diff --git a/packages/cli/src/cmds/dev/handler.ts b/packages/cli/src/cmds/dev/handler.ts
index ee156c702706..6e571d3f293f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/cmds/dev/handler.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/cmds/dev/handler.ts
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export async function devHandler(args: IDevArgs & IGlobalArgs): Promise<void> {
   const onGracefulShutdownCbs: (() => Promise<void>)[] = [];
   onGracefulShutdown(async () => {
     for (const cb of onGracefulShutdownCbs) await cb();
-    await Promise.all([Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.stop())), node.close()]);
+    await Promise.all([Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.close())), node.close()]);
     if (args.reset) {
       logger.info("Cleaning db directories");
       await promisify(rimraf)(beaconDbDir);
@@ -138,7 +138,6 @@ export async function devHandler(args: IDevArgs & IGlobalArgs): Promise<void> {
       })),
     });
 
-    onGracefulShutdownCbs.push(() => validator.stop());
-    await validator.start();
+    onGracefulShutdownCbs.push(() => validator.close());
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/cmds/validator/handler.ts b/packages/cli/src/cmds/validator/handler.ts
index 221a59a839f1..d3836055ddb5 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/cmds/validator/handler.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/cmds/validator/handler.ts
@@ -133,8 +133,7 @@ export async function validatorHandler(args: IValidatorCliArgs & IGlobalArgs): P
     metrics
   );
 
-  onGracefulShutdownCbs.push(() => validator.stop());
-  await validator.start();
+  onGracefulShutdownCbs.push(() => validator.close());
 
   // Start keymanager API backend
   // Only if keymanagerEnabled flag is set to true
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/cmds/validator/voluntaryExit.ts b/packages/cli/src/cmds/validator/voluntaryExit.ts
index 5f61368c2a5f..2e1892b53fde 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/cmds/validator/voluntaryExit.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/cmds/validator/voluntaryExit.ts
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ BE UNTIL AT LEAST TWO YEARS AFTER THE PHASE 0 MAINNET LAUNCH.
       signers: [{type: SignerType.Local, secretKey}],
       logger: errorLogger(),
       graffiti: args.graffiti,
+      closed: true,
     });
 
     await validatorClient.voluntaryExit(publicKey, args.exitEpoch);
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/api/impl/beacon/state/endpoint.test.ts b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/api/impl/beacon/state/endpoint.test.ts
index c8946d176a97..4eb86ae74e1c 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/api/impl/beacon/state/endpoint.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/api/impl/beacon/state/endpoint.test.ts
@@ -56,9 +56,7 @@ describe("lodestar / api / impl / state", function () {
         useRestApi: false,
         testLoggerOpts,
       });
-      afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.stop())));
-
-      await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.start()));
+      afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.close())));
 
       const client = getClient({baseUrl: `http://127.0.0.1:${restPort}`}, {config}).beacon;
 
@@ -92,9 +90,7 @@ describe("lodestar / api / impl / state", function () {
         useRestApi: false,
         testLoggerOpts,
       });
-      afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.stop())));
-
-      await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.start()));
+      afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.close())));
 
       const client = getClient({baseUrl: `http://127.0.0.1:${restPort}`}, {config}).beacon;
 
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/chain/lightclient.test.ts b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/chain/lightclient.test.ts
index e27a79b19e48..734c5d598249 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/chain/lightclient.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/chain/lightclient.test.ts
@@ -93,12 +93,7 @@ describe("chain / lightclient", function () {
     });
 
     afterEachCallbacks.push(async () => {
-      await Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.stop()));
-    });
-
-    await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.start()));
-    afterEachCallbacks.push(async () => {
-      await Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.stop()));
+      await Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.close()));
     });
 
     // This promise chain does:
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/keymanager/keymanager.test.ts b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/keymanager/keymanager.test.ts
index f09e884187b8..1a043e0d5467 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/keymanager/keymanager.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/keymanager/keymanager.test.ts
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ describe("keymanager delete and import test", async function () {
       testLoggerOpts,
     });
 
-    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => vc1Info.validator.stop());
+    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => vc1Info.validator.close());
 
     const vc2Info = await getAndInitValidatorsWithKeystore({
       node: bn,
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ describe("keymanager delete and import test", async function () {
       testLoggerOpts,
     });
 
-    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => vc2Info.validator.stop());
+    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => vc2Info.validator.close());
 
     const portKM1 = 10000;
     const portKM2 = 10001;
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ describe("keymanager delete and import test", async function () {
     // Register clean up
     // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call,@typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access
     afterEachCallbacks.push(async () => {
-      await Promise.all([vc1Info.validator.stop(), vc2Info.validator.stop()]);
+      await Promise.all([vc1Info.validator.close(), vc2Info.validator.close()]);
       vc1Info.tempDirs.keystoreDir.removeCallback();
       vc1Info.tempDirs.passwordFile.removeCallback();
       vc2Info.tempDirs.keystoreDir.removeCallback();
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ describe("keymanager delete and import test", async function () {
       externalSignerUrl: opts?.useRemoteSigner ? "http://localhost:38000" : undefined,
     });
 
-    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.stop())));
+    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.close())));
 
     const keystoresDir = tmp.dirSync({unsafeCleanup: true, prefix: "keystores"});
     const tokenDir = tmp.dirSync({unsafeCleanup: true, prefix: "token"});
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/finalizedSync.test.ts b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/finalizedSync.test.ts
index 25d249c0caf8..6b807292aaae 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/finalizedSync.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/finalizedSync.test.ts
@@ -56,10 +56,8 @@ describe("sync / finalized sync", function () {
       testLoggerOpts,
     });
 
-    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.stop())));
+    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.close())));
 
-    await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.start()));
-    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.stop())));
     // stop beacon node after validators
     afterEachCallbacks.push(() => bn.close());
 
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/unknownBlockSync.test.ts b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/unknownBlockSync.test.ts
index c3413eb294e1..174cafa7a377 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/unknownBlockSync.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/unknownBlockSync.test.ts
@@ -64,10 +64,8 @@ describe("sync / unknown block sync", function () {
       testLoggerOpts,
     });
 
-    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.stop())));
+    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.close())));
 
-    await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.start()));
-    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.stop())));
     // stop bn after validators
     afterEachCallbacks.push(() => bn.close());
 
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/wss.test.ts b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/wss.test.ts
index 8ee331115680..ada33013d127 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/wss.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/test/e2e/sync/wss.test.ts
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ describe("Start from WSS", function () {
       testLoggerOpts,
     });
 
-    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.stop())));
-    await Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.start()));
+    afterEachCallbacks.push(() => Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.close())));
 
     try {
       await finalizedEventistener;
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/test/sim/merge-interop.test.ts b/packages/lodestar/test/sim/merge-interop.test.ts
index 90bc5897616f..91aca7073a4d 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/test/sim/merge-interop.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/test/sim/merge-interop.test.ts
@@ -353,11 +353,9 @@ describe("executionEngine / ExecutionEngineHttp", function () {
     });
 
     afterEachCallbacks.push(async function () {
-      await Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.stop()));
+      await Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.close()));
     });
 
-    await Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.start()));
-
     if (TX_SCENARIOS.includes("simple")) {
       // If bellatrixEpoch > 0, this is the case of pre-merge transaction submission on EL pow
       await sendTransaction(jsonRpcUrl, {
@@ -418,7 +416,7 @@ describe("executionEngine / ExecutionEngineHttp", function () {
 
     // Stop chain and un-subscribe events so the execution engine won't update it's head
     // Allow some time to broadcast finalized events and complete the importBlock routine
-    await Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.stop()));
+    await Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.close()));
     await bn.close();
     await sleep(500);
 
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/test/sim/multiNodeSingleThread.test.ts b/packages/lodestar/test/sim/multiNodeSingleThread.test.ts
index c9e4698d7292..6df923a1a5b6 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/test/sim/multiNodeSingleThread.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/test/sim/multiNodeSingleThread.test.ts
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ describe("Run multi node single thread interop validators (no eth1) until checkp
           startIndex: i * validatorsPerNode,
           testLoggerOpts,
         });
-        afterEachCallbacks.push(async () => await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.stop())));
+        afterEachCallbacks.push(async () => await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.close())));
 
         afterEachCallbacks.push(async () => {
-          await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.stop()));
+          await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.close()));
           console.log("--- Stopped all validators ---");
           // wait for 1 slot
           await sleep(1 * testParams.SECONDS_PER_SLOT * 1000);
@@ -124,9 +124,6 @@ describe("Run multi node single thread interop validators (no eth1) until checkp
         }
       }
 
-      // Start all validators at once.
-      await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.start()));
-
       // Wait for justified checkpoint on all nodes
       await Promise.all(nodes.map((node) => waitForEvent<phase0.Checkpoint>(node.chain.emitter, event, 240000)));
       console.log("--- All nodes reached justified checkpoint ---");
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/test/sim/singleNodeSingleThread.test.ts b/packages/lodestar/test/sim/singleNodeSingleThread.test.ts
index 5127ed6fe452..6d77517ac3fc 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/test/sim/singleNodeSingleThread.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/test/sim/singleNodeSingleThread.test.ts
@@ -132,8 +132,7 @@ describe("Run single node single thread interop validators (no eth1) until check
       }
 
       // TODO: Previous code waited for 1 slot between stopping the validators and stopInfoTracker()
-      afterEachCallbacks[1] = () => Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.stop()));
-      await Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.start()));
+      afterEachCallbacks[1] = () => Promise.all(validators.map((v) => v.close()));
 
       // Wait for test to complete
       await waitForEvent<phase0.Checkpoint>(bn.chain.emitter, event, timeout);
diff --git a/packages/lodestar/test/sim/threaded/noEth1SimWorker.ts b/packages/lodestar/test/sim/threaded/noEth1SimWorker.ts
index 46aec8f9374d..39667037148b 100644
--- a/packages/lodestar/test/sim/threaded/noEth1SimWorker.ts
+++ b/packages/lodestar/test/sim/threaded/noEth1SimWorker.ts
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ async function runWorker(): Promise<void> {
   );
 
   node.chain.emitter.on(checkpointEvent, async (checkpoint) => {
-    await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.stop()));
+    await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.close()));
     if (stopInfoTracker) stopInfoTracker();
     await node.close();
     parent.postMessage({
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ async function runWorker(): Promise<void> {
     startIndex,
     testLoggerOpts,
   });
-  await Promise.all(validators.map((validator) => validator.start()));
 }
 
 runWorker().catch((e: Error) => {
diff --git a/packages/validator/src/validator.ts b/packages/validator/src/validator.ts
index db202ec78556..a70c00034525 100644
--- a/packages/validator/src/validator.ts
+++ b/packages/validator/src/validator.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ export type ValidatorOptions = {
   graffiti?: string;
   defaultFeeRecipient?: string;
   strictFeeRecipientCheck?: boolean;
+  closed?: boolean;
 };
 
 // TODO: Extend the timeout, and let it be customizable
@@ -42,11 +43,9 @@ export type ValidatorOptions = {
 
 enum Status {
   running,
-  stopped,
+  closed,
 }
 
-type State = {status: Status.running; controller: AbortController} | {status: Status.stopped};
-
 /**
  * Main class for the Validator client.
  */
@@ -63,12 +62,15 @@ export class Validator {
   private readonly emitter: ValidatorEventEmitter;
   private readonly chainHeaderTracker: ChainHeaderTracker;
   private readonly logger: ILogger;
-  private state: State = {status: Status.stopped};
+  private state: Status;
+  private readonly controller: AbortController;
 
   constructor(opts: ValidatorOptions, readonly genesis: Genesis, metrics: Metrics | null = null) {
     const {dbOps, logger, slashingProtection, signers, graffiti, defaultFeeRecipient, strictFeeRecipientCheck} = opts;
     const config = createIBeaconConfig(dbOps.config, genesis.genesisValidatorsRoot);
 
+    this.controller = new AbortController();
+
     const api =
       typeof opts.api === "string"
         ? getClient(
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ export class Validator {
               baseUrl: opts.api,
               // Validator would need the beacon to respond within the slot
               timeoutMs: config.SECONDS_PER_SLOT * 1000,
-              getAbortSignal: this.getAbortSignal,
+              getAbortSignal: () => this.controller.signal,
             },
             {config, logger, metrics: metrics?.restApiClient}
           )
@@ -140,6 +142,16 @@ export class Validator {
     if (metrics) {
       opts.dbOps.controller.setMetrics(metrics.db);
     }
+
+    if (opts.closed) {
+      this.state = Status.closed;
+    } else {
+      // "start" the validator
+      // Instantiates block and attestation services and runs them once the chain has been started.
+      this.state = Status.running;
+      this.clock.start(this.controller.signal);
+      this.chainHeaderTracker.start(this.controller.signal);
+    }
   }
 
   /** Waits for genesis and genesis time */
@@ -177,25 +189,13 @@ export class Validator {
     this.syncCommitteeService.removeDutiesForKey(pubkey);
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Instantiates block and attestation services and runs them once the chain has been started.
-   */
-  async start(): Promise<void> {
-    if (this.state.status === Status.running) return;
-    const controller = new AbortController();
-    this.state = {status: Status.running, controller};
-    const {signal} = controller;
-    this.clock.start(signal);
-    this.chainHeaderTracker.start(signal);
-  }
-
   /**
    * Stops all validator functions.
    */
-  async stop(): Promise<void> {
-    if (this.state.status === Status.stopped) return;
-    this.state.controller.abort();
-    this.state = {status: Status.stopped};
+  async close(): Promise<void> {
+    if (this.state === Status.closed) return;
+    this.controller.abort();
+    this.state = Status.closed;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -218,11 +218,6 @@ export class Validator {
 
     this.logger.info(`Submitted voluntary exit for ${publicKey} to the network`);
   }
-
-  /** Provide the current AbortSignal to the api instance */
-  private getAbortSignal = (): AbortSignal | undefined => {
-    return this.state.status === Status.running ? this.state.controller.signal : undefined;
-  };
 }
 
 /** Assert the same genesisValidatorRoot and genesisTime */