diff --git a/ipn/ipnlocal/local.go b/ipn/ipnlocal/local.go
index 5897614d0..c091e0c61 100644
--- a/ipn/ipnlocal/local.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnlocal/local.go
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ func NewLocalBackend(logf logger.Logf, logID logid.PublicID, sys *tsd.System, lo
 		needsCaptiveDetection: make(chan bool),
 	}
 
-	nb := newNodeBackend(ctx, b.sys.Bus.Get())
+	nb := newNodeBackend(ctx, b.logf, b.sys.Bus.Get())
 	b.currentNodeAtomic.Store(nb)
 	nb.ready()
 
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ func (b *LocalBackend) currentNode() *nodeBackend {
 	if v := b.currentNodeAtomic.Load(); v != nil || !testenv.InTest() {
 		return v
 	}
-	v := newNodeBackend(cmp.Or(b.ctx, context.Background()), b.sys.Bus.Get())
+	v := newNodeBackend(cmp.Or(b.ctx, context.Background()), b.logf, b.sys.Bus.Get())
 	if b.currentNodeAtomic.CompareAndSwap(nil, v) {
 		v.ready()
 	}
@@ -4890,7 +4890,7 @@ func (b *LocalBackend) authReconfig() {
 	hasPAC := b.prevIfState.HasPAC()
 	disableSubnetsIfPAC := cn.SelfHasCap(tailcfg.NodeAttrDisableSubnetsIfPAC)
 	dohURL, dohURLOK := cn.exitNodeCanProxyDNS(prefs.ExitNodeID())
-	dcfg := cn.dnsConfigForNetmap(prefs, b.keyExpired, b.logf, version.OS())
+	dcfg := cn.dnsConfigForNetmap(prefs, b.keyExpired, version.OS())
 	// If the current node is an app connector, ensure the app connector machine is started
 	b.reconfigAppConnectorLocked(nm, prefs)
 	closing := b.shutdownCalled
@@ -6797,7 +6797,7 @@ func (b *LocalBackend) resetForProfileChangeLockedOnEntry(unlock unlockOnce) err
 		// down, so no need to do any work.
 		return nil
 	}
-	newNode := newNodeBackend(b.ctx, b.sys.Bus.Get())
+	newNode := newNodeBackend(b.ctx, b.logf, b.sys.Bus.Get())
 	if oldNode := b.currentNodeAtomic.Swap(newNode); oldNode != nil {
 		oldNode.shutdown(errNodeContextChanged)
 	}
diff --git a/ipn/ipnlocal/local_test.go b/ipn/ipnlocal/local_test.go
index 70923efde..a984d66bf 100644
--- a/ipn/ipnlocal/local_test.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnlocal/local_test.go
@@ -4904,7 +4904,7 @@ func TestSuggestExitNode(t *testing.T) {
 				allowList = set.SetOf(tt.allowPolicy)
 			}
 
-			nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), eventbus.New())
+			nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), tstest.WhileTestRunningLogger(t), eventbus.New())
 			defer nb.shutdown(errShutdown)
 			nb.SetNetMap(tt.netMap)
 
@@ -5357,7 +5357,7 @@ func TestSuggestExitNodeTrafficSteering(t *testing.T) {
 				tt.netMap.AllCaps = set.SetOf(slices.Collect(caps))
 			}
 
-			nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), eventbus.New())
+			nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), tstest.WhileTestRunningLogger(t), eventbus.New())
 			defer nb.shutdown(errShutdown)
 			nb.SetNetMap(tt.netMap)
 
diff --git a/ipn/ipnlocal/node_backend.go b/ipn/ipnlocal/node_backend.go
index b1ce9e07c..95bf350ce 100644
--- a/ipn/ipnlocal/node_backend.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnlocal/node_backend.go
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ import (
 // Even if they're tied to the local node, instead of moving them here, we should extract the entire feature
 // into a separate package and have it install proper hooks.
 type nodeBackend struct {
+	logf logger.Logf
+
 	ctx       context.Context         // canceled by [nodeBackend.shutdown]
 	ctxCancel context.CancelCauseFunc // cancels ctx
 
@@ -104,9 +106,10 @@ type nodeBackend struct {
 	nodeByAddr map[netip.Addr]tailcfg.NodeID
 }
 
-func newNodeBackend(ctx context.Context, bus *eventbus.Bus) *nodeBackend {
+func newNodeBackend(ctx context.Context, logf logger.Logf, bus *eventbus.Bus) *nodeBackend {
 	ctx, ctxCancel := context.WithCancelCause(ctx)
 	nb := &nodeBackend{
+		logf:        logf,
 		ctx:         ctx,
 		ctxCancel:   ctxCancel,
 		eventClient: bus.Client("ipnlocal.nodeBackend"),
@@ -520,10 +523,10 @@ func (nb *nodeBackend) setFilter(f *filter.Filter) {
 	nb.filterPub.Publish(magicsock.FilterUpdate{Filter: f})
 }
 
-func (nb *nodeBackend) dnsConfigForNetmap(prefs ipn.PrefsView, selfExpired bool, logf logger.Logf, versionOS string) *dns.Config {
+func (nb *nodeBackend) dnsConfigForNetmap(prefs ipn.PrefsView, selfExpired bool, versionOS string) *dns.Config {
 	nb.mu.Lock()
 	defer nb.mu.Unlock()
-	return dnsConfigForNetmap(nb.netMap, nb.peers, prefs, selfExpired, logf, versionOS)
+	return dnsConfigForNetmap(nb.netMap, nb.peers, prefs, selfExpired, nb.logf, versionOS)
 }
 
 func (nb *nodeBackend) exitNodeCanProxyDNS(exitNodeID tailcfg.StableNodeID) (dohURL string, ok bool) {
diff --git a/ipn/ipnlocal/node_backend_test.go b/ipn/ipnlocal/node_backend_test.go
index dc67d327c..b305837fd 100644
--- a/ipn/ipnlocal/node_backend_test.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnlocal/node_backend_test.go
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"tailscale.com/tstest"
 	"tailscale.com/util/eventbus"
 )
 
 func TestNodeBackendReadiness(t *testing.T) {
-	nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), eventbus.New())
+	nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), tstest.WhileTestRunningLogger(t), eventbus.New())
 
 	// The node backend is not ready until [nodeBackend.ready] is called,
 	// and [nodeBackend.Wait] should fail with [context.DeadlineExceeded].
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ func TestNodeBackendReadiness(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestNodeBackendShutdown(t *testing.T) {
-	nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), eventbus.New())
+	nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), tstest.WhileTestRunningLogger(t), eventbus.New())
 
 	shutdownCause := errors.New("test shutdown")
 
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ func TestNodeBackendShutdown(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestNodeBackendReadyAfterShutdown(t *testing.T) {
-	nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), eventbus.New())
+	nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), tstest.WhileTestRunningLogger(t), eventbus.New())
 
 	shutdownCause := errors.New("test shutdown")
 	nb.shutdown(shutdownCause)
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ func TestNodeBackendReadyAfterShutdown(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestNodeBackendParentContextCancellation(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx, cancelCtx := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
-	nb := newNodeBackend(ctx, eventbus.New())
+	nb := newNodeBackend(ctx, tstest.WhileTestRunningLogger(t), eventbus.New())
 
 	cancelCtx()
 
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ func TestNodeBackendParentContextCancellation(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestNodeBackendConcurrentReadyAndShutdown(t *testing.T) {
-	nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), eventbus.New())
+	nb := newNodeBackend(t.Context(), tstest.WhileTestRunningLogger(t), eventbus.New())
 
 	// Calling [nodeBackend.ready] and [nodeBackend.shutdown] concurrently
 	// should not cause issues, and [nodeBackend.Wait] should unblock,