diff --git a/maxscale-system-test/mxs548_short_session_change_user.cpp b/maxscale-system-test/mxs548_short_session_change_user.cpp
index d2b452beb..208575fcc 100644
--- a/maxscale-system-test/mxs548_short_session_change_user.cpp
+++ b/maxscale-system-test/mxs548_short_session_change_user.cpp
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     Test->repl->sync_slaves();
 
     Test->tprintf("Creating user 'user' \n");
-    execute_query(Test->maxscales->conn_rwsplit[0], (char *) "DROP USER user@'%%'");
+    execute_query(Test->maxscales->conn_rwsplit[0], (char *) "DROP USER IF EXISTS user@'%%'");
     execute_query(Test->maxscales->conn_rwsplit[0], (char *) "CREATE USER user@'%%' IDENTIFIED BY 'pass2'");
     execute_query(Test->maxscales->conn_rwsplit[0], (char *) "GRANT SELECT ON test.* TO user@'%%'");
     execute_query(Test->maxscales->conn_rwsplit[0], (char *) "DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test.t1");
diff --git a/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp b/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp
index 1c9e75f26..c5c4ea280 100644
--- a/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp
+++ b/maxscale-system-test/testconnections.cpp
@@ -641,7 +641,10 @@ void TestConnections::init_maxscale(int m)
 {
     const char * template_name = get_template_name(test_name);
 
-    stop_maxscale(m);
+    if (maxscale::start)
+    {
+        stop_maxscale(m);
+    }
 
     process_template(m, template_name, maxscales->access_homedir[m]);
     maxscales->ssh_node_f(m, true,