diff --git a/pytest/tests/mocknet/helpers/neard_runner.py b/pytest/tests/mocknet/helpers/neard_runner.py
index fb10a6dc0d2..c754bc715aa 100644
--- a/pytest/tests/mocknet/helpers/neard_runner.py
+++ b/pytest/tests/mocknet/helpers/neard_runner.py
@@ -828,7 +828,10 @@ def serve(self, port):
         # something so lightweight
         main_loop = threading.Thread(target=self.main_loop)
         main_loop.start()
-        s = RpcServer(('0.0.0.0', port), self)
+        # this will listen only on the loopback interface and won't be accessible
+        # over the internet. If connecting to another machine, we can SSH and then make
+        # the request locally
+        s = RpcServer(('localhost', port), self)
         s.serve_forever()
 
 
diff --git a/pytest/tests/mocknet/mirror.py b/pytest/tests/mocknet/mirror.py
index c3b7ad5ffda..d96455ed339 100755
--- a/pytest/tests/mocknet/mirror.py
+++ b/pytest/tests/mocknet/mirror.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 """
 from argparse import ArgumentParser, BooleanOptionalAction
 import pathlib
+import json
 import random
 from rc import pmap, run
 import requests
@@ -328,14 +329,25 @@ def stop_traffic_cmd(args, traffic_generator, nodes):
 
 
 def neard_runner_jsonrpc(node, method, params=[]):
-    j = {'method': method, 'params': params, 'id': 'dontcare', 'jsonrpc': '2.0'}
-    r = requests.post(f'http://{node.machine.ip}:3000', json=j, timeout=30)
-    if r.status_code != 200:
-        logger.warning(
-            f'bad response {r.status_code} trying to send {method} JSON RPC to neard runner on {node.instance_name}:\n{r.content}'
+    body = {
+        'method': method,
+        'params': params,
+        'id': 'dontcare',
+        'jsonrpc': '2.0'
+    }
+    body = json.dumps(body)
+    # '"'"' will be interpreted as ending the first quote and then concatenating it with "'",
+    # followed by a new quote started with ' and the rest of the string, to get any single quotes
+    # in method or params into the command correctly
+    body = body.replace("'", "'\"'\"'")
+    r = run_cmd(node, f'curl localhost:3000 -d \'{body}\'')
+    response = json.loads(r.stdout)
+    if 'error' in response:
+        # TODO: errors should be handled better here in general but just exit for now
+        sys.exit(
+            f'bad response trying to send {method} JSON RPC to neard runner on {node.instance_name}:\n{response}'
         )
-    r.raise_for_status()
-    return r.json()['result']
+    return response['result']
 
 
 def neard_runner_start(node):