diff --git a/contracts/test-utils/src/mocha_blockchain.ts b/contracts/test-utils/src/mocha_blockchain.ts
index 68263c834a..8dc00b5c42 100644
--- a/contracts/test-utils/src/mocha_blockchain.ts
+++ b/contracts/test-utils/src/mocha_blockchain.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,18 @@ function defineBlockchainSuite<T>(
     describeCall: Mocha.ContextDefinitionCallback<T>,
 ): T {
     return describeCall(description, function(this: Mocha.ISuiteCallbackContext): void {
-        callback.call(this, BlockchainTestsEnvironment.create());
+        const env = BlockchainTestsEnvironment.create();
+        before(
+            async (): Promise<void> => {
+                return env.blockchainLifecycle.startAsync();
+            },
+        );
+        before(
+            async (): Promise<void> => {
+                return env.blockchainLifecycle.revertAsync();
+            },
+        );
+        callback.call(this, env);
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/contracts/test-utils/test/mocha_blockchain.ts b/contracts/test-utils/test/mocha_blockchain.ts
index 2f291781b1..e4c2f35038 100644
--- a/contracts/test-utils/test/mocha_blockchain.ts
+++ b/contracts/test-utils/test/mocha_blockchain.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ blockchainTests('mocha blockchain extensions', env => {
                 });
             });
 
-            blockchainTests/*.only*/('only', () => {
+            blockchainTests('only', () => {
                 it.skip("can't test `only` :-(", () => {
                     // no-op.
                 });