diff --git a/internal/transport/delivery/delivery.go b/internal/transport/delivery/delivery.go
index 6626ca2ae..d934cd514 100644
--- a/internal/transport/delivery/delivery.go
+++ b/internal/transport/delivery/delivery.go
@@ -100,28 +100,53 @@ func (p *WorkerPool) Init(client *httpclient.Client) {
 }
 
 // Start will attempt to start 'n' Worker{}s.
-func (p *WorkerPool) Start(n int) (ok bool) {
-	if ok = (len(p.workers) == 0); ok {
-		p.workers = make([]*Worker, n)
-		for i := range p.workers {
-			p.workers[i] = new(Worker)
-			p.workers[i].Client = p.Client
-			p.workers[i].Queue = &p.Queue
-			ok = p.workers[i].Start() && ok
-		}
+func (p *WorkerPool) Start(n int) {
+	// Check whether workers are
+	// set (is already running).
+	ok := (len(p.workers) > 0)
+	if ok {
+		return
 	}
+
+	// Allocate new workers slice.
+	p.workers = make([]*Worker, n)
+	for i := range p.workers {
+
+		// Allocate new Worker{}.
+		p.workers[i] = new(Worker)
+		p.workers[i].Client = p.Client
+		p.workers[i].Queue = &p.Queue
+
+		// Attempt to start worker.
+		// Return bool not useful
+		// here, as true = started,
+		// false = already running.
+		_ = p.workers[i].Start()
+	}
+
 	return
 }
 
 // Stop will attempt to stop contained Worker{}s.
-func (p *WorkerPool) Stop() (ok bool) {
-	if ok = (len(p.workers) > 0); ok {
-		for i := range p.workers {
-			ok = p.workers[i].Stop() && ok
-			p.workers[i] = nil
-		}
-		p.workers = p.workers[:0]
+func (p *WorkerPool) Stop() {
+	// Check whether workers are
+	// set (is currently running).
+	ok := (len(p.workers) == 0)
+	if ok {
+		return
 	}
+
+	// Stop all running workers.
+	for i := range p.workers {
+
+		// return bool not useful
+		// here, as true = stopped,
+		// false = never running.
+		_ = p.workers[i].Stop()
+	}
+
+	// Unset workers slice.
+	p.workers = p.workers[:0]
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/transport/delivery/delivery_test.go b/internal/transport/delivery/delivery_test.go
index 852c6f6f3..48831f098 100644
--- a/internal/transport/delivery/delivery_test.go
+++ b/internal/transport/delivery/delivery_test.go
@@ -32,9 +32,7 @@ func testDeliveryWorkerPool(t *testing.T, sz int, input []*testrequest) {
 			"127.0.0.0/8",
 		}),
 	}))
-	if !wp.Start(sz) {
-		t.Fatal("failed starting pool")
-	}
+	wp.Start(sz)
 	defer wp.Stop()
 	test(t, &wp.Queue, input)
 }
diff --git a/internal/workers/worker_fn.go b/internal/workers/worker_fn.go
index 8a4c7b85c..9fa6d8e6a 100644
--- a/internal/workers/worker_fn.go
+++ b/internal/workers/worker_fn.go
@@ -39,27 +39,52 @@ type FnWorkerPool struct {
 }
 
 // Start will attempt to start 'n' FnWorker{}s.
-func (p *FnWorkerPool) Start(n int) (ok bool) {
-	if ok = (len(p.workers) == 0); ok {
-		p.workers = make([]*FnWorker, n)
-		for i := range p.workers {
-			p.workers[i] = new(FnWorker)
-			p.workers[i].Queue = &p.Queue
-			ok = p.workers[i].Start() && ok
-		}
+func (p *FnWorkerPool) Start(n int) {
+	// Check whether workers are
+	// set (is already running).
+	ok := (len(p.workers) > 0)
+	if ok {
+		return
 	}
+
+	// Allocate new workers slice.
+	p.workers = make([]*FnWorker, n)
+	for i := range p.workers {
+
+		// Allocate new FnWorker{}.
+		p.workers[i] = new(FnWorker)
+		p.workers[i].Queue = &p.Queue
+
+		// Attempt to start worker.
+		// Return bool not useful
+		// here, as true = started,
+		// false = already running.
+		_ = p.workers[i].Start()
+	}
+
 	return
 }
 
 // Stop will attempt to stop contained FnWorker{}s.
-func (p *FnWorkerPool) Stop() (ok bool) {
-	if ok = (len(p.workers) > 0); ok {
-		for i := range p.workers {
-			ok = p.workers[i].Stop() && ok
-			p.workers[i] = nil
-		}
-		p.workers = p.workers[:0]
+func (p *FnWorkerPool) Stop() {
+	// Check whether workers are
+	// set (is currently running).
+	ok := (len(p.workers) == 0)
+	if ok {
+		return
 	}
+
+	// Stop all running workers.
+	for i := range p.workers {
+
+		// return bool not useful
+		// here, as true = stopped,
+		// false = never running.
+		_ = p.workers[i].Stop()
+	}
+
+	// Unset workers slice.
+	p.workers = p.workers[:0]
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/workers/worker_msg.go b/internal/workers/worker_msg.go
index b22409e91..fc418c12c 100644
--- a/internal/workers/worker_msg.go
+++ b/internal/workers/worker_msg.go
@@ -48,28 +48,53 @@ func (p *MsgWorkerPool[T]) Init(indices []structr.IndexConfig) {
 }
 
 // Start will attempt to start 'n' Worker{}s.
-func (p *MsgWorkerPool[T]) Start(n int) (ok bool) {
-	if ok = (len(p.workers) == 0); ok {
-		p.workers = make([]*MsgWorker[T], n)
-		for i := range p.workers {
-			p.workers[i] = new(MsgWorker[T])
-			p.workers[i].Process = p.Process
-			p.workers[i].Queue = &p.Queue
-			ok = p.workers[i].Start() && ok
-		}
+func (p *MsgWorkerPool[T]) Start(n int) {
+	// Check whether workers are
+	// set (is already running).
+	ok := (len(p.workers) > 0)
+	if ok {
+		return
 	}
+
+	// Allocate new msg workers slice.
+	p.workers = make([]*MsgWorker[T], n)
+	for i := range p.workers {
+
+		// Allocate new MsgWorker[T]{}.
+		p.workers[i] = new(MsgWorker[T])
+		p.workers[i].Process = p.Process
+		p.workers[i].Queue = &p.Queue
+
+		// Attempt to start worker.
+		// Return bool not useful
+		// here, as true = started,
+		// false = already running.
+		_ = p.workers[i].Start()
+	}
+
 	return
 }
 
 // Stop will attempt to stop contained Worker{}s.
-func (p *MsgWorkerPool[T]) Stop() (ok bool) {
-	if ok = (len(p.workers) > 0); ok {
-		for i := range p.workers {
-			ok = p.workers[i].Stop() && ok
-			p.workers[i] = nil
-		}
-		p.workers = p.workers[:0]
+func (p *MsgWorkerPool[T]) Stop() {
+	// Check whether workers are
+	// set (is currently running).
+	ok := (len(p.workers) == 0)
+	if ok {
+		return
 	}
+
+	// Stop all running workers.
+	for i := range p.workers {
+
+		// return bool not useful
+		// here, as true = stopped,
+		// false = never running.
+		_ = p.workers[i].Stop()
+	}
+
+	// Unset workers slice.
+	p.workers = p.workers[:0]
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/workers/workers.go b/internal/workers/workers.go
index c9e2db9a1..c8606ef9f 100644
--- a/internal/workers/workers.go
+++ b/internal/workers/workers.go
@@ -59,48 +59,27 @@ type Workers struct {
 
 // StartScheduler starts the job scheduler.
 func (w *Workers) StartScheduler() {
-	tryUntil("starting scheduler", 5, w.Scheduler.Start)
+	_ = w.Scheduler.Start() // false = already running
 }
 
 // Start will start contained worker pools.
 func (w *Workers) Start() {
-	// Get currently set GOMAXPROCS.
 	maxprocs := runtime.GOMAXPROCS(0)
-
-	tryUntil("start delivery workerpool", 5, func() bool {
-		n := config.GetAdvancedSenderMultiplier()
-		if n < 1 {
-			// clamp min senders to 1.
-			return w.Delivery.Start(1)
-		}
-		return w.Delivery.Start(n * maxprocs)
-	})
-
-	tryUntil("starting client workerpool", 5, func() bool {
-		return w.Client.Start(4 * maxprocs)
-	})
-
-	tryUntil("starting federator workerpool", 5, func() bool {
-		return w.Federator.Start(4 * maxprocs)
-	})
-
-	tryUntil("starting dereference workerpool", 5, func() bool {
-		return w.Dereference.Start(4 * maxprocs)
-	})
-
-	tryUntil("starting media workerpool", 5, func() bool {
-		return w.Media.Start(8 * maxprocs)
-	})
+	w.Delivery.Start(deliveryWorkers(maxprocs))
+	w.Client.Start(4 * maxprocs)
+	w.Federator.Start(4 * maxprocs)
+	w.Dereference.Start(4 * maxprocs)
+	w.Media.Start(8 * maxprocs)
 }
 
 // Stop will stop all of the contained worker pools (and global scheduler).
 func (w *Workers) Stop() {
-	tryUntil("stopping scheduler", 5, w.Scheduler.Stop)
-	tryUntil("stopping delivery workerpool", 5, w.Delivery.Stop)
-	tryUntil("stopping client API workerpool", 5, w.Client.Stop)
-	tryUntil("stopping federator workerpool", 5, w.Federator.Stop)
-	tryUntil("stopping dereference workerpool", 5, w.Dereference.Stop)
-	tryUntil("stopping media workerpool", 5, w.Media.Stop)
+	_ = w.Scheduler.Stop() // false = not running
+	w.Delivery.Stop()
+	w.Client.Stop()
+	w.Federator.Stop()
+	w.Dereference.Stop()
+	w.Media.Stop()
 }
 
 // nocopy when embedded will signal linter to
@@ -111,6 +90,15 @@ func (*nocopy) Lock() {}
 
 func (*nocopy) Unlock() {}
 
+func deliveryWorkers(maxprocs int) int {
+	n := config.GetAdvancedSenderMultiplier()
+	if n < 1 {
+		// clamp to 1
+		return 1
+	}
+	return n * maxprocs
+}
+
 // tryUntil will attempt to call 'do' for 'count' attempts, before panicking with 'msg'.
 func tryUntil(msg string, count int, do func() bool) {
 	for i := 0; i < count; i++ {
diff --git a/testrig/util.go b/testrig/util.go
index ad4ffcb6c..d5eaedcd5 100644
--- a/testrig/util.go
+++ b/testrig/util.go
@@ -79,18 +79,18 @@ func StartWorkers(state *state.State, processor *workers.Processor) {
 	state.Workers.Delivery.Init(nil)
 
 	_ = state.Workers.Scheduler.Start()
-	_ = state.Workers.Client.Start(1)
-	_ = state.Workers.Federator.Start(1)
-	_ = state.Workers.Dereference.Start(1)
-	_ = state.Workers.Media.Start(1)
+	state.Workers.Client.Start(1)
+	state.Workers.Federator.Start(1)
+	state.Workers.Dereference.Start(1)
+	state.Workers.Media.Start(1)
 }
 
 func StopWorkers(state *state.State) {
 	_ = state.Workers.Scheduler.Stop()
-	_ = state.Workers.Client.Stop()
-	_ = state.Workers.Federator.Stop()
-	_ = state.Workers.Dereference.Stop()
-	_ = state.Workers.Media.Stop()
+	state.Workers.Client.Stop()
+	state.Workers.Federator.Stop()
+	state.Workers.Dereference.Stop()
+	state.Workers.Media.Stop()
 }
 
 func StartTimelines(state *state.State, filter *visibility.Filter, converter *typeutils.Converter) {