diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 8985470..a528f23 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ import pytest
 from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
 
 from app.database import Base
-from app.database import SessionLocal
 from app.database import async_engine
 from app.database import async_session
 from app.database import engine
 from app.main import app
+from tests.factories import _Session
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -25,28 +25,12 @@ async def async_db_session():
 def db() -> Generator:
     Base.metadata.create_all(bind=engine)
     try:
-        yield SessionLocal()
+        yield _Session
     finally:
-        try:
-            Base.metadata.drop_all(bind=engine)
-        except Exception:
-            # XXX: for some reason, the teardown occasionally fails because of this
-            pass
+        Base.metadata.drop_all(bind=engine)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
-def exclude_fastapi_middleware():
-    """Workaround for https://github.com/encode/starlette/issues/472"""
-    user_middleware = app.user_middleware.copy()
-    app.user_middleware = []
-    app.middleware_stack = app.build_middleware_stack()
-    yield
-    app.user_middleware = user_middleware
-    app.middleware_stack = app.build_middleware_stack()
-
-
-@pytest.fixture
-def client(db, exclude_fastapi_middleware) -> Generator:
-    # app.dependency_overrides[get_db] = _get_db_for_testing
+def client(db) -> Generator:
     with TestClient(app) as c:
         yield c
diff --git a/tests/test_process_outgoing_activities.py b/tests/test_process_outgoing_activities.py
index e50958d..a0c303a 100644
--- a/tests/test_process_outgoing_activities.py
+++ b/tests/test_process_outgoing_activities.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ async def test_new_outgoing_activity(
     outgoing_activity = await new_outgoing_activity(
         async_db_session, inbox_url, outbox_object.id
     )
+    await async_db_session.commit()
 
     assert (
         await async_db_session.execute(select(models.OutgoingActivity))
@@ -105,8 +106,6 @@ def test_process_next_outgoing_activity__webmention(
     db: Session,
     respx_mock: respx.MockRouter,
 ) -> None:
-    # FIXME(ts): fix not passing in CI (but passing in local)
-    return
     # And an outgoing activity
     outbox_object = _setup_outbox_object()
 
@@ -176,7 +175,7 @@ def test_process_next_outgoing_activity__errored(
     )
 
     # And an outgoing activity
-    outgoing_activity = factories.OutgoingActivityFactory(
+    outgoing_activity = factories.OutgoingActivityFactory.create(
         recipient=recipient_inbox_url,
         outbox_object_id=outbox_object.id,
         inbox_object_id=None,