-    skip: [
-      // bitswap.stat
-      {
-        name: 'should not get bitswap stats when offline',
-        reason: 'FIXME go-ipfs returns an error https://github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/issues/4078'
-      },
-      // bitswap.wantlist
-      {
-        name: 'should not get the wantlist when offline',
-        reason: 'FIXME go-ipfs returns an error https://github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/issues/4078'
-      },
-      // bitswap.unwant
-      {
-        name: 'should remove a key from the wantlist',
-        reason: 'FIXME why is this skipped?'
-      },
-      {
-        name: 'should not remove a key from the wantlist when offline',
-        reason: 'FIXME go-ipfs returns an error https://github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/issues/4078'
-      }
-    ]
-  })
+/** @typedef {import("ipfsd-ctl").ControllerOptions} ControllerOptions */
 
-  tests.block(defaultCommonFactory, {
+describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', () => {
+  /** @type ControllerOptions */
+  const commonOptions = {
+    test: true,
+    ipfsHttpModule: {
+      path: require.resolve('../src'),
+      ref: require('../src')
+    },
+    ipfsOptions: {
+      pass: 'ipfs-is-awesome-software'
+    },
+    ipfsBin: findBin('go')
+  }
+  const commonFactory = createFactory(commonOptions)
+
+  tests.bitswap(commonFactory)
+
+  tests.block(commonFactory, {
     skip: [{
       name: 'should get a block added as CIDv1 with a CIDv0',
       reason: 'go-ipfs does not support the `version` param'
     }]
   })
 
-  tests.bootstrap(defaultCommonFactory)
+  tests.bootstrap(commonFactory)
 
-  tests.config(defaultCommonFactory, {
+  tests.config(commonFactory, {
     skip: [
       // config.replace
       {
@@ -60,7 +54,7 @@ describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', () => {
     ]
   })
 
-  tests.dag(defaultCommonFactory, {
+  tests.dag(commonFactory, {
     skip: [
       // dag.tree
       {
@@ -87,7 +81,7 @@ describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', () => {
     ]
   })
 
-  tests.dht(defaultCommonFactory, {
+  tests.dht(commonFactory, {
     skip: [
       // dht.findpeer
       {
@@ -107,47 +101,47 @@ describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', () => {
     ]
   })
 
-  tests.filesRegular(defaultCommonFactory, {
+  tests.filesMFS(commonFactory, {
     skip: [
-      // .addFromFs
-      isNode ? null : {
-        name: 'addFromFs',
-        reason: 'Not designed to run in the browser'
-      },
-      // .catPullStream
       {
-        name: 'should export a chunk of a file',
-        reason: 'TODO not implemented in go-ipfs yet'
+        name: 'should ls directory with long option',
+        reason: 'TODO unskip when go-ipfs supports --long https://github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/pull/6528'
       },
       {
-        name: 'should export a chunk of a file in a Pull Stream',
+        name: 'should read from outside of mfs',
         reason: 'TODO not implemented in go-ipfs yet'
       },
       {
-        name: 'should export a chunk of a file in a Readable Stream',
+        name: 'should ls from outside of mfs',
         reason: 'TODO not implemented in go-ipfs yet'
       }
     ]
   })
 
-  tests.filesMFS(defaultCommonFactory, {
+  tests.filesRegular(commonFactory, {
     skip: [
+      // .addFromFs
+      isNode ? null : {
+        name: 'addFromFs',
+        reason: 'Not designed to run in the browser'
+      },
+      // .catPullStream
       {
-        name: 'should ls directory with long option',
-        reason: 'TODO unskip when go-ipfs supports --long https://github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/pull/6528'
+        name: 'should export a chunk of a file',
+        reason: 'TODO not implemented in go-ipfs yet'
       },
       {
-        name: 'should read from outside of mfs',
+        name: 'should export a chunk of a file in a Pull Stream',
         reason: 'TODO not implemented in go-ipfs yet'
       },
       {
-        name: 'should ls from outside of mfs',
+        name: 'should export a chunk of a file in a Readable Stream',
         reason: 'TODO not implemented in go-ipfs yet'
       }
     ]
   })
 
-  tests.key(defaultCommonFactory, {
+  tests.key(commonFactory, {
     skip: [
       // key.export
       {
@@ -162,21 +156,15 @@ describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', () => {
     ]
   })
 
-  tests.miscellaneous(defaultCommonFactory, {
-    skip: [
-      // stop
-      {
-        name: 'should stop the node',
-        reason: 'FIXME go-ipfs returns an error https://github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/issues/4078'
-      }
-    ]
-  })
+  tests.miscellaneous(commonFactory)
 
-  tests.name(CommonFactory.createAsync({
-    spawnOptions: {
-      args: ['--offline']
+  tests.name(createFactory(merge(commonOptions,
+    {
+      ipfsOptions: {
+        offline: true
+      }
     }
-  }), {
+  )), {
     skip: [
       // stop
       {
@@ -186,12 +174,15 @@ describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', () => {
     ]
   })
 
-  tests.namePubsub(CommonFactory.createAsync({
-    spawnOptions: {
-      args: ['--enable-namesys-pubsub'],
-      initOptions: { bits: 1024, profile: 'test' }
+  tests.namePubsub(createFactory(merge(commonOptions,
+    {
+      ipfsOptions: {
+        EXPERIMENTAL: {
+          ipnsPubsub: true
+        }
+      }
     }
-  }), {
+  )), {
     skip: [
       // name.pubsub.cancel
       {
@@ -206,11 +197,11 @@ describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', () => {
     ]
   })
 
-  tests.object(defaultCommonFactory)
+  tests.object(commonFactory)
 
-  tests.pin(defaultCommonFactory)
+  tests.pin(commonFactory)
 
-  tests.ping(defaultCommonFactory, {
+  tests.ping(commonFactory, {
     skip: [
       {
         name: 'should fail when pinging an unknown peer over pull stream',
@@ -227,10 +218,9 @@ describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', () => {
     ]
   })
 
-  tests.pubsub(CommonFactory.createAsync({
-    spawnOptions: {
-      args: ['--enable-pubsub-experiment'],
-      initOptions: { bits: 1024, profile: 'test' }
+  tests.pubsub(createFactory(commonOptions, {
+    go: {
+      args: ['--enable-pubsub-experiment']
     }
   }), {
     skip: isWindows ? [
@@ -246,9 +236,9 @@ describe('interface-ipfs-core tests', () => {
     ] : null
   })
 
-  tests.repo(defaultCommonFactory)
+  tests.repo(commonFactory)
 
-  tests.stats(defaultCommonFactory)
+  tests.stats(commonFactory)
 
-  tests.swarm(defaultCommonFactory)
+  tests.swarm(commonFactory)
 })
diff --git a/test/key.spec.js b/test/key.spec.js
index 2e4e15714..180cb795b 100644
--- a/test/key.spec.js
+++ b/test/key.spec.js
@@ -1,32 +1,19 @@
 /* eslint-env mocha */
-/* eslint max-nested-callbacks: ["error", 8] */
 'use strict'
 
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
-const ipfsClient = require('../src')
 const f = require('./utils/factory')
 
 describe('.key', function () {
   this.timeout(50 * 1000)
 
-  let ipfsd
   let ipfs
 
   before(async () => {
-    ipfsd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    ipfs = ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr)
+    ipfs = (await f.spawn()).api
   })
 
-  after(async () => {
-    if (ipfsd) {
-      await ipfsd.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => f.clean())
 
   describe('.gen', () => {
     it('create a new rsa key', async () => {
diff --git a/test/log.spec.js b/test/log.spec.js
index 7f8e2c608..1a885028d 100644
--- a/test/log.spec.js
+++ b/test/log.spec.js
@@ -3,30 +3,18 @@
 'use strict'
 
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
-const ipfsClient = require('../src')
 const f = require('./utils/factory')
 
 describe('.log', function () {
   this.timeout(100 * 1000)
 
-  let ipfsd
   let ipfs
 
   before(async () => {
-    ipfsd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    ipfs = ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr)
+    ipfs = (await f.spawn()).api
   })
 
-  after(async () => {
-    if (ipfsd) {
-      await ipfsd.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => f.clean())
 
   it('.log.tail', async () => {
     const i = setInterval(async () => {
diff --git a/test/ping.spec.js b/test/ping.spec.js
index 10c131b75..01636ed60 100644
--- a/test/ping.spec.js
+++ b/test/ping.spec.js
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
 const pull = require('pull-stream/pull')
 const collect = require('pull-stream/sinks/collect')
 
-const ipfsClient = require('../src')
 const f = require('./utils/factory')
 
 // Determine if a ping response object is a pong, or something else, like a status message
@@ -17,29 +16,14 @@ describe('.ping', function () {
   this.timeout(20 * 1000)
 
   let ipfs
-  let ipfsd
   let other
-  let otherd
   let otherId
 
   before(async function () {
     this.timeout(30 * 1000) // slow CI
 
-    ipfsd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    ipfs = ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr)
-
-    otherd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    other = otherd.api
+    ipfs = (await f.spawn()).api
+    other = (await f.spawn()).api
 
     const ma = (await ipfs.id()).addresses[0]
     await other.swarm.connect(ma)
@@ -47,15 +31,7 @@ describe('.ping', function () {
     otherId = (await other.id()).id
   })
 
-  after(async () => {
-    if (ipfsd) {
-      await ipfsd.stop()
-    }
-
-    if (otherd) {
-      await otherd.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => f.clean())
 
   it('.ping with default count', async () => {
     const res = await ipfs.ping(otherId)
diff --git a/test/repo.spec.js b/test/repo.spec.js
index 84b5a42c3..21482135d 100644
--- a/test/repo.spec.js
+++ b/test/repo.spec.js
@@ -2,30 +2,18 @@
 'use strict'
 
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
-const ipfsClient = require('../src')
 const f = require('./utils/factory')
 
 describe('.repo', function () {
   this.timeout(50 * 1000) // slow CI
 
   let ipfs
-  let ipfsd
 
   before(async () => {
-    ipfsd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    ipfs = ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr)
+    ipfs = (await f.spawn()).api
   })
 
-  after(async () => {
-    if (ipfsd) {
-      await ipfsd.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => f.clean())
 
   it('.repo.gc', async () => {
     const res = await ipfs.repo.gc()
diff --git a/test/stats.spec.js b/test/stats.spec.js
index 0b7084d0a..d60aaa330 100644
--- a/test/stats.spec.js
+++ b/test/stats.spec.js
@@ -2,30 +2,18 @@
 'use strict'
 
 const { expect } = require('interface-ipfs-core/src/utils/mocha')
-const ipfsClient = require('../src')
 const f = require('./utils/factory')
 
 describe('stats', function () {
   this.timeout(50 * 1000) // slow CI
 
   let ipfs
-  let ipfsd
 
   before(async () => {
-    ipfsd = await f.spawn({
-      initOptions: {
-        bits: 1024,
-        profile: 'test'
-      }
-    })
-    ipfs = ipfsClient(ipfsd.apiAddr)
+    ipfs = (await f.spawn()).api
   })
 
-  after(async () => {
-    if (ipfsd) {
-      await ipfsd.stop()
-    }
-  })
+  after(() => f.clean())
 
   it('.stats.bitswap', async () => {
     const res = await ipfs.stats.bitswap()
diff --git a/test/utils/factory.js b/test/utils/factory.js
index aab6296fe..d6ac161ea 100644
--- a/test/utils/factory.js
+++ b/test/utils/factory.js
@@ -1,5 +1,15 @@
 'use strict'
+const { createFactory } = require('ipfsd-ctl')
+const { findBin } = require('ipfsd-ctl/src/utils')
 
-const IPFSFactory = require('ipfsd-ctl')
+const factory = createFactory({
+  test: 'true',
+  type: 'go',
+  ipfsBin: findBin('go'),
+  ipfsHttpModule: {
+    path: require.resolve('../../src'),
+    ref: require('../../src')
+  }
+})
 
-module.exports = IPFSFactory.create()
+module.exports = factory
diff --git a/test/utils/interface-common-factory.js b/test/utils/interface-common-factory.js
deleted file mode 100644
index bd4720b6e..000000000
--- a/test/utils/interface-common-factory.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,92 +0,0 @@
-/* eslint-env mocha */
-'use strict'
-
-const each = require('async/each')
-const IPFSFactory = require('ipfsd-ctl')
-const ipfsClient = require('../../src')
-const merge = require('merge-options')
-
-const DEFAULT_FACTORY_OPTIONS = {
-  IpfsClient: ipfsClient
-}
-
-function createFactory (options) {
-  options = options || {}
-
-  options.factoryOptions = options.factoryOptions || { ...DEFAULT_FACTORY_OPTIONS }
-  options.spawnOptions = options.spawnOptions || { initOptions: { bits: 1024, profile: 'test' } }
-
-  const ipfsFactory = IPFSFactory.create(options.factoryOptions)
-
-  return function createCommon () {
-    const nodes = []
-    let setup, teardown
-
-    if (options.createSetup) {
-      setup = options.createSetup({ ipfsFactory, nodes }, options)
-    } else {
-      setup = (callback) => {
-        callback(null, {
-          spawnNode (cb) {
-            ipfsFactory.spawn(options.spawnOptions)
-              .then((ipfsd) => {
-                nodes.push(ipfsd)
-                setImmediate(() => cb(null, ipfsd.api))
-              })
-              .catch(err => {
-                setImmediate(() => cb(err))
-              })
-          }
-        })
-      }
-    }
-
-    if (options.createTeardown) {
-      teardown = options.createTeardown({ ipfsFactory, nodes }, options)
-    } else {
-      teardown = callback => each(nodes, (node, cb) => {
-        node
-          .stop()
-          .then(() => setImmediate(() => cb()))
-          .catch(err => setImmediate(() => cb(err)))
-      }, callback)
-    }
-
-    return { setup, teardown }
-  }
-}
-
-function createAsync (options = {}) {
-  return () => {
-    const nodes = []
-    const setup = async (setupOptions = {}) => {
-      const ipfsFactory = IPFSFactory.create(merge(
-        options.factoryOptions ? {} : { ...DEFAULT_FACTORY_OPTIONS },
-        setupOptions.factoryOptions,
-        options.factoryOptions
-      ))
-      const node = await ipfsFactory.spawn(merge(
-        setupOptions.spawnOptions,
-        options.spawnOptions || { initOptions: { profile: 'test' } }
-      ))
-      nodes.push(node)
-
-      const id = await node.api.id()
-      node.api.peerId = id
-
-      return node.api
-    }
-
-    const teardown = () => {
-      return Promise.all(nodes.map(n => n.stop()))
-    }
-    return {
-      setup,
-      teardown
-    }
-  }
-}
-module.exports = {
-  createAsync,
-  create: createFactory
-}