diff --git a/test/plugin/test_out_forward.rb b/test/plugin/test_out_forward.rb
index 3a7f9a2e10..438caf8fa2 100644
--- a/test/plugin/test_out_forward.rb
+++ b/test/plugin/test_out_forward.rb
@@ -1248,27 +1248,22 @@ def plugin_id_for_test?
     target_input_driver = create_target_input_driver(conf: target_config)
     output_conf = config
     d = create_driver(output_conf)
-    d.instance_start
 
-    begin
-      chunk = Fluent::Plugin::Buffer::MemoryChunk.new(Fluent::Plugin::Buffer::Metadata.new(nil, nil, nil))
-      mock.proxy(d.instance).socket_create_tcp(TARGET_HOST, @target_port,
-                                               linger_timeout: anything,
-                                               send_timeout: anything,
-                                               recv_timeout: anything,
-                                               connect_timeout: anything
-                                              ) { |sock| mock(sock).close.once; sock }.twice
+    chunk = Fluent::Plugin::Buffer::MemoryChunk.new(Fluent::Plugin::Buffer::Metadata.new(nil, nil, nil))
+    mock.proxy(d.instance).socket_create_tcp(TARGET_HOST, @target_port,
+                                             linger_timeout: anything,
+                                             send_timeout: anything,
+                                             recv_timeout: anything,
+                                             connect_timeout: anything
+                                            ) { |sock| mock(sock).close.once; sock }.twice
 
-      target_input_driver.run(timeout: 15) do
-        d.run(shutdown: false) do
-          node = d.instance.nodes.first
-          2.times do
-            node.send_data('test', chunk) rescue nil
-          end
+    target_input_driver.run(timeout: 15) do
+      d.run do
+        node = d.instance.nodes.first
+        2.times do
+          node.send_data('test', chunk) rescue nil
         end
       end
-    ensure
-      d.instance_shutdown
     end
   end
 
@@ -1282,7 +1277,6 @@ def plugin_id_for_test?
       port #{@target_port}
     </server>
     ])
-    d.instance_start
     assert_nothing_raised { d.run }
   end
 
@@ -1294,33 +1288,28 @@ def plugin_id_for_test?
         keepalive_timeout 2
       ]
       d = create_driver(output_conf)
-      d.instance_start
 
-      begin
-        chunk = Fluent::Plugin::Buffer::MemoryChunk.new(Fluent::Plugin::Buffer::Metadata.new(nil, nil, nil))
-        mock.proxy(d.instance).socket_create_tcp(TARGET_HOST, @target_port,
-                                                 linger_timeout: anything,
-                                                 send_timeout: anything,
-                                                 recv_timeout: anything,
-                                                 connect_timeout: anything
-                                                ) { |sock| mock(sock).close.once; sock }.once
+      chunk = Fluent::Plugin::Buffer::MemoryChunk.new(Fluent::Plugin::Buffer::Metadata.new(nil, nil, nil))
+      mock.proxy(d.instance).socket_create_tcp(TARGET_HOST, @target_port,
+                                               linger_timeout: anything,
+                                               send_timeout: anything,
+                                               recv_timeout: anything,
+                                               connect_timeout: anything
+                                              ) { |sock| mock(sock).close.once; sock }.once
 
-        target_input_driver.run(timeout: 15) do
-          d.run(shutdown: false) do
-            node = d.instance.nodes.first
-            2.times do
-              node.send_data('test', chunk) rescue nil
-            end
+      target_input_driver.run(timeout: 15) do
+        d.run do
+          node = d.instance.nodes.first
+          2.times do
+            node.send_data('test', chunk) rescue nil
           end
         end
-      ensure
-        d.instance_shutdown
       end
     end
 
     test 'create timer of purging obsolete sockets' do
       output_conf = config + %[keepalive true]
-      d = create_driver(output_conf)
+      @d = d = create_driver(output_conf)
 
       mock(d.instance).timer_execute(:out_forward_heartbeat_request, 1).once
       mock(d.instance).timer_execute(:out_forward_keep_alived_socket_watcher, 5).once
@@ -1336,7 +1325,6 @@ def plugin_id_for_test?
           keepalive_timeout 2
         ]
         d = create_driver(output_conf)
-        d.instance_start
 
         chunk = Fluent::Plugin::Buffer::MemoryChunk.new(Fluent::Plugin::Buffer::Metadata.new(nil, nil, nil))
         mock.proxy(d.instance).socket_create_tcp(TARGET_HOST, @target_port,