diff --git a/src/postgres.rs b/src/postgres.rs
index f0c837a..5305742 100644
--- a/src/postgres.rs
+++ b/src/postgres.rs
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ impl Postgres {
             .order(fang_tasks::created_at.asc())
             .limit(1)
             .for_update()
+            .skip_locked()
             .get_result::<Task>(&self.connection)
         {
             Ok(record) => Some(record),
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ mod postgres_tests {
     use super::Task;
     use crate::schema::fang_tasks;
     use crate::schema::FangTaskState;
-    use chrono::{Duration, Utc};
+    use chrono::{DateTime, Duration, Utc};
     use diesel::connection::Connection;
     use diesel::prelude::*;
     use diesel::result::Error;
@@ -106,23 +107,11 @@ mod postgres_tests {
         postgres.connection.test_transaction::<(), Error, _>(|| {
             let timestamp1 = Utc::now() - Duration::hours(40);
 
-            let task1 = diesel::insert_into(fang_tasks::table)
-                .values(&vec![(
-                    fang_tasks::metadata.eq(serde_json::json!(true)),
-                    fang_tasks::created_at.eq(timestamp1),
-                )])
-                .get_result::<Task>(&postgres.connection)
-                .unwrap();
+            let task1 = insert_job(serde_json::json!(true), timestamp1, &postgres.connection);
 
             let timestamp2 = Utc::now() - Duration::hours(20);
 
-            diesel::insert_into(fang_tasks::table)
-                .values(&vec![(
-                    fang_tasks::metadata.eq(serde_json::json!(false)),
-                    fang_tasks::created_at.eq(timestamp2),
-                )])
-                .get_result::<Task>(&postgres.connection)
-                .unwrap();
+            insert_job(serde_json::json!(false), timestamp2, &postgres.connection);
 
             let found_task = postgres.fetch_task().unwrap();
 
@@ -132,37 +121,28 @@ mod postgres_tests {
         });
     }
 
+    // this test ignored because it commits data to the db
     #[test]
     #[ignore]
     fn fetch_task_locks_the_record() {
         let postgres = Postgres::new(None);
         let timestamp1 = Utc::now() - Duration::hours(40);
 
-        let task1 = diesel::insert_into(fang_tasks::table)
-            .values(&vec![(
-                fang_tasks::metadata.eq(serde_json::json!(true)),
-                fang_tasks::created_at.eq(timestamp1),
-            )])
-            .get_result::<Task>(&postgres.connection)
-            .unwrap();
+        let task1 = insert_job(serde_json::json!(true), timestamp1, &postgres.connection);
+
+        let task1_id = task1.id;
 
         let timestamp2 = Utc::now() - Duration::hours(20);
 
-        let task2 = diesel::insert_into(fang_tasks::table)
-            .values(&vec![(
-                fang_tasks::metadata.eq(serde_json::json!(false)),
-                fang_tasks::created_at.eq(timestamp2),
-            )])
-            .get_result::<Task>(&postgres.connection)
-            .unwrap();
+        let task2 = insert_job(serde_json::json!(false), timestamp2, &postgres.connection);
 
         let thread = std::thread::spawn(move || {
             let postgres = Postgres::new(None);
 
-            postgres.connection.test_transaction::<(), Error, _>(|| {
+            postgres.connection.transaction::<(), Error, _>(|| {
                 let found_task = postgres.fetch_task().unwrap();
 
-                assert_eq!(found_task.id, task2.id);
+                assert_eq!(found_task.id, task1.id);
 
                 std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(5000));
 
@@ -174,12 +154,28 @@ mod postgres_tests {
 
         let found_task = postgres.fetch_task().unwrap();
 
-        assert_eq!(found_task.id, task1.id);
+        assert_eq!(found_task.id, task2.id);
 
-        let result = thread.join();
+        let _result = thread.join();
 
-        eprintln!("{:?}", result);
+        // returns unlocked record
 
-        // assert_eq!(Ok(()), result);
+        let found_task = postgres.fetch_task().unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(found_task.id, task1_id);
+    }
+
+    fn insert_job(
+        metadata: serde_json::Value,
+        timestamp: DateTime<Utc>,
+        connection: &PgConnection,
+    ) -> Task {
+        diesel::insert_into(fang_tasks::table)
+            .values(&vec![(
+                fang_tasks::metadata.eq(metadata),
+                fang_tasks::created_at.eq(timestamp),
+            )])
+            .get_result::<Task>(connection)
+            .unwrap()
     }
 }