diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 050386da4f..f0ae832298 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ print-%:
 
 size=100
 test-python-proto:
-	python3 -m pytest -c pytest_PROTO.ini PROTO_tests/ --size=$(size) $(ARKOUDA_PYTEST_OPTIONS)
+	python3 -m pytest -c pytest.ini --size=$(size) $(ARKOUDA_PYTEST_OPTIONS)
 
 CLEAN_TARGETS += test-clean
 .PHONY: test-clean
diff --git a/PROTO_tests/conftest.py b/PROTO_tests/conftest.py
index 8afe9ad42e..d350799766 100644
--- a/PROTO_tests/conftest.py
+++ b/PROTO_tests/conftest.py
@@ -63,11 +63,12 @@ def pytest_configure(config):
     pytest.nl = _get_test_locales(config)
     pytest.seed = None if config.getoption("seed") == "" else eval(config.getoption("seed"))
     pytest.prob_size = [eval(x) for x in config.getoption("size").split(",")]
+    pytest.test_running_mode = TestRunningMode(os.getenv("ARKOUDA_RUNNING_MODE", "CLASS_SERVER"))
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session", autouse=True)
 def startup_teardown():
-    test_running_mode = TestRunningMode(os.getenv("ARKOUDA_RUNNING_MODE", "CLASS_SERVER"))
+    test_running_mode = pytest.test_running_mode
 
     if not importlib.util.find_spec("pytest") or not importlib.util.find_spec("pytest_env"):
         raise EnvironmentError("pytest and pytest-env must be installed")
diff --git a/PROTO_tests/tests/categorical_test.py b/PROTO_tests/tests/categorical_test.py
index c02531db07..1e105592ec 100644
--- a/PROTO_tests/tests/categorical_test.py
+++ b/PROTO_tests/tests/categorical_test.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 from arkouda.categorical import Categorical
 from arkouda.testing import assert_categorical_equal
 
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def df_test_base_tmp(request):
     df_test_base_tmp = "{}/.categorical_test".format(os.getcwd())
@@ -127,7 +128,6 @@ def test_creation_from_categorical(self, size):
         expected_cat = ak.Categorical(strings1)
         assert_categorical_equal(ak_cat2, expected_cat)
 
-
     def test_substring_search(self):
         cat = self.create_basic_categorical()
         # update to use regex flag once #2714 is resolved
diff --git a/PROTO_tests/tests/client_test.py b/PROTO_tests/tests/client_test.py
index 69c4d6a539..3b2356e83e 100644
--- a/PROTO_tests/tests/client_test.py
+++ b/PROTO_tests/tests/client_test.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import arkouda as ak
 from arkouda.client import generic_msg
-from server_util.test.server_test_util import start_arkouda_server
+from server_util.test.server_test_util import TestRunningMode, start_arkouda_server
 
 
 class TestClient:
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ def test_disconnect_on_disconnected_client(self):
         ak.disconnect()
         ak.connect(server=pytest.server, port=pytest.port)
 
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(
+        pytest.test_running_mode == TestRunningMode.CLIENT,
+        reason="start_arkouda_server won't restart if running mode is client",
+    )
     def test_shutdown(self):
         """
         Tests the ak.shutdown() method
diff --git a/pytest_PROTO.ini b/pytest.ini
similarity index 98%
rename from pytest_PROTO.ini
rename to pytest.ini
index cec734461a..24141dbc83 100644
--- a/pytest_PROTO.ini
+++ b/pytest.ini
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ testpaths =
     PROTO_tests/tests/bigint_agg_test.py
     PROTO_tests/tests/bitops_test.py
     PROTO_tests/tests/categorical_test.py
-    PROTO_tests/tests/check.py    
+    PROTO_tests/tests/check.py
     PROTO_tests/tests/client_dtypes_test.py
     PROTO_tests/tests/client_test.py
     PROTO_tests/tests/coargsort_test.py