diff --git a/bin/node/test-runner-example/src/lib.rs b/bin/node/test-runner-example/src/lib.rs
index c3d5247ff4264..0de7f5a4e2b70 100644
--- a/bin/node/test-runner-example/src/lib.rs
+++ b/bin/node/test-runner-example/src/lib.rs
@@ -93,14 +93,20 @@ mod tests {
 	#[test]
 	fn test_runner() {
 		let tokio_runtime = build_runtime().unwrap();
-		let (task_manager, client, pool, command_sink, backend) =
+		let (rpc, task_manager, client, pool, command_sink, backend) =
 			client_parts::<NodeTemplateChainInfo>(ConfigOrChainSpec::ChainSpec(
 				Box::new(development_config()),
 				tokio_runtime.handle().clone(),
 			))
 			.unwrap();
-		let node =
-			Node::<NodeTemplateChainInfo>::new(task_manager, client, pool, command_sink, backend);
+		let node = Node::<NodeTemplateChainInfo>::new(
+			rpc,
+			task_manager,
+			client,
+			pool,
+			command_sink,
+			backend,
+		);
 
 		tokio_runtime.block_on(async {
 			// seals blocks
diff --git a/client/rpc/src/testing.rs b/client/rpc/src/testing.rs
index dd6687d3cd823..517a6899407fa 100644
--- a/client/rpc/src/testing.rs
+++ b/client/rpc/src/testing.rs
@@ -52,11 +52,21 @@ impl Spawn for TaskExecutor {
 	}
 }
 impl SpawnNamed for TaskExecutor {
-	fn spawn_blocking(&self, _name: &'static str, future: futures::future::BoxFuture<'static, ()>) {
+	fn spawn_blocking(
+		&self,
+		_name: &'static str,
+		_group: Option<&'static str>,
+		future: futures::future::BoxFuture<'static, ()>,
+	) {
 		EXECUTOR.spawn_ok(future);
 	}
 
-	fn spawn(&self, _name: &'static str, future: futures::future::BoxFuture<'static, ()>) {
+	fn spawn(
+		&self,
+		_name: &'static str,
+		_group: Option<&'static str>,
+		future: futures::future::BoxFuture<'static, ()>,
+	) {
 		EXECUTOR.spawn_ok(future);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/client/service/src/builder.rs b/client/service/src/builder.rs
index b30cc3631c767..7f766a64e4635 100644
--- a/client/service/src/builder.rs
+++ b/client/service/src/builder.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ use crate::{
 	config::{Configuration, KeystoreConfig, PrometheusConfig, TransactionStorageMode},
 	error::Error,
 	metrics::MetricsService,
-	start_rpc_servers, SpawnTaskHandle, TaskManager, TransactionPoolAdapter,
+	start_rpc_servers, RpcHandlers, SpawnTaskHandle, TaskManager, TransactionPoolAdapter,
 };
 use futures::{channel::oneshot, future::ready, FutureExt, StreamExt};
 use jsonrpsee::RpcModule;
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ where
 }
 
 /// Parameters to pass into `build`.
-pub struct SpawnTasksParams<'a, TBl: BlockT, TCl, TExPool, Backend> {
+pub struct SpawnTasksParams<'a, TBl: BlockT, TCl, TExPool, TRpc, Backend> {
 	/// The service configuration.
 	pub config: Configuration,
 	/// A shared client returned by `new_full_parts`/`new_light_parts`.
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ pub struct SpawnTasksParams<'a, TBl: BlockT, TCl, TExPool, Backend> {
 	pub transaction_pool: Arc<TExPool>,
 	/// Builds additional [`RpcModule`]s that should be added to the server
 	pub rpc_builder:
-		Box<dyn FnOnce(DenyUnsafe, SubscriptionTaskExecutor) -> Result<RpcModule<()>, Error>>,
+		Box<dyn Fn(DenyUnsafe, SubscriptionTaskExecutor) -> Result<RpcModule<TRpc>, Error>>,
 	/// An optional, shared remote blockchain instance. Used for light clients.
 	pub remote_blockchain: Option<Arc<dyn RemoteBlockchain<TBl>>>,
 	/// A shared network instance.
@@ -384,9 +384,9 @@ where
 }
 
 /// Spawn the tasks that are required to run a node.
-pub fn spawn_tasks<TBl, TBackend, TExPool, TCl>(
-	params: SpawnTasksParams<TBl, TCl, TExPool, TBackend>,
-) -> Result<(), Error>
+pub fn spawn_tasks<TBl, TBackend, TExPool, TRpc, TCl>(
+	params: SpawnTasksParams<TBl, TCl, TExPool, TRpc, TBackend>,
+) -> Result<RpcHandlers, Error>
 where
 	TCl: ProvideRuntimeApi<TBl>
 		+ HeaderMetadata<TBl, Error = sp_blockchain::Error>
@@ -494,11 +494,12 @@ where
 			system_rpc_tx.clone(),
 			&config,
 			backend.offchain_storage(),
-			rpc_builder,
+			&*rpc_builder,
 		)
 	};
 
 	let rpc = start_rpc_servers(&config, gen_rpc_module)?;
+	let rpc_handlers = RpcHandlers(Arc::new(gen_rpc_module(sc_rpc::DenyUnsafe::No)?.into()));
 
 	// Spawn informant task
 	spawn_handle.spawn(
@@ -514,7 +515,7 @@ where
 
 	task_manager.keep_alive((config.base_path, rpc));
 
-	Ok(())
+	Ok(rpc_handlers)
 }
 
 async fn transaction_notifications<TBl, TExPool>(
@@ -571,7 +572,7 @@ fn init_telemetry<TBl: BlockT, TCl: BlockBackend<TBl>>(
 	Ok(telemetry.handle())
 }
 
-fn gen_rpc_module<TBl, TBackend, TCl, TExPool>(
+fn gen_rpc_module<TBl, TBackend, TCl, TRpc, TExPool>(
 	deny_unsafe: DenyUnsafe,
 	spawn_handle: SpawnTaskHandle,
 	client: Arc<TCl>,
@@ -580,9 +581,7 @@ fn gen_rpc_module<TBl, TBackend, TCl, TExPool>(
 	system_rpc_tx: TracingUnboundedSender<sc_rpc::system::Request<TBl>>,
 	config: &Configuration,
 	offchain_storage: Option<<TBackend as sc_client_api::backend::Backend<TBl>>::OffchainStorage>,
-	rpc_builder: Box<
-		dyn FnOnce(DenyUnsafe, SubscriptionTaskExecutor) -> Result<RpcModule<()>, Error>,
-	>,
+	rpc_builder: &(dyn Fn(DenyUnsafe, SubscriptionTaskExecutor) -> Result<RpcModule<TRpc>, Error>),
 ) -> Result<RpcModule<()>, Error>
 where
 	TBl: BlockT,
diff --git a/client/service/src/lib.rs b/client/service/src/lib.rs
index d7caac6277ece..3c63825a0696b 100644
--- a/client/service/src/lib.rs
+++ b/client/service/src/lib.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ use log::{debug, error, warn};
 use sc_client_api::{blockchain::HeaderBackend, BlockchainEvents};
 use sc_network::PeerId;
 use sc_utils::mpsc::TracingUnboundedReceiver;
+use serde::Serialize;
 use sp_runtime::{
 	generic::BlockId,
 	traits::{Block as BlockT, Header as HeaderT},
@@ -79,9 +80,28 @@ pub use task_manager::{SpawnTaskHandle, TaskManager, DEFAULT_GROUP_NAME};
 
 const DEFAULT_PROTOCOL_ID: &str = "sup";
 
-/// Dummy RPC handler type.
-// TODO(niklasad1): replace this to do perform in-memory rpc request.
-pub type RpcHandlers = ();
+/// RPC handlers that can perform RPC queries.
+#[derive(Clone)]
+pub struct RpcHandlers(Arc<RpcModule<()>>);
+
+impl RpcHandlers {
+	/// Starts an RPC query.
+	///
+	/// The query is passed as a string and must be a JSON text similar to what an HTTP client
+	/// would for example send.
+	///
+	/// Returns a `Future` that contains the optional response.
+	//
+	// TODO(niklasad1): support subscriptions?!.
+	pub async fn rpc_query<T: Serialize>(&self, method: &str, params: Vec<T>) -> Option<String> {
+		self.0.call_with(method, params).await
+	}
+
+	/// Provides access to the underlying `RpcModule`
+	pub fn handle(&self) -> Arc<RpcModule<()>> {
+		self.0.clone()
+	}
+}
 
 /// An incomplete set of chain components, but enough to run the chain ops subcommands.
 pub struct PartialComponents<Client, Backend, SelectChain, ImportQueue, TransactionPool, Other> {
@@ -380,7 +400,7 @@ where
 	fn import(&self, transaction: B::Extrinsic) -> TransactionImportFuture {
 		if !self.imports_external_transactions {
 			debug!("Transaction rejected");
-			return Box::pin(futures::future::ready(TransactionImport::None))
+			return Box::pin(futures::future::ready(TransactionImport::None));
 		}
 
 		let encoded = transaction.encode();
@@ -388,8 +408,8 @@ where
 			Ok(uxt) => uxt,
 			Err(e) => {
 				debug!("Transaction invalid: {:?}", e);
-				return Box::pin(futures::future::ready(TransactionImport::Bad))
-			},
+				return Box::pin(futures::future::ready(TransactionImport::Bad));
+			}
 		};
 
 		let best_block_id = BlockId::hash(self.client.info().best_hash);
@@ -403,18 +423,19 @@ where
 			match import_future.await {
 				Ok(_) => TransactionImport::NewGood,
 				Err(e) => match e.into_pool_error() {
-					Ok(sc_transaction_pool_api::error::Error::AlreadyImported(_)) =>
-						TransactionImport::KnownGood,
+					Ok(sc_transaction_pool_api::error::Error::AlreadyImported(_)) => {
+						TransactionImport::KnownGood
+					}
 					Ok(e) => {
 						debug!("Error adding transaction to the pool: {:?}", e);
 						TransactionImport::Bad
-					},
+					}
 					Err(e) => {
 						debug!("Error converting pool error: {:?}", e);
 						// it is not bad at least, just some internal node logic error, so peer is
 						// innocent.
 						TransactionImport::KnownGood
-					},
+					}
 				},
 			}
 		})
diff --git a/frame/bags-list/remote-tests/src/sanity_check.rs b/frame/bags-list/remote-tests/src/sanity_check.rs
index adab1ae5477ea..a16c5b124619b 100644
--- a/frame/bags-list/remote-tests/src/sanity_check.rs
+++ b/frame/bags-list/remote-tests/src/sanity_check.rs
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ use frame_support::{
 };
 use remote_externalities::{Builder, Mode, OnlineConfig};
 use sp_runtime::{traits::Block as BlockT, DeserializeOwned};
-use sp_std::prelude::*;
-
 /// Execute the sanity check of the bags-list.
 pub async fn execute<Runtime: crate::RuntimeT, Block: BlockT + DeserializeOwned>(
 	currency_unit: u64,
diff --git a/test-utils/test-runner/src/client.rs b/test-utils/test-runner/src/client.rs
index 64abfc6f4b8a4..cda3475f8d91c 100644
--- a/test-utils/test-runner/src/client.rs
+++ b/test-utils/test-runner/src/client.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ use sp_transaction_pool::runtime_api::TaggedTransactionQueue;
 use std::{str::FromStr, sync::Arc};
 
 type ClientParts<T> = (
+	Arc<RpcModule<()>>,
 	TaskManager,
 	Arc<
 		TFullClient<
@@ -187,13 +188,11 @@ where
 	let rpc_sink = command_sink.clone();
 
 	let rpc_builder = Box::new(move |_, _| {
-		let seal = ManualSeal::new(rpc_sink).into_rpc();
-		let mut module = RpcModule::new(());
-		module.merge(seal).expect("only one module; qed");
-		Ok(module)
+		let seal = ManualSeal::new(rpc_sink.clone()).into_rpc();
+		Ok(seal)
 	});
 
-	let _rpc_handlers = {
+	let rpc_handlers = {
 		let params = SpawnTasksParams {
 			config,
 			client: client.clone(),
@@ -241,6 +240,7 @@ where
 		.spawn("manual-seal", None, authorship_future);
 
 	network_starter.start_network();
+	let rpc_handler = rpc_handlers.handle();
 
-	Ok((task_manager, client, transaction_pool, command_sink, backend))
+	Ok((rpc_handler, task_manager, client, transaction_pool, command_sink, backend))
 }
diff --git a/test-utils/test-runner/src/node.rs b/test-utils/test-runner/src/node.rs
index 1092cebd986a9..d75e67d96b44c 100644
--- a/test-utils/test-runner/src/node.rs
+++ b/test-utils/test-runner/src/node.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ use futures::{
 	channel::{mpsc, oneshot},
 	FutureExt, SinkExt,
 };
+use jsonrpsee::RpcModule;
 use manual_seal::EngineCommand;
 use sc_client_api::{
 	backend::{self, Backend},
@@ -46,6 +47,8 @@ use sp_state_machine::Ext;
 /// the node process is dropped when this struct is dropped
 /// also holds logs from the process.
 pub struct Node<T: ChainInfo> {
+	/// rpc handler for communicating with the node over rpc.
+	rpc_handler: Arc<RpcModule<()>>,
 	/// handle to the running node.
 	task_manager: Option<TaskManager>,
 	/// client instance
@@ -82,6 +85,7 @@ where
 {
 	/// Creates a new node.
 	pub fn new(
+		rpc_handler: Arc<RpcModule<()>>,
 		task_manager: TaskManager,
 		client: Arc<
 			TFullClient<T::Block, T::RuntimeApi, NativeElseWasmExecutor<T::ExecutorDispatch>>,
@@ -101,6 +105,7 @@ where
 		backend: Arc<TFullBackend<T::Block>>,
 	) -> Self {
 		Self {
+			rpc_handler,
 			task_manager: Some(task_manager),
 			client: client.clone(),
 			pool,
@@ -110,6 +115,16 @@ where
 		}
 	}
 
+	/// Returns a reference to the rpc handlers, use this to send rpc requests.
+	/// eg
+	/// ```ignore
+	/// 		let response = node.rpc_handler()
+	/// 		.call_with(""engine_createBlock", vec![true, true]);
+	/// ```
+	pub fn rpc_handler(&self) -> Arc<RpcModule<()>> {
+		self.rpc_handler.clone()
+	}
+
 	/// Return a reference to the Client
 	pub fn client(
 		&self,