diff --git a/src/common/system.cpp b/src/common/system.cpp
index 98bc01471d5..08c0c692711 100644
--- a/src/common/system.cpp
+++ b/src/common/system.cpp
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ std::optional<size_t> GetTotalRAM()
     return std::nullopt;
 }
 
-SteadyClock::duration GetUptime()
-{
-    static const auto g_startup_time{SteadyClock::now()};
-    return SteadyClock::now() - g_startup_time;
-}
+namespace {
+    const auto g_startup_time{SteadyClock::now()};
+} // namespace
+
+SteadyClock::duration GetUptime() { return SteadyClock::now() - g_startup_time; }
diff --git a/test/functional/rpc_uptime.py b/test/functional/rpc_uptime.py
index 817ba2b4b53..48256e2f9eb 100755
--- a/test/functional/rpc_uptime.py
+++ b/test/functional/rpc_uptime.py
@@ -26,8 +26,11 @@ class UptimeTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
         assert_raises_rpc_error(-8, "Mocktime must be in the range [0, 9223372036], not -1.", self.nodes[0].setmocktime, -1)
 
     def _test_uptime(self):
-        wait_time = 20_000
+        time.sleep(1) # Do some work before checking uptime
         uptime_before = self.nodes[0].uptime()
+        assert uptime_before > 0, "uptime should begin at app start"
+
+        wait_time = 20_000
         self.nodes[0].setmocktime(int(time.time()) + wait_time)
         uptime_after = self.nodes[0].uptime()
         self.nodes[0].setmocktime(0)