diff --git a/.github/workflows/run_unit_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/run_unit_tests.yml
index 539b0fa01082..fd050c49220e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run_unit_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run_unit_tests.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           path: ~/BYOND
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-byond-${{ secrets.CACHE_PURGE_KEY }}
+      - name: Setup database
+        run: |
+          sudo systemctl start mysql
+          mysql -u root -proot -e "CREATE DATABASE cmdb;"
+          mysql -u root -proot -e "ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'password';";
       - name: Install rust-g
         run: |
           sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
diff --git a/code/datums/_ndatabase/subsystems/database_query_manager.dm b/code/datums/_ndatabase/subsystems/database_query_manager.dm
index 596d55121920..82407210c8d4 100644
--- a/code/datums/_ndatabase/subsystems/database_query_manager.dm
+++ b/code/datums/_ndatabase/subsystems/database_query_manager.dm
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(SSdatabase, /datum/controller/subsystem/database_query_manager)
 	NEW_SS_GLOBAL(SSdatabase)
 
 /datum/controller/subsystem/database_query_manager/proc/start_up()
-	set waitfor = FALSE
-
 	settings = connection_settings_from_config(CONFIG_GET(string/db_provider))
 	connection = settings.create_connection()
 	connection.keep()
diff --git a/code/datums/_ndatabase/subsystems/entity_manager.dm b/code/datums/_ndatabase/subsystems/entity_manager.dm
index 833bc6926e09..8df89408d499 100644
--- a/code/datums/_ndatabase/subsystems/entity_manager.dm
+++ b/code/datums/_ndatabase/subsystems/entity_manager.dm
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ GLOBAL_REAL(SSentity_manager, /datum/controller/subsystem/entity_manager)
 	NEW_SS_GLOBAL(SSentity_manager)
 
 /datum/controller/subsystem/entity_manager/proc/start_up()
-	set waitfor=0
 	UNTIL(SSdatabase.connection.connection_ready())
 	adapter = SSdatabase.connection.get_adapter()
 	prepare_tables()
diff --git a/tools/ci/ci_config.txt b/tools/ci/ci_config.txt
index 4925d781bbbe..2dc09472b980 100644
--- a/tools/ci/ci_config.txt
+++ b/tools/ci/ci_config.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,17 @@
-SQL_ENABLED
-ADDRESS 127.0.0.1
-PORT 3306
-FEEDBACK_DATABASE tg_ci
-FEEDBACK_TABLEPREFIX
-FEEDBACK_LOGIN root
-FEEDBACK_PASSWORD
-LAVALAND_BUDGET 0
-SPACE_BUDGET 0
+# server adapter
+DB_PROVIDER brsql
+
+# server address
+DB_ADDRESS localhost
+
+# server port
+DB_PORT 3306
+
+# server db
+DB_DATABASE cmdb
+
+# server login
+DB_USERNAME root
+
+# server password
+DB_PASSWORD password
diff --git a/tools/ci/run_server.sh b/tools/ci/run_server.sh
index 93f58be5f7c5..33955b319c30 100644
--- a/tools/ci/run_server.sh
+++ b/tools/ci/run_server.sh
@@ -8,11 +8,14 @@ echo Testing $MAP
 tools/deploy.sh ci_test
 mkdir ci_test/data
 
+#test config
+cp tools/ci/ci_config.txt ci_test/config/config.txt
+
 #set the map
 cp maps/$MAP.json ci_test/data/next_map.json
 cp maps/templates/space.json ci_test/data/next_ship.json
 
 cd ci_test
-DreamDaemon colonialmarines.dmb -close -trusted -verbose -params "log-directory=ci"
+RUST_BACKTRACE=1 DreamDaemon colonialmarines.dmb -close -trusted -verbose -params "log-directory=ci"
 cd ..
 cat ci_test/data/logs/ci/clean_run.lk