diff --git a/libnetwork/datastore/datastore.go b/libnetwork/datastore/datastore.go
index a220e8b47e..d03d9305ad 100644
--- a/libnetwork/datastore/datastore.go
+++ b/libnetwork/datastore/datastore.go
@@ -202,11 +202,6 @@ func (ds *Store) Scope() string {
 	return ds.scope
 }
 
-// KVStore returns access to the KV Store.
-func (ds *Store) KVStore() store.Store {
-	return ds.store
-}
-
 // PutObjectAtomic provides an atomic add and update operation for a Record.
 func (ds *Store) PutObjectAtomic(kvObject KVObject) error {
 	var (
diff --git a/libnetwork/store_linux_test.go b/libnetwork/store_linux_test.go
index 2b328baa80..24a2570c0d 100644
--- a/libnetwork/store_linux_test.go
+++ b/libnetwork/store_linux_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/docker/docker/libnetwork/config"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/libnetwork/datastore"
 	store "github.com/docker/docker/libnetwork/internal/kvstore"
 )
@@ -20,9 +21,15 @@ func TestBoltdbBackend(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestNoPersist(t *testing.T) {
-	testController, err := New(OptionBoltdbWithRandomDBFile(t))
+	dbFile := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "bolt.db")
+	configOption := func(c *config.Config) {
+		c.Scope.Client.Provider = "boltdb"
+		c.Scope.Client.Address = dbFile
+		c.Scope.Client.Config = &store.Config{Bucket: "testBackend"}
+	}
+	testController, err := New(configOption)
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Error new controller: %v", err)
+		t.Fatalf("Error creating new controller: %v", err)
 	}
 	defer testController.Stop()
 	nw, err := testController.NewNetwork("host", "host", "", NetworkOptionPersist(false))
@@ -33,12 +40,21 @@ func TestNoPersist(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Error creating endpoint: %v", err)
 	}
+	testController.Stop()
+
+	// Create a new controller using the same database-file. The network
+	// should not have persisted.
+	testController, err = New(configOption)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Error creating new controller: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer testController.Stop()
 
 	// FIXME(thaJeztah): GetObject uses the given key for lookups if no cache-store is present, but the KvObject's Key() to look up in cache....
 	nwKVObject := &Network{id: nw.ID()}
 	err = testController.getStore().GetObject(datastore.Key(datastore.NetworkKeyPrefix, nw.ID()), nwKVObject)
 	if !errors.Is(err, store.ErrKeyNotFound) {
-		t.Errorf("Expected %v error when retrieving network from store, got: %v", store.ErrKeyNotFound, err)
+		t.Errorf("Expected %q error when retrieving network from store, got: %q", store.ErrKeyNotFound, err)
 	}
 	if nwKVObject.Exists() {
 		t.Errorf("Network with persist=false should not be stored in KV Store")