diff --git a/tests/test_connection.py b/tests/test_connection.py
index 8c96cdd25..9e733a756 100644
--- a/tests/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/test_connection.py
@@ -2744,27 +2744,6 @@ def test_htlc_retransmit_order(node_factory, executor):
     # If order was wrong, we'll get a LOG_BROKEN and fixtures will complain.
 
 
-def test_channel_opener(node_factory):
-    """ Simply checks for 'opener' and 'closer' attributes on `listpeers` channels """
-    l1, l2 = node_factory.line_graph(2)
-
-    assert(l1.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['opener'] == 'local')
-    assert(l2.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['opener'] == 'remote')
-
-    # 'closer' should be null initially
-    assert(l2.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['closer'] is None)
-    assert(l2.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['closer'] is None)
-
-    # close and check for 'closer'
-    l1.rpc.close(l2.rpc.getinfo()["id"])
-    l1.daemon.wait_for_log("State changed from CHANNELD_NORMAL to")
-    l2.daemon.wait_for_log("State changed from CHANNELD_NORMAL to")
-
-    # 'closer' should now be set accordingly
-    assert(l1.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['closer'] == 'local')
-    assert(l2.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['closer'] == 'remote')
-
-
 def test_fundchannel_start_alternate(node_factory, executor):
     ''' Test to see what happens if two nodes start channeling to
     each other alternately.
diff --git a/tests/test_plugin.py b/tests/test_plugin.py
index fe6ed2f49..0d7dddca3 100644
--- a/tests/test_plugin.py
+++ b/tests/test_plugin.py
@@ -643,6 +643,13 @@ def test_channel_state_changed_bilateral(node_factory, bitcoind):
         event = ast.literal_eval(re.findall(".*({.*}).*", msg)[0])
         return event
 
+    # check channel 'opener' and 'closer' within this testcase ...
+    assert(l1.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['opener'] == 'local')
+    assert(l2.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['opener'] == 'remote')
+    # the 'closer' should be null initially
+    assert(l2.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['closer'] is None)
+    assert(l2.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['closer'] is None)
+
     event1 = wait_for_event(l1)
     assert(event1['peer_id'] == l2_id)  # we only test these IDs the first time
     assert(event1['channel_id'] == cid)
@@ -678,6 +685,10 @@ def test_channel_state_changed_bilateral(node_factory, bitcoind):
     assert(event2['cause'] == "remote")
     assert(event2['message'] == "Peer closes channel")
 
+    # 'closer' should now be set accordingly ...
+    assert(l1.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['closer'] == 'local')
+    assert(l2.rpc.listpeers()['peers'][0]['channels'][0]['closer'] == 'remote')
+
     event1 = wait_for_event(l1)
     assert(event1['old_state'] == "CHANNELD_SHUTTING_DOWN")
     assert(event1['new_state'] == "CLOSINGD_SIGEXCHANGE")