diff --git a/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp b/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp
index a57126054..b733d6fbd 100644
--- a/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp
+++ b/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <iostream>
+#include <future>
 #include <maxbase/stacktrace.hh>
 
 #include "mariadb_func.h"
@@ -337,19 +338,16 @@ TestConnections::TestConnections(int argc, char* argv[])
         exit(0);
     }
 
+    std::future<bool> repl_future;
+    std::future<bool> galera_future;
+
     if (!no_repl)
     {
         repl = new Mariadb_nodes("node", test_dir, verbose, network_config);
         repl->use_ipv6 = use_ipv6;
         repl->take_snapshot_command = take_snapshot_command;
         repl->revert_snapshot_command = revert_snapshot_command;
-        if (!repl->check_nodes())
-        {
-            if (call_mdbci("--recreate"))
-            {
-                exit(MDBCI_FAUILT);
-            }
-        }
+        repl_future = std::async(std::launch::async, &Mariadb_nodes::check_nodes, repl);
     }
     else
     {
@@ -363,13 +361,7 @@ TestConnections::TestConnections(int argc, char* argv[])
         galera->use_ipv6 = false;
         galera->take_snapshot_command = take_snapshot_command;
         galera->revert_snapshot_command = revert_snapshot_command;
-        if (!galera->check_nodes())
-        {
-            if (call_mdbci("--recreate"))
-            {
-                exit(MDBCI_FAUILT);
-            }
-        }
+        galera_future = std::async(std::launch::async, &Galera_nodes::check_nodes, galera);
     }
     else
     {
@@ -377,23 +369,26 @@ TestConnections::TestConnections(int argc, char* argv[])
     }
 
     maxscales = new Maxscales("maxscale", test_dir, verbose, use_valgrind, network_config);
-    if (!maxscales->check_nodes() ||
-            ((maxscales->N < 2) && (mdbci_labels.find(std::string("SECOND_MAXSCALE")) != std::string::npos))
-       )
+
+    bool maxscale_ok = maxscales->check_nodes();
+    bool repl_ok = no_repl || repl_future.get();
+    bool galera_ok = no_galera || galera_future.get();
+    bool node_error = !maxscale_ok || !repl_ok || !galera_ok;
+
+    if (node_error || too_many_maxscales())
     {
+        tprintf("Recreating VMs: %s", node_error ? "node check failed" : "too many maxscales");
+
         if (call_mdbci("--recreate"))
         {
             exit(MDBCI_FAUILT);
         }
     }
 
-    if (reinstall_maxscale)
+    if (reinstall_maxscale && reinstall_maxscales())
     {
-        if (reinstall_maxscales())
-        {
-            tprintf("Failed to install Maxscale: target is %s", target);
-            exit(MDBCI_FAUILT);
-        }
+        tprintf("Failed to install Maxscale: target is %s", target);
+        exit(MDBCI_FAUILT);
     }
 
     std::string src = std::string(test_dir) + "/mdbci/add_core_cnf.sh";
@@ -414,39 +409,33 @@ TestConnections::TestConnections(int argc, char* argv[])
         }
     }
 
-    if (repl)
+    if (repl && maxscale::required_repl_version.length())
     {
-        if (maxscale::required_repl_version.length())
-        {
-            int ver_repl_required = get_int_version(maxscale::required_repl_version);
-            std::string ver_repl = repl->get_lowest_version();
-            int int_ver_repl = get_int_version(ver_repl);
+        int ver_repl_required = get_int_version(maxscale::required_repl_version);
+        std::string ver_repl = repl->get_lowest_version();
+        int int_ver_repl = get_int_version(ver_repl);
 
-            if (int_ver_repl < ver_repl_required)
-            {
-                tprintf("Test requires a higher version of backend servers, skipping test.");
-                tprintf("Required version: %s", maxscale::required_repl_version.c_str());
-                tprintf("Master-slave version: %s", ver_repl.c_str());
-                exit(0);
-            }
+        if (int_ver_repl < ver_repl_required)
+        {
+            tprintf("Test requires a higher version of backend servers, skipping test.");
+            tprintf("Required version: %s", maxscale::required_repl_version.c_str());
+            tprintf("Master-slave version: %s", ver_repl.c_str());
+            exit(0);
         }
     }
 
-    if (galera)
+    if (galera && maxscale::required_galera_version.length())
     {
-        if (maxscale::required_galera_version.length())
-        {
-            int ver_galera_required = get_int_version(maxscale::required_galera_version);
-            std::string ver_galera = galera->get_lowest_version();
-            int int_ver_galera = get_int_version(ver_galera);
+        int ver_galera_required = get_int_version(maxscale::required_galera_version);
+        std::string ver_galera = galera->get_lowest_version();
+        int int_ver_galera = get_int_version(ver_galera);
 
-            if (int_ver_galera < ver_galera_required)
-            {
-                tprintf("Test requires a higher version of backend servers, skipping test.");
-                tprintf("Required version: %s", maxscale::required_galera_version.c_str());
-                tprintf("Galera version: %s", ver_galera.c_str());
-                exit(0);
-            }
+        if (int_ver_galera < ver_galera_required)
+        {
+            tprintf("Test requires a higher version of backend servers, skipping test.");
+            tprintf("Required version: %s", maxscale::required_galera_version.c_str());
+            tprintf("Galera version: %s", ver_galera.c_str());
+            exit(0);
         }
     }
 
@@ -456,22 +445,15 @@ TestConnections::TestConnections(int argc, char* argv[])
         galera->start_replication();
     }
 
-
     if (maxscale::check_nodes)
     {
-        if (repl)
+        if (repl && !repl->fix_replication())
         {
-            if (!repl->fix_replication() )
-            {
-                exit(BROKEN_VM_FAUILT);
-            }
+            exit(BROKEN_VM_FAUILT);
         }
-        if (galera)
+        if (galera && !galera->fix_replication())
         {
-            if (!galera->fix_replication())
-            {
-                exit(BROKEN_VM_FAUILT);
-            }
+            exit(BROKEN_VM_FAUILT);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.h b/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.h
index 2f5160d61..aebcb86aa 100644
--- a/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.h
+++ b/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.h
@@ -700,9 +700,15 @@ public:
 
 private:
     void report_result(const char* format, va_list argp);
-    void copy_one_mariadb_log(Mariadb_nodes *nrepl, int i, std::string filename);
+    void copy_one_mariadb_log(Mariadb_nodes* nrepl, int i, std::string filename);
 
-    std::vector<std::function<void (void)>> m_on_destroy;
+    bool too_many_maxscales() const
+    {
+        return maxscales->N < 2
+               && mdbci_labels.find("SECOND_MAXSCALE") != std::string::npos;
+    }
+
+    std::vector<std::function<void(void)>> m_on_destroy;
 };
 
 /**