diff --git a/dbrepo-search-service/test/conftest.py b/dbrepo-search-service/test/conftest.py
index 2a21f689702d7f78e14e73b6170715753e32b49c..ab6b7e3a661b78d74545d30285c94608ce5bd662 100644
--- a/dbrepo-search-service/test/conftest.py
+++ b/dbrepo-search-service/test/conftest.py
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 import logging
 
 import pytest
-from app import app
-from flask import current_app
+import os
 
 from testcontainers.opensearch import OpenSearchContainer
 
@@ -19,9 +18,10 @@ def session(request):
     logging.debug("[fixture] starting opensearch container")
     container.start()
 
-    with app.app_context():
-        current_app.config['OPENSEARCH_HOST'] = container.get_container_host_ip()
-        current_app.config['OPENSEARCH_PORT'] = container.get_exposed_port(9200)
+    os.environ['OPENSEARCH_HOST'] = container.get_container_host_ip()
+    os.environ['OPENSEARCH_PORT'] = container.get_exposed_port(9200)
+    os.environ['OPENSEARCH_USERNAME'] = 'admin'
+    os.environ['OPENSEARCH_PASSWORD'] = 'admin'
 
     # destructor
     def stop_opensearch():