diff --git a/backend/poetry.lock b/backend/poetry.lock
index 7decc004..652a4195 100644
--- a/backend/poetry.lock
+++ b/backend/poetry.lock
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# This file is automatically @generated by Poetry 1.4.2 and should not be changed by hand.
+# This file is automatically @generated by Poetry 1.4.1 and should not be changed by hand.
 
 [[package]]
 name = "alembic"
@@ -853,24 +853,6 @@ tomli = {version = ">=1.0.0", markers = "python_version < \"3.11\""}
 [package.extras]
 testing = ["argcomplete", "attrs (>=19.2.0)", "hypothesis (>=3.56)", "mock", "nose", "pygments (>=2.7.2)", "requests", "xmlschema"]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "pytest-mock"
-version = "3.10.0"
-description = "Thin-wrapper around the mock package for easier use with pytest"
-category = "dev"
-optional = false
-python-versions = ">=3.7"
-files = [
-    {file = "pytest-mock-3.10.0.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:fbbdb085ef7c252a326fd8cdcac0aa3b1333d8811f131bdcc701002e1be7ed4f"},
-    {file = "pytest_mock-3.10.0-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:f4c973eeae0282963eb293eb173ce91b091a79c1334455acfac9ddee8a1c784b"},
-]
-
-[package.dependencies]
-pytest = ">=5.0"
-
-[package.extras]
-dev = ["pre-commit", "pytest-asyncio", "tox"]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "python-dateutil"
 version = "2.8.2"
@@ -1499,4 +1481,4 @@ files = [
 [metadata]
 lock-version = "2.0"
 python-versions = "^3.10"
-content-hash = "cff65644cf63d04091d03894ae93749b5762dff4913b51dd75b231c32c246a2c"
+content-hash = "191f55cfa2b0fa59843737982748f5f65c520807a7e949a87a3b01d4ac7589d2"
diff --git a/backend/pyproject.toml b/backend/pyproject.toml
index 3ae4bde8..64dfc4d6 100644
--- a/backend/pyproject.toml
+++ b/backend/pyproject.toml
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ fallback_version = "0.0.0"
 
 [tool.poetry.group.test.dependencies]
 pytest = "^7.3.1"
-pytest-mock = "^3.10.0"
 requests-mock = "^1.10.0"
 python-multipart = "^0.0.6"
 httpx = "^0.24.0"
diff --git a/backend/src/main.py b/backend/src/main.py
index 4192a24c..2b86b555 100644
--- a/backend/src/main.py
+++ b/backend/src/main.py
@@ -73,10 +73,8 @@ async def get_version():
 @app.put("/snapmanager")
 def snap_manager(db: Session = Depends(get_db)):
     try:
-        session = sessionmaker(autocommit=False, autoflush=False, bind=engine)
-        with session() as sess:
-            processed_artefacts = snap_manager_controller(sess)
-            logger.info("INFO: Processed artefacts %s", processed_artefacts)
+        processed_artefacts = snap_manager_controller(db)
+        logger.info("INFO: Processed artefacts %s", processed_artefacts)
         if False in processed_artefacts.values():
             return JSONResponse(
                 status_code=500,
diff --git a/backend/src/repository.py b/backend/src/repository.py
index 4c1b167b..95f89955 100644
--- a/backend/src/repository.py
+++ b/backend/src/repository.py
@@ -22,26 +22,6 @@
 from .data_access.models import Family, Stage, Artefact
 
 
-def get_stages_by_family_name(session: Session, family_name: str) -> list | None:
-    """
-    Fetch stages objects related to specific family
-
-    :session: DB session
-    :family_name: name of the family
-    :return: list of stages
-    """
-    family = session.query(Family).filter(Family.name == family_name).first()
-    if family is None:
-        return []
-    stages = (
-        session.query(Stage)
-        .filter(Stage.family_id == family.id)
-        .options(joinedload(Stage.artefacts))
-        .all()
-    )
-    return stages
-
-
 def get_stage_by_name(session: Session, stage_name: str, family: Family) -> Stage:
     """
     Get the stage object by its name
@@ -59,21 +39,9 @@ def get_stage_by_name(session: Session, stage_name: str, family: Family) -> Stag
     return stage
 
 
-def get_family_by_name(session: Session, family_name: str):
-    """
-    Get the family object by its name
-
-    :session: DB session
-    :family_name: Name of the family
-    :return: Family
-    """
-    family = session.query(Family).filter(Family.name == family_name).first()
-    return family
-
-
 def get_artefacts_by_family_name(
     session: Session, family_name: str, is_archived: bool = None
-):
+) -> list[Artefact]:
     """
     Get all the artefacts in a family
 
diff --git a/backend/tests/conftest.py b/backend/tests/conftest.py
index 80e7514d..3e3a3ccd 100644
--- a/backend/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/backend/tests/conftest.py
@@ -16,103 +16,58 @@
 #
 # Written by:
 #        Nadzeya Hutsko <nadzeya.hutsko@canonical.com>
+#        Omar Selo <omar.selo@canonical.com>
 """Fixtures for testing"""
 
 
 import pytest
-from sqlalchemy import create_engine
-from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker, Session
-from sqlalchemy_utils import database_exists, create_database, drop_database
+from alembic import command
+from alembic.config import Config
 from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
-from src.main import app
+from sqlalchemy import Engine, create_engine
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Session, sessionmaker
+from sqlalchemy_utils import create_database, database_exists, drop_database
 from src.data_access import Base
-from src.data_access.models import Family, Stage, Artefact
+from src.data_access.models import Artefact, Stage
+from src.main import app, get_db
 
 
-# Setup Test Database
-SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URL = (
-    "postgresql+pg8000://postgres:password@test-observer-db:5432/test"
-)
-engine = create_engine(SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URL)
-TestingSessionLocal = sessionmaker(autocommit=False, autoflush=False, bind=engine)
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def db_engine():
+    db_uri = "postgresql+pg8000://postgres:password@test-observer-db:5432/test"
 
+    if not database_exists(db_uri):
+        create_database(db_uri)
 
-@pytest.fixture
-def seed_db(db_session: Session):
-    """Populate database with fake data"""
-    # Snap family
-    family = Family(name="snap")
-    db_session.add(family)
-    # Edge stage
-    stage = Stage(name="edge", family=family, position=10)
-    db_session.add(stage)
-    artefact = Artefact(
-        name="core20", stage=stage, version="1.1.1", source={}, artefact_group=None
-    )
-    db_session.add(artefact)
-    artefact = Artefact(
-        name="docker",
-        stage=stage,
-        version="1.1.1",
-        source={},
-        artefact_group=None,
-        is_archived=True,
-    )
-    db_session.add(artefact)
-    # Beta stage
-    stage = Stage(name="beta", family=family, position=20)
-    db_session.add(stage)
-    artefact = Artefact(
-        name="core22", stage=stage, version="1.1.0", source={}, artefact_group=None
-    )
-    db_session.add(artefact)
+    engine = create_engine(db_uri)
 
-    # Deb family
-    family = Family(name="deb")
-    db_session.add(family)
-    # Proposed stage
-    stage = Stage(name="proposed", family=family, position=10)
-    db_session.add(stage)
-    artefact = Artefact(
-        name="jammy", stage=stage, version="2.1.1", source={}, artefact_group=None
-    )
-    db_session.add(artefact)
-    # Updates stage
-    stage = Stage(name="updates", family=family, position=10)
-    db_session.add(stage)
-    artefact = Artefact(
-        name="raspi", stage=stage, version="2.1.0", source={}, artefact_group=None
-    )
-    db_session.add(artefact)
-    db_session.commit()
+    alembic_config = Config("alembic.ini")
+    alembic_config.set_main_option("sqlalchemy.url", db_uri)
+    command.upgrade(alembic_config, "head")
 
-    yield
+    yield engine
 
-    # Cleanup
-    db_session.query(Artefact).delete()
-    db_session.query(Stage).delete()
-    db_session.query(Family).delete()
-    db_session.commit()
+    Base.metadata.drop_all(engine)
+    engine.dispose()
+    drop_database(db_uri)
 
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def db_session():
-    """Set up and tear down the test database"""
-    if not database_exists(SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URL):
-        create_database(SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URL)
+@pytest.fixture(scope="function")
+def db_session(db_engine: Engine):
+    connection = db_engine.connect()
+    # Start transaction and not commit it to rollback automatically
+    transaction = connection.begin()
+    session = sessionmaker(autocommit=False, autoflush=False, bind=connection)()
 
-    Base.metadata.create_all(bind=engine)
-    session = TestingSessionLocal()
     yield session
 
-    # Cleanup
     session.close()
-    Base.metadata.drop_all(bind=engine)
-    drop_database(SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URL)
+    transaction.close()
+    connection.close()
 
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def test_app():
-    """Create a pytest fixture for the app"""
-    client = TestClient(app)
-    yield client
+@pytest.fixture(scope="function")
+def test_client(db_session: Session) -> TestClient:
+    """Create a test http client"""
+    app.dependency_overrides[get_db] = lambda: db_session
+    return TestClient(app)
diff --git a/backend/tests/helpers.py b/backend/tests/helpers.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..34b5632f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/helpers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
+from src.data_access.models import Artefact, Stage
+
+
+def create_artefact(db_session: Session, stage_name: str, **kwargs):
+    """Create a dummy artefact"""
+    stage = db_session.query(Stage).filter(Stage.name == stage_name).first()
+    artefact = Artefact(
+        name=kwargs.get("name", ""),
+        stage=stage,
+        version=kwargs.get("version", "1.1.1"),
+        source=kwargs.get("source", {}),
+        artefact_group=None,
+        is_archived=kwargs.get("is_archived", False),
+    )
+    db_session.add(artefact)
+    db_session.commit()
+    return artefact
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_repository.py b/backend/tests/test_repository.py
index e06e8231..264ee2e6 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_repository.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_repository.py
@@ -16,49 +16,21 @@
 #
 # Written by:
 #        Nadzeya Hutsko <nadzeya.hutsko@canonical.com>
+#        Omar Selo <omar.selo@canonical.com>
 """Test services functions"""
 
 
-import pytest
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
+from src.data_access.models import Family
+from src.repository import get_artefacts_by_family_name, get_stage_by_name
 
-from src.repository import (
-    get_stages_by_family_name,
-    get_stage_by_name,
-    get_family_by_name,
-    get_artefacts_by_family_name,
-)
+from .helpers import create_artefact
 
 
-def test_get_stages_by_family_name(db_session, seed_db):
-    """The function should select correct stages for the specified family name"""
-    # Arrange
-    family_name = "snap"
-    expected_stage_names = ["edge", "beta"]
-
-    # Act
-    stages = get_stages_by_family_name(db_session, family_name)
-
-    # Assert
-    assert len(stages) == len(expected_stage_names)
-    assert all(stage.name in expected_stage_names for stage in stages)
-
-
-def test_get_stages_by_family_name_no_such_family(seed_db, db_session):
-    """The function should return empty list"""
-    # Arrange
-    family_name = "fake"
-
-    # Act
-    stages = get_stages_by_family_name(db_session, family_name)
-
-    # Assert
-    assert stages == []
-
-
-def test_get_stage_by_name(seed_db, db_session):
+def test_get_stage_by_name(db_session: Session):
     """The function should select the correct stage by its name"""
     # Arrange
-    family = get_family_by_name(db_session, "deb")
+    family = db_session.query(Family).filter(Family.name == "deb").first()
     stage_name = "proposed"
 
     # Act
@@ -68,10 +40,10 @@ def test_get_stage_by_name(seed_db, db_session):
     assert stage.name == stage_name
 
 
-def test_get_stage_by_name_no_such_stage(seed_db, db_session):
+def test_get_stage_by_name_no_such_stage(db_session: Session):
     """The function should return None"""
     # Arrange
-    family = get_family_by_name(db_session, "deb")
+    family = db_session.query(Family).filter(Family.name == "deb").first()
     stage_name = "fakestage"
 
     # Act
@@ -81,11 +53,11 @@ def test_get_stage_by_name_no_such_stage(seed_db, db_session):
     assert stage is None
 
 
-def test_get_stage_by_name_no_such_family(seed_db, db_session):
+def test_get_stage_by_name_no_such_family(db_session: Session):
     """The function should return None"""
     # Arrange
-    family = get_family_by_name(db_session, "deb")
-    stage_name = "fakestage"
+    family = db_session.query(Family).filter(Family.name == "fakefamily").first()
+    stage_name = "proposed"
 
     # Act
     stage = get_stage_by_name(db_session, stage_name, family)
@@ -94,36 +66,43 @@ def test_get_stage_by_name_no_such_family(seed_db, db_session):
     assert stage is None
 
 
-def test_get_artefacts_by_family_name(seed_db, db_session):
+def test_get_artefacts_by_family_name(db_session: Session):
     """We should get a valid list of artefacts"""
     # Arrange
-    family_name = "snap"
-    expected_artefact_names = ["core20", "core22", "docker"]
+    artefact_name_stage_pair = {
+        ("core20", "edge"),
+        ("core22", "beta"),
+        ("docker", "candidate"),
+    }
+
+    for name, stage in artefact_name_stage_pair:
+        create_artefact(db_session, stage, name=name)
 
     # Act
-    artefacts = get_artefacts_by_family_name(db_session, family_name)
+    artefacts = get_artefacts_by_family_name(db_session, "snap")
 
     # Assert
-    assert len(artefacts) == len(expected_artefact_names)
-    assert all(artefact.name in expected_artefact_names for artefact in artefacts)
+    assert len(artefacts) == len(artefact_name_stage_pair)
+    assert {
+        (artefact.name, artefact.stage.name) for artefact in artefacts
+    } == artefact_name_stage_pair
 
 
-def test_get_artefacts_by_family_name_filter_archived(seed_db, db_session):
+def test_get_artefacts_by_family_name_filter_archived(db_session: Session):
     """We should get a list of archived artefacts"""
     # Arrange
-    family_name = "snap"
-    expected_artefact_names = ["docker"]
+    create_artefact(db_session, "beta", name="docker", is_archived=True)
 
     # Act
-    artefacts = get_artefacts_by_family_name(db_session, family_name, is_archived=True)
+    artefacts = get_artefacts_by_family_name(db_session, "snap", is_archived=True)
 
     # Assert
-    assert len(artefacts) == len(expected_artefact_names)
-    assert all(artefact.name in expected_artefact_names for artefact in artefacts)
-    assert all(artefact.is_archived for artefact in artefacts)
+    assert len(artefacts) == 1
+    assert artefacts[0].name == "docker"
+    assert artefacts[0].is_archived
 
 
-def test_get_artefacts_by_family_name_no_such_family(seed_db, db_session):
+def test_get_artefacts_by_family_name_no_such_family(db_session: Session):
     """We should get an empty list when there's no such family"""
     # Arrange
     family_name = "fakename"
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_snap_manager.py b/backend/tests/test_snap_manager.py
index ad030b9f..abe93f98 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_snap_manager.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_snap_manager.py
@@ -16,15 +16,20 @@
 #
 # Written by:
 #        Nadzeya Hutsko <nadzeya.hutsko@canonical.com>
+#        Omar Selo <omar.selo@canonical.com>
 """Test snap manager API"""
 
 
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+from requests_mock import Mocker
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
 from src.data_access.models import Artefact
-from .conftest import engine
+
+from .helpers import create_artefact
 
 
 def test_run_for_different_revisions(
-    test_app, db_session, requests_mock, mocker, seed_db
+    test_client: TestClient, db_session: Session, requests_mock: Mocker
 ):
     """
     If revision in snapcraft response is different from the revision in
@@ -57,23 +62,27 @@ def test_run_for_different_revisions(
             ]
         },
     )
-    core20 = db_session.query(Artefact).filter(Artefact.name == "core20").first()
-    original_stage = core20.stage
-    core20.source = {"revision": 1823, "architecture": "amd64", "store": "ubuntu"}
-    core20.version = "1.1.1"
-    core20.is_archived = False
-    db_session.commit()
-    mocker.patch("src.main.engine", wraps=engine)
+    artefact = create_artefact(
+        db_session,
+        "edge",
+        name="core20",
+        version="1.1.1",
+        source={"revision": 1823, "architecture": "amd64", "store": "ubuntu"},
+    )
 
     # Act
-    test_app.put("/snapmanager")
+    test_client.put("/snapmanager")
+
+    db_session.refresh(artefact)
 
     # Assert
-    assert core20.stage == original_stage  # The artefact should not be moved
-    assert core20.is_archived
+    assert artefact.stage.name == "edge"  # The artefact should not be moved
+    assert artefact.is_archived
 
 
-def test_run_to_move_artefact(db_session, test_app, requests_mock, mocker, seed_db):
+def test_run_to_move_artefact(
+    db_session: Session, test_client: TestClient, requests_mock: Mocker
+):
     """
     If card's current list name is different to its list name in
     snapcraft, the card is moved to the next list
@@ -105,16 +114,20 @@ def test_run_to_move_artefact(db_session, test_app, requests_mock, mocker, seed_
             ]
         },
     )
-    core20 = db_session.query(Artefact).filter(Artefact.name == "core20").first()
-    core20.source = {"revision": 1883, "architecture": "amd64", "store": "ubuntu"}
-    core20.version = "1.1.1"
-    core20.is_archived = False
-    db_session.commit()
-    mocker.patch("src.main.engine", wraps=engine)
+
+    artefact = create_artefact(
+        db_session,
+        "edge",
+        name="core20",
+        version="1.1.1",
+        source={"revision": 1883, "architecture": "amd64", "store": "ubuntu"},
+    )
 
     # Act
-    test_app.put("/snapmanager")
+    test_client.put("/snapmanager")
+
+    db_session.refresh(artefact)
 
     # Assert
-    assert core20.stage.name == "beta"
-    assert not core20.is_archived  # The artefact should not be archived
+    assert artefact.stage.name == "beta"
+    assert not artefact.is_archived  # The artefact should not be archived