diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index adda7c62a..6d0d4c05d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -342,9 +342,6 @@ e2e-notation-crl-setup:
 	${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/bin/oras cp --from-oci-layout .staging/notation/notation.tar:v0 ${TEST_REGISTRY}/notation:crl
 	rm .staging/notation/notation.tar
 	NOTATION_EXPERIMENTAL=1 .staging/notation/notation sign -u ${TEST_REGISTRY_USERNAME} -p ${TEST_REGISTRY_PASSWORD} --key "crl-test" ${TEST_REGISTRY}/notation@`${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/bin/oras manifest fetch ${TEST_REGISTRY}/notation:crl --descriptor | jq .digest | xargs`
-	# run the CRL server in the background
-	python3 ./scripts/crl_server.py &
-	CRL_SERVER_PID=$(shell $!)
 
 
 e2e-cosign-setup:
diff --git a/test/bats/base-test.bats b/test/bats/base-test.bats
index 5ff4482e4..88c476bcd 100644
--- a/test/bats/base-test.bats
+++ b/test/bats/base-test.bats
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ RATIFY_NAMESPACE=gatekeeper-system
         echo "cleaning up"
         wait_for_process ${WAIT_TIME} ${SLEEP_TIME} 'kubectl delete pod demo --namespace default --force --ignore-not-found=true'
     }
-    
+	run_crl_server
     run kubectl run demo --namespace default --image=registry:5000/notation:crl
     assert_success
 }
diff --git a/test/bats/cli-test.bats b/test/bats/cli-test.bats
index 3e99f821c..94819cd95 100644
--- a/test/bats/cli-test.bats
+++ b/test/bats/cli-test.bats
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ load helpers
 }
 
 @test "notation verifier crl test" {
+    run_crl_server
+
     run bin/ratify verify -c $RATIFY_DIR/config_notation_crl.json -s $TEST_REGISTRY/notation:crl
     assert_cmd_verify_success
 }
diff --git a/test/bats/helpers.bash b/test/bats/helpers.bash
index d8c872686..aa95ab664 100644
--- a/test/bats/helpers.bash
+++ b/test/bats/helpers.bash
@@ -111,3 +111,9 @@ wait_for_process() {
   done
   return 1
 }
+
+# run the CRL server in the background
+run_crl_server() {
+	python3 ./scripts/crl_server.py &
+	echo $(shell $!)
+}
\ No newline at end of file