diff --git a/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/dhcpv6_server.sh b/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/dhcpv6_server.sh
index 6e1b735906..57b7f76e90 100755
--- a/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/dhcpv6_server.sh
+++ b/tests/gnrc_dhcpv6_client/dhcpv6_server.sh
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ EOF
     sleep 1 # sleep to let TAP become active
     cd "$TMPDIR" || exit 1
     KEA_PIDFILE_DIR=. KEA_LOCKFILE_DIR=. \
-        kea-dhcp6 -p "$1" -c "$config"
+        kea-dhcp6 -p "$1" -c "$config" &
 }
 
 # no need to kill from external, kea handles double instances gracefully