diff --git a/e2e-polybft/e2e/consensus_test.go b/e2e-polybft/e2e/consensus_test.go
index 50516d9fee..b65d5d0928 100644
--- a/e2e-polybft/e2e/consensus_test.go
+++ b/e2e-polybft/e2e/consensus_test.go
@@ -233,10 +233,10 @@ func TestE2E_Consensus_RegisterValidator(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// start the first and the second validator
 	cluster.InitTestServer(t, cluster.Config.ValidatorPrefix+strconv.Itoa(validatorSetSize+1),
-		cluster.Bridge.JSONRPCAddr(), true, false)
+		cluster.Bridge.JSONRPCAddr(), framework.Validator)
 
 	cluster.InitTestServer(t, cluster.Config.ValidatorPrefix+strconv.Itoa(validatorSetSize+2),
-		cluster.Bridge.JSONRPCAddr(), true, false)
+		cluster.Bridge.JSONRPCAddr(), framework.Validator)
 
 	// collect the first and the second validator from the cluster
 	firstValidator := cluster.Servers[validatorSetSize]
diff --git a/e2e-polybft/e2e/migration_test.go b/e2e-polybft/e2e/migration_test.go
index caccb2210f..04eae9cb40 100644
--- a/e2e-polybft/e2e/migration_test.go
+++ b/e2e-polybft/e2e/migration_test.go
@@ -204,6 +204,6 @@ func TestE2E_Migration(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err = cluster.InitSecrets("test-chain-8", 1)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	cluster.InitTestServer(t, "test-chain-8", cluster.Bridge.JSONRPCAddr(), false, false)
+	cluster.InitTestServer(t, "test-chain-8", cluster.Bridge.JSONRPCAddr(), frameworkpolybft.None)
 	require.NoError(t, cluster.WaitForBlock(33, time.Minute))
 }
diff --git a/e2e-polybft/framework/test-cluster.go b/e2e-polybft/framework/test-cluster.go
index d34006bafe..04aae87b70 100644
--- a/e2e-polybft/framework/test-cluster.go
+++ b/e2e-polybft/framework/test-cluster.go
@@ -51,6 +51,22 @@ const (
 	nonValidatorPrefix = "test-non-validator-"
 )
 
+type NodeType int
+
+const (
+	None      NodeType = 0
+	Validator NodeType = 1 << iota
+	Relayer   NodeType = 2
+)
+
+func (nt NodeType) IsSet(value NodeType) bool {
+	return nt&value == value
+}
+
+func (nt *NodeType) Append(value NodeType) {
+	*nt |= value
+}
+
 var (
 	startTime              int64
 	testRewardWalletAddr   = types.StringToAddress("0xFFFFFFFF")
@@ -639,22 +655,25 @@ func NewTestCluster(t *testing.T, validatorsCount int, opts ...ClusterOption) *T
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	for i := 1; i <= int(cluster.Config.ValidatorSetSize); i++ {
+		nodeType := Validator
+		if i == 1 {
+			nodeType.Append(Relayer)
+		}
+
 		dir := cluster.Config.ValidatorPrefix + strconv.Itoa(i)
-		cluster.InitTestServer(t, dir, cluster.Bridge.JSONRPCAddr(),
-			true, i == 1 /* relayer */)
+		cluster.InitTestServer(t, dir, cluster.Bridge.JSONRPCAddr(), nodeType)
 	}
 
 	for i := 1; i <= cluster.Config.NonValidatorCount; i++ {
 		dir := nonValidatorPrefix + strconv.Itoa(i)
-		cluster.InitTestServer(t, dir, cluster.Bridge.JSONRPCAddr(),
-			false, false /* relayer */)
+		cluster.InitTestServer(t, dir, cluster.Bridge.JSONRPCAddr(), None)
 	}
 
 	return cluster
 }
 
 func (c *TestCluster) InitTestServer(t *testing.T,
-	dataDir string, bridgeJSONRPC string, isValidator bool, relayer bool) {
+	dataDir string, bridgeJSONRPC string, nodeType NodeType) {
 	t.Helper()
 
 	logLevel := os.Getenv(envLogLevel)
@@ -669,11 +688,11 @@ func (c *TestCluster) InitTestServer(t *testing.T,
 
 	srv := NewTestServer(t, c.Config, bridgeJSONRPC, func(config *TestServerConfig) {
 		config.DataDir = dataDir
-		config.Seal = isValidator
+		config.Seal = nodeType.IsSet(Validator)
 		config.Chain = c.Config.Dir("genesis.json")
 		config.P2PPort = c.getOpenPort()
 		config.LogLevel = logLevel
-		config.Relayer = relayer
+		config.Relayer = nodeType.IsSet(Relayer)
 		config.NumBlockConfirmations = c.Config.NumBlockConfirmations
 		config.BridgeJSONRPC = bridgeJSONRPC
 		config.RelayerTrackerPollInterval = c.Config.RelayerTrackerPollInterval