diff --git a/.github/workflows/testnode.bash b/.github/workflows/testnode.bash
index 742b30f1..83f1d9cb 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/testnode.bash
+++ b/.github/workflows/testnode.bash
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 # The script starts up the test node (with timeout 1 minute), with option to
 # run l2 transactions to make sure node is working
 
-timeout 60 ${{ github.workspace }}/nitro-testnode/test-node.bash --init --dev || exit_status=$?
+timeout 60 ${{ github.workspace }}/nitro-testnode/test-node.bash --init --dev --detach || exit_status=$?
+${{ github.workspace }}/test-node.bash script send-l2 --ethamount 100 --to user_l2user --wait
 
 if  [ -n "$exit_status" ] && [ $exit_status -ne 0 ] && [ $exit_status -ne 124 ]; then
     echo "Testnode failed."
diff --git a/test-node.bash b/test-node.bash
index b09eb6e7..4a778d27 100755
--- a/test-node.bash
+++ b/test-node.bash
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ l3_token_bridge=false
 batchposters=1
 devprivkey=b6b15c8cb491557369f3c7d2c287b053eb229daa9c22138887752191c9520659
 l1chainid=1337
-runL2Txs=false
 simple=true
 while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     case $1 in
@@ -121,8 +120,6 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
             l3node=true
             shift
             ;;
-        --run-l2-txs)
-            runL2Txs=true
         --l3-fee-token)
             if ! $l3node; then
                 echo "Error: --l3-fee-token requires --l3node to be provided."
@@ -372,10 +369,6 @@ if $force_init; then
         echo
     fi
 
-    if $runL2Txs; then
-        docker-compose run scripts send-l2 --ethamount 100 --to user_l2user --wait
-    fi
-
     if $l3node; then
         echo == Funding l3 users
         docker compose run scripts send-l2 --ethamount 1000 --to l3owner --wait