diff --git a/__tests__/core/browser-service.test.ts b/__tests__/core/browser-service.test.ts
index 323bcd5f..63b4216a 100644
--- a/__tests__/core/browser-service.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/core/browser-service.test.ts
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ describe('BrowserService', () => {
   });
 
   it('should create browser pages', async () => {
-    const driver = await Gatherer.setupDriver({
+    const { page } = await Gatherer.setupDriver({
       wsEndpoint: 'ws://localhost:9323',
     });
-    await driver.page.goto(server.TEST_PAGE);
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await page.goto(server.TEST_PAGE);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
   });
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/core/gatherer.test.ts b/__tests__/core/gatherer.test.ts
index bc44ac6c..3f7acf12 100644
--- a/__tests__/core/gatherer.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/core/gatherer.test.ts
@@ -31,10 +31,18 @@ import { wsEndpoint } from '../utils/test-config';
 jest.mock('../../src/plugins/network');
 
 describe('Gatherer', () => {
-  it('boot and dispose driver', async () => {
+  it('boot and close browser', async () => {
     const driver = await Gatherer.setupDriver({ wsEndpoint });
     expect(typeof driver.page.goto).toBe('function');
+    await Gatherer.stop();
+  });
+
+  it('setup and dispose driver', async () => {
+    const driver = await Gatherer.setupDriver({ wsEndpoint });
     await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    expect(Gatherer.browser).toBeDefined();
+    await Gatherer.stop();
+    expect(Gatherer.browser).toBeNull();
   });
 
   it('begin recording based on flags', async () => {
@@ -45,6 +53,6 @@ describe('Gatherer', () => {
     expect(pluginManager).toBeInstanceOf(PluginManager);
     const network = pluginManager.get(NetworkManager);
     expect(network.start).toHaveBeenCalled();
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
   });
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/core/runner.test.ts b/__tests__/core/runner.test.ts
index b621c109..c8f7d5c9 100644
--- a/__tests__/core/runner.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/core/runner.test.ts
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ describe('runner', () => {
     const context = await Runner.createContext(runOptions);
     await runner.registerJourney(j1, context);
     const result = await runner.runSteps(j1, context, runOptions);
-    await Gatherer.dispose(context.driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
     expect(result).toEqual([
       {
         status: 'succeeded',
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ describe('runner', () => {
     const context = await Runner.createContext(runOptions);
     await runner.registerJourney(j1, context);
     const result = await runner.runSteps(j1, context, runOptions);
-    await Gatherer.dispose(context.driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
     expect(result).toEqual([
       {
         status: 'failed',
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ describe('runner', () => {
     const context = await Runner.createContext({});
     await runner.registerJourney(j1, context);
     const result = await runner.runSteps(j1, context, {});
-    await Gatherer.dispose(context.driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
     expect(result).toEqual([
       {
         status: 'failed',
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ describe('runner', () => {
     const context = await Runner.createContext({});
     await runner.registerJourney(j1, context);
     const result = await runner.runSteps(j1, context, {});
-    await Gatherer.dispose(context.driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
     expect(result).toEqual([
       {
         status: 'failed',
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ describe('runner', () => {
     const context = await Runner.createContext(runOptions);
     await runner.registerJourney(j1, context);
     const [step1, step2] = await runner.runSteps(j1, context, runOptions);
-    await Gatherer.dispose(context.driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
     expect(step1).toEqual({
       status: 'succeeded',
       url: server.TEST_PAGE,
diff --git a/__tests__/plugins/browser-console.test.ts b/__tests__/plugins/browser-console.test.ts
index a9cdc9bd..62e54ef6 100644
--- a/__tests__/plugins/browser-console.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/plugins/browser-console.test.ts
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ describe('BrowserConsole', () => {
   });
 
   it('should capture browser console logs', async () => {
-    const driver = await Gatherer.setupDriver({ wsEndpoint });
-    const browserConsole = new BrowserConsole(driver.page);
+    const { page } = await Gatherer.setupDriver({ wsEndpoint });
+    const browserConsole = new BrowserConsole(page);
     browserConsole.start();
-    await driver.page.goto(server.TEST_PAGE);
+    await page.goto(server.TEST_PAGE);
     browserConsole._currentStep = { name: 'step-name', index: 0 };
-    await driver.page.evaluate(() =>
+    await page.evaluate(() =>
       console.warn('test-message', 1, { test: 'test' })
     );
 
@@ -53,6 +53,6 @@ describe('BrowserConsole', () => {
     expect(testMessage.type).toEqual('warning');
     expect(testMessage.timestamp).toBeDefined();
     expect(testMessage.step).toEqual({ name: 'step-name', index: 0 });
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
   });
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/plugins/network.test.ts b/__tests__/plugins/network.test.ts
index 2ff50333..ead2a6be 100644
--- a/__tests__/plugins/network.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/plugins/network.test.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ describe('network', () => {
       responseReceivedTime: expect.any(Number),
       timings: expect.any(Object),
     });
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
   });
 
   it('not include data URL in network info', async () => {
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ describe('network', () => {
     const netinfo = await network.stop();
     expect(await driver.page.content()).toContain('Data URI test');
     expect(netinfo).toEqual([]);
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
   });
 
   it('produce distinct events for redirects', async () => {
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ describe('network', () => {
     expect(netinfo[0].status).toBe(302);
     expect(netinfo[1].status).toBe(302);
     expect(netinfo[2].status).toBe(200);
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
   });
 
   it('measure resource and transfer size', async () => {
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ describe('network', () => {
       resourceSize: 10,
       transferSize: expect.any(Number),
     });
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
   });
 
   it('timings for aborted requests', async () => {
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ describe('network', () => {
 
     await driver.page.goto(server.PREFIX + '/index');
     await driver.page.waitForLoadState();
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
     const netinfo = await network.stop();
     expect(netinfo.length).toBe(2);
     expect(netinfo[1]).toMatchObject({
@@ -163,8 +163,9 @@ describe('network', () => {
       res.end(`<script src=${server.PREFIX}/chunked />`);
     });
 
+    await driver.page.waitForLoadState();
     await driver.page.goto(server.PREFIX + '/index');
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
     const netinfo = await network.stop();
     expect(netinfo.length).toBe(2);
     expect(netinfo[1]).toMatchObject({
diff --git a/__tests__/plugins/performance.test.ts b/__tests__/plugins/performance.test.ts
index 76e11d76..12591575 100644
--- a/__tests__/plugins/performance.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/plugins/performance.test.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,6 @@ describe('performance', () => {
       'JSHeapTotalSize',
     ]);
     await performance.stop();
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
   });
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/plugins/tracing.test.ts b/__tests__/plugins/tracing.test.ts
index 828709d7..32838f83 100644
--- a/__tests__/plugins/tracing.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/plugins/tracing.test.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ describe('tracing', () => {
      */
     await driver.page.waitForTimeout(100);
     const events = await tracer.stop(driver.client);
-    await Gatherer.dispose(driver);
+    await Gatherer.stop();
     const filmstrips = filterFilmstrips(events);
     expect(filmstrips.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
     expect(filmstrips[0]).toMatchObject({
diff --git a/src/core/gatherer.ts b/src/core/gatherer.ts
index 34f5bd81..eef20042 100644
--- a/src/core/gatherer.ts
+++ b/src/core/gatherer.ts
@@ -46,26 +46,25 @@ export type Driver = {
  * related capabilities for the runner to run all journeys
  */
 export class Gatherer {
+  static browser: ChromiumBrowser;
+
   static async setupDriver(options: RunOptions): Promise<Driver> {
-    let browser: ChromiumBrowser;
-    const { wsEndpoint, headless, sandbox = false } = options;
-    if (wsEndpoint) {
-      log(`Gatherer: connecting to WS endpoint: ${wsEndpoint}`);
-      browser = await chromium.connect({ wsEndpoint });
-    } else {
-      log('Gatherer: launching chrome');
-      if (!sandbox) {
-        log('Gatherer: chromium sandboxing is disabled');
+    if (Gatherer.browser == null) {
+      const { wsEndpoint, headless, sandbox = false } = options;
+      if (wsEndpoint) {
+        log(`Gatherer: connecting to WS endpoint: ${wsEndpoint}`);
+        Gatherer.browser = await chromium.connect({ wsEndpoint });
+      } else {
+        Gatherer.browser = await chromium.launch({
+          headless,
+          chromiumSandbox: sandbox,
+        });
       }
-      browser = await chromium.launch({
-        headless,
-        chromiumSandbox: sandbox,
-      });
     }
-    const context = await browser.newContext();
+    const context = await Gatherer.browser.newContext();
     const page = await context.newPage();
     const client = await context.newCDPSession(page);
-    return { browser, context, page, client };
+    return { browser: Gatherer.browser, context, page, client };
   }
 
   /**
@@ -84,6 +83,13 @@ export class Gatherer {
   }
 
   static async dispose(driver: Driver) {
-    await driver.browser.close();
+    await driver.context.close();
+  }
+
+  static async stop() {
+    if (Gatherer.browser) {
+      await Gatherer.browser.close();
+      Gatherer.browser = null;
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/runner.ts b/src/core/runner.ts
index 36ce74ff..0d1442b1 100644
--- a/src/core/runner.ts
+++ b/src/core/runner.ts
@@ -348,6 +348,7 @@ export default class Runner {
       const journeyResult = await this.runJourney(journey, options);
       result[journey.name] = journeyResult;
     }
+    await Gatherer.stop();
     await this.runAfterAllHook();
     this.reset();
     this.emit('end', {});