diff --git a/.github/workflows/django-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/django-tests.yml
index 9a801dd75..8ee1cea52 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/django-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/django-tests.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Run Tests
       env:
         SECRET_KEY: beepbeep
-        DEBUG: true
+        DEBUG: false
         DOMAIN: your.domain.here
         BOOKWYRM_DATABASE_BACKEND: postgres
         MEDIA_ROOT: images/
@@ -53,4 +53,4 @@ jobs:
         EMAIL_USE_TLS: true
         ENABLE_PREVIEW_IMAGES: true
       run: |
-        pytest
+        pytest --reuse-db
diff --git a/bookwyrm/test_settings.py b/bookwyrm/test_settings.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5dc34c97b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/test_settings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+""" bookwyrm settings and configuration """
+from bookwyrm.settings import *
+
+MIGRATION_MODULES = {
+    'auth': None,
+    'contenttypes': None,
+    'default': None,
+    'sessions': None,
+
+    'core': None,
+    'profiles': None,
+    'snippets': None,
+    'scaffold_templates': None,
+}