diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
index 2c4b8769628..dc4efe88df8 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import contextlib
 import decimal
 import errno
 from enum import Enum
-import http.client
 import json
 import logging
 import os
@@ -307,10 +306,11 @@ class TestNode():
                     # overhead is trivial, and the added guarantees are worth
                     # the minimal performance cost.
                 self.log.debug("RPC successfully started")
+                # Set rpc_connected even if we are in use_cli mode so that we know we can call self.stop() if needed.
+                self.rpc_connected = True
                 if self.use_cli:
                     return
                 self.rpc = rpc
-                self.rpc_connected = True
                 self.url = self.rpc.rpc_url
                 return
             except JSONRPCException as e:
@@ -396,15 +396,15 @@ class TestNode():
         """Stop the node."""
         if not self.running:
             return
+        assert self.rpc_connected, self._node_msg(
+            "Should only call stop_node() on a running node after wait_for_rpc_connection() succeeded. "
+            f"Did you forget to call the latter after start()? Not connected to process: {self.process.pid}")
         self.log.debug("Stopping node")
-        try:
-            # Do not use wait argument when testing older nodes, e.g. in wallet_backwards_compatibility.py
-            if self.version_is_at_least(180000):
-                self.stop(wait=wait)
-            else:
-                self.stop()
-        except http.client.CannotSendRequest:
-            self.log.exception("Unable to stop node.")
+        # Do not use wait argument when testing older nodes, e.g. in wallet_backwards_compatibility.py
+        if self.version_is_at_least(180000):
+            self.stop(wait=wait)
+        else:
+            self.stop()
 
         # If there are any running perf processes, stop them.
         for profile_name in tuple(self.perf_subprocesses.keys()):