diff --git a/lntemp/harness_node_manager.go b/lntemp/harness_node_manager.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a16375353
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lntemp/harness_node_manager.go
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+package lntemp
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnrpc"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lntemp/node"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lntest"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lntest/wait"
+)
+
+// nodeManager is responsible for hanlding the start and stop of a given node.
+// It also keeps track of the running nodes.
+type nodeManager struct {
+	sync.Mutex
+
+	// chainBackend houses the information necessary to use a node as LND
+	// chain backend, such as rpc configuration, P2P information etc.
+	chainBackend node.BackendConfig
+
+	// currentTestCase holds the name for the currently run test case.
+	currentTestCase string
+
+	// lndBinary is the full path to the lnd binary that was specifically
+	// compiled with all required itest flags.
+	lndBinary string
+
+	// dbBackend sets the database backend to use.
+	dbBackend lntest.DatabaseBackend
+
+	// activeNodes is a map of all running nodes, format:
+	// {pubkey: *HarnessNode}.
+	activeNodes map[string]*node.HarnessNode
+
+	// standbyNodes is a map of all the standby nodes, format:
+	// {pubkey: *HarnessNode}.
+	standbyNodes map[string]*node.HarnessNode
+
+	// nodeCounter is a monotonically increasing counter that's used as the
+	// node's unique ID.
+	nodeCounter uint32
+
+	// feeServiceURL is the url of the fee service.
+	feeServiceURL string
+}
+
+// newNodeManager creates a new node manager instance.
+func newNodeManager(lndBinary string,
+	dbBackend lntest.DatabaseBackend) *nodeManager {
+
+	return &nodeManager{
+		lndBinary:    lndBinary,
+		dbBackend:    dbBackend,
+		activeNodes:  make(map[string]*node.HarnessNode),
+		standbyNodes: make(map[string]*node.HarnessNode),
+	}
+}
+
+// nextNodeID generates a unique sequence to be used as the node's ID.
+func (nm *nodeManager) nextNodeID() uint32 {
+	nodeID := atomic.AddUint32(&nm.nodeCounter, 1)
+	return nodeID - 1
+}
+
+// newNode initializes a new HarnessNode, supporting the ability to initialize
+// a wallet with or without a seed. If useSeed is false, the returned harness
+// node can be used immediately. Otherwise, the node will require an additional
+// initialization phase where the wallet is either created or restored.
+func (nm *nodeManager) newNode(t *testing.T, name string, extraArgs []string,
+	useSeed bool, password []byte, cmdOnly bool,
+	opts ...node.Option) (*node.HarnessNode, error) {
+
+	cfg := &node.BaseNodeConfig{
+		Name:              name,
+		LogFilenamePrefix: nm.currentTestCase,
+		Password:          password,
+		BackendCfg:        nm.chainBackend,
+		ExtraArgs:         extraArgs,
+		FeeURL:            nm.feeServiceURL,
+		DbBackend:         nm.dbBackend,
+		NodeID:            nm.nextNodeID(),
+		LndBinary:         nm.lndBinary,
+		NetParams:         harnessNetParams,
+	}
+	for _, opt := range opts {
+		opt(cfg)
+	}
+
+	node, err := node.NewHarnessNode(t, cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// Put node in activeNodes to ensure Shutdown is called even if start
+	// returns an error.
+	defer nm.registerNode(node)
+
+	switch {
+	// If the node uses seed to start, we'll need to create the wallet and
+	// unlock the wallet later.
+	case useSeed:
+		err = node.StartWithSeed()
+
+	// Start the node only with the lnd process without creating the grpc
+	// connection, which is used in testing etcd leader selection.
+	case cmdOnly:
+		err = node.StartLndCmd()
+
+	// By default, we'll create a node with wallet being unlocked.
+	default:
+		err = node.Start()
+	}
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to start: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return node, nil
+}
+
+// RegisterNode records a new HarnessNode in the NetworkHarnesses map of known
+// nodes. This method should only be called with nodes that have successfully
+// retrieved their public keys via FetchNodeInfo.
+func (nm *nodeManager) registerNode(node *node.HarnessNode) {
+	nm.Lock()
+	nm.activeNodes[node.PubKeyStr] = node
+	nm.Unlock()
+}
+
+// ShutdownNode stops an active lnd process and returns when the process has
+// exited and any temporary directories have been cleaned up.
+func (nm *nodeManager) shutdownNode(node *node.HarnessNode) error {
+	if err := node.Shutdown(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	delete(nm.activeNodes, node.PubKeyStr)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// restartNode attempts to restart a lightning node by shutting it down
+// cleanly, then restarting the process. This function is fully blocking. Upon
+// restart, the RPC connection to the node will be re-attempted, continuing iff
+// the connection attempt is successful. If the callback parameter is non-nil,
+// then the function will be executed after the node shuts down, but *before*
+// the process has been started up again.
+//
+// This method can be useful when testing edge cases such as a node broadcast
+// and invalidated prior state, or persistent state recovery, simulating node
+// crashes, etc. Additionally, each time the node is restarted, the caller can
+// pass a set of SCBs to pass in via the Unlock method allowing them to restore
+// channels during restart.
+func (nm *nodeManager) restartNode(node *node.HarnessNode,
+	callback func() error, chanBackups ...*lnrpc.ChanBackupSnapshot) error {
+
+	err := nm.restartNodeNoUnlock(node, callback)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// If the node doesn't have a password set, then we can exit here as we
+	// don't need to unlock it.
+	if len(node.Cfg.Password) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Otherwise, we'll unlock the wallet, then complete the final steps
+	// for the node initialization process.
+	unlockReq := &lnrpc.UnlockWalletRequest{
+		WalletPassword: node.Cfg.Password,
+	}
+	if len(chanBackups) != 0 {
+		unlockReq.ChannelBackups = chanBackups[0]
+		unlockReq.RecoveryWindow = 1000
+	}
+
+	err = wait.NoError(func() error {
+		return node.Unlock(unlockReq)
+	}, DefaultTimeout)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s: failed to unlock: %w", node.Name(), err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// restartNodeNoUnlock attempts to restart a lightning node by shutting it down
+// cleanly, then restarting the process. In case the node was setup with a
+// seed, it will be left in the unlocked state. This function is fully
+// blocking. If the callback parameter is non-nil, then the function will be
+// executed after the node shuts down, but *before* the process has been
+// started up again.
+func (nm *nodeManager) restartNodeNoUnlock(node *node.HarnessNode,
+	callback func() error) error {
+
+	if err := node.Stop(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("restart node got error: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if callback != nil {
+		if err := callback(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return node.Start()
+}