diff --git a/conftest.py b/conftest.py
index 6a9d2df5..c8a3ff94 100644
--- a/conftest.py
+++ b/conftest.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 @pytest.fixture(
     params=["empty_deployment"]
     if os.environ.get("KCIDB_DEPLOYMENT", "") == "This deployment is empty"
-    else []
+    else [], scope="session"
 )
 def empty_deployment():
     """Reusable empty (no-data) deployment"""