diff --git a/inprocess/genesis.go b/inprocess/genesis.go
index bdd77ad7a2..b8e5188ece 100644
--- a/inprocess/genesis.go
+++ b/inprocess/genesis.go
@@ -45,9 +45,19 @@ type genesisBuilder struct {
 	balances []banktypes.Balance
 }
 
-// fundValidator stores a validator operator key in kb, funds its genesis account
-// + balances, and writes its self-delegation gentx to gentxsDir keyed by moniker.
-// It returns the operator address for downstream client wiring.
+// operatorKeyName is the keyring name each node's validator operator key is stored
+// under, mirroring the docker localnode convention (`node_admin`). Suites resolve
+// the operator by this name — validator address (--bech val), reward/commission
+// queries, delegation targets — and run unchanged against the in-process arm. It is
+// reserved: each node keyrings its own operator under it, and provisionExtraKeys
+// rejects an ExtraKey that reuses the name (which would overwrite the operator with
+// a plain account).
+const operatorKeyName = "node_admin"
+
+// fundValidator stores a validator operator key in kb (under operatorKeyName),
+// funds its genesis account + balances, and writes its self-delegation gentx to
+// gentxsDir keyed by moniker. It returns the operator address for downstream
+// client wiring.
 func (b *genesisBuilder) fundValidator(
 	kb keyring.Keyring,
 	moniker string,
@@ -56,9 +66,9 @@ func (b *genesisBuilder) fundValidator(
 	accountTokens, stakingTokens, bondedTokens sdk.Int,
 	p2pHost, p2pPort, nodeID, gentxsDir string,
 ) (sdk.AccAddress, error) {
-	addr, _, err := testutil.GenerateSaveCoinKey(kb, moniker, "", true, algo)
+	addr, _, err := testutil.GenerateSaveCoinKey(kb, operatorKeyName, "", true, algo)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("generate key for %s: %w", moniker, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("generate operator key for %s: %w", moniker, err)
 	}
 
 	balances := sdk.NewCoins(
@@ -92,7 +102,7 @@ func (b *genesisBuilder) fundValidator(
 	txb.SetGasLimit(1_000_000)
 	txb.SetMemo(memo)
 	txf := tx.Factory{}.WithChainID(b.chainID).WithMemo(memo).WithKeybase(kb).WithTxConfig(b.txConfig)
-	if err := tx.Sign(txf, moniker, txb, true); err != nil {
+	if err := tx.Sign(txf, operatorKeyName, txb, true); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	txBz, err := b.txConfig.TxJSONEncoder()(txb.GetTx())
diff --git a/inprocess/harness.go b/inprocess/harness.go
index c581ce02d7..ccb7b8fee2 100644
--- a/inprocess/harness.go
+++ b/inprocess/harness.go
@@ -79,17 +79,20 @@ type Options struct {
 	// ExtraKeys are non-validator genesis accounts to create + fund. Each key is
 	// written into its target node's home `test` keyring (so a host `seid --home
 	// <home> --keyring-backend test` resolves it) and funded at genesis. This is
-	// the bridge the YAML runner's in-process arm needs: the bank suite signs as
-	// `admin` (node 0) and the docker topology also seeds `node_admin` per node.
+	// the bridge the YAML runner's in-process arm needs — e.g. the bank suite signs
+	// as `admin` on node 0. It must NOT seed `node_admin`: that name is the per-node
+	// validator operator the harness provisions (see operatorKeyName), and
+	// provisionExtraKeys rejects it.
 	ExtraKeys []ExtraKey
 }
 
-// ExtraKey is a non-validator genesis account the harness creates and funds. It
-// mirrors the docker localnode topology where `admin` lives on node 0 only and
-// `node_admin` exists per node, so suites that sign as those names run unchanged
-// against the in-process arm.
+// ExtraKey is a non-validator genesis account the harness creates and funds — a
+// suite signing key the docker localnode seeds (e.g. `admin` on node 0), so suites
+// that sign as those names run unchanged against the in-process arm. The validator
+// operator `node_admin` is NOT an ExtraKey: the harness provisions it per node
+// (see operatorKeyName), and provisionExtraKeys rejects it.
 type ExtraKey struct {
-	// Name is the keyring key name (e.g. "admin", "node_admin").
+	// Name is the keyring key name (e.g. "admin"); must not be operatorKeyName.
 	Name string
 	// Node is the 0-based validator index whose home keyring receives the key.
 	Node int
@@ -324,14 +327,21 @@ func (net *Network) provisionNodes(enc encoding, gb *genesisBuilder) error {
 // `test` keyring and funds its genesis account. It runs after provisionNodes (so
 // every node's keyring exists) and before genesis assembly (so the balances fold
 // into the base genesis). This is the keyring/home bridge the YAML runner's
-// in-process arm relies on — `admin` on node 0, `node_admin` per node — matching
-// the docker localnode topology so bank suites sign unchanged.
+// in-process arm relies on — e.g. `admin` on node 0 — matching the docker
+// localnode signing keys so suites sign unchanged. (node_admin is not seeded
+// here; it is the per-node operator provisioned in provisionNodes.)
 func (net *Network) provisionExtraKeys(gb *genesisBuilder) error {
 	algoStr := string(hdSecp256k1())
 	for _, ek := range net.opts.ExtraKeys {
 		if ek.Node < 0 || ek.Node >= len(net.nodes) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("extra key %q targets node %d, out of range [0,%d)", ek.Name, ek.Node, len(net.nodes))
 		}
+		// operatorKeyName is provisioned per node (fundValidator); an ExtraKey reusing
+		// it would overwrite the operator with a plain account — fail-loud rather than
+		// silently corrupt the operator identity.
+		if ek.Name == operatorKeyName {
+			return fmt.Errorf("inprocess: ExtraKey name %q is reserved for the per-node validator operator; use a different name", ek.Name)
+		}
 		kb := net.nodes[ek.Node].clientCx.Keyring
 		algos, _ := kb.SupportedAlgorithms()
 		algo, err := keyring.NewSigningAlgoFromString(algoStr, algos)
diff --git a/inprocess/harness_test.go b/inprocess/harness_test.go
index 482452dd3e..4f28d0c077 100644
--- a/inprocess/harness_test.go
+++ b/inprocess/harness_test.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func assertCrossNodeTxRoundTrip(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, net *Network)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("build tx: %v", err)
 	}
-	if err := tx.Sign(txf, n0.moniker, txb, true); err != nil {
+	if err := tx.Sign(txf, operatorKeyName, txb, true); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("sign tx: %v", err)
 	}
 	txBz, err := n0.clientCx.TxConfig.TxEncoder()(txb.GetTx())
@@ -118,6 +118,20 @@ func TestStartRejectsZeroValidators(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestStartRejectsOperatorKeyNameExtraKey guards the operator-key reservation: an
+// ExtraKey reusing operatorKeyName would overwrite the per-node validator operator
+// with a plain account (a silent operator-identity corruption), so Start rejects it
+// before bring-up. The reject path returns before the one-network slot is claimed.
+func TestStartRejectsOperatorKeyNameExtraKey(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := Start(context.Background(), Options{
+		Validators: 1,
+		ExtraKeys:  []ExtraKey{{Name: operatorKeyName, Node: 0}},
+	})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Start with an ExtraKey named %q: want error, got nil", operatorKeyName)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestBuildNodeConfigMetricsOff mechanically guards the metrics-off constraint
 // (see doc.go): a built node config must keep Instrumentation.Prometheus = false.
 // Re-enabling it reintroduces the process-wide dup-registry panic, so this catches
diff --git a/integration_test/runner/runner_inprocess_test.go b/integration_test/runner/runner_inprocess_test.go
index 49eb166389..64be83ab8e 100644
--- a/integration_test/runner/runner_inprocess_test.go
+++ b/integration_test/runner/runner_inprocess_test.go
@@ -1,17 +1,31 @@
 //go:build inprocess
 
-// Package runner_test's in-process arm runs the YAML suites against an
-// inprocess.Network (no docker). It is tagged `inprocess` so it never enters a
-// normal runner build; the docker-backed runner_test.go (tag `yaml_integration`)
-// is unaffected.
+// Package runner_test's in-process arm runs the YAML suites against a single
+// shared inprocess.Network (no docker), started once in TestMain and reused by
+// every suite. This mirrors the docker job model — one cluster, suites run
+// sequentially against it — and amortizes the ~8s bring-up + one seid build
+// across all suites.
 //
-// Run the bank send suite in-memory:
+// Suites share one chain + keyring, so a shared signer (admin, node_admin)
+// accumulates balances, sequence numbers, and keyring entries across suites in run
+// order. Assert deltas or query pinned heights — never an absolute latest-state
+// value for a shared signer (the docker job shares state the same way).
 //
-//	go test -tags inprocess -run TestInProcessBankModule -v -timeout 600s ./integration_test/runner/
+// A shared network is required, not merely efficient: the harness allows only one
+// in-process network per process (the EVM worker pool / metrics printer /
+// Prometheus registries are process-global singletons), so a per-suite Start
+// would fail the second time.
+//
+// It is tagged `inprocess` so it never enters a normal runner build; the
+// docker-backed runner_test.go (tag `yaml_integration`) is unaffected.
+//
+//	go test -tags inprocess -v -timeout 900s ./integration_test/runner/
 package runner_test
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -21,14 +35,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sei-protocol/sei-chain/integration_test/runner"
 )
 
-// chainID is the chain-id the bank suite signs with (`--chain-id=sei` in the tx
-// helpers). The in-process harness must use the same id, and the per-node
-// client.toml it writes carries it so bare `seid` calls match.
+// chainID is the chain-id the suites sign with (`--chain-id=sei`). The harness
+// uses the same id, and the per-node client.toml it writes carries it so bare
+// `seid` calls match.
 const chainID = "sei"
 
 // adminFunding mirrors the docker step2_genesis admin grant
-// (1000000000000000000000usei). Large enough to cover the suite's sends + fees
-// with room to spare.
+// (1000000000000000000000usei) — large enough to cover every suite's sends + fees
+// across the shared network's lifetime.
 func adminFunding() sdk.Coins {
 	amt, ok := sdk.NewIntFromString("1000000000000000000000")
 	if !ok {
@@ -37,38 +51,94 @@ func adminFunding() sdk.Coins {
 	return sdk.NewCoins(sdk.NewCoin("usei", amt))
 }
 
-// TestInProcessBankModule runs bank_module/send_funds_test.yaml end-to-end
-// through the runner's in-process arm: a genesis-funded `admin` on node 0
-// (the suite's signing key) drives a real bank tx + historical balance
-// queries, in-memory, no docker.
-func TestInProcessBankModule(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 8*time.Minute)
+// sharedNet is the one in-process network every suite runs against. TestMain owns
+// its lifecycle; it is non-nil for the duration of m.Run(). Suites must run
+// sequentially — the Network (and the per-node keyring the suites mutate) is not
+// goroutine-safe, so no TestInProcess* suite may call t.Parallel().
+var sharedNet *inprocess.Network
+
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	os.Exit(runSuites(m))
+}
+
+// runSuites brings up the shared network, runs the suites, and tears it down. It
+// is split from TestMain so the deferred Close/cancel run before os.Exit (which
+// skips defers).
+func runSuites(m *testing.M) int {
+	// go test's own -timeout is the authoritative run bound (a hang panics there,
+	// skipping defers); this generous ctx is the backstop for -timeout 0 and the
+	// parent for the nodes, so it must outlive m.Run().
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 20*time.Minute)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	net, err := inprocess.Start(ctx, inprocess.Options{
-		// Three validators — the smallest real multi-node topology. send_funds
-		// asserts only node-0 state, but a single-node run wouldn't exercise
-		// cross-peer consensus. N is constrained to 1 or >=3 (never 2) by CometBFT's
-		// block-sync handoff; see inprocess.Options.Validators and the package doc.
+		// Three validators — the smallest real multi-node topology (N is 1 or >=3;
+		// see inprocess.Options.Validators). admin is genesis-funded on node 0 (the
+		// suites' signing key); each node's validator operator is seeded as
+		// node_admin by the harness, which the distribution/staking suites resolve.
 		Validators:    3,
 		ChainID:       chainID,
 		TimeoutCommit: time.Second,
 		ExtraKeys: []inprocess.ExtraKey{
-			// admin lives on node 0 only and is genesis-funded — the docker
-			// localnode topology the suite signs against.
 			{Name: "admin", Node: 0, Coins: adminFunding()},
 		},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("inprocess.Start: %v", err)
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "inprocess.Start: %v\n", err)
+		return 1
 	}
 	defer net.Close()
 
 	if err := net.WaitReady(ctx); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("WaitReady: %v", err)
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "WaitReady: %v\n", err)
+		return 1
 	}
+	sharedNet = net
+	return m.Run()
+}
+
+// TestInProcessBankModule runs the bank send suite against the shared network: a
+// genesis-funded `admin` on node 0 drives a real bank tx + historical balance
+// queries, in-memory, no docker.
+func TestInProcessBankModule(t *testing.T) {
+	runner.RunFile(t, "../bank_module/send_funds_test.yaml", runner.WithInProcessNetwork(sharedNet))
+}
+
+// TestInProcessDistributionModule funds the community pool (admin) and withdraws
+// validator rewards (node_admin). The latter exercises the operator-key seeding:
+// node_admin self-bonds at genesis, so it accrues rewards and resolves a valoper,
+// exactly as the docker localnode provides.
+func TestInProcessDistributionModule(t *testing.T) {
+	runner.RunFile(t, "../distribution_module/community_pool.yaml", runner.WithInProcessNetwork(sharedNet))
+	runner.RunFile(t, "../distribution_module/rewards.yaml", runner.WithInProcessNetwork(sharedNet))
+}
+
+// TestInProcessMintModule is skipped in-process: mint_test.yaml asserts values
+// fixed by the docker localnode's genesis — both the mint-release schedule and the
+// total supply (the supply assertion folds in the full genesis allocation, not
+// just minted tokens) — but the harness boots from ModuleBasics.DefaultGenesis
+// with its own supply + mint params. Enabling it needs the localnode's genesis
+// (schedule AND supply allocation) replicated in the harness genesisBuilder, not
+// the mint schedule alone; the exact expected values live in mint_test.yaml.
+func TestInProcessMintModule(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Skip("mint needs the docker localnode genesis (mint schedule + supply allocation) replicated in-process")
+}
+
+// TestInProcessStakingModule runs the staking suite: admin delegates, redelegates,
+// and unbonds across validators, each validator's operator address (valoper)
+// resolved from node_admin (--bech val). It is cross-node — the YAML's `node:`
+// field selects which node's keyring supplies that address — and the operator-key
+// seeding is what makes it resolvable on each node.
+func TestInProcessStakingModule(t *testing.T) {
+	runner.RunFile(t, "../staking_module/staking_test.yaml", runner.WithInProcessNetwork(sharedNet))
+}
 
-	runner.RunFile(t, "../bank_module/send_funds_test.yaml",
-		runner.WithInProcessNetwork(net),
-	)
+// TestInProcessAuthzModule is skipped in-process: the staking/generic YAMLs
+// re-`keys add grantee` (a name the send suite already created) and feed
+// `printf "<pass>\ny\n"` to answer docker's passphrase-then-overwrite prompts. The
+// harness's `test` keyring takes no passphrase, so the first line is consumed as
+// the overwrite answer and the add aborts. Enabling authz needs keyring-backend
+// parity or per-suite key isolation.
+func TestInProcessAuthzModule(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Skip("authz needs keyring-backend parity or per-suite key isolation")
 }