diff --git a/tests/integration.c b/tests/integration.c
index 9314afe..ac3acde 100644
--- a/tests/integration.c
+++ b/tests/integration.c
@@ -276,10 +276,8 @@ static int test_audio_pass_through(void) {
 /* Helper: send a MIDI note‑on using the persistent client */
 static int send_jack_note_on(const char *target_port, unsigned char note, unsigned char velocity) {
     (void)target_port; /* connection is already made to looper:control */
-    /* Ensure persistent client is initialised */
-    if (!persistent_midi_client && init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
-        return -1;
-    }
+    /* Persistent client must be initialised by the calling test */
+    if (!persistent_midi_client) return -1;
     midi_inject_note = note;
     midi_inject_velocity = velocity;
     midi_inject_pending = 1;
@@ -305,6 +303,12 @@ static int test_looper_looping(void) {
 
     pid_t pid = start_looper();
     if (pid < 0) return 1;
+    /* Create persistent MIDI client for this looper instance */
+    if (init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
+        kill(pid, SIGTERM); waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+        fprintf(stderr, "  FAIL: cannot initialise persistent MIDI client\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
 
     jack_client_t *client;
     jack_status_t status;
@@ -383,6 +387,7 @@ static int test_looper_looping(void) {
 
     jack_deactivate(client);
     jack_client_close(client);
+    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
 
     kill(pid, SIGTERM);
     waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
@@ -402,6 +407,11 @@ static int test_multiple_channels(void) {
     printf("Test: dynamic channel creation via MIDI command\n");
     pid_t pid = start_looper();
     if (pid < 0) return 1;
+    if (init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
+        kill(pid, SIGTERM); waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+        fprintf(stderr, "  FAIL: cannot initialise persistent MIDI client\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
 
     jack_client_t *client;
     jack_status_t status;
@@ -437,6 +447,7 @@ static int test_multiple_channels(void) {
 port_found:
     ;
     jack_client_close(client);
+    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
     kill(pid, SIGTERM);
     waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
 
@@ -453,6 +464,11 @@ static int test_control_key_modifier(void) {
     printf("Test: control‑key modifier triggers state transition via note 62\n");
     pid_t pid = start_looper();
     if (pid < 0) return 1;
+    if (init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
+        kill(pid, SIGTERM); waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+        fprintf(stderr, "  FAIL: cannot initialise persistent MIDI client\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
     jack_client_t *client;
     jack_status_t status;
     client = jack_client_open("test_ctrl_key", JackNoStartServer, &status);
@@ -536,6 +552,7 @@ static int test_control_key_modifier(void) {
     safe_usleep(2000000);
     jack_deactivate(client);
     jack_client_close(client);
+    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
     kill(pid, SIGTERM);
     waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
     int got_bursts = bursts;
@@ -553,6 +570,11 @@ static int test_bind_channel(void) {
     printf("Test: control‑key bind channel (note 0) and toggle\n");
     pid_t pid = start_looper();
     if (pid < 0) return 1;
+    if (init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
+        kill(pid, SIGTERM); waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+        fprintf(stderr, "  FAIL: cannot initialise persistent MIDI client\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
     jack_client_t *client;
     jack_status_t status;
     client = jack_client_open("test_bind", JackNoStartServer, &status);
@@ -649,6 +671,7 @@ static int test_bind_channel(void) {
     safe_usleep(2000000);
     jack_deactivate(client);
     jack_client_close(client);
+    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
     kill(pid, SIGTERM);
     waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
     int got_bursts = bursts;
@@ -666,6 +689,11 @@ static int test_bind_unbind(void) {
     printf("Test: bind to channel 5, unbind, then toggle default (channel 0)\n");
     pid_t pid = start_looper();
     if (pid < 0) return 1;
+    if (init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
+        kill(pid, SIGTERM); waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+        fprintf(stderr, "  FAIL: cannot initialise persistent MIDI client\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
     jack_client_t *client;
     jack_status_t status;
     client = jack_client_open("test_unbind", JackNoStartServer, &status);
@@ -777,6 +805,7 @@ static int test_bind_unbind(void) {
     safe_usleep(2000000);
     jack_deactivate(client);
     jack_client_close(client);
+    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
     kill(pid, SIGTERM);
     waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
     int got_bursts = bursts;
@@ -794,6 +823,11 @@ static int test_remove_channel(void) {
     printf("Test: dynamic channel removal via MIDI command\n");
     pid_t pid = start_looper();
     if (pid < 0) return 1;
+    if (init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
+        kill(pid, SIGTERM); waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+        fprintf(stderr, "  FAIL: cannot initialise persistent MIDI client\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
     jack_client_t *client;
     jack_status_t status;
     client = jack_client_open("test_remove", JackNoStartServer, &status);
@@ -854,6 +888,7 @@ static int test_remove_channel(void) {
         if (!still_found) break;
     }
     jack_client_close(client);
+    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
     kill(pid, SIGTERM);
     waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
     if (still_found) {
@@ -870,6 +905,11 @@ static int test_fifo_stop_bind_unbind(void) {
     printf("Test: FIFO stop, bind, unbind\n");
     pid_t pid = start_looper();
     if (pid < 0) return 1;
+    if (init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
+        kill(pid, SIGTERM); waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+        fprintf(stderr, "  FAIL: cannot initialise persistent MIDI client\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
 
     jack_client_t *client;
     jack_status_t status;
@@ -947,6 +987,7 @@ static int test_fifo_stop_bind_unbind(void) {
     int bursts_after = bursts;
     jack_deactivate(client);
     jack_client_close(client);
+    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
     kill(pid, SIGTERM);
     waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
     if (bursts_after < 1) {
@@ -1085,6 +1126,11 @@ static int test_stop_midi(void) {
     printf("Test: MIDI stop (note 65 under control key)\n");
     pid_t pid = start_looper();
     if (pid < 0) return 1;
+    if (init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
+        kill(pid, SIGTERM); waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+        fprintf(stderr, "  FAIL: cannot initialise persistent MIDI client\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
     jack_client_t *client;
     jack_status_t status;
     client = jack_client_open("test_stop", JackNoStartServer, &status);
@@ -1177,6 +1223,7 @@ static int test_stop_midi(void) {
     int bursts_after = bursts;
     jack_deactivate(client);
     jack_client_close(client);
+    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
     kill(pid, SIGTERM);
     waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
     if (bursts_after > bursts_before + 5) {
@@ -1193,6 +1240,11 @@ static int test_record_loop_stop(void) {
     printf("Test: full record‑loop‑stop (≥5 repetitions)\n");
     pid_t pid = start_looper();
     if (pid < 0) return 1;
+    if (init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
+        kill(pid, SIGTERM); waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+        fprintf(stderr, "  FAIL: cannot initialise persistent MIDI client\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
     jack_client_t *client;
     jack_status_t status;
     client = jack_client_open("test_full", JackNoStartServer, &status);
@@ -1278,6 +1330,7 @@ static int test_record_loop_stop(void) {
     int total_bursts = bursts;
     jack_deactivate(client);
     jack_client_close(client);
+    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
     kill(pid, SIGTERM);
     waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
     if (total_bursts < 5) {
@@ -1368,7 +1421,6 @@ int main(void) {
         failures++;
     }
 
-    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
     if (failures > 0) {
         fprintf(stderr, "%d test(s) FAILED\n", failures);
         return 1;