diff --git a/tests/antithesis/avalanchego/main.go b/tests/antithesis/avalanchego/main.go
index 32539a646ff1..57b12a51b6c2 100644
--- a/tests/antithesis/avalanchego/main.go
+++ b/tests/antithesis/avalanchego/main.go
@@ -101,8 +101,7 @@ func main() {
 			},
 		}})
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Printf("failed to issue initial funding X-chain baseTx: %s", err)
-			return
+			log.Fatalf("failed to issue initial funding X-chain baseTx: %s", err)
 		}
 		log.Printf("issued initial funding X-chain baseTx %s in %s", baseTx.ID(), time.Since(baseStartTime))
 
diff --git a/tests/antithesis/xsvm/main.go b/tests/antithesis/xsvm/main.go
index 571e896ef0d8..84371752d4ef 100644
--- a/tests/antithesis/xsvm/main.go
+++ b/tests/antithesis/xsvm/main.go
@@ -77,8 +77,7 @@ func main() {
 			},
 		)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Printf("failed to issue initial funding transfer: %s", err)
-			return
+			log.Fatalf("failed to issue initial funding transfer: %s", err)
 		}
 		log.Printf("issued initial funding transfer %s in %s", transferTxStatus.TxID, time.Since(baseStartTime))
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/e2e_test.go b/tests/e2e/e2e_test.go
index 73c29b3bc83f..9d235bc363da 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/e2e_test.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/e2e_test.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ var _ = ginkgo.SynchronizedBeforeSuite(func() []byte {
 	// Run only once in the first ginkgo process
 
 	nodes := tmpnet.NewNodesOrPanic(flagVars.NodeCount())
-	subnets := vms.XSVMSubnets(nodes...)
+	subnets := vms.XSVMSubnetsOrPanic(nodes...)
 	return e2e.NewTestEnvironment(
 		flagVars,
 		&tmpnet.Network{
diff --git a/tests/e2e/vms/xsvm.go b/tests/e2e/vms/xsvm.go
index a924ebb8d54a..ebb00f882b16 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/vms/xsvm.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/vms/xsvm.go
@@ -27,10 +27,14 @@ var (
 	subnetBName = "xsvm-b"
 )
 
-func XSVMSubnets(nodes ...*tmpnet.Node) []*tmpnet.Subnet {
+func XSVMSubnetsOrPanic(nodes ...*tmpnet.Node) []*tmpnet.Subnet {
+	key, err := secp256k1.NewPrivateKey()
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
 	return []*tmpnet.Subnet{
-		subnet.NewXSVMOrPanic(subnetAName, nil /* key, will be generated */, nodes...),
-		subnet.NewXSVMOrPanic(subnetBName, nil /* key, will be generated */, nodes...),
+		subnet.NewXSVMOrPanic(subnetAName, key, nodes...),
+		subnet.NewXSVMOrPanic(subnetBName, key, nodes...),
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/fixture/subnet/xsvm.go b/tests/fixture/subnet/xsvm.go
index f5f34ac1c023..28fb017da5a9 100644
--- a/tests/fixture/subnet/xsvm.go
+++ b/tests/fixture/subnet/xsvm.go
@@ -18,14 +18,6 @@ func NewXSVMOrPanic(name string, key *secp256k1.PrivateKey, nodes ...*tmpnet.Nod
 		panic("a subnet must be validated by at least one node")
 	}
 
-	if key == nil {
-		var err error
-		key, err = secp256k1.NewPrivateKey()
-		if err != nil {
-			panic(err)
-		}
-	}
-
 	genesisBytes, err := genesis.Codec.Marshal(genesis.CodecVersion, &genesis.Genesis{
 		Timestamp: time.Now().Unix(),
 		Allocations: []genesis.Allocation{