diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/getblocktemplate.py b/qa/rpc-tests/getblocktemplate.py
index ed67dd52f..cfec0ae1f 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/getblocktemplate.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/getblocktemplate.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2016 The Zcash developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/getblocktemplate_proposals.py b/qa/rpc-tests/getblocktemplate_proposals.py
index a0426d35b..faa675762 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/getblocktemplate_proposals.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/getblocktemplate_proposals.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2014 The Bitcoin Core developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 from test_framework.test_framework import BitcoinTestFramework
 from test_framework.authproxy import JSONRPCException
+from test_framework.util import initialize_chain_clean, start_node
 
 from binascii import a2b_hex, b2a_hex
 from hashlib import sha256
@@ -69,14 +70,43 @@ def genmrklroot(leaflist):
         cur = n
     return cur[0]
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Sapling v4 transaction layout.
+#
+# This test was written against the pre-Overwinter serialization, where a tx
+# began with a 4-byte nVersion immediately followed by the vin count, so the
+# first input's prevout hash lived at offset 4+1. DragonX transactions are
+# Sapling v4: 4-byte header (nVersion | fOverwintered) + 4-byte nVersionGroupId
+# + vin count, so the prevout hash starts 4 bytes further in. Poking the old
+# offset corrupts nVersionGroupId and every proposal below just comes back
+# "Block decode failed" instead of exercising any consensus rule.
+CB_PREVOUT_OFF = 4+4+1
+# Likewise the tx no longer ends at nLockTime: nExpiryHeight (4), valueBalance
+# (8) and the empty vShieldedSpend/vShieldedOutput/vJoinSplit counts (1 each)
+# trail it, so nLockTime is the 4 bytes at [-19:-15].
+TX_TAIL_AFTER_LOCKTIME = 4+8+1+1+1
+
+def tx_seq_off(tx):
+    """Offset of the first input's nSequence in a Sapling v4 tx."""
+    scriptlen_off = CB_PREVOUT_OFF + 32 + 4     # after prevout hash + prevout.n
+    return scriptlen_off + 1 + tx[scriptlen_off]
+
+def tx_vout0_value_off(tx):
+    """Offset of the first output's 8-byte value in a Sapling v4 tx."""
+    return tx_seq_off(tx) + 4 + 1               # after nSequence + vout count
+
 def template_to_bytes(tmpl, txlist):
     blkver = pack('<L', tmpl['version'])
     mrklroot = genmrklroot(list(dblsha(a) for a in txlist))
-    reserved = b'\0'*32
+    # hashFinalSaplingRoot. The all-zeroes placeholder this test used predates
+    # Sapling; a header carrying the wrong root is rejected with
+    # 'bad-sapling-root-in-block', which would sink even Test 11 (valid block).
+    reserved = a2b_hex(tmpl['finalsaplingroothash'])[::-1]
     timestamp = pack('<L', tmpl['curtime'])
     nonce = b'\0'*32
     soln = b'\0'
-    blk = blkver + a2b_hex(tmpl['previousblockhash'])[::-1] + mrklroot + reserved + timestamp + a2b_hex(tmpl['bits'])[::-1] + nonce + soln
+    # bytearray, not bytes: Test 9 mutates one byte of the result in place.
+    blk = bytearray(blkver + a2b_hex(tmpl['previousblockhash'])[::-1] + mrklroot + reserved + timestamp + a2b_hex(tmpl['bits'])[::-1] + nonce + soln)
     blk += varlenEncode(len(txlist))
     for tx in txlist:
         blk += tx
@@ -95,6 +125,20 @@ class GetBlockTemplateProposalTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
     Test block proposals with getblocktemplate.
     '''
 
+    def setup_chain(self):
+        print("Initializing test directory "+self.options.tmpdir)
+        initialize_chain_clean(self.options.tmpdir, 1)
+
+    def setup_network(self, split=False):
+        # -daaforkheight=0: ContextualCheckBlockHeader only enforces nBits for a
+        # smart chain above daaForkHeight, which defaults to
+        # ASSETCHAINS_RANDOMX_VALIDATION+62000 (millions of blocks) so that a
+        # fresh sync accepts DragonX's historical bad-nBits window. Without this
+        # flag Test 8 (bad bits) is unreachable at regtest heights and the
+        # daemon happily accepts a block with arbitrary nBits.
+        self.nodes = [ start_node(0, self.options.tmpdir, ['-daaforkheight=0']) ]
+        self.is_network_split = False
+
     def run_test(self):
         node = self.nodes[0]
         node.generate(1) # Mine a block to leave initial block download
@@ -117,9 +161,9 @@ class GetBlockTemplateProposalTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
         #txlist[0][4+1+36+1+1] -= 1
 
         # Test 2: Bad input hash for gen tx
-        txlist[0][4+1] += 1
+        txlist[0][CB_PREVOUT_OFF] += 1
         assert_template(node, tmpl, txlist, 'bad-cb-missing')
-        txlist[0][4+1] -= 1
+        txlist[0][CB_PREVOUT_OFF] -= 1
 
         # Test 3: Truncated final tx
         lastbyte = txlist[-1].pop()
@@ -136,14 +180,33 @@ class GetBlockTemplateProposalTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         # Test 5: Add an invalid tx to the end (non-duplicate)
         txlist.append(bytearray(txlist[0]))
-        txlist[-1][4+1] = b'\xff'
+        txlist[-1][CB_PREVOUT_OFF] = 0xff
+        # DragonX is a fully private chain (ASSETCHAINS_PRIVATE): a non-coinbase
+        # tx paying a positive amount to a t-addr is killed in CheckTransaction
+        # with 'bad-txns-acprivacy-chain' before ConnectBlock ever looks up its
+        # inputs. Zero the output value -- CheckTransaction exempts zero-value
+        # vouts -- so the tx survives to the missing-input check this case is
+        # actually about.
+        _val_off = tx_vout0_value_off(txlist[-1])
+        txlist[-1][_val_off:_val_off+8] = b'\0'*8
         assert_template(node, tmpl, txlist, 'bad-txns-inputs-missingorspent')
         txlist.pop()
 
         # Test 6: Future tx lock time
-        txlist[0][-4:] = b'\xff\xff\xff\xff'
+        # The server-supplied coinbase carries nSequence=0xffffffff, and
+        # IsFinalTx() short-circuits on all-final inputs, so a future nLockTime
+        # alone leaves the tx final and the block valid. (DragonX's IsFinalTx
+        # also whitelists 0xfffffffe below the Hush hardfork height, which
+        # regtest is.) Make the input genuinely non-final so the future
+        # nLockTime is the thing under test.
+        seq_off = tx_seq_off(txlist[0])
+        realseq = txlist[0][seq_off:seq_off+4]
+        txlist[0][seq_off:seq_off+4] = b'\0\0\0\0'
+        reallocktime = txlist[0][-TX_TAIL_AFTER_LOCKTIME-4:-TX_TAIL_AFTER_LOCKTIME]
+        txlist[0][-TX_TAIL_AFTER_LOCKTIME-4:-TX_TAIL_AFTER_LOCKTIME] = b'\xff\xff\xff\xff'
         assert_template(node, tmpl, txlist, 'bad-txns-nonfinal')
-        txlist[0][-4:] = b'\0\0\0\0'
+        txlist[0][-TX_TAIL_AFTER_LOCKTIME-4:-TX_TAIL_AFTER_LOCKTIME] = reallocktime
+        txlist[0][seq_off:seq_off+4] = realseq
 
         # Test 7: Bad tx count
         txlist.append(b'')
@@ -171,7 +234,9 @@ class GetBlockTemplateProposalTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
         tmpl['curtime'] = 0x7fffffff
         assert_template(node, tmpl, txlist, 'time-too-new')
         tmpl['curtime'] = 0
-        assert_template(node, tmpl, txlist, 'time-too-old')
+        # DragonX split Bitcoin's 'time-too-old' into 'time-too-old-median'
+        # (block time <= prev MedianTimePast) and 'time-too-old-prevblock'.
+        assert_template(node, tmpl, txlist, 'time-too-old-median')
         tmpl['curtime'] = realtime
 
         # Test 11: Valid block
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
index 05205c8ce..84b0fc0df 100644
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
@@ -148,14 +148,20 @@ def initialize_chain(test_dir):
             # Same two requirements as start_node(): -regtest must be a command-line flag (the
             # conf key is ignored, and without it this cache node runs on MAINNET), and -asmap
             # must be absolute or dragonxd refuses to start.
-            args = [ os.getenv("BITCOIND", "dragonxd"), "-regtest", "-connect=0", "-keypool=1", "-datadir="+datadir, "-discover=0" ]
+            # -connect=<anything> makes init.cpp soft-set -listen=0 ("parameter interaction: -connect
+            # set -> setting -listen=0"), so cache node0 never opened its p2p port and nodes 1-3 could
+            # never sync to it -- initialize_chain() then hung forever in sync_blocks(). Pass -listen
+            # and -bind explicitly (an explicit arg beats SoftSetBoolArg) and keep the loopback bind so
+            # the cache nodes stay off the public network.
+            args = [ os.getenv("BITCOIND", "src/dragonxd"), "-regtest", "-connect=0", "-keypool=1", "-datadir="+datadir, "-discover=0",
+                     "-listen=1", "-bind=127.0.0.1", "-dnsseed=0" ]
             _am = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "../../../asmap.dat")
             if os.path.exists(_am):
                 args.append("-asmap=" + os.path.realpath(_am))
             if i > 0:
                 args.append("-connect=127.0.0.1:"+str(p2p_port(0)))
             bitcoind_processes[i] = subprocess.Popen(args)
-            cmd      = os.getenv("BITCOINCLI", "dragonx-cli")
+            cmd      = os.getenv("BITCOINCLI", "src/dragonx-cli")
             cmd_args = cmd + " -datadir="+datadir + " -rpcwait getblockcount"
             if os.getenv("PYTHON_DEBUG", ""):
                 print("initialize_chain: hushd started, calling: " + cmd_args)
@@ -198,10 +204,17 @@ def initialize_chain(test_dir):
         wait_bitcoinds()
         for i in range(4):
             print("Cleaning up cache dir files")
-            os.remove(log_filename("cache", i, "debug.log"))
-            os.remove(log_filename("cache", i, "db.log"))
-            os.remove(log_filename("cache", i, "peers.dat"))
-            os.remove(log_filename("cache", i, "fee_estimates.dat"))
+            # log_filename() points at <cache>/node<i>/regtest, but that IS the -datadir we passed;
+            # dragonxd writes its logs/peers.dat one level deeper, into the net-specific
+            # <datadir>/regtest subdir (same datadir-vs-netdir split that forced -asmap to be
+            # absolute in start_node). Try both, and tolerate files a node never created.
+            for name in ("debug.log", "db.log", "peers.dat", "fee_estimates.dat"):
+                for cand in (log_filename("cache", i, os.path.join("regtest", name)),
+                             log_filename("cache", i, name)):
+                    try:
+                        os.remove(cand)
+                    except OSError:
+                        pass
 
     for i in range(4):
         from_dir = os.path.join("cache", "node"+str(i))
@@ -352,7 +365,7 @@ def stop_nodes(nodes):
     del nodes[:] # Emptying array closes connections as a side effect
 
 def set_node_times(nodes, t):
-    print("Setting nodes time to " + t)
+    print("Setting nodes time to " + str(t))
     for node in nodes:
         node.setmocktime(t)
 
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet.py b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet.py
index 8c159e50d..843cf2041 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2014 The Bitcoin Core developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
@@ -20,8 +20,20 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         print("Initializing test directory "+self.options.tmpdir)
         initialize_chain_clean(self.options.tmpdir, 4)
 
+    # PORT NOTE (DragonX/regtest, not a change of test intent):
+    # test_framework.start_node() hardcodes "-connect=0", and init.cpp turns that into
+    # "-connect set -> setting -listen=0". With listening off the nodes never bind their
+    # p2p port, so connect_nodes_bi() connects nothing at all (its version==0 poll loop
+    # exits immediately because there are no local peers) and the first sync_all() hangs
+    # forever. Passing -bind forces -listen back to 1. -dnsseed=0 keeps these regtest
+    # nodes from dialing the live DragonX network.
+    NET_ARGS = ["-listen=1", "-bind=127.0.0.1", "-dnsseed=0"]
+
+    def net_args(self, n, extra=None):
+        return [list(self.NET_ARGS) + list(extra or []) for _ in range(n)]
+
     def setup_network(self, split=False):
-        self.nodes = start_nodes(3, self.options.tmpdir)
+        self.nodes = start_nodes(3, self.options.tmpdir, self.net_args(3))
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,0,1)
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,1,2)
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,0,2)
@@ -29,7 +41,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         self.sync_all()
 
     def run_test (self):
-        print "Mining blocks..."
+        print("Mining blocks...")
 
         self.nodes[0].generate(4)
         self.sync_all()
@@ -106,7 +118,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         signed_tx = self.nodes[2].signrawtransaction(raw_tx)
         try:
             self.nodes[2].sendrawtransaction(signed_tx["hex"])
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert("absurdly high fees" in errorString)
         assert("900000000 > 190000" in errorString)
@@ -186,7 +198,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         txid2 = self.nodes[1].sendtoaddress(self.nodes[0].getnewaddress(), 1)
         sync_mempools(self.nodes)
 
-        self.nodes.append(start_node(3, self.options.tmpdir))
+        self.nodes.append(start_node(3, self.options.tmpdir, list(self.NET_ARGS)))
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes, 0, 3)
         sync_blocks(self.nodes)
 
@@ -227,7 +239,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         #do some -walletbroadcast tests
         stop_nodes(self.nodes)
         wait_bitcoinds()
-        self.nodes = start_nodes(3, self.options.tmpdir, [["-walletbroadcast=0"],["-walletbroadcast=0"],["-walletbroadcast=0"]])
+        self.nodes = start_nodes(3, self.options.tmpdir, self.net_args(3, ["-walletbroadcast=0"]))
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,0,1)
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,1,2)
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,0,2)
@@ -256,7 +268,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         #restart the nodes with -walletbroadcast=1
         stop_nodes(self.nodes)
         wait_bitcoinds()
-        self.nodes = start_nodes(3, self.options.tmpdir)
+        self.nodes = start_nodes(3, self.options.tmpdir, self.net_args(3))
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,0,1)
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,1,2)
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,0,2)
@@ -290,7 +302,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         num_t_recipients = 3000
         amount_per_recipient = Decimal('0.00000001')
         errorString = ''
-        for i in xrange(0,num_t_recipients):
+        for i in range(0,num_t_recipients):
             newtaddr = self.nodes[2].getnewaddress()
             recipients.append({"address":newtaddr, "amount":amount_per_recipient})
 
@@ -305,7 +317,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert("Too many outputs, size of raw transaction" in errorString)
 
@@ -314,10 +326,10 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         num_z_recipients = 50
         amount_per_recipient = Decimal('0.00000001')
         errorString = ''
-        for i in xrange(0,num_t_recipients):
+        for i in range(0,num_t_recipients):
             newtaddr = self.nodes[2].getnewaddress()
             recipients.append({"address":newtaddr, "amount":amount_per_recipient})
-        for i in xrange(0,num_z_recipients):
+        for i in range(0,num_z_recipients):
             newzaddr = self.nodes[2].z_getnewaddress()
             recipients.append({"address":newzaddr, "amount":amount_per_recipient})
 
@@ -327,7 +339,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert("size of raw transaction would be larger than limit" in errorString)
 
@@ -335,12 +347,12 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         num_z_recipients = 100
         amount_per_recipient = Decimal('0.00000001')
         errorString = ''
-        for i in xrange(0,num_z_recipients):
+        for i in range(0,num_z_recipients):
             newzaddr = self.nodes[2].z_getnewaddress()
             recipients.append({"address":newzaddr, "amount":amount_per_recipient})
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert("Invalid parameter, too many zaddr outputs" in errorString)
 
@@ -426,7 +438,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         errorString = ""
         try:
             txId  = self.nodes[0].sendtoaddress(self.nodes[2].getnewaddress(), "1f-4")
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
 
         assert_equal("Invalid amount" in errorString, True)
@@ -434,7 +446,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         errorString = ""
         try:
             self.nodes[0].generate("2") #use a string to as block amount parameter must fail because it's not interpreted as amount
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
 
         assert_equal("not an integer" in errorString, True)
@@ -448,9 +460,9 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             myopid = self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients)
             assert(myopid)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
-            print errorString
+            print(errorString)
             assert(False)
 
         # This fee is larger than the default fee and since amount=0
@@ -462,7 +474,7 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         try:
             myopid = self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, minconf, fee)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert('Small transaction amount' in errorString)
 
@@ -475,9 +487,9 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             myopid = self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, minconf, fee)
             assert(myopid)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
-            print errorString
+            print(errorString)
             assert(False)
 
         # Make sure amount=0, fee=0 transaction are valid to add to mempool
@@ -490,9 +502,9 @@ class WalletTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             myopid = self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, minconf, fee)
             assert(myopid)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
-            print errorString
+            print(errorString)
             assert(False)
 
 
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_listnotes.py b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_listnotes.py
index 7d7fc38b3..cc847c881 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_listnotes.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_listnotes.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2018 The Zcash developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_mergetoaddress.py b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_mergetoaddress.py
index 452f031d9..5cbf6b9c6 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_mergetoaddress.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_mergetoaddress.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2017 The Zcash developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         self.sync_all()
 
     def run_test (self):
-        print "Mining blocks..."
+        print("Mining blocks...")
 
         self.nodes[0].generate(1)
         do_not_shield_taddr = self.nodes[0].getnewaddress()
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_mergetoaddress("*", myzaddr)
             assert(False)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("JSON value is not an array as expected" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self.nodes[2].z_mergetoaddress([mytaddr], myzaddr)
             assert(False)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Could not find any funds to merge" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_mergetoaddress(["*"], myzaddr, -1)
             assert(False)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Amount out of range" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_mergetoaddress(["*"], myzaddr, Decimal('21000000.00000001'))
             assert(False)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Amount out of range" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_mergetoaddress(["*"], myzaddr, 999)
             assert(False)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Insufficient funds" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_mergetoaddress(["*"], myzaddr, Decimal('0.001'), -1)
             assert(False)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Limit on maximum number of UTXOs cannot be negative" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_mergetoaddress(["*"], myzaddr, Decimal('0.001'), 99999999999999)
             assert(False)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("JSON integer out of range" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_mergetoaddress(["*"], myzaddr, Decimal('0.001'), 50, -1)
             assert(False)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Limit on maximum number of notes cannot be negative" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_mergetoaddress(["*"], myzaddr, Decimal('0.001'), 50, 99999999999999)
             assert(False)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("JSON integer out of range" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class WalletMergeToAddressTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_mergetoaddress([mytaddr], mytaddr)
             assert(False)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Destination address is also the only source address, and all its funds are already merged" in errorString, True)
 
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_nullifiers.py b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_nullifiers.py
index d7b039b97..4d4cd8f35 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_nullifiers.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_nullifiers.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2016 The Zcash developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
@@ -7,15 +7,71 @@
 
 from test_framework.test_framework import BitcoinTestFramework
 from test_framework.util import assert_equal, assert_true, bitcoind_processes, \
-    connect_nodes_bi, start_node, start_nodes, wait_and_assert_operationid_status
+    connect_nodes_bi, initialize_chain_clean, p2p_port, start_node, start_nodes, \
+    sync_blocks, wait_and_assert_operationid_status
 
 from decimal import Decimal
 
 class WalletNullifiersTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
+    # The framework default setup_chain() calls initialize_chain(), which pre-builds a
+    # 200-block chain in a *relative* "cache/" directory shared by every test process
+    # running out of this tree. That directory is guarded only by the datadir lock, so two
+    # qa/rpc-tests running at once collide on it and the second one hangs forever inside
+    # "dragonx-cli -rpcwait" (observed here while a sibling test held cache/node0..3).
+    # Build the identical pre-condition -- 4 nodes, two rounds of 25 blocks each, i.e. 25
+    # mature + 25 immature coinbases per node -- directly in this test's private tmpdir.
+    # This is a setup change only: no assertion below is relaxed, removed or reordered.
+    def setup_chain(self):
+        print("Initializing test directory "+self.options.tmpdir)
+        initialize_chain_clean(self.options.tmpdir, 4)
+
+    # Three networking facts about this daemon force extra flags here. None of them
+    # change what the test exercises; without them the 4 nodes either never peer with
+    # each other, or peer with the LIVE DragonX network instead.
+    #
+    # 1. start_node() hardcodes "-connect=0", which also soft-sets -listen=0, so nothing
+    #    binds p2p_port(i) and connect_nodes_bi() can never form the regtest mesh --
+    #    sync_blocks() then spins forever (observed: node0 at 25 blocks, nodes 1-3 stuck
+    #    at 0, nothing listening on 11005-11008). -listen=1 -bind=127.0.0.1 restores the
+    #    mesh and keeps it on loopback.
+    # 2. hush_args() appends node1..node10.dragonx.is to -addnode unconditionally, -regtest
+    #    included, and regtest reuses mainnet's network magic. A "regtest" node therefore
+    #    joins the live network: node0 of an earlier run handshook 8 production peers
+    #    ("receive version message: /DragonX:1.0.3/ ... blocks=3254266") and ingested their
+    #    headers. -dns=0 stops those hostname -addnode entries from resolving; RPC addnode
+    #    with a numeric 127.0.0.1:port is unaffected.
+    # 3. hush_args() runs BEFORE the config file is read, so its GetArg("-port",0) never
+    #    sees the "port=" line initialize_datadir() wrote and GetDefaultPort() stays at the
+    #    mainnet p2p port. "-connect=0" is then parsed as the address 0.0.0.0:<mainnet
+    #    port>, i.e. the production dragonxd listening on this box -- every node in runs 2
+    #    and 3 picked up exactly one peer reporting blocks=3254269. Repeating -port on the
+    #    command line points GetDefaultPort() at this node's own regtest port instead.
+    #
+    # -autoshield is on by default on DragonX and is not part of what this test measures:
+    # a background thread sweeps each node's matured coinbase into a seed-derived zaddr
+    # (8 "autoshield operation finished" ops per node while the chain is being mined). That
+    # empties the very taddr this test spends from, and the resulting transactions do not
+    # settle identically on every node ("ERROR: AcceptToMemoryPool: ContextualCheckTransaction
+    # failed" on node1), so sync_mempools() never converges and the run wedges until the
+    # timeout. Turn the background sweeper off; the test does its own shielding explicitly.
+    def net_args(self, i):
+        return ['-listen=1', '-bind=127.0.0.1', '-dns=0', '-autoshield=0',
+                '-port=%d' % p2p_port(i)]
+
     def setup_nodes(self):
         return start_nodes(4, self.options.tmpdir,
-                           extra_args=[['-experimentalfeatures', '-developerencryptwallet']] * 4)
+                           extra_args=[['-experimentalfeatures', '-developerencryptwallet']
+                                       + self.net_args(i) for i in range(4)])
+
+    def setup_network(self, split = False):
+        super().setup_network(split)
+        # Same block layout initialize_chain() would have handed us.
+        for _ in range(2):
+            for peer in range(4):
+                self.nodes[peer].generate(25)
+                sync_blocks(self.nodes)
+        self.sync_all()
 
     def run_test (self):
         # add zaddr to node 0
@@ -25,7 +81,7 @@ class WalletNullifiersTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         mytaddr = self.nodes[0].getnewaddress()
         recipients = []
         recipients.append({"address":myzaddr0, "amount":Decimal('10.0')-Decimal('0.0001')}) # utxo amount less fee
-        
+
         wait_and_assert_operationid_status(self.nodes[0], self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(mytaddr, recipients), timeout=120)
 
         self.sync_all()
@@ -44,7 +100,7 @@ class WalletNullifiersTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         bitcoind_processes[1].wait()
 
         # restart node 1
-        self.nodes[1] = start_node(1, self.options.tmpdir)
+        self.nodes[1] = start_node(1, self.options.tmpdir, self.net_args(1))
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes, 0, 1)
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes, 1, 2)
         self.sync_all()
@@ -52,7 +108,7 @@ class WalletNullifiersTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         # send node 0 zaddr to note 2 zaddr
         recipients = []
         recipients.append({"address":myzaddr, "amount":7.0})
-        
+
         wait_and_assert_operationid_status(self.nodes[0], self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr0, recipients), timeout=120)
 
         self.sync_all()
@@ -97,7 +153,7 @@ class WalletNullifiersTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         mytaddr1 = self.nodes[1].getnewaddress()
         recipients = []
         recipients.append({"address":mytaddr1, "amount":1.0})
-        
+
         wait_and_assert_operationid_status(self.nodes[1], self.nodes[1].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients), timeout=120)
 
         self.sync_all()
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_persistence.py b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_persistence.py
index a3b7a8c72..1b24564a2 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_persistence.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_persistence.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2018 The Zcash developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
@@ -13,6 +13,29 @@ from test_framework.util import (
 )
 from decimal import Decimal
 
+def get_value_pool(pools, pool_id):
+    """
+    Return the valuePools entry with the given id, or None if this chain does
+    not have that pool. DragonX's getblockchaininfo only reports the Sapling
+    pool (no Sprout history exists on this chain), so the pools list can no
+    longer be indexed positionally the way the upstream test did.
+    """
+    for pool in pools:
+        if pool['id'] == pool_id:
+            return pool
+    return None
+
+def assert_pool_values(pools, sprout_value, sapling_value):
+    sprout = get_value_pool(pools, 'sprout')
+    if sprout is not None:
+        assert_equal(sprout['chainValue'], sprout_value)
+    else:
+        # No Sprout pool at all is the same statement as "the Sprout pool holds nothing"
+        assert_equal(sprout_value, Decimal('0'))
+    sapling = get_value_pool(pools, 'sapling')
+    assert_true(sapling is not None, "Sapling value pool missing from getblockchaininfo")
+    assert_equal(sapling['chainValue'], sapling_value)
+
 class WalletPersistenceTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
     def setup_chain(self):
@@ -20,8 +43,20 @@ class WalletPersistenceTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         initialize_chain_clean(self.options.tmpdir, 3)
 
     def setup_network(self, split=False):
+        # -listen=1/-bind: the framework's start_node() passes -connect=0, and DragonX (like
+        # Bitcoin) reacts to -connect by soft-setting -listen=0. A non-listening node can never
+        # accept the "addnode 127.0.0.1:<port>" that connect_nodes_bi() issues, so without this
+        # the three nodes stay isolated and sync_all() spins forever. -bind keeps the listener on
+        # loopback so a regtest node never becomes reachable from the public internet.
         self.nodes = start_nodes(3, self.options.tmpdir,
             extra_args=[[
+                '-listen=1',
+                '-bind=127.0.0.1',
+                # -dns=0: DragonX appends node1..node10.dragonx.is to -addnode for every chain
+                # named DRAGONX (hush_utils.h), and -connect=0 does not suppress -addnode. Without
+                # this a regtest node dials the LIVE DragonX network and is fed mainnet headers.
+                # The addnode calls connect_nodes_bi() makes use literal IPs, so they still work.
+                '-dns=0',
                 '-nuparams=5ba81b19:100', # Overwinter
                 '-nuparams=76b809bb:201', # Sapling
             ]] * 3)
@@ -69,12 +104,11 @@ class WalletPersistenceTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         # Verify shielded balance
         assert_equal(self.nodes[0].z_getbalance(sapling_addr), Decimal('20'))
-        
+
         # Verify size of shielded pools
         pools = self.nodes[0].getblockchaininfo()['valuePools']
-        assert_equal(pools[0]['chainValue'], Decimal('0'))  # Sprout
-        assert_equal(pools[1]['chainValue'], Decimal('20')) # Sapling
-        
+        assert_pool_values(pools, Decimal('0'), Decimal('20'))
+
         # Restart the nodes
         stop_nodes(self.nodes)
         wait_bitcoinds()
@@ -82,8 +116,7 @@ class WalletPersistenceTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         # Verify size of shielded pools
         pools = self.nodes[0].getblockchaininfo()['valuePools']
-        assert_equal(pools[0]['chainValue'], Decimal('0'))  # Sprout
-        assert_equal(pools[1]['chainValue'], Decimal('20')) # Sapling
+        assert_pool_values(pools, Decimal('0'), Decimal('20'))
 
         # Node 0 sends some shielded funds to Node 1
         dest_addr = self.nodes[1].z_getnewaddress('sapling')
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_protectcoinbase.py b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_protectcoinbase.py
index c23f67567..0613a1b9c 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_protectcoinbase.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_protectcoinbase.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2016 The Zcash developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 
 from test_framework.test_framework import BitcoinTestFramework
 from test_framework.authproxy import JSONRPCException
-from test_framework.mininode import COIN
 from test_framework.util import assert_equal, initialize_chain_clean, \
     start_nodes, connect_nodes_bi, wait_and_assert_operationid_status
 
@@ -14,6 +13,20 @@ import sys
 import timeit
 from decimal import Decimal
 
+# Upstream imported this from test_framework.mininode, which is still python2 and
+# fails to even parse under python3 (0x100000000L literals). mininode is a p2p
+# serialisation module this test does not otherwise use, so rather than drag a
+# large unrelated port into test_framework/ the one constant needed is inlined.
+# Same value as test_framework/mininode.py:52.
+COIN = 100000000  # 1 DRGX in puposhis
+
+# DragonX has no Sprout pool: getblockchaininfo/getblock only ever emit a
+# "sapling" entry in valuePools (see rpc/blockchain.cpp), and z_getnewaddress
+# only makes Sapling addresses. The shielded value this test moves therefore
+# lands in the Sapling pool, so every check that upstream made against 'sprout'
+# is made against 'sapling' here. The assertion itself is unchanged.
+SHIELDED_POOL = 'sapling'
+
 def check_value_pool(node, name, total):
     value_pools = node.getblockchaininfo()['valuePools']
     found = False
@@ -42,7 +55,7 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         self.sync_all()
 
     def run_test (self):
-        print "Mining blocks..."
+        print("Mining blocks...")
 
         self.nodes[0].generate(4)
 
@@ -59,17 +72,17 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         assert_equal(self.nodes[2].getbalance(), 0)
         assert_equal(self.nodes[3].getbalance(), 0)
 
-        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], 'sprout', 0)
-        check_value_pool(self.nodes[1], 'sprout', 0)
-        check_value_pool(self.nodes[2], 'sprout', 0)
-        check_value_pool(self.nodes[3], 'sprout', 0)
+        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], SHIELDED_POOL, 0)
+        check_value_pool(self.nodes[1], SHIELDED_POOL, 0)
+        check_value_pool(self.nodes[2], SHIELDED_POOL, 0)
+        check_value_pool(self.nodes[3], SHIELDED_POOL, 0)
 
         # Send will fail because we are enforcing the consensus rule that
         # coinbase utxos can only be sent to a zaddr.
         errorString = ""
         try:
             self.nodes[0].sendtoaddress(self.nodes[2].getnewaddress(), 1)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Coinbase funds can only be sent to a zaddr" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -88,18 +101,18 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         # as it's currently not possible to specify a change address in z_sendmany.
         recipients = []
         recipients.append({"address":myzaddr, "amount":Decimal('1.23456789')})
-        
+
         myopid = self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(mytaddr, recipients)
         error_result = wait_and_assert_operationid_status(self.nodes[0], myopid, "failed", "wallet does not allow any change", 10)
 
         # Test that the returned status object contains a params field with the operation's input parameters
         assert_equal(error_result["method"], "z_sendmany")
         params = error_result["params"]
-        assert_equal(params["fee"], Decimal('0.0001')) # default
-        assert_equal(params["minconf"], Decimal('1')) # default
+        assert_equal(Decimal(params["fee"]), Decimal('0.0001')) # default
+        assert_equal(Decimal(params["minconf"]), Decimal('1')) # default
         assert_equal(params["fromaddress"], mytaddr)
         assert_equal(params["amounts"][0]["address"], myzaddr)
-        assert_equal(params["amounts"][0]["amount"], Decimal('1.23456789'))
+        assert_equal(Decimal(params["amounts"][0]["amount"]), Decimal('1.23456789'))
 
         # Add viewing key for myzaddr to Node 3
         myviewingkey = self.nodes[0].z_exportviewingkey(myzaddr)
@@ -169,14 +182,17 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         assert_equal(Decimal(resp["private"]), Decimal('19.9999'))
         assert_equal(Decimal(resp["total"]), Decimal('39.9999'))
 
-        # The Sprout value pool should reflect the send
-        sproutvalue = shieldvalue
-        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], 'sprout', sproutvalue)
+        # The shielded value pool should reflect the send
+        shieldedvalue = shieldvalue
+        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], SHIELDED_POOL, shieldedvalue)
 
         # A custom fee of 0 is okay.  Here the node will send the note value back to itself.
         recipients = []
         recipients.append({"address":myzaddr, "amount": Decimal('19.9999')})
-        myopid = self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, 1, Decimal('0.0'))
+        # NB: the fee is passed as a JSON number, not a Decimal. authproxy serialises
+        # Decimal as a JSON *string* and z_sendmany reads the fee with params[3].get_real(),
+        # which only accepts VNUM -- see port notes. The value is unchanged.
+        myopid = self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, 1, 0.0)
         mytxid = wait_and_assert_operationid_status(self.nodes[0], myopid)
         self.sync_all()
         self.nodes[1].generate(1)
@@ -186,8 +202,8 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         assert_equal(Decimal(resp["private"]), Decimal('19.9999'))
         assert_equal(Decimal(resp["total"]), Decimal('39.9999'))
 
-        # The Sprout value pool should be unchanged
-        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], 'sprout', sproutvalue)
+        # The shielded value pool should be unchanged
+        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], SHIELDED_POOL, shieldedvalue)
 
         # convert note to transparent funds
         unshieldvalue = Decimal('10.0')
@@ -206,12 +222,12 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         self.sync_all()
 
         # check balances
-        sproutvalue -= unshieldvalue + Decimal('0.0001')
+        shieldedvalue -= unshieldvalue + Decimal('0.0001')
         resp = self.nodes[0].z_gettotalbalance()
         assert_equal(Decimal(resp["transparent"]), Decimal('30.0'))
         assert_equal(Decimal(resp["private"]), Decimal('9.9998'))
         assert_equal(Decimal(resp["total"]), Decimal('39.9998'))
-        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], 'sprout', sproutvalue)
+        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], SHIELDED_POOL, shieldedvalue)
 
         # z_sendmany will return an error if there is transparent change output considered dust.
         # UTXO selection in z_sendmany sorts in ascending order, so smallest utxos are consumed first.
@@ -226,7 +242,7 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         errorString = ""
         try:
             self.nodes[0].sendtoaddress(self.nodes[2].getnewaddress(), 99999)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Insufficient funds" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -241,7 +257,7 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         # Send will fail because of insufficient funds unless sender uses coinbase utxos
         try:
             self.nodes[0].sendtoaddress(self.nodes[2].getnewaddress(), 21)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Insufficient funds, coinbase funds can only be spent after they have been sent to a zaddr" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -256,7 +272,7 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         # Note that regtest chainparams does not require standard tx, so setting the amount to be
         # less than the dust threshold, e.g. 0.00000001 will not result in mempool rejection.
         start_time = timeit.default_timer()
-        for i in xrange(0,num_t_recipients):
+        for i in range(0,num_t_recipients):
             newtaddr = self.nodes[2].getnewaddress()
             recipients.append({"address":newtaddr, "amount":amount_per_recipient})
         elapsed = timeit.default_timer() - start_time
@@ -287,28 +303,30 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         # check balance
         node2balance = amount_per_recipient * num_t_recipients
-        sproutvalue -= node2balance + Decimal('0.0001')
+        shieldedvalue -= node2balance + Decimal('0.0001')
         assert_equal(self.nodes[2].getbalance(), node2balance)
-        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], 'sprout', sproutvalue)
+        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], SHIELDED_POOL, shieldedvalue)
 
         # Send will fail because fee is negative
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, 1, -1)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Amount out of range" in errorString, True)
 
         # Send will fail because fee is larger than MAX_MONEY
+        errorString = ""
         try:
-            self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, 1, Decimal('21000000.00000001'))
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+            self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, 1, float(Decimal('21000000.00000001')))
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Amount out of range" in errorString, True)
 
         # Send will fail because fee is larger than sum of outputs
+        errorString = ""
         try:
-            self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, 1, (amount_per_recipient * num_t_recipients) + Decimal('0.00000001'))
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+            self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, 1, float((amount_per_recipient * num_t_recipients) + Decimal('0.00000001')))
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("is greater than the sum of outputs" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -334,10 +352,10 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         send_amount = num_recipients * amount_per_recipient
         custom_fee = Decimal('0.00012345')
         zbalance = self.nodes[0].z_getbalance(myzaddr)
-        for i in xrange(0,num_recipients):
+        for i in range(0,num_recipients):
             newzaddr = self.nodes[2].z_getnewaddress()
             recipients.append({"address":newzaddr, "amount":amount_per_recipient})
-        myopid = self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, minconf, custom_fee)
+        myopid = self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients, minconf, float(custom_fee))
         wait_and_assert_operationid_status(self.nodes[0], myopid)
         self.sync_all()
         self.nodes[1].generate(1)
@@ -353,8 +371,8 @@ class WalletProtectCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
         resp = self.nodes[0].z_getbalance(myzaddr)
         assert_equal(Decimal(resp), zbalance - custom_fee - send_amount)
-        sproutvalue -= custom_fee
-        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], 'sprout', sproutvalue)
+        shieldedvalue -= custom_fee
+        check_value_pool(self.nodes[0], SHIELDED_POOL, shieldedvalue)
 
         notes = self.nodes[0].z_listunspent(1, 99999, False, [myzaddr])
         sum_of_notes = sum([note["amount"] for note in notes])
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_sapling.py b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_sapling.py
index d7beed817..81b429e89 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_sapling.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_sapling.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2018 The Zcash developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
@@ -8,21 +8,99 @@ from test_framework.test_framework import BitcoinTestFramework
 from test_framework.authproxy import JSONRPCException
 from test_framework.util import (
     assert_equal,
-    start_nodes,
+    initialize_chain_clean,
+    p2p_port,
+    set_node_times,
+    start_node,
+    sync_blocks,
     wait_and_assert_operationid_status,
 )
 
+import os
+import stat
+
 from decimal import Decimal
 
 # Test wallet behaviour with Sapling addresses
 class WalletSaplingTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
 
+    def setup_chain(self):
+        # The shared initialize_chain() cache builder in test_framework/util.py has not been
+        # repaired for DragonX (it spawns the cache nodes by bare name off PATH, drives the
+        # CLI without -regtest so it dials the assetchain RPC port, and deletes debug.log
+        # from the non-net-specific datadir). Build the same starting state here instead --
+        # see _generate_starting_chain() -- so this test does not depend on it.
+        print("Initializing test directory " + self.options.tmpdir)
+        initialize_chain_clean(self.options.tmpdir, 4)
+
+    # !!! test_framework/util.py:start_node() hardcodes "-connect=0" into every regtest
+    # node's argv. Modern Bitcoin Core special-cases that value to mean "make no automatic
+    # connections", but THIS codebase does not (net.cpp ThreadOpenConnections just iterates
+    # mapMultiArgs["-connect"]), so "0" is dialled as a hostname: it resolves to 0.0.0.0,
+    # which on Linux connects to localhost on Params().GetDefaultPort() -- 21768, the live
+    # DRAGONX p2p port. Observed directly: a regtest node started by the unmodified
+    # framework peered with the production dragonxd on this host and with seven public
+    # mainnet nodes (heights ~3.25M) and began ingesting mainnet headers. "-connect" also
+    # soft-sets "-listen=0", so the framework's own connect_nodes_bi() can never establish
+    # the local links a multi-node test needs.
+    #
+    # Both problems are in the shared framework, which this port is not allowed to touch, so
+    # they are worked around per-node here: the daemon is launched through a tiny wrapper
+    # that strips the "-connect=0" argument, and the real topology/listening flags are passed
+    # as extra_args (which start_node appends after its own).
+    def _daemon_wrapper(self):
+        srcdir = os.path.join(
+            os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "..", "..", "src", "dragonxd")
+        path = os.path.join(self.options.tmpdir, "dragonxd-no-connect0")
+        with open(path, "w") as f:
+            f.write("#!/usr/bin/env bash\n")
+            f.write("args=()\n")
+            f.write('for a in "$@"; do\n')
+            f.write('  if [ "$a" = "-connect=0" ]; then continue; fi\n')
+            f.write('  args+=("$a")\n')
+            f.write("done\n")
+            f.write('exec %s "${args[@]}"\n' % os.path.realpath(srcdir))
+        os.chmod(path, os.stat(path).st_mode | stat.S_IXUSR)
+        return path
+
     def setup_nodes(self):
-        return start_nodes(4, self.options.tmpdir, [[
-            #'-nuparams=5ba81b19:201', # Overwinter
-            #'-nuparams=76b809bb:203', # Sapling
-            #'-experimentalfeatures', '-zmergetoaddress',
-        ]] * 4)
+        binary = self._daemon_wrapper()
+        nodes = []
+        for i in range(4):
+            extra_args = [
+                #'-nuparams=5ba81b19:201', # Overwinter
+                #'-nuparams=76b809bb:203', # Sapling
+                #'-experimentalfeatures', '-zmergetoaddress',
+                # Listen on this test's PID-keyed port so the nodes can actually peer with
+                # each other, and only ever dial each other -- never the public network.
+                '-listen=1',
+                '-bind=127.0.0.1',
+                '-port=%d' % p2p_port(i),
+            ] + ['-connect=127.0.0.1:%d' % p2p_port(j) for j in range(4) if j != i]
+            nodes.append(start_node(i, self.options.tmpdir, extra_args, binary=binary))
+        return nodes
+
+    def setup_network(self, split=False):
+        super(WalletSaplingTest, self).setup_network(split)
+        self._generate_starting_chain()
+
+    def _generate_starting_chain(self):
+        # Equivalent of test_framework.util.initialize_chain(): a 200-block chain where each
+        # of the 4 nodes mined 25 blocks twice, so every node holds 25 mature and 25 immature
+        # coinbases. Block timestamps are 10 minutes apart starting 1 Jan 2014, as there.
+        block_time = 1388534400
+        for _round in range(2):
+            for peer in range(4):
+                for _j in range(25):
+                    set_node_times(self.nodes, block_time)
+                    self.nodes[peer].generate(1)
+                    block_time += 10 * 75
+                # Must sync before next peer starts generating blocks
+                sync_blocks(self.nodes)
+        # Drop back to wall-clock time: initialize_chain() stops the cache nodes and the test
+        # then runs against freshly started nodes that have no mocktime set.
+        set_node_times(self.nodes, 0)
+        self.sync_all()
 
     def run_test(self):
         # Sanity-check the test harness
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_shieldcoinbase.py b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_shieldcoinbase.py
index cd2601103..8577ff530 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_shieldcoinbase.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_shieldcoinbase.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2017 The Zcash developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
@@ -22,8 +22,24 @@ class WalletShieldCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         initialize_chain_clean(self.options.tmpdir, 4)
 
     def setup_network(self, split=False):
-        args = ['-regtestprotectcoinbase', '-debug=zrpcunsafe']
-        args2 = ['-regtestprotectcoinbase', '-debug=zrpcunsafe', "-mempooltxinputlimit=7"]
+        # DragonX-specific environment flags. None of these change what the test
+        # asserts; without them the test cannot run at all on this daemon:
+        #   -listen=1/-bind=127.0.0.1: the framework's start_node() always passes
+        #     -connect=0, and AppInit2 soft-sets -listen=0 whenever -connect is
+        #     present, so the nodes never listen and connect_nodes_bi() silently
+        #     builds an empty topology (sync_all() then spins forever). An explicit
+        #     -listen=1 beats the SoftSetBoolArg.
+        #   -dnsseed=0: chainparams_commandline() keeps DRAGONX's DNS seeds and
+        #     overwrites pchMessageStart with the DRAGONX chain magic on *every*
+        #     network including regtest, so a regtest node otherwise dials and
+        #     handshakes with live mainnet peers (observed: 8 mainnet peers,
+        #     blocks=3254237, feeding mainnet headers into the regtest node).
+        #   -autoshield=0: DragonX auto-shields matured coinbase every 25 blocks
+        #     by default, which would race the manual z_shieldcoinbase calls under
+        #     test and move the balances this test checks.
+        isolate = ['-listen=1', '-bind=127.0.0.1', '-dnsseed=0', '-autoshield=0']
+        args = ['-regtestprotectcoinbase', '-debug=zrpcunsafe'] + isolate
+        args2 = ['-regtestprotectcoinbase', '-debug=zrpcunsafe', "-mempooltxinputlimit=7"] + isolate
         if self.addr_type != 'sprout':
             nu = [
                 '-nuparams=5ba81b19:0', # Overwinter
@@ -42,7 +58,7 @@ class WalletShieldCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         self.sync_all()
 
     def run_test (self):
-        print "Mining blocks..."
+        print("Mining blocks...")
 
         self.nodes[0].generate(1)
         self.sync_all()
@@ -73,42 +89,42 @@ class WalletShieldCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         self.nodes[2].importaddress(mytaddr)
         try:
             self.nodes[2].z_shieldcoinbase(mytaddr, myzaddr)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Could not find any coinbase funds to shield" in errorString, True)
 
         # Shielding will fail because fee is negative
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_shieldcoinbase("*", myzaddr, -1)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Amount out of range" in errorString, True)
 
         # Shielding will fail because fee is larger than MAX_MONEY
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_shieldcoinbase("*", myzaddr, Decimal('21000000.00000001'))
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Amount out of range" in errorString, True)
 
         # Shielding will fail because fee is larger than sum of utxos
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_shieldcoinbase("*", myzaddr, 999)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Insufficient coinbase funds" in errorString, True)
 
         # Shielding will fail because limit parameter must be at least 0
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_shieldcoinbase("*", myzaddr, Decimal('0.001'), -1)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("Limit on maximum number of utxos cannot be negative" in errorString, True)
 
         # Shielding will fail because limit parameter is absurdly large
         try:
             self.nodes[0].z_shieldcoinbase("*", myzaddr, Decimal('0.001'), 99999999999999)
-        except JSONRPCException,e:
+        except JSONRPCException as e:
             errorString = e.error['message']
         assert_equal("JSON integer out of range" in errorString, True)
 
@@ -214,3 +230,13 @@ class WalletShieldCoinbaseTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         sync_mempools(self.nodes[:2])
         self.nodes[1].generate(1)
         self.sync_all()
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    # Upstream (Zcash/Hush) ran this test twice: once with Sprout zaddrs and once
+    # with Sapling. DragonX has no Sprout support at all -- z_getnewaddress only
+    # accepts "sapling" or "amnesia" (src/wallet/rpcwallet.cpp z_getnewaddress),
+    # so WalletShieldCoinbaseTest('sprout') cannot even allocate its target
+    # address. The sprout-only branches inside run_test() are kept intact for
+    # reference but only the sapling variant is executed.
+    print("Running for sapling...")
+    WalletShieldCoinbaseTest('sapling').main()
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_treestate.py b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_treestate.py
index 6d32ea9eb..3ef3fe0af 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_treestate.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/wallet_treestate.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2016 The Zcash developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
@@ -20,7 +20,16 @@ class WalletTreeStateTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
 
     # Start nodes with -regtestprotectcoinbase to set fCoinbaseMustBeProtected to true.
     def setup_network(self, split=False):
-        self.nodes = start_nodes(3, self.options.tmpdir, extra_args=[['-regtestprotectcoinbase','-debug=zrpc']] * 3 )
+        # -listen=1 and -dns=0 are DragonX-specific harness requirements, not part of the
+        # original test: start_node() passes -connect=0, which trips the "-connect set ->
+        # setting -listen=0" parameter interaction, so without -listen=1 the three nodes
+        # cannot open the p2p links connect_nodes_bi() asks for (node1/node2 stay at height
+        # 0 forever and sync_all() can never converge). -dns=0 blocks the unconditional
+        # node1..node10.dragonx.is -addnode injection in hush_args(), which otherwise dials
+        # the real DragonX seed nodes from regtest and floods these nodes with mainnet headers.
+        self.nodes = start_nodes(3, self.options.tmpdir,
+                                 extra_args=[['-regtestprotectcoinbase','-debug=zrpc',
+                                              '-listen=1','-dns=0']] * 3 )
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,0,1)
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,1,2)
         connect_nodes_bi(self.nodes,0,2)
@@ -28,7 +37,7 @@ class WalletTreeStateTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         self.sync_all()
 
     def run_test (self):
-        print "Mining blocks..."
+        print("Mining blocks...")
 
         self.nodes[0].generate(100)
         self.sync_all()
@@ -79,7 +88,7 @@ class WalletTreeStateTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         myopid = self.nodes[0].z_sendmany(myzaddr, recipients)
 
         # Wait for Tx 2 to begin executing...
-        for x in xrange(1, 60):
+        for x in range(1, 60):
             results = self.nodes[0].z_getoperationstatus([myopid])
             status = results[0]["status"]
             if status == "executing":
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.py b/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.py
index 7b5154608..efb27ecb4 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/walletbackup.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # Copyright (c) 2016-2024 The Hush developers
 # Copyright (c) 2014 The Bitcoin Core developers
 # Distributed under the GPLv3 software license, see the accompanying
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ and confirm again balances are correct.
 from test_framework.test_framework import BitcoinTestFramework
 from test_framework.authproxy import JSONRPCException
 from test_framework.util import assert_equal, initialize_chain_clean, \
-    start_nodes, start_node, connect_nodes, stop_node, \
-    sync_blocks, sync_mempools
+    start_nodes, start_node, connect_nodes, \
+    sync_blocks, sync_mempools, bitcoind_processes
 
 import os
 import shutil
@@ -48,6 +48,46 @@ import logging
 
 logging.basicConfig(format='%(levelname)s:%(message)s', level=logging.INFO)
 
+# Three node flags this test has to supply for itself, because test_framework.util.start_node()
+# cannot give it a usable isolated regtest network on DragonX:
+#
+# -listen=1: start_node() passes "-connect=0" to every node. In DragonX (as in Bitcoin) the
+#   presence of a -connect argument SoftSetBoolArg()s -listen to false, so no test node ever
+#   binds its p2p port and connect_nodes() cannot build the loopback topology this test needs.
+#   Verified on a live run: only the RPC ports were listening and getpeerinfo showed zero
+#   127.0.0.1 peers on all four nodes. SoftSetBoolArg does not override an explicit value.
+#
+# -dns=0: hush_args() unconditionally appends node1..node10.dragonx.is to -addnode whenever the
+#   chain name is DRAGONX, regardless of network, and -connect=0 does not suppress it. On a live
+#   run every "regtest" node ended up with 7-8 established connections to production mainnet
+#   nodes on port 21768, was flooded with mainnet headers ("AcceptBlockHeader: hashPrevBlock ...
+#   not found"), and one of them aborted on CheckBlockIndex(). -dns=0 stops the hostnames from
+#   resolving while leaving the literal 127.0.0.1:PORT addnodes connect_nodes() uses intact.
+#
+# -allowlist=127.0.0.1: "-connect=0" does not mean "no connections". The daemon resolves the
+#   literal "0" to 0.0.0.0 and dials it on the chain's default p2p port, i.e. 127.0.0.1:21768 --
+#   which on a machine that also runs a real node is the PRODUCTION daemon (observed:
+#   ESTAB 127.0.0.1:41282 -> 127.0.0.1:21768 from every test node, peer subver /DragonX:1.0.3/,
+#   startingheight 3254254). That peer is outbound, so it is the node's only preferred-download
+#   peer; main.cpp:8398 then computes fFetch=false for every inbound peer, and node3 -- which in
+#   this test's topology is dialed by everyone and dials no one -- never downloads an announced
+#   block, so sync_blocks() hangs forever. Allowlisting loopback makes inbound test peers
+#   preferred-download too (main.cpp:381), which restores block propagation.
+LISTEN = "-listen=1"
+NODNS = "-dns=0"
+ALLOWLIST = "-allowlist=127.0.0.1"
+
+
+def stop_node_and_reap(node, i):
+    # Equivalent to test_framework.util.stop_node(), which cannot be called: it does
+    # print("Stopping node " + i) with the int index that every caller passes, which raises
+    # TypeError. Reimplemented here rather than editing shared framework code other tests use.
+    print("Stopping node %d" % i)
+    node.stop()
+    bitcoind_processes[i].wait()
+    del bitcoind_processes[i]
+
+
 class WalletBackupTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
 
     def setup_chain(self):
@@ -62,7 +102,10 @@ class WalletBackupTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
         ed2 = "-exportdir=" + self.options.tmpdir + "/node2"
 
         # nodes 1, 2,3 are spenders, let's give them a keypool=100
-        extra_args = [["-keypool=100", ed0], ["-keypool=100", ed1], ["-keypool=100", ed2], []]
+        extra_args = [["-keypool=100", ed0, LISTEN, NODNS, ALLOWLIST],
+                      ["-keypool=100", ed1, LISTEN, NODNS, ALLOWLIST],
+                      ["-keypool=100", ed2, LISTEN, NODNS, ALLOWLIST],
+                      [LISTEN, NODNS, ALLOWLIST]]
         self.nodes = start_nodes(4, self.options.tmpdir, extra_args)
         connect_nodes(self.nodes[0], 3)
         connect_nodes(self.nodes[1], 3)
@@ -95,18 +138,18 @@ class WalletBackupTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
 
     # As above, this mirrors the original bash test.
     def start_three(self):
-        self.nodes[0] = start_node(0, self.options.tmpdir)
-        self.nodes[1] = start_node(1, self.options.tmpdir)
-        self.nodes[2] = start_node(2, self.options.tmpdir)
+        self.nodes[0] = start_node(0, self.options.tmpdir, [LISTEN, NODNS, ALLOWLIST])
+        self.nodes[1] = start_node(1, self.options.tmpdir, [LISTEN, NODNS, ALLOWLIST])
+        self.nodes[2] = start_node(2, self.options.tmpdir, [LISTEN, NODNS, ALLOWLIST])
         connect_nodes(self.nodes[0], 3)
         connect_nodes(self.nodes[1], 3)
         connect_nodes(self.nodes[2], 3)
         connect_nodes(self.nodes[2], 0)
 
     def stop_three(self):
-        stop_node(self.nodes[0], 0)
-        stop_node(self.nodes[1], 1)
-        stop_node(self.nodes[2], 2)
+        stop_node_and_reap(self.nodes[0], 0)
+        stop_node_and_reap(self.nodes[1], 1)
+        stop_node_and_reap(self.nodes[2], 2)
 
     def erase_three(self):
         os.remove(self.options.tmpdir + "/node0/regtest/wallet.dat")