diff --git a/authn/postgres/setup_test.go b/authn/postgres/setup_test.go
index 288214a46d..3d8a4287e0 100644
--- a/authn/postgres/setup_test.go
+++ b/authn/postgres/setup_test.go
@@ -65,10 +65,11 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	if db, err = postgres.Connect(dbConfig); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not setup test DB connection: %s", err)
 	}
-	defer db.Close()
 
 	code := m.Run()
 
+	// defers will not be run when using os.Exit
+	db.Close()
 	if err := pool.Purge(container); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not purge container: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/bootstrap/postgres/setup_test.go b/bootstrap/postgres/setup_test.go
index b74af967eb..22c61c254f 100644
--- a/bootstrap/postgres/setup_test.go
+++ b/bootstrap/postgres/setup_test.go
@@ -69,10 +69,11 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	if db, err = postgres.Connect(dbConfig); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not setup test DB connection: %s", err)
 	}
-	defer db.Close()
 
 	code := m.Run()
 
+	// defers will not be run when using os.Exit
+	db.Close()
 	if err := pool.Purge(container); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not purge container: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/readers/postgres/setup_test.go b/readers/postgres/setup_test.go
index be3b4fd4cb..f29553b944 100644
--- a/readers/postgres/setup_test.go
+++ b/readers/postgres/setup_test.go
@@ -71,10 +71,11 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	if db, err = postgres.Connect(dbConfig); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not setup test DB connection: %s", err)
 	}
-	defer db.Close()
 
 	code := m.Run()
 
+	// defers will not be run when using os.Exit
+	db.Close()
 	if err = pool.Purge(container); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not purge container: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/things/postgres/setup_test.go b/things/postgres/setup_test.go
index 171156d71c..a5790ec63f 100644
--- a/things/postgres/setup_test.go
+++ b/things/postgres/setup_test.go
@@ -71,10 +71,11 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	if db, err = postgres.Connect(dbConfig); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not setup test DB connection: %s", err)
 	}
-	defer db.Close()
 
 	code := m.Run()
 
+	// defers will not be run when using os.Exit
+	db.Close()
 	if err := pool.Purge(container); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not purge container: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/users/postgres/setup_test.go b/users/postgres/setup_test.go
index 8a26b45215..62fd45db44 100644
--- a/users/postgres/setup_test.go
+++ b/users/postgres/setup_test.go
@@ -65,10 +65,11 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	if db, err = postgres.Connect(dbConfig); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not setup test DB connection: %s", err)
 	}
-	defer db.Close()
 
 	code := m.Run()
 
+	// defers will not be run when using os.Exit
+	db.Close()
 	if err := pool.Purge(container); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not purge container: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/writers/postgres/setup_test.go b/writers/postgres/setup_test.go
index 1a6e9dd6ac..08c445dffe 100644
--- a/writers/postgres/setup_test.go
+++ b/writers/postgres/setup_test.go
@@ -72,10 +72,11 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not setup test DB connection: %s", err)
 	}
-	defer db.Close()
 
 	code := m.Run()
 
+	// defers will not be run when using os.Exit
+	db.Close()
 	if err := pool.Purge(container); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Could not purge container: %s", err)
 	}