diff --git a/src/backend/tests/.pyodk_config.toml b/src/backend/tests/.pyodk_config.toml
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..5c2c5ceaad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/tests/.pyodk_config.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+[central]
+base_url = "https://proxy"
+username = "test@hotosm.org"
+password = "Password1234"
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/conftest.py b/src/backend/tests/conftest.py
index bee20c3c6e..391fa1affb 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/src/backend/tests/conftest.py
@@ -351,18 +351,13 @@ def forms(base_url, auth, pid):
     """
 
     with Client(config_path=odk_config_file) as client:
-        client.submissions.create(
+        submission_data = client.submissions.create(
             project_id=odk_project_id,
             form_id=odk_form_id,
             xml=submission_xml,
             device_id=None,
             encoding="utf-8",
         )
-        submission_data = client.submissions.get(
-            project_id=odk_project_id,
-            form_id=odk_form_id,
-            instance_id=submission_id,
-        )
 
     yield {
         "project": odk_project,