diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_join.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_join.sh
index 68cf11ad75e4..ae326fd5340a 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_join.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_join.sh
@@ -35,10 +35,6 @@ ip_mptcp=0
 check_invert=0
 validate_checksum=0
 init=0
-evts_ns1=""
-evts_ns2=""
-evts_ns1_pid=0
-evts_ns2_pid=0
 last_test_failed=0
 last_test_skipped=0
 last_test_ignored=1
@@ -182,8 +178,7 @@ init() {
 	cin=$(mktemp)
 	cinsent=$(mktemp)
 	cout=$(mktemp)
-	evts_ns1=$(mktemp)
-	evts_ns2=$(mktemp)
+	mptcp_lib_evts_init
 
 	trap cleanup EXIT
 
@@ -196,7 +191,7 @@ cleanup()
 	rm -f "$cin" "$cout" "$sinfail"
 	rm -f "$sin" "$sout" "$cinsent" "$cinfail"
 	rm -f "$tmpfile"
-	rm -rf $evts_ns1 $evts_ns2
+	mptcp_lib_evts_remove
 	cleanup_partial
 	mptcp_lib_cleanup
 }
@@ -461,12 +456,7 @@ reset_with_events()
 {
 	reset "${1}" || return 1
 
-	:> "$evts_ns1"
-	:> "$evts_ns2"
-	ip netns exec $ns1 ./pm_nl_ctl events >> "$evts_ns1" 2>&1 &
-	evts_ns1_pid=$!
-	ip netns exec $ns2 ./pm_nl_ctl events >> "$evts_ns2" 2>&1 &
-	evts_ns2_pid=$!
+	mptcp_lib_evts_start "${ns1}" "${ns2}"
 }
 
 reset_with_tcp_filter()
@@ -636,12 +626,6 @@ wait_mpj()
 	done
 }
 
-kill_events_pids()
-{
-	mptcp_lib_kill_wait $evts_ns1_pid
-	mptcp_lib_kill_wait $evts_ns2_pid
-}
-
 kill_tests_wait()
 {
 	#shellcheck disable=SC2046
@@ -2884,9 +2868,9 @@ add_addr_ports_tests()
 		chk_add_nr 1 1 1
 		chk_rm_nr 1 1 invert
 
-		verify_listener_events $evts_ns1 $LISTENER_CREATED $AF_INET 10.0.2.1 10100
-		verify_listener_events $evts_ns1 $LISTENER_CLOSED $AF_INET 10.0.2.1 10100
-		kill_events_pids
+		verify_listener_events $server_evts $LISTENER_CREATED $AF_INET 10.0.2.1 10100
+		verify_listener_events $server_evts $LISTENER_CLOSED $AF_INET 10.0.2.1 10100
+		mptcp_lib_evts_kill
 	fi
 
 	# subflow and signal with port, remove
@@ -3259,10 +3243,10 @@ fail_tests()
 # $1: ns ; $2: addr ; $3: id
 userspace_pm_add_addr()
 {
-	local evts=$evts_ns1
+	local evts=$server_evts
 	local tk
 
-	[ "$1" == "$ns2" ] && evts=$evts_ns2
+	[ "$1" == "$ns2" ] && evts=$client_evts
 	tk=$(mptcp_lib_evts_get_info token "$evts")
 
 	ip netns exec $1 ./pm_nl_ctl ann $2 token $tk id $3
@@ -3272,11 +3256,11 @@ userspace_pm_add_addr()
 # $1: ns ; $2: id
 userspace_pm_rm_addr()
 {
-	local evts=$evts_ns1
+	local evts=$server_evts
 	local tk
 	local cnt
 
-	[ "$1" == "$ns2" ] && evts=$evts_ns2
+	[ "$1" == "$ns2" ] && evts=$client_evts
 	tk=$(mptcp_lib_evts_get_info token "$evts")
 
 	cnt=$(rm_addr_count ${1})
@@ -3287,10 +3271,10 @@ userspace_pm_rm_addr()
 # $1: ns ; $2: addr ; $3: id
 userspace_pm_add_sf()
 {
-	local evts=$evts_ns1
+	local evts=$server_evts
 	local tk da dp
 
-	[ "$1" == "$ns2" ] && evts=$evts_ns2
+	[ "$1" == "$ns2" ] && evts=$client_evts
 	tk=$(mptcp_lib_evts_get_info token "$evts")
 	da=$(mptcp_lib_evts_get_info daddr4 "$evts")
 	dp=$(mptcp_lib_evts_get_info dport "$evts")
@@ -3303,13 +3287,13 @@ userspace_pm_add_sf()
 # $1: ns ; $2: addr $3: event type
 userspace_pm_rm_sf()
 {
-	local evts=$evts_ns1
+	local evts=$server_evts
 	local t=${3:-1}
 	local ip=4
 	local tk da dp sp
 	local cnt
 
-	[ "$1" == "$ns2" ] && evts=$evts_ns2
+	[ "$1" == "$ns2" ] && evts=$client_evts
 	if mptcp_lib_is_v6 $2; then ip=6; fi
 	tk=$(mptcp_lib_evts_get_info token "$evts")
 	da=$(mptcp_lib_evts_get_info "daddr$ip" "$evts" $t)
@@ -3422,7 +3406,7 @@ userspace_tests()
 		chk_rm_nr 1 1 invert
 		chk_mptcp_info subflows 0 subflows 0
 		chk_subflows_total 1 1
-		kill_events_pids
+		mptcp_lib_evts_kill
 		wait $tests_pid
 	fi
 
@@ -3444,7 +3428,7 @@ userspace_tests()
 		chk_rm_nr 1 1
 		chk_mptcp_info subflows 0 subflows 0
 		chk_subflows_total 1 1
-		kill_events_pids
+		mptcp_lib_evts_kill
 		wait $tests_pid
 	fi
 
@@ -3465,7 +3449,7 @@ userspace_tests()
 		chk_join_nr 1 1 1
 		chk_mptcp_info subflows 1 subflows 1
 		chk_subflows_total 2 2
-		kill_events_pids
+		mptcp_lib_evts_kill
 		wait $tests_pid
 	fi
 
@@ -3489,7 +3473,7 @@ userspace_tests()
 		chk_rst_nr 0 0 invert
 		chk_mptcp_info subflows 1 subflows 1
 		chk_subflows_total 1 1
-		kill_events_pids
+		mptcp_lib_evts_kill
 		wait $tests_pid
 	fi
 
@@ -3515,7 +3499,7 @@ userspace_tests()
 		chk_rst_nr 0 0 invert
 		chk_mptcp_info subflows 1 subflows 1
 		chk_subflows_total 1 1
-		kill_events_pids
+		mptcp_lib_evts_kill
 		wait $tests_pid
 	fi
 
@@ -3543,7 +3527,7 @@ userspace_tests()
 		chk_rm_nr 1 1 invert
 		chk_mptcp_info subflows 0 subflows 0
 		chk_subflows_total 1 1
-		kill_events_pids
+		mptcp_lib_evts_kill
 		wait $tests_pid
 	fi
 
@@ -3571,7 +3555,7 @@ userspace_tests()
 		chk_rm_nr 1 1
 		chk_mptcp_info subflows 0 subflows 0
 		chk_subflows_total 1 1
-		kill_events_pids
+		mptcp_lib_evts_kill
 		wait $tests_pid
 	fi
 }
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_lib.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_lib.sh
index 39bdfc6621d2..bb22dc17b0f0 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_lib.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_lib.sh
@@ -326,6 +326,69 @@ mptcp_lib_check()
 	fi
 }
 
+server_evts=""
+client_evts=""
+server_evts_pid=0
+client_evts_pid=0
+
+# server_evts(_pid) and client_evts(_pid) are needed
+# by mptcp_lib_evts_init, _start, _kill and _remove.
+mptcp_lib_evts_init() {
+	: "${server_evts?}"
+	: "${client_evts?}"
+
+	if [ -z "${server_evts}" ]; then
+		server_evts=$(mktemp)
+	fi
+	if [ -z "${client_evts}" ]; then
+		client_evts=$(mktemp)
+	fi
+}
+
+# $1 ns1, $2 ns2
+mptcp_lib_evts_start() {
+	: "${server_evts:?}"
+	: "${client_evts:?}"
+	: "${server_evts_pid:?}"
+	: "${client_evts_pid:?}"
+
+	local ns_1="${1}"
+	local ns_2="${2}"
+
+	:>"$server_evts"
+	:>"$client_evts"
+
+	if [ "${server_evts_pid}" -ne 0 ]; then
+		mptcp_lib_kill_wait "${server_evts_pid}"
+	fi
+	ip netns exec "${ns_1}" ./pm_nl_ctl events >> "${server_evts}" 2>&1 &
+	server_evts_pid=$!
+
+	if [ "${client_evts_pid}" -ne 0 ]; then
+		mptcp_lib_kill_wait "${client_evts_pid}"
+	fi
+	ip netns exec "${ns_2}" ./pm_nl_ctl events >> "${client_evts}" 2>&1 &
+	client_evts_pid=$!
+}
+
+mptcp_lib_evts_kill() {
+	: "${server_evts_pid:?}"
+	: "${client_evts_pid:?}"
+
+	mptcp_lib_kill_wait "${server_evts_pid}"
+	mptcp_lib_kill_wait "${client_evts_pid}"
+
+	server_evts_pid=0
+	client_evts_pid=0
+}
+
+mptcp_lib_evts_remove() {
+	: "${server_evts:?}"
+	: "${client_evts:?}"
+
+	rm -rf "${server_evts}" "${client_evts}"
+}
+
 mptcp_lib_cleanup()
 {
 	echo "cleanup"
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/userspace_pm.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/userspace_pm.sh
index 005251b61d7a..55ed3ea0a691 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/userspace_pm.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/userspace_pm.sh
@@ -34,10 +34,6 @@ AF_INET=2
 AF_INET6=10
 
 file=""
-server_evts=""
-client_evts=""
-server_evts_pid=0
-client_evts_pid=0
 client4_pid=0
 server4_pid=0
 client6_pid=0
@@ -116,18 +112,19 @@ cleanup()
 
 	# Terminate the MPTCP connection and related processes
 	local pid
-	for pid in $client4_pid $server4_pid $client6_pid $server6_pid\
-		   $server_evts_pid $client_evts_pid
+	for pid in $client4_pid $server4_pid $client6_pid $server6_pid
 	do
 		mptcp_lib_kill_wait $pid
 	done
+	mptcp_lib_evts_kill
 
 	local netns
 	for netns in "$ns1" "$ns2" ;do
 		ip netns del "$netns"
 	done
 
-	rm -rf $file $client_evts $server_evts
+	rm -rf $file
+	mptcp_lib_evts_remove
 
 	mptcp_lib_cleanup
 	_printf "Done\n"
@@ -187,24 +184,8 @@ make_connection()
 
 	# Capture netlink events over the two network namespaces running
 	# the MPTCP client and server
-	if [ -z "$client_evts" ]; then
-		client_evts=$(mktemp)
-	fi
-	:>"$client_evts"
-	if [ $client_evts_pid -ne 0 ]; then
-		mptcp_lib_kill_wait $client_evts_pid
-	fi
-	ip netns exec "$ns2" ./pm_nl_ctl events >> "$client_evts" 2>&1 &
-	client_evts_pid=$!
-	if [ -z "$server_evts" ]; then
-		server_evts=$(mktemp)
-	fi
-	:>"$server_evts"
-	if [ $server_evts_pid -ne 0 ]; then
-		mptcp_lib_kill_wait $server_evts_pid
-	fi
-	ip netns exec "$ns1" ./pm_nl_ctl events >> "$server_evts" 2>&1 &
-	server_evts_pid=$!
+	mptcp_lib_evts_init
+	mptcp_lib_evts_start "${ns1}" "${ns2}"
 	sleep 0.5
 
 	# Run the server
