diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
index 82b357742e..4a00365e1a 100644
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import subprocess
 import time
 import re
 import errno
+from pathlib import Path
 
 from . import coverage
 from .authproxy import AuthServiceProxy, JSONRPCException
@@ -198,8 +199,13 @@ def initialize_datadir(dirname, n):
 def rpc_auth_pair(n):
     return 'rpcuser💻' + str(n), 'rpcpass🔑' + str(n)
 
-def rpc_url(i, rpchost=None):
-    rpc_u, rpc_p = rpc_auth_pair(i)
+def rpc_url(i, rpchost=None, cookie_file=None):
+    if cookie_file:
+        with open(cookie_file, 'r') as f:
+            rpc_auth = f.readline()
+    else:
+        rpc_u, rpc_p = rpc_auth_pair(i)
+        rpc_auth = rpc_u+":"+rpc_p
     host = '127.0.0.1'
     port = rpc_port(i)
     if rpchost:
@@ -208,7 +214,7 @@ def rpc_url(i, rpchost=None):
             host, port = parts
         else:
             host = rpchost
-    return "http://%s:%s@%s:%d" % (rpc_u, rpc_p, host, int(port))
+    return "http://%s@%s:%d" % (rpc_auth, host, int(port))
 
 def wait_for_bitcoind_start(process, url, i):
     '''
@@ -333,11 +339,12 @@ def _rpchost_to_args(rpchost):
         rv += ['-rpcport=' + rpcport]
     return rv
 
-def start_node(i, dirname, extra_args=None, rpchost=None, timewait=None, binary=None, chain='elementsregtest'):
+def start_node(i, dirname, extra_args=None, rpchost=None, timewait=None, binary=None, chain='elementsregtest', cookie_auth=False):
     """
     Start a bitcoind and return RPC connection to it
     """
     datadir = os.path.join(dirname, "node"+str(i))
+    cookie_file = datadir+"/"+chain+"/.cookie"
     if binary is None:
         binary = os.getenv("ELEMENTSD", "elementsd")
     args = [ binary, "-datadir="+datadir, "-server", "-keypool=1", "-discover=0", "-rest", "-mocktime="+str(get_mocktime()) ]
@@ -346,7 +353,15 @@ def start_node(i, dirname, extra_args=None, rpchost=None, timewait=None, binary=
     bitcoind_processes[i] = subprocess.Popen(args)
     if os.getenv("PYTHON_DEBUG", ""):
         print("start_node: bitcoind started, waiting for RPC to come up")
-    url = rpc_url(i, rpchost)
+
+    # We need to make sure the cookie auth file is created before reading it
+    wait_for_cookie_time = 10
+    cookie_file_handle = Path(cookie_file)
+    while cookie_auth and wait_for_cookie_time > 0 and not cookie_file_handle.is_file():
+        wait_for_cookie_time -= 1
+        time.sleep(1)
+
+    url = rpc_url(i, rpchost, cookie_file if cookie_auth else None)
     wait_for_bitcoind_start(bitcoind_processes[i], url, i)
     if os.getenv("PYTHON_DEBUG", ""):
         print("start_node: RPC successfully started")