diff --git a/.github/workflows/systest.yml b/.github/workflows/systest.yml
index dfd15b59e5..144c365946 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/systest.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/systest.yml
@@ -130,7 +130,6 @@ jobs:
           go-version-file: "go.mod"
 
       - name: Run tests
-        timeout-minutes: 60
         env:
           test_id: systest-${{ steps.vars.outputs.sha_short }}
           storage: premium-rwo=10Gi
diff --git a/systest/Makefile b/systest/Makefile
index 9a2cb71dac..08829590b3 100644
--- a/systest/Makefile
+++ b/systest/Makefile
@@ -36,12 +36,10 @@ ifeq ($(configname),$(test_job_name))
 	run_deps = config
 endif
 
-command := tests -test.v -test.count=$(count) -test.timeout=0 -test.run=$(test_name) -clusters=$(clusters) \
--level=$(level) -configname=$(configname)
+command := tests -test.v -test.count=$(count) -test.timeout=60m -test.run=$(test_name) -test.parallel=$(clusters) \
+	-test.failfast=$(failfast) -clusters=$(clusters) -level=$(level) -configname=$(configname)
+
 
-ifeq ($(failfast),true)
-	command := $(command) -test.failfast
-endif
 
 .PHONY: docker
 docker:
@@ -88,7 +86,7 @@ gomplate:
 # where /bin/bash is an old bash
 .PHONY: run
 run: gomplate $(run_deps)
-	@echo "launching test job with name=$(test_job_name) and testid=$(test_id)"
+	@echo "launching test job with name=$(test_job_name) and testid=$(test_id), command=$(command)"
 	@ns=$$(kubectl config view --minify -o jsonpath='{..namespace}' 2>/dev/null); \
 	export ns="$${ns:-default}"; \
 	if [ -z "$${norbac}" ]; then \
diff --git a/systest/cluster/cluster.go b/systest/cluster/cluster.go
index 54f54f58c6..36e495d77f 100644
--- a/systest/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/systest/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -150,6 +150,9 @@ func ReuseWait(cctx *testcontext.Context, opts ...Opt) (*Cluster, error) {
 	if err := cl.WaitAllTimeout(cctx.BootstrapDuration); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if err = cctx.CheckFail(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	return cl, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/systest/cluster/nodes.go b/systest/cluster/nodes.go
index aca5764a1e..cba322d326 100644
--- a/systest/cluster/nodes.go
+++ b/systest/cluster/nodes.go
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ func (n *NodeClient) ensurePubConn(ctx context.Context) (*grpc.ClientConn, error
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if err := n.waitForConnectionReady(context.Background(), conn); err != nil {
+	if err := n.waitForConnectionReady(ctx, conn); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	n.pubConn = conn
diff --git a/systest/testcontext/context.go b/systest/testcontext/context.go
index 26f8257d4d..34e674aebf 100644
--- a/systest/testcontext/context.go
+++ b/systest/testcontext/context.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package testcontext
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/rand/v2"
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
 	"go.uber.org/zap/zaptest"
-	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
+	k8serr "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	apimetav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/client-go/applyconfigurations/core/v1"
@@ -53,6 +54,9 @@ var (
 
 	tokens     chan struct{}
 	initTokens sync.Once
+
+	failed   = make(chan struct{})
+	failOnce sync.Once
 )
 
 var (
@@ -227,7 +231,7 @@ func updateContext(ctx *Context) error {
 	ns, err := ctx.Client.CoreV1().Namespaces().Get(ctx, ctx.Namespace,
 		apimetav1.GetOptions{})
 	if err != nil || ns == nil {
-		if errors.IsNotFound(err) {
+		if k8serr.IsNotFound(err) {
 			return nil
 		}
 		return err
@@ -288,6 +292,12 @@ func New(t *testing.T, opts ...Opt) *Context {
 		tokens <- struct{}{}
 		t.Cleanup(func() { <-tokens })
 	}
+
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		if t.Failed() {
+			failOnce.Do(func() { close(failed) })
+		}
+	})
 	config, err := rest.InClusterConfig()
 
 	// The default rate limiter is too slow 5qps and 10 burst, This will prevent the client from being throttled
@@ -369,3 +379,12 @@ func New(t *testing.T, opts ...Opt) *Context {
 	cctx.Log.Infow("using", "namespace", cctx.Namespace)
 	return cctx
 }
+
+func (c *Context) CheckFail() error {
+	select {
+	case <-failed:
+		return errors.New("test suite failed. aborting test execution")
+	default:
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/systest/tests/common.go b/systest/tests/common.go
index d4df0db710..9b31754e47 100644
--- a/systest/tests/common.go
+++ b/systest/tests/common.go
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ const (
 	attempts = 3
 )
 
+var retryBackoff = 10 * time.Second
+
 func sendTransactions(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	eg *errgroup.Group,
@@ -117,24 +119,14 @@ func submitTransaction(ctx context.Context, tx []byte, node *cluster.NodeClient)
 	return response.Txstate.Id.Id, nil
 }
 
-func watchStateHashes(
-	ctx context.Context,
-	eg *errgroup.Group,
-	node *cluster.NodeClient,
-	logger *zap.Logger,
-	collector func(*pb.GlobalStateStreamResponse) (bool, error),
-) {
-	eg.Go(func() error {
-		return stateHashStream(ctx, node, logger, collector)
-	})
-}
-
 func stateHashStream(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	node *cluster.NodeClient,
 	logger *zap.Logger,
 	collector func(*pb.GlobalStateStreamResponse) (bool, error),
 ) error {
+	retries := 0
+BACKOFF:
 	stateapi := pb.NewGlobalStateServiceClient(node.PubConn())
 	states, err := stateapi.GlobalStateStream(ctx,
 		&pb.GlobalStateStreamRequest{
@@ -153,7 +145,12 @@ func stateHashStream(
 				zap.Any("status", s),
 			)
 			if s.Code() == codes.Unavailable {
-				return nil
+				if retries == attempts {
+					return errors.New("state stream unavailable")
+				}
+				retries++
+				time.Sleep(retryBackoff)
+				goto BACKOFF
 			}
 		}
 		if err != nil {
@@ -185,6 +182,8 @@ func layersStream(
 	logger *zap.Logger,
 	collector layerCollector,
 ) error {
+	retries := 0
+BACKOFF:
 	meshapi := pb.NewMeshServiceClient(node.PubConn())
 	layers, err := meshapi.LayerStream(ctx, &pb.LayerStreamRequest{})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -196,7 +195,12 @@ func layersStream(
 		if ok && s.Code() != codes.OK {
 			logger.Warn("layers stream error", zap.String("client", node.Name), zap.Error(err), zap.Any("status", s))
 			if s.Code() == codes.Unavailable {
-				return nil
+				if retries == attempts {
+					return errors.New("layer stream unavailable")
+				}
+				retries++
+				time.Sleep(retryBackoff)
+				goto BACKOFF
 			}
 		}
 		if err != nil {
@@ -214,6 +218,9 @@ func malfeasanceStream(
 	logger *zap.Logger,
 	collector func(*pb.MalfeasanceStreamResponse) (bool, error),
 ) error {
+	retries := 0
+BACKOFF:
+
 	meshapi := pb.NewMeshServiceClient(node.PubConn())
 	layers, err := meshapi.MalfeasanceStream(ctx, &pb.MalfeasanceStreamRequest{IncludeProof: true})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -229,7 +236,13 @@ func malfeasanceStream(
 				zap.Any("status", s),
 			)
 			if s.Code() == codes.Unavailable {
-				return nil
+				if retries == attempts {
+					return errors.New("layer stream unavailable")
+				}
+				retries++
+				time.Sleep(retryBackoff)
+				goto BACKOFF
+
 			}
 		}
 		if err != nil {
@@ -309,6 +322,9 @@ func watchTransactionResults(ctx context.Context,
 	collector func(*pb.TransactionResult) (bool, error),
 ) {
 	eg.Go(func() error {
+		retries := 0
+	BACKOFF:
+
 		api := pb.NewTransactionServiceClient(client.PubConn())
 		rsts, err := api.StreamResults(ctx, &pb.TransactionResultsRequest{Watch: true})
 		if err != nil {
@@ -324,7 +340,12 @@ func watchTransactionResults(ctx context.Context,
 					zap.Any("status", s),
 				)
 				if s.Code() == codes.Unavailable {
-					return nil
+					if retries == attempts {
+						return errors.New("transaction results unavailable")
+					}
+					retries++
+					time.Sleep(retryBackoff)
+					goto BACKOFF
 				}
 			}
 			if err != nil {
@@ -345,6 +366,8 @@ func watchProposals(
 	collector func(*pb.Proposal) (bool, error),
 ) {
 	eg.Go(func() error {
+		retries := 0
+	BACKOFF:
 		dbg := pb.NewDebugServiceClient(client.PrivConn())
 		proposals, err := dbg.ProposalsStream(ctx, &emptypb.Empty{})
 		if err != nil {
@@ -360,7 +383,12 @@ func watchProposals(
 					zap.Any("status", s),
 				)
 				if s.Code() == codes.Unavailable {
-					return nil
+					if retries == attempts {
+						return errors.New("watch proposals unavailable")
+					}
+					retries++
+					time.Sleep(retryBackoff)
+					goto BACKOFF
 				}
 			}
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/systest/tests/partition_test.go b/systest/tests/partition_test.go
index 89431bfdfe..ba65b833cc 100644
--- a/systest/tests/partition_test.go
+++ b/systest/tests/partition_test.go
@@ -80,28 +80,32 @@ func testPartition(t *testing.T, tctx *testcontext.Context, cl *cluster.Cluster,
 	stateCh := make(chan *stateUpdate, uint32(cl.Total())*numLayers*10)
 	tctx.Log.Debug("listening to state hashes...")
 	for i := range cl.Total() {
-		client := cl.Client(i)
-		watchStateHashes(ctx, eg, client, tctx.Log.Desugar(), func(state *pb.GlobalStateStreamResponse) (bool, error) {
-			data := state.Datum.Datum
-			require.IsType(t, &pb.GlobalStateData_GlobalState{}, data)
-
-			resp := data.(*pb.GlobalStateData_GlobalState)
-			layer := resp.GlobalState.Layer.Number
-			if layer > stop {
-				return false, nil
-			}
-
-			stateHash := types.BytesToHash(resp.GlobalState.RootHash)
-			tctx.Log.Debugw("state hash collected",
-				"client", client.Name,
-				"layer", layer,
-				"state", stateHash.ShortString())
-			stateCh <- &stateUpdate{
-				layer:  layer,
-				hash:   stateHash,
-				client: client.Name,
-			}
-			return true, nil
+		node := cl.Client(i)
+
+		eg.Go(func() error {
+			return stateHashStream(ctx, node, tctx.Log.Desugar(),
+				func(state *pb.GlobalStateStreamResponse) (bool, error) {
+					data := state.Datum.Datum
+					require.IsType(t, &pb.GlobalStateData_GlobalState{}, data)
+
+					resp := data.(*pb.GlobalStateData_GlobalState)
+					layer := resp.GlobalState.Layer.Number
+					if layer > stop {
+						return false, nil
+					}
+
+					stateHash := types.BytesToHash(resp.GlobalState.RootHash)
+					tctx.Log.Debugw("state hash collected",
+						"client", node.Name,
+						"layer", layer,
+						"state", stateHash.ShortString())
+					stateCh <- &stateUpdate{
+						layer:  layer,
+						hash:   stateHash,
+						client: node.Name,
+					}
+					return true, nil
+				})
 		})
 	}