diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 87722481..27a6f750 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ from dotenv import load_dotenv
 # Load environment variables
 load_dotenv()
 
-# Force no-auth mode for testing by removing OAuth credentials
+# Force no-auth mode for testing by setting OAuth credentials to empty strings
 # This ensures anonymous JWT tokens are created automatically
-os.environ.pop('GOOGLE_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID', None)
-os.environ.pop('GOOGLE_OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET', None)
+os.environ['GOOGLE_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID'] = ''
+os.environ['GOOGLE_OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET'] = ''
 
 from src.config.settings import clients
 from src.session_manager import SessionManager
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_api_endpoints.py b/tests/integration/test_api_endpoints.py
index 60810563..20f57d55 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_api_endpoints.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_api_endpoints.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ async def test_upload_and_search_endpoint(tmp_path: Path, disable_langflow_inges
         "src.api.router",
         "src.api.connector_router",
         "src.config.settings",
+        "src.auth_middleware",
         "src.main",
     ]:
         sys.modules.pop(mod, None)
@@ -68,7 +69,11 @@ async def test_upload_and_search_endpoint(tmp_path: Path, disable_langflow_inges
     app = await create_app()
     # Manually run startup tasks since httpx ASGI transport here doesn't manage lifespan
     await startup_tasks(app.state.services)
-    
+
+    # Ensure index exists for tests (startup_tasks only creates it if DISABLE_INGEST_WITH_LANGFLOW=True)
+    from src.main import _ensure_opensearch_index
+    await _ensure_opensearch_index()
+
     # Verify index is truly empty after startup
     try:
         count_response = await clients.opensearch.count(index=INDEX_NAME)
@@ -159,6 +164,7 @@ async def test_router_upload_ingest_traditional(tmp_path: Path, disable_langflow
         "src.api.router",
         "src.api.connector_router",
         "src.config.settings",
+        "src.auth_middleware",
         "src.main",
     ]:
         sys.modules.pop(mod, None)
@@ -176,7 +182,11 @@ async def test_router_upload_ingest_traditional(tmp_path: Path, disable_langflow
 
     app = await create_app()
     await startup_tasks(app.state.services)
-    
+
+    # Ensure index exists for tests (startup_tasks only creates it if DISABLE_INGEST_WITH_LANGFLOW=True)
+    from src.main import _ensure_opensearch_index
+    await _ensure_opensearch_index()
+
     # Verify index is truly empty after startup
     try:
         count_response = await clients.opensearch.count(index=INDEX_NAME)
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_startup_ingest.py b/tests/integration/test_startup_ingest.py
index 436c4d28..b2243b33 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_startup_ingest.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_startup_ingest.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ async def test_startup_ingest_creates_task(disable_langflow_ingest: bool):
         "src.api.router",
         "src.api.connector_router",
         "src.config.settings",
+        "src.auth_middleware",
         "src.main",
     ]:
         sys.modules.pop(mod, None)
@@ -69,6 +70,10 @@ async def test_startup_ingest_creates_task(disable_langflow_ingest: bool):
     # Trigger startup tasks explicitly
     await startup_tasks(app.state.services)
 
+    # Ensure index exists for tests (startup_tasks only creates it if DISABLE_INGEST_WITH_LANGFLOW=True)
+    from src.main import _ensure_opensearch_index
+    await _ensure_opensearch_index()
+
     transport = httpx.ASGITransport(app=app)
     try:
         async with httpx.AsyncClient(transport=transport, base_url="http://testserver") as client: