diff --git a/src/Services/AliasVault.SmtpService/Program.cs b/src/Services/AliasVault.SmtpService/Program.cs
index 925f465f2..1198f726f 100644
--- a/src/Services/AliasVault.SmtpService/Program.cs
+++ b/src/Services/AliasVault.SmtpService/Program.cs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ builder.Services.AddSingleton<DbConnection>(container =>
 builder.Services.AddDbContextFactory<AliasServerDbContext>((container, options) =>
 {
     var connection = container.GetRequiredService<DbConnection>();
-    options.UseSqlite(connection).UseLazyLoadingProxies();
+    options.UseSqlite(connection);
 });
 
 builder.Services.AddTransient<IMessageStore, DatabaseMessageStore>();
diff --git a/src/Tests/AliasVault.E2ETests/Infrastructure/WebApplicationApiFactoryFixture.cs b/src/Tests/AliasVault.E2ETests/Infrastructure/WebApplicationApiFactoryFixture.cs
index 0433173f1..9c4b4f297 100644
--- a/src/Tests/AliasVault.E2ETests/Infrastructure/WebApplicationApiFactoryFixture.cs
+++ b/src/Tests/AliasVault.E2ETests/Infrastructure/WebApplicationApiFactoryFixture.cs
@@ -24,16 +24,16 @@ using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
 public class WebApplicationApiFactoryFixture<TEntryPoint> : WebApplicationFactory<TEntryPoint>
     where TEntryPoint : class
 {
-    /// <summary>
-    /// The DbContext instance that is created for the test.
-    /// </summary>
-    private AliasServerDbContext? _dbContext;
-
     /// <summary>
     /// The DbConnection instance that is created for the test.
     /// </summary>
     private DbConnection? _dbConnection;
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The DbContext instance that is created for the test.
+    /// </summary>
+    private AliasServerDbContext? _dbContext;
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets or sets the URL the web application host will listen on.
     /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/Tests/AliasVault.IntegrationTests/SmtpServer/SmtpServerTests.cs b/src/Tests/AliasVault.IntegrationTests/SmtpServer/SmtpServerTests.cs
index 7ffb27837..1e343a709 100644
--- a/src/Tests/AliasVault.IntegrationTests/SmtpServer/SmtpServerTests.cs
+++ b/src/Tests/AliasVault.IntegrationTests/SmtpServer/SmtpServerTests.cs
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@ public class SmtpServerTests
 {
     private IHost _testHost;
 
+    private TestHostBuilder _testHostBuilder;
+
     [SetUp]
     public async Task Setup()
     {
-        _testHost = new TestHostBuilder().Build(services =>
-        {
-            // Here you can override services or add mocks as needed
-        });
+        _testHostBuilder = new TestHostBuilder();
+        _testHost = _testHostBuilder.Build();
 
         await _testHost.StartAsync();
     }
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public class SmtpServerTests
         message.From.Add(new MailboxAddress("Test Sender", "sender@example.com"));
         message.To.Add(new MailboxAddress("Test Recipient", "recipient.to@example.tld"));
         message.Cc.Add(new MailboxAddress("Test Recipient 2", "recipient.cc@example.tld"));
-        message.Subject = "Test Email with multiple recipients.";
+        message.Subject = "Test Email";
         message.Body = new TextPart("plain")
         {
             Text = "This is a test email."
@@ -78,22 +78,10 @@ public class SmtpServerTests
             await client.DisconnectAsync(true);
         }
 
-        // Act
-        // Wait for the worker to process the email
-        await Task.Delay(1000); // Adjust as needed
-
-        // Assert
-        using (var scope = _testHost.Services.CreateScope())
-        {
-            var dbContextFactory = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<IDbContextFactory<AliasServerDbContext>>();
-            var dbContext = await dbContextFactory.CreateDbContextAsync();
-
-            // Check the database for the expected results
-            var processedEmail = await dbContext.Emails.FirstOrDefaultAsync(e => e.Subject == "Test Email");
-            Assert.That(processedEmail, Is.Not.Null);
-            Assert.That(processedEmail.To, Is.EqualTo("test@test.com"));
-            // Add more assertions as needed
-        }
+        var dbContext = _testHostBuilder.GetDbContext();
 
+        var processedEmail = await dbContext.Emails.FirstOrDefaultAsync(e => e.Subject == "Test Email");
+        Assert.That(processedEmail, Is.Not.Null);
+        Assert.That(processedEmail.To, Is.EqualTo("recipient.to@example.tld"));
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Tests/AliasVault.IntegrationTests/SmtpServer/TestHostBuilder.cs b/src/Tests/AliasVault.IntegrationTests/SmtpServer/TestHostBuilder.cs
index 49687f57b..e5a97c353 100644
--- a/src/Tests/AliasVault.IntegrationTests/SmtpServer/TestHostBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/Tests/AliasVault.IntegrationTests/SmtpServer/TestHostBuilder.cs
@@ -19,29 +19,59 @@ using global::SmtpServer.Storage;
 
 public class TestHostBuilder
 {
-    public IHost Build(Action<IServiceCollection> configureServices = null)
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The DbConnection instance that is created for the test.
+    /// </summary>
+    private DbConnection? _dbConnection;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The DbContext instance that is created for the test.
+    /// </summary>
+    private AliasServerDbContext? _dbContext;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Returns the DbContext instance for the test. This can be used to seed the database with test data.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>AliasServerDbContext instance.</returns>
+    public AliasServerDbContext GetDbContext()
     {
+        if (_dbContext == null)
+        {
+            var options = new DbContextOptionsBuilder<AliasServerDbContext>()
+                .UseSqlite(_dbConnection!)
+                .Options;
+
+            _dbContext = new AliasServerDbContext(options);
+        }
+
+        return _dbContext;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Builds the SmtpService test host.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns></returns>
+    public IHost Build()
+    {
+        // Create a persistent in-memory database for the duration of the test.
+        _dbConnection = new SqliteConnection("DataSource=:memory:");
+        _dbConnection.Open();
+
         var builder = Host.CreateDefaultBuilder()
             .ConfigureServices((context, services) =>
             {
-                // Add your services here, similar to your Program.cs
                 services.AddSingleton(new Config
                 {
                     AllowedToDomains = new List<string> { "example.tld" },
                     SmtpTlsEnabled = "false"
                 });
 
-                services.AddSingleton<DbConnection>(sp =>
-                {
-                    var connection = new SqliteConnection("DataSource=:memory:");
-                    connection.Open();
-                    return connection;
-                });
+                services.AddSingleton(_dbConnection);
 
                 services.AddDbContextFactory<AliasServerDbContext>((sp, options) =>
                 {
                     var connection = sp.GetRequiredService<DbConnection>();
-                    options.UseSqlite(connection).UseLazyLoadingProxies();
+                    options.UseSqlite(connection);
                 });
 
                 services.AddTransient<IMessageStore, DatabaseMessageStore>();
@@ -76,9 +106,6 @@ public class TestHostBuilder
                     var dbContext = dbContextFactory.CreateDbContext();
                     dbContext.Database.Migrate();
                 }
-
-                // Allow additional service configuration from the test
-                configureServices.Invoke(services);
             });
 
         return builder.Build();