diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/transport/MockTransportService.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/transport/MockTransportService.java
index 467b2c7f3c8fd..25525de7fbf46 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/transport/MockTransportService.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/transport/MockTransportService.java
@@ -218,10 +218,17 @@ public void connectToNode(DiscoveryNode node, ConnectionProfile connectionProfil
                 }
             }
 
+            @Override
+            public Connection openConnection(DiscoveryNode node, ConnectionProfile profile) throws IOException {
+                throw new ConnectTransportException(node, "DISCONNECT: simulated");
+            }
+
             @Override
             protected void sendRequest(Connection connection, long requestId, String action, TransportRequest request,
                                        TransportRequestOptions options) throws IOException {
-                simulateDisconnect(connection, original, "DISCONNECT: simulated");
+                connection.close();
+                // send the request, which will blow up
+                connection.sendRequest(requestId, action, request, options);
             }
         });
     }
@@ -256,19 +263,12 @@ public void addFailToSendNoConnectRule(TransportAddress transportAddress, final
 
         addDelegate(transportAddress, new DelegateTransport(original) {
 
-            @Override
-            public void connectToNode(DiscoveryNode node, ConnectionProfile connectionProfile,
-                                      CheckedBiConsumer<Connection, ConnectionProfile, IOException> connectionValidator)
-                throws ConnectTransportException {
-                original.connectToNode(node, connectionProfile, connectionValidator);
-            }
-
             @Override
             protected void sendRequest(Connection connection, long requestId, String action, TransportRequest request,
                                        TransportRequestOptions options) throws IOException {
                 if (blockedActions.contains(action)) {
                     logger.info("--> preventing {} request", action);
-                    simulateDisconnect(connection, original, "DISCONNECT: prevented " + action + " request");
+                    connection.close();
                 }
                 connection.sendRequest(requestId, action, request, options);
             }
@@ -302,6 +302,11 @@ public void connectToNode(DiscoveryNode node, ConnectionProfile connectionProfil
                 }
             }
 
+            @Override
+            public Connection openConnection(DiscoveryNode node, ConnectionProfile profile) throws IOException {
+                throw new ConnectTransportException(node, "UNRESPONSIVE: simulated");
+            }
+
             @Override
             protected void sendRequest(Connection connection, long requestId, String action, TransportRequest request,
                                        TransportRequestOptions options) throws IOException {
@@ -368,6 +373,28 @@ public void connectToNode(DiscoveryNode node, ConnectionProfile connectionProfil
                 }
             }
 
+            @Override
+            public Connection openConnection(DiscoveryNode node, ConnectionProfile profile) throws IOException {
+                TimeValue delay = getDelay();
+                if (delay.millis() <= 0) {
+                    return original.openConnection(node, profile);
+                }
+
+                // TODO: Replace with proper setting
+                TimeValue connectingTimeout = NetworkService.TcpSettings.TCP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT.getDefault(Settings.EMPTY);
+                try {
+                    if (delay.millis() < connectingTimeout.millis()) {
+                        Thread.sleep(delay.millis());
+                        return original.openConnection(node, profile);
+                    } else {
+                        Thread.sleep(connectingTimeout.millis());
+                        throw new ConnectTransportException(node, "UNRESPONSIVE: simulated");
+                    }
+                } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+                    throw new ConnectTransportException(node, "UNRESPONSIVE: simulated");
+                }
+            }
+
             @Override
             protected void sendRequest(Connection connection, long requestId, String action, TransportRequest request,
                                        TransportRequestOptions options) throws IOException {
@@ -449,37 +476,6 @@ private LookupTestTransport transport() {
         return (LookupTestTransport) transport;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * simulates a disconnect by disconnecting from the underlying transport and throwing a
-     * {@link ConnectTransportException}
-     */
-    private void simulateDisconnect(DiscoveryNode node, Transport transport, String reason) {
-        simulateDisconnect(node, transport, reason, null);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * simulates a disconnect by disconnecting from the underlying transport and throwing a
-     * {@link ConnectTransportException}, due to a specific cause exception
-     */
-    private void simulateDisconnect(DiscoveryNode node, Transport transport, String reason, @Nullable Throwable e) {
-        if (transport.nodeConnected(node)) {
-            // this a connected node, disconnecting from it will be up the exception
-            transport.disconnectFromNode(node);
-        } else {
-            throw new ConnectTransportException(node, reason, e);
-        }
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * simulates a disconnect by closing the connection and throwing a
-     * {@link ConnectTransportException}
-     */
-    private void simulateDisconnect(Transport.Connection connection, Transport transport, String reason) throws IOException {
-        connection.close();
-        simulateDisconnect(connection.getNode(), transport, reason);
-    }
-
-
     /**
      * A lookup transport that has a list of potential Transport implementations to delegate to for node operations,
      * if none is registered, then the default one is used.
diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/AbstractSimpleTransportTestCase.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/AbstractSimpleTransportTestCase.java
index 206cfeeb62ecd..7c0070e0f967f 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/AbstractSimpleTransportTestCase.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/transport/AbstractSimpleTransportTestCase.java
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.BigArrays;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent.AbstractRunnable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent.ConcurrentCollections;
-import org.elasticsearch.common.util.concurrent.CountDown;
 import org.elasticsearch.indices.breaker.NoneCircuitBreakerService;
 import org.elasticsearch.mocksocket.MockServerSocket;
 import org.elasticsearch.node.Node;
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@
 import java.net.Socket;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
-import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
@@ -1463,12 +1461,7 @@ public void handleException(TransportException exp) {
             // all is well
         }
 
-        try (Transport.Connection connection = serviceB.openConnection(nodeA, MockTcpTransport.LIGHT_PROFILE)) {
-            serviceB.handshake(connection, 100);
-            fail("exception should be thrown");
-        } catch (IllegalStateException e) {
-            // all is well
-        }
+        expectThrows(ConnectTransportException.class, () -> serviceB.openConnection(nodeA, MockTcpTransport.LIGHT_PROFILE));
     }
 
     public void testMockUnresponsiveRule() throws IOException {
@@ -1519,12 +1512,7 @@ public void handleException(TransportException exp) {
             // all is well
         }
 
-        try (Transport.Connection connection = serviceB.openConnection(nodeA, MockTcpTransport.LIGHT_PROFILE)) {
-            serviceB.handshake(connection, 100);
-            fail("exception should be thrown");
-        } catch (IllegalStateException e) {
-            // all is well
-        }
+        expectThrows(ConnectTransportException.class, () -> serviceB.openConnection(nodeA, MockTcpTransport.LIGHT_PROFILE));
     }