diff --git a/beacon/blsync/engineclient.go b/beacon/blsync/engineclient.go
index 97ef6f5cb88e..2af424e6f0d6 100644
--- a/beacon/blsync/engineclient.go
+++ b/beacon/blsync/engineclient.go
@@ -47,7 +47,10 @@ func startEngineClient(config *lightClientConfig, rpc *rpc.Client, headCh <-chan
 		cancelRoot: cancel,
 	}
 	ec.wg.Add(1)
-	go ec.updateLoop(headCh)
+	go func() {
+		defer ec.wg.Done()
+		ec.updateLoop(headCh)
+	}()
 	return ec
 }
 
@@ -57,8 +60,6 @@ func (ec *engineClient) stop() {
 }
 
 func (ec *engineClient) updateLoop(headCh <-chan types.ChainHeadEvent) {
-	defer ec.wg.Done()
-
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-ec.rootCtx.Done():
diff --git a/console/console.go b/console/console.go
index 5acb4cdccb5b..22c8d478fb6a 100644
--- a/console/console.go
+++ b/console/console.go
@@ -120,7 +120,10 @@ func New(config Config) (*Console, error) {
 	}
 
 	console.wg.Add(1)
-	go console.interruptHandler()
+	go func() {
+		defer console.wg.Done()
+		console.interruptHandler()
+	}()
 
 	return console, nil
 }
@@ -363,8 +366,6 @@ func (c *Console) Evaluate(statement string) {
 // interruptHandler runs in its own goroutine and waits for signals.
 // When a signal is received, it interrupts the JS interpreter.
 func (c *Console) interruptHandler() {
-	defer c.wg.Done()
-
 	// During Interactive, liner inhibits the signal while it is prompting for
 	// input. However, the signal will be received while evaluating JS.
 	//
diff --git a/core/bloombits/scheduler.go b/core/bloombits/scheduler.go
index 6449c7465a17..688573b8ed2f 100644
--- a/core/bloombits/scheduler.go
+++ b/core/bloombits/scheduler.go
@@ -63,8 +63,14 @@ func (s *scheduler) run(sections chan uint64, dist chan *request, done chan []by
 
 	// Start the pipeline schedulers to forward between user -> distributor -> user
 	wg.Add(2)
-	go s.scheduleRequests(sections, dist, pend, quit, wg)
-	go s.scheduleDeliveries(pend, done, quit, wg)
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		s.scheduleRequests(sections, dist, pend, quit)
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		s.scheduleDeliveries(pend, done, quit)
+	}()
 }
 
 // reset cleans up any leftovers from previous runs. This is required before a
@@ -84,9 +90,8 @@ func (s *scheduler) reset() {
 // scheduleRequests reads section retrieval requests from the input channel,
 // deduplicates the stream and pushes unique retrieval tasks into the distribution
 // channel for a database or network layer to honour.
-func (s *scheduler) scheduleRequests(reqs chan uint64, dist chan *request, pend chan uint64, quit chan struct{}, wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
+func (s *scheduler) scheduleRequests(reqs chan uint64, dist chan *request, pend chan uint64, quit chan struct{}) {
 	// Clean up the goroutine and pipeline when done
-	defer wg.Done()
 	defer close(pend)
 
 	// Keep reading and scheduling section requests
@@ -131,9 +136,8 @@ func (s *scheduler) scheduleRequests(reqs chan uint64, dist chan *request, pend
 
 // scheduleDeliveries reads section acceptance notifications and waits for them
 // to be delivered, pushing them into the output data buffer.
-func (s *scheduler) scheduleDeliveries(pend chan uint64, done chan []byte, quit chan struct{}, wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
+func (s *scheduler) scheduleDeliveries(pend chan uint64, done chan []byte, quit chan struct{}) {
 	// Clean up the goroutine and pipeline when done
-	defer wg.Done()
 	defer close(done)
 
 	// Keep reading notifications and scheduling deliveries
diff --git a/core/state/statedb_test.go b/core/state/statedb_test.go
index 2ce2b868faa9..91b1b379ed1c 100644
--- a/core/state/statedb_test.go
+++ b/core/state/statedb_test.go
@@ -197,16 +197,20 @@ func TestCopy(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Finalise the changes on all concurrently
-	finalise := func(wg *sync.WaitGroup, db *StateDB) {
-		defer wg.Done()
-		db.Finalise(true)
-	}
-
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	wg.Add(3)
-	go finalise(&wg, orig)
-	go finalise(&wg, copy)
-	go finalise(&wg, ccopy)
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		orig.Finalise(true)
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		copy.Finalise(true)
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		ccopy.Finalise(true)
+	}()
 	wg.Wait()
 
 	// Verify that the three states have been updated independently
diff --git a/eth/handler.go b/eth/handler.go
index 143ac2a8a57b..723cf5ff11d2 100644
--- a/eth/handler.go
+++ b/eth/handler.go
@@ -198,7 +198,6 @@ func newHandler(config *handlerConfig) (*handler, error) {
 
 // protoTracker tracks the number of active protocol handlers.
 func (h *handler) protoTracker() {
-	defer h.wg.Done()
 	var active int
 	for {
 		select {
@@ -426,14 +425,20 @@ func (h *handler) Start(maxPeers int) {
 	h.wg.Add(1)
 	h.txsCh = make(chan core.NewTxsEvent, txChanSize)
 	h.txsSub = h.txpool.SubscribeTransactions(h.txsCh, false)
-	go h.txBroadcastLoop()
+	go func() {
+		defer h.wg.Done()
+		h.txBroadcastLoop()
+	}()
 
 	// start sync handlers
 	h.txFetcher.Start()
 
 	// start peer handler tracker
 	h.wg.Add(1)
-	go h.protoTracker()
+	go func() {
+		defer h.wg.Done()
+		h.protoTracker()
+	}()
 }
 
 func (h *handler) Stop() {
@@ -535,7 +540,6 @@ func (h *handler) BroadcastTransactions(txs types.Transactions) {
 
 // txBroadcastLoop announces new transactions to connected peers.
 func (h *handler) txBroadcastLoop() {
-	defer h.wg.Done()
 	for {
 		select {
 		case event := <-h.txsCh:
diff --git a/p2p/dial.go b/p2p/dial.go
index 08e1db28771e..42ccfa562621 100644
--- a/p2p/dial.go
+++ b/p2p/dial.go
@@ -178,8 +178,14 @@ func newDialScheduler(config dialConfig, it enode.Iterator, setupFunc dialSetupF
 	d.lastStatsLog = d.clock.Now()
 	d.ctx, d.cancel = context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	d.wg.Add(2)
-	go d.readNodes(it)
-	go d.loop(it)
+	go func() {
+		defer d.wg.Done()
+		d.readNodes(it)
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		defer d.wg.Done()
+		d.loop(it)
+	}()
 	return d
 }
 
@@ -311,14 +317,11 @@ loop:
 	for range d.dialing {
 		<-d.doneCh
 	}
-	d.wg.Done()
 }
 
 // readNodes runs in its own goroutine and delivers nodes from
 // the input iterator to the nodesIn channel.
 func (d *dialScheduler) readNodes(it enode.Iterator) {
-	defer d.wg.Done()
-
 	for it.Next() {
 		select {
 		case d.nodesIn <- it.Node():
diff --git a/p2p/discover/v4_udp.go b/p2p/discover/v4_udp.go
index 7a0a0f1c7779..5bc2a129587e 100644
--- a/p2p/discover/v4_udp.go
+++ b/p2p/discover/v4_udp.go
@@ -150,8 +150,14 @@ func ListenV4(c UDPConn, ln *enode.LocalNode, cfg Config) (*UDPv4, error) {
 	go tab.loop()
 
 	t.wg.Add(2)
-	go t.loop()
-	go t.readLoop(cfg.Unhandled)
+	go func() {
+		defer t.wg.Done()
+		t.loop()
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		defer t.wg.Done()
+		t.readLoop(cfg.Unhandled)
+	}()
 	return t, nil
 }
 
@@ -405,8 +411,6 @@ func (t *UDPv4) handleReply(from enode.ID, fromIP net.IP, req v4wire.Packet) boo
 // loop runs in its own goroutine. it keeps track of
 // the refresh timer and the pending reply queue.
 func (t *UDPv4) loop() {
-	defer t.wg.Done()
-
 	var (
 		plist        = list.New()
 		timeout      = time.NewTimer(0)
@@ -512,7 +516,6 @@ func (t *UDPv4) write(toaddr *net.UDPAddr, toid enode.ID, what string, packet []
 
 // readLoop runs in its own goroutine. it handles incoming UDP packets.
 func (t *UDPv4) readLoop(unhandled chan<- ReadPacket) {
-	defer t.wg.Done()
 	if unhandled != nil {
 		defer close(unhandled)
 	}
diff --git a/p2p/discover/v5_udp.go b/p2p/discover/v5_udp.go
index 20a8bccd058e..c8e5f8a23593 100644
--- a/p2p/discover/v5_udp.go
+++ b/p2p/discover/v5_udp.go
@@ -138,8 +138,14 @@ func ListenV5(conn UDPConn, ln *enode.LocalNode, cfg Config) (*UDPv5, error) {
 	}
 	go t.tab.loop()
 	t.wg.Add(2)
-	go t.readLoop()
-	go t.dispatch()
+	go func() {
+		defer t.wg.Done()
+		t.readLoop()
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		defer t.wg.Done()
+		t.dispatch()
+	}()
 	return t, nil
 }
 
@@ -513,8 +519,6 @@ func (t *UDPv5) callDone(c *callV5) {
 // When that happens the call is simply re-sent to complete the handshake. We allow one
 // handshake attempt per call.
 func (t *UDPv5) dispatch() {
-	defer t.wg.Done()
-
 	// Arm first read.
 	t.readNextCh <- struct{}{}
 
@@ -651,8 +655,6 @@ func (t *UDPv5) send(toID enode.ID, toAddr *net.UDPAddr, packet v5wire.Packet, c
 
 // readLoop runs in its own goroutine and reads packets from the network.
 func (t *UDPv5) readLoop() {
-	defer t.wg.Done()
-
 	buf := make([]byte, maxPacketSize)
 	for range t.readNextCh {
 		nbytes, from, err := t.conn.ReadFromUDP(buf)
diff --git a/p2p/enode/iter.go b/p2p/enode/iter.go
index b8ab4a758aee..d6df2f98119e 100644
--- a/p2p/enode/iter.go
+++ b/p2p/enode/iter.go
@@ -174,10 +174,13 @@ func (m *FairMix) AddSource(it Iterator) {
 	if m.closed == nil {
 		return
 	}
-	m.wg.Add(1)
 	source := &mixSource{it, make(chan *Node), m.timeout}
 	m.sources = append(m.sources, source)
-	go m.runSource(m.closed, source)
+	m.wg.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		defer m.wg.Done()
+		m.runSource(m.closed, source)
+	}()
 }
 
 // Close shuts down the mixer and all current sources.
@@ -281,7 +284,6 @@ func (m *FairMix) deleteSource(s *mixSource) {
 
 // runSource reads a single source in a loop.
 func (m *FairMix) runSource(closed chan struct{}, s *mixSource) {
-	defer m.wg.Done()
 	defer close(s.next)
 	for s.it.Next() {
 		n := s.it.Node()
diff --git a/p2p/peer.go b/p2p/peer.go
index e4482deae9f7..b56d3e70c53b 100644
--- a/p2p/peer.go
+++ b/p2p/peer.go
@@ -252,8 +252,14 @@ func (p *Peer) run() (remoteRequested bool, err error) {
 		reason     DiscReason // sent to the peer
 	)
 	p.wg.Add(2)
-	go p.readLoop(readErr)
-	go p.pingLoop()
+	go func() {
+		defer p.wg.Done()
+		p.readLoop(readErr)
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		defer p.wg.Done()
+		p.pingLoop()
+	}()
 
 	// Start all protocol handlers.
 	writeStart <- struct{}{}
@@ -295,8 +301,6 @@ loop:
 }
 
 func (p *Peer) pingLoop() {
-	defer p.wg.Done()
-
 	ping := time.NewTimer(pingInterval)
 	defer ping.Stop()
 
@@ -319,7 +323,6 @@ func (p *Peer) pingLoop() {
 }
 
 func (p *Peer) readLoop(errc chan<- error) {
-	defer p.wg.Done()
 	for {
 		msg, err := p.rw.ReadMsg()
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/p2p/server.go b/p2p/server.go
index 5b9a4aa71fdc..15a702e15d7c 100644
--- a/p2p/server.go
+++ b/p2p/server.go
@@ -656,7 +656,12 @@ func (srv *Server) setupListening() error {
 	}
 
 	srv.loopWG.Add(1)
-	go srv.listenLoop()
+	go func() {
+		// Wait for slots to be returned on exit. This ensures all connection goroutines
+		// are down before listenLoop returns.
+		defer srv.loopWG.Done()
+		srv.listenLoop()
+	}()
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -859,9 +864,6 @@ func (srv *Server) listenLoop() {
 		slots <- struct{}{}
 	}
 
-	// Wait for slots to be returned on exit. This ensures all connection goroutines
-	// are down before listenLoop returns.
-	defer srv.loopWG.Done()
 	defer func() {
 		for i := 0; i < cap(slots); i++ {
 			<-slots
diff --git a/p2p/simulations/adapters/exec.go b/p2p/simulations/adapters/exec.go
index 6307b90bf81c..39754988b0b1 100644
--- a/p2p/simulations/adapters/exec.go
+++ b/p2p/simulations/adapters/exec.go
@@ -334,15 +334,20 @@ func (n *ExecNode) ServeRPC(clientConn *websocket.Conn) error {
 	}
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	wg.Add(2)
-	go wsCopy(&wg, conn, clientConn)
-	go wsCopy(&wg, clientConn, conn)
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		wsCopy(conn, clientConn)
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		wsCopy(clientConn, conn)
+	}()
 	wg.Wait()
 	conn.Close()
 	return nil
 }
 
-func wsCopy(wg *sync.WaitGroup, src, dst *websocket.Conn) {
-	defer wg.Done()
+func wsCopy(src, dst *websocket.Conn) {
 	for {
 		msgType, r, err := src.NextReader()
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/rpc/client_test.go b/rpc/client_test.go
index 01c326afb017..dd45dcaa74ee 100644
--- a/rpc/client_test.go
+++ b/rpc/client_test.go
@@ -352,7 +352,6 @@ func testClientCancel(transport string, t *testing.T) {
 		ncallers = 10
 	)
 	caller := func(index int) {
-		defer wg.Done()
 		for i := 0; i < nreqs; i++ {
 			var (
 				ctx     context.Context
@@ -386,7 +385,10 @@ func testClientCancel(transport string, t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	wg.Add(ncallers)
 	for i := 0; i < ncallers; i++ {
-		go caller(i)
+		go func(idx int) {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			caller(idx)
+		}(i)
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
 }
diff --git a/rpc/websocket.go b/rpc/websocket.go
index 9f67caf859f1..0c905ed17107 100644
--- a/rpc/websocket.go
+++ b/rpc/websocket.go
@@ -319,7 +319,10 @@ func newWebsocketCodec(conn *websocket.Conn, host string, req http.Header, readL
 		return nil
 	})
 	wc.wg.Add(1)
-	go wc.pingLoop()
+	go func() {
+		defer wc.wg.Done()
+		wc.pingLoop()
+	}()
 	return wc
 }
 
@@ -347,7 +350,6 @@ func (wc *websocketCodec) writeJSON(ctx context.Context, v interface{}, isError
 // pingLoop sends periodic ping frames when the connection is idle.
 func (wc *websocketCodec) pingLoop() {
 	var pingTimer = time.NewTimer(wsPingInterval)
-	defer wc.wg.Done()
 	defer pingTimer.Stop()
 
 	for {