diff --git a/src/transcription/config.py b/src/transcription/config.py
index 75c857f..f3aa56f 100644
--- a/src/transcription/config.py
+++ b/src/transcription/config.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     # --- persistence ---
     database_url: str = "sqlite:///./transcription.db"
     bootstrap_schema_on_startup: bool | None = None
+    sqlite_check_same_thread: bool = False
 
     # --- filesystem paths ---
     upload_dir: Path = Path("./uploads")
@@ -61,10 +62,10 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
 _settings: ContextVar[Settings | None] = ContextVar("settings", default=None)
 
 
-def get_settings() -> Settings:
+def get_settings(**kwargs) -> Settings:
     settings = _settings.get()
     if settings is None:
-        settings = Settings()  # pyright: ignore[reportCallIssue]
+        settings = Settings(**kwargs)  # pyright: ignore[reportCallIssue]
         _settings.set(settings)
     return settings
 
diff --git a/src/transcription/db/runtime.py b/src/transcription/db/runtime.py
index a0905f4..cf6f6c0 100644
--- a/src/transcription/db/runtime.py
+++ b/src/transcription/db/runtime.py
@@ -79,24 +79,25 @@ def initialize_database_runtime(*, settings: Settings | None = None) -> Database
     return runtime
 
 
-def get_engine() -> AsyncEngine:
+def get_engine(settings: Settings | None = None) -> AsyncEngine:
     """Return the current async SQLAlchemy engine."""
-    runtime = _runtime.get() or initialize_database_runtime()
+    runtime = _runtime.get() or initialize_database_runtime(settings=settings)
     return runtime.engine
 
 
-def get_session_factory() -> async_sessionmaker[AsyncSession]:
+def get_session_factory(settings: Settings | None = None) -> async_sessionmaker[AsyncSession]:
     """Return the shared async session factory."""
-    runtime = _runtime.get() or initialize_database_runtime()
+    runtime = _runtime.get() or initialize_database_runtime(settings=settings)
     return runtime.session_factory
 
 
 @asynccontextmanager
 async def get_session(
     *,
+    settings: Settings | None = None,
     session_factory: async_sessionmaker[AsyncSession] | None = None,
 ) -> AsyncGenerator[AsyncSession]:
     """Yield a database session and ensure cleanup."""
-    active_session_factory = session_factory or get_session_factory()
+    active_session_factory = session_factory or get_session_factory(settings)
     async with active_session_factory() as session:
         yield session
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 1d6f4b0..da32855 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -11,7 +11,11 @@ from sqlmodel import SQLModel
 from sqlmodel import create_engine
 from sqlmodel.pool import StaticPool
 
+from transcription.config import Settings
+from transcription.config import get_settings
+from transcription.db.operations import create_all
 from transcription.db.runtime import dispose_database_runtime
+from transcription.db.runtime import get_engine
 from transcription.db.runtime import get_session
 
 
@@ -29,9 +33,17 @@ def session():
 
 
 @pytest_asyncio.fixture
-async def async_session():
+async def default_settings():
+    """Provide default settings for tests."""
+    settings = get_settings(database_url="sqlite:///:memory:")
+    await create_all(engine=get_engine(settings=settings))
+    return settings
+
+
+@pytest_asyncio.fixture
+async def async_session(default_settings: Settings):
     """Provide a clean asynchronous database session for async tests."""
-    async with get_session() as async_session:
+    async with get_session(settings=default_settings) as async_session:
         yield async_session
 
     await dispose_database_runtime()
diff --git a/tests/services/test_job_service.py b/tests/services/test_job_service.py
index 7779c27..5a3274b 100644
--- a/tests/services/test_job_service.py
+++ b/tests/services/test_job_service.py
@@ -2,15 +2,18 @@ from uuid import uuid4
 
 import pytest
 
+from transcription.config import Settings
+from transcription.db.runtime import get_session_factory
 from transcription.models import Job
 from transcription.services.jobs import JobService
 from transcription.services.jobs import JobStatus
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
-def job_service():
+def job_service(default_settings: Settings) -> JobService:
     """Provide a JobService instance for testing."""
-    return JobService()
+    session_factory = get_session_factory(settings=default_settings)
+    return JobService(session_factory=session_factory)
 
 
 class TestJobService: