diff --git a/test/e2e/generator/generate.go b/test/e2e/generator/generate.go
index 01bbdbe01f8..c7e1bad0cc4 100644
--- a/test/e2e/generator/generate.go
+++ b/test/e2e/generator/generate.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ func Generate(r *rand.Rand) ([]e2e.Manifest, error) {
 func generateTestnet(r *rand.Rand, opt map[string]interface{}) (e2e.Manifest, error) {
 	manifest := e2e.Manifest{
 		IPv6:             ipv6.Choose(r).(bool),
+		ABCIProtocol:     nodeABCIProtocols.Choose(r).(string),
 		InitialHeight:    int64(opt["initialHeight"].(int)),
 		InitialState:     opt["initialState"].(map[string]string),
 		Validators:       &map[string]int64{},
@@ -207,7 +208,6 @@ func generateNode(
 		Mode:             string(mode),
 		StartAt:          startAt,
 		Database:         nodeDatabases.Choose(r).(string),
-		ABCIProtocol:     nodeABCIProtocols.Choose(r).(string),
 		PrivvalProtocol:  nodePrivvalProtocols.Choose(r).(string),
 		FastSync:         nodeFastSyncs.Choose(r).(string),
 		StateSync:        nodeStateSyncs.Choose(r).(bool) && startAt > 0,
@@ -264,7 +264,6 @@ func generateLightNode(r *rand.Rand, startAt int64, providers []string) *e2e.Man
 		Mode:            string(e2e.ModeLight),
 		StartAt:         startAt,
 		Database:        nodeDatabases.Choose(r).(string),
-		ABCIProtocol:    "builtin",
 		PersistInterval: ptrUint64(0),
 		PersistentPeers: providers,
 	}
diff --git a/test/e2e/pkg/manifest.go b/test/e2e/pkg/manifest.go
index 2ea9b22ba90..563dca7d1c3 100644
--- a/test/e2e/pkg/manifest.go
+++ b/test/e2e/pkg/manifest.go
@@ -50,6 +50,12 @@ type Manifest struct {
 	// KeyType sets the curve that will be used by validators.
 	// Options are ed25519 & secp256k1
 	KeyType string `toml:"key_type"`
+
+	// ABCIProtocol specifies the protocol used to communicate with the ABCI
+	// application: "unix", "tcp", "grpc", or "builtin". Defaults to builtin.
+	// builtin will build a complete Tendermint node into the application and
+	// launch it instead of launching a separate Tendermint process.
+	ABCIProtocol string `toml:"abci_protocol"`
 }
 
 // ManifestNode represents a node in a testnet manifest.
@@ -72,12 +78,6 @@ type ManifestNode struct {
 	// "rocksdb", "boltdb", or "badgerdb". Defaults to goleveldb.
 	Database string `toml:"database"`
 
-	// ABCIProtocol specifies the protocol used to communicate with the ABCI
-	// application: "unix", "tcp", "grpc", or "builtin". Defaults to unix.
-	// builtin will build a complete Tendermint node into the application and
-	// launch it instead of launching a separate Tendermint process.
-	ABCIProtocol string `toml:"abci_protocol"`
-
 	// PrivvalProtocol specifies the protocol used to sign consensus messages:
 	// "file", "unix", or "tcp". Defaults to "file". For unix and tcp, the ABCI
 	// application will launch a remote signer client in a separate goroutine.
diff --git a/test/e2e/pkg/testnet.go b/test/e2e/pkg/testnet.go
index 401c13af1e6..41686c72de2 100644
--- a/test/e2e/pkg/testnet.go
+++ b/test/e2e/pkg/testnet.go
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ type Testnet struct {
 	ValidatorUpdates map[int64]map[*Node]int64
 	Nodes            []*Node
 	KeyType          string
+	ABCIProtocol     string
 }
 
 // Node represents a Tendermint node in a testnet.
@@ -122,10 +123,17 @@ func LoadTestnet(file string) (*Testnet, error) {
 		Validators:       map[*Node]int64{},
 		ValidatorUpdates: map[int64]map[*Node]int64{},
 		Nodes:            []*Node{},
+		ABCIProtocol:     manifest.ABCIProtocol,
+	}
+	if len(manifest.KeyType) != 0 {
+		testnet.KeyType = manifest.KeyType
 	}
 	if manifest.InitialHeight > 0 {
 		testnet.InitialHeight = manifest.InitialHeight
 	}
+	if testnet.ABCIProtocol == "" {
+		testnet.ABCIProtocol = string(ProtocolBuiltin)
+	}
 
 	// Set up nodes, in alphabetical order (IPs and ports get same order).
 	nodeNames := []string{}
@@ -145,7 +153,7 @@ func LoadTestnet(file string) (*Testnet, error) {
 			ProxyPort:        proxyPortGen.Next(),
 			Mode:             ModeValidator,
 			Database:         "goleveldb",
-			ABCIProtocol:     ProtocolBuiltin,
+			ABCIProtocol:     Protocol(testnet.ABCIProtocol),
 			PrivvalProtocol:  ProtocolFile,
 			StartAt:          nodeManifest.StartAt,
 			FastSync:         nodeManifest.FastSync,
@@ -165,9 +173,6 @@ func LoadTestnet(file string) (*Testnet, error) {
 		if nodeManifest.Database != "" {
 			node.Database = nodeManifest.Database
 		}
-		if nodeManifest.ABCIProtocol != "" {
-			node.ABCIProtocol = Protocol(nodeManifest.ABCIProtocol)
-		}
 		if nodeManifest.PrivvalProtocol != "" {
 			node.PrivvalProtocol = Protocol(nodeManifest.PrivvalProtocol)
 		}