diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.cr b/spec/spec_helper.cr
index 8a28e66..6d11605 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.cr
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.cr
@@ -1,11 +1,21 @@
 require "uuid"
+require "file_utils"
 
 require "spec-kemal"
 require "micrate"
 
+require "dotenv"
+Dotenv.load ".env.#{ENV["ENV"]}"
+
 require "../bit"
 
 Spec.before_suite do
+  # Delete the SQLite database file if it exists
+  db_file_path = ENV["DATABASE_URL"].split("sqlite3://").last.split("?").first
+  if File.exists?(db_file_path)
+    File.delete(db_file_path)
+  end
+
   Micrate::DB.connection_url = ENV["DATABASE_URL"]
   Micrate::Cli.run_up
 
@@ -20,7 +30,8 @@ def create_test_user
 
   changeset = App::Lib::Database.insert(user)
   if !changeset.valid?
-    raise "Test user creation failed"
+    error_messages = changeset.errors.map { |error| "#{error}" }.join(", ")
+    raise "Test user creation failed #{error_messages}"
   end
 
   user
@@ -29,13 +40,14 @@ end
 def create_test_link(user, url)
   link = App::Models::Link.new
   link.id = UUID.v4.to_s
+  link.slug = App::Services::SlugService.shorten_url(url)
   link.url = url
-  link.slug = Random::Secure.urlsafe_base64(4)
   link.user = user
 
   changeset = App::Lib::Database.insert(link)
-  if !changeset.valid?
-    raise "Test link creation failed"
+  unless changeset.valid?
+    error_messages = changeset.errors.map { |error| "#{error}" }.join(", ")
+    raise "Test link creation failed: #{error_messages} #{url} #{link.slug}"
   end
 
   link.clicks = [] of App::Models::Click