diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index c908c412..6bd72ef7 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/jrick/logrotate v1.0.0
 	github.com/syndtr/goleveldb v1.0.1-0.20200815110645-5c35d600f0ca
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20200820211705-5c72a883971a
-	golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20200625203802-6e8e738ad208
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20201119102817-f84b799fce68
 )
 
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 86a39a3b..cfa9c81d 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@ golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200520004742-59133d7f0dd7/go.mod h1:qpuaurCH72eLCgpAm/
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200813134508-3edf25e44fcc h1:zK/HqS5bZxDptfPJNq8v7vJfXtkU7r9TLIoSr1bXaP4=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200813134508-3edf25e44fcc/go.mod h1:/O7V0waA8r7cgGh81Ro3o1hOxt32SMVPicZroKQ2sZA=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20180314180146-1d60e4601c6f/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
-golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20200625203802-6e8e738ad208 h1:qwRHBd0NqMbJxfbotnDhm2ByMI1Shq4Y6oRJo21SGJA=
-golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20200625203802-6e8e738ad208/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20180909124046-d0be0721c37e/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190215142949-d0b11bdaac8a/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190412213103-97732733099d/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
diff --git a/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go b/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go
index 94fe86ae..0a923636 100644
--- a/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go
+++ b/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ package rpctest
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -21,8 +20,6 @@ import (
 	dcrdtypes "github.com/decred/dcrd/rpc/jsonrpc/types/v3"
 	"github.com/decred/dcrd/txscript/v4"
 	"github.com/decred/dcrd/wire"
-
-	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -79,6 +76,10 @@ func testSendOutputs(ctx context.Context, r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Generate a single block, the transaction the wallet created should
 	// be found in this block.
+	if err := r.Node.RegenTemplate(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to regenerate block template: %v", err)
+	}
+	time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 500)
 	blockHashes, err := r.Node.Generate(ctx, 1)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to generate single block: %v", err)
@@ -88,6 +89,10 @@ func testSendOutputs(ctx context.Context, r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 	// Next, generate a spend much greater than the block reward. This
 	// transaction should also have been mined properly.
 	txid = genSpend(dcrutil.Amount(5000 * dcrutil.AtomsPerCoin))
+	if err := r.Node.RegenTemplate(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to regenerate block template: %v", err)
+	}
+	time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 500)
 	blockHashes, err = r.Node.Generate(ctx, 1)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to generate single block: %v", err)
@@ -404,12 +409,11 @@ func testJoinMempools(ctx context.Context, r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 	// Wait until the transaction shows up to ensure the two mempools are
 	// not the same.
 	harnessSynced := make(chan struct{})
-	var eg errgroup.Group
-	eg.Go(func() error {
+	go func() {
 		for {
 			poolHashes, err := r.Node.GetRawMempool(ctx, dcrdtypes.GRMAll)
 			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("failed to retrieve harness mempool: %v", err)
+				t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve harness mempool: %v", err)
 			}
 			if len(poolHashes) > 0 {
 				break
@@ -417,11 +421,7 @@ func testJoinMempools(ctx context.Context, r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 			time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 100)
 		}
 		harnessSynced <- struct{}{}
-		return nil
-	})
-	if err := eg.Wait(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	}()
 
 	select {
 	case <-harnessSynced:
@@ -432,16 +432,12 @@ func testJoinMempools(ctx context.Context, r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 	// This select case should fall through to the default as the goroutine
 	// should be blocked on the JoinNodes call.
 	poolsSynced := make(chan struct{})
-	eg.Go(func() error {
+	go func() {
 		if err := JoinNodes(nodeSlice, Mempools); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("unable to join node on mempools: %v", err)
+			t.Fatalf("unable to join node on mempools: %v", err)
 		}
 		poolsSynced <- struct{}{}
-		return nil
-	})
-	if err := eg.Wait(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	}()
 	select {
 	case <-poolsSynced:
 		t.Fatalf("mempools detected as synced yet harness has a new tx")
@@ -492,17 +488,12 @@ func testJoinBlocks(_ context.Context, r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 
 	nodeSlice := []*Harness{r, harness}
 	blocksSynced := make(chan struct{})
-	var eg errgroup.Group
-	eg.Go(func() error {
+	go func() {
 		if err := JoinNodes(nodeSlice, Blocks); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("unable to join node on blocks: %v", err)
+			t.Fatalf("unable to join node on blocks: %v", err)
 		}
 		blocksSynced <- struct{}{}
-		return nil
-	})
-	if err := eg.Wait(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	}()
 
 	// This select case should fall through to the default as the goroutine
 	// should be blocked on the JoinNodes calls.
@@ -524,7 +515,6 @@ func testJoinBlocks(_ context.Context, r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 	// test hanging indefinitely, a 1 minute timeout is in place.
 	select {
 	case <-blocksSynced:
-		// fall through
 	case <-time.After(time.Minute):
 		t.Fatalf("blocks never detected as synced")
 	}