diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_blocklist_test.go b/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_blocklist_test.go
index cd264f7f..da9e69bb 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_blocklist_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_blocklist_test.go
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func TestWorkersLeftToRun(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestWorkersLeftToRunWithTags(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// Create tags.
diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_query_test.go b/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_query_test.go
index 87983dc9..0c11379f 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_query_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_query_test.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func TestSimpleQuery(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestQueryMetadata(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, close, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 0)
+	ctx, close, db := persistenceTestFixtures(0)
 	defer close()
 
 	testJob := persistAuthoredJob(t, ctx, db, createTestAuthoredJobWithTasks())
diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_test.go b/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_test.go
index 15843769..b7d352ee 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/jobs_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestStoreAuthoredJob(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	job := createTestAuthoredJobWithTasks()
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func TestStoreAuthoredJob(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestStoreAuthoredJobWithShamanCheckoutID(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	job := createTestAuthoredJobWithTasks()
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func TestStoreAuthoredJobWithShamanCheckoutID(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestFetchTaskJobUUID(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	job := createTestAuthoredJobWithTasks()
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func TestFetchTaskJobUUID(t *testing.T) {
 func TestSaveJobStorageInfo(t *testing.T) {
 	// Test that saving job storage info doesn't count as "update".
 	// This is necessary for `cmd/shaman-checkout-id-setter` to do its work quietly.
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	startTime := time.Date(2023, time.February, 7, 15, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func TestSaveJobStorageInfo(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestSaveJobPriority(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// Create test job.
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func TestSaveJobPriority(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDeleteJob(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	authJob := createTestAuthoredJobWithTasks()
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ func TestDeleteJob(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestFetchJobShamanCheckoutID(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	authJob := createTestAuthoredJobWithTasks()
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func TestFetchJobShamanCheckoutID(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDeleteJobWithoutFK(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	authJob := createTestAuthoredJobWithTasks()
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ func createTestAuthoredJob(jobID string, tasks ...job_compilers.AuthoredTask) jo
 	return job
 }
 
-func persistAuthoredJob(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, db *DB, authoredJob job_compilers.AuthoredJob) *Job {
+func persistAuthoredJob(t require.TestingT, ctx context.Context, db *DB, authoredJob job_compilers.AuthoredJob) *Job {
 	err := db.StoreAuthoredJob(ctx, authoredJob)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "error storing authored job in DB")
 
@@ -968,7 +968,7 @@ func duplicateJobAndTasks(job job_compilers.AuthoredJob) job_compilers.AuthoredJ
 }
 
 func jobTasksTestFixtures(t *testing.T) (context.Context, context.CancelFunc, *DB, *Job, job_compilers.AuthoredJob) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 
 	authoredJob := createTestAuthoredJobWithTasks()
 	dbJob := persistAuthoredJob(t, ctx, db, authoredJob)
@@ -978,7 +978,7 @@ func jobTasksTestFixtures(t *testing.T) (context.Context, context.CancelFunc, *D
 
 // This created Test Jobs using the new function createTestAuthoredJobWithNumTasks so that you can set the number of tasks
 func jobTasksTestFixturesWithTaskNum(t *testing.T, numtasks int) (context.Context, context.CancelFunc, *DB, *Job, job_compilers.AuthoredJob) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeoutlong)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeoutlong)
 
 	authoredJob := createTestAuthoredJobWithNumTasks(numtasks)
 	dbJob := persistAuthoredJob(t, ctx, db, authoredJob)
diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/task_scheduler_test.go b/internal/manager/persistence/task_scheduler_test.go
index 640b867f..ef27c4b3 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/task_scheduler_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/task_scheduler_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ const schedulerTestTimeout = 100 * time.Millisecond
 const schedulerTestTimeoutlong = 5000 * time.Millisecond
 
 func TestNoTasks(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	w := linuxWorker(t, db)
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func TestNoTasks(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestOneJobOneTask(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	w := linuxWorker(t, db)
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func TestOneJobOneTask(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestOneJobThreeTasksByPrio(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	w := linuxWorker(t, db)
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func TestOneJobThreeTasksByPrio(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestOneJobThreeTasksByDependencies(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	w := linuxWorker(t, db)
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func TestOneJobThreeTasksByDependencies(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestTwoJobsThreeTasks(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	w := linuxWorker(t, db)
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ func TestSomeButNotAllDependenciesCompleted(t *testing.T) {
 	// There was a bug in the task scheduler query, where it would schedule a task
 	// if any of its dependencies was completed (instead of all dependencies).
 	// This test reproduces that problematic scenario.
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	att1 := authorTestTask("1.1 completed task", "blender")
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func TestSomeButNotAllDependenciesCompleted(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestAlreadyAssigned(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	w := linuxWorker(t, db)
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ func TestAlreadyAssigned(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestAssignedToOtherWorker(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	w := linuxWorker(t, db)
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ func TestAssignedToOtherWorker(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestPreviouslyFailed(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	w := linuxWorker(t, db)
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ func TestPreviouslyFailed(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestWorkerTagJobWithTag(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// Create worker tags:
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ func TestWorkerTagJobWithTag(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestWorkerTagJobWithoutTag(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// Create worker tag:
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ func TestWorkerTagJobWithoutTag(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestBlocklisted(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, schedulerTestTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(schedulerTestTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	w := linuxWorker(t, db)
diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/test_support.go b/internal/manager/persistence/test_support.go
index 78276b4c..589b3c07 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/test_support.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/test_support.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package persistence
 import (
 	"context"
 	"database/sql"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -22,11 +23,11 @@ import (
 // resulting database.
 const TestDSN = "file::memory:"
 
-func CreateTestDB(t *testing.T) (db *DB, closer func()) {
+func CreateTestDB() (db *DB, closer func()) {
 	// Delete the SQLite file if it exists on disk.
 	if _, err := os.Stat(TestDSN); err == nil {
 		if err := os.Remove(TestDSN); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("unable to remove %s: %v", TestDSN, err)
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("unable to remove %s: %v", TestDSN, err))
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ func CreateTestDB(t *testing.T) (db *DB, closer func()) {
 	// can be closed when the unit test is done running.
 	sqliteConn, err := sql.Open(sqlite.DriverName, TestDSN)
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("opening SQLite connection: %v", err)
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("opening SQLite connection: %v", err))
 	}
 
 	config := gorm.Config{
@@ -49,19 +50,19 @@ func CreateTestDB(t *testing.T) (db *DB, closer func()) {
 
 	db, err = openDBWithConfig(TestDSN, &config)
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("opening DB: %v", err)
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("opening DB: %v", err))
 	}
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 	err = db.migrate(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("migrating DB: %v", err)
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("migrating DB: %v", err))
 	}
 
 	closer = func() {
 		if err := db.Close(); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("closing DB: %v", err)
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("closing DB: %v", err))
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -70,8 +71,8 @@ func CreateTestDB(t *testing.T) (db *DB, closer func()) {
 
 // persistenceTestFixtures creates a test database and returns it and a context.
 // Tests should call the returned cancel function when they're done.
-func persistenceTestFixtures(t *testing.T, testContextTimeout time.Duration) (context.Context, context.CancelFunc, *DB) {
-	db, dbCloser := CreateTestDB(t)
+func persistenceTestFixtures(testContextTimeout time.Duration) (context.Context, context.CancelFunc, *DB) {
+	db, dbCloser := CreateTestDB()
 
 	var (
 		ctx       context.Context
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ type WorkerTestFixture struct {
 }
 
 func workerTestFixtures(t *testing.T, testContextTimeout time.Duration) WorkerTestFixture {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, testContextTimeout)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(testContextTimeout)
 
 	w := Worker{
 		UUID:               "557930e7-5b55-469e-a6d7-fc800f3685be",
diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/timeout_test.go b/internal/manager/persistence/timeout_test.go
index 1ddb2435..364f4613 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/timeout_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/timeout_test.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func TestFetchTimedOutTasks(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestFetchTimedOutWorkers(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	timeoutDeadline := mustParseTime("2022-06-07T11:14:47+02:00")
diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/worker_sleep_schedule_test.go b/internal/manager/persistence/worker_sleep_schedule_test.go
index 038a6884..0df40b35 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/worker_sleep_schedule_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/worker_sleep_schedule_test.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestFetchWorkerSleepSchedule(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, finish, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, finish, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer finish()
 
 	linuxWorker := Worker{
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func TestFetchWorkerSleepSchedule(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestFetchSleepScheduleWorker(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, finish, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, finish, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer finish()
 
 	linuxWorker := Worker{
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func TestFetchSleepScheduleWorker(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestSetWorkerSleepSchedule(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, finish, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, finish, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer finish()
 
 	linuxWorker := Worker{
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ func TestSetWorkerSleepSchedule(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestSetWorkerSleepScheduleNextCheck(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, finish, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, finish, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer finish()
 
 	schedule := SleepSchedule{
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func TestSetWorkerSleepScheduleNextCheck(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestFetchSleepSchedulesToCheck(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, finish, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, finish, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer finish()
 
 	mockedNow := mustParseTime("2022-06-07T11:14:47+02:00").UTC()
diff --git a/internal/manager/persistence/workers_test.go b/internal/manager/persistence/workers_test.go
index 27f28f5a..cf37c688 100644
--- a/internal/manager/persistence/workers_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/persistence/workers_test.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestCreateFetchWorker(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// Test fetching non-existent worker
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func TestCreateFetchWorker(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestFetchWorkerTask(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 10*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(10 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// Worker without task.
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func TestFetchWorkerTask(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestSaveWorker(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	w := Worker{
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func TestSaveWorker(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestFetchWorkers(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// No workers
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ func TestFetchWorkers(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDeleteWorker(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// Test deleting non-existent worker
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ func TestDeleteWorker(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDeleteWorkerNoForeignKeys(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(t, 1*time.Second)
+	ctx, cancel, db := persistenceTestFixtures(1 * time.Second)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// Create a Worker to delete.