diff --git a/ModulectorBackend/settings.py b/ModulectorBackend/settings.py
index ab5d1f7..1cd60b3 100644
--- a/ModulectorBackend/settings.py
+++ b/ModulectorBackend/settings.py
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@
 MEDIA_ROOT = os.getenv('MEDIA_ROOT', os.path.join(BASE_DIR, ''))
 MEDIA_URL = os.getenv('MEDIA_URL', '/media/')
 
+# Test runner
+TEST_RUNNER = 'modulector.tests.runner.DjangoTestSuiteRunner'
+
 # Email Server
 EMAIL_BACKEND = 'django.core.mail.backends.smtp.EmailBackend'
 # This email configuration is what postfix uses, for production, use your own
diff --git a/modulector/tests/data_init.py b/modulector/tests/data_init.py
deleted file mode 100644
index d4d11ac..0000000
--- a/modulector/tests/data_init.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,72 +0,0 @@
-from datetime import datetime
-from django.utils import timezone
-from modulector.models import MirbaseIdMirna, UrlTemplate, Mirna, OldRefSeqMapping, GeneSymbolMapping, MirnaSource, \
-    MirnaColumns, MirnaXGene, MirnaDisease, MirnaDrug
-
-
-def load_test_data(cls):
-    MirbaseIdMirna.objects.create(
-        mirbase_accession_id='MIRBASETEST',
-        mature_mirna='hsa-test-1'
-    )
-    UrlTemplate.objects.create(
-        name='mirdb',
-        url='test/url/com'
-    )
-    mirna = Mirna.objects.create(
-        mirna_code='ASDAS_SDA@_SDASD'
-    )
-    OldRefSeqMapping.objects.create(
-        old_value='NM_ASDAS',
-        new_value='NMAS@!DS'
-    )
-    GeneSymbolMapping.objects.create(
-        refseq='REFSEQEXAMPLE',
-        symbol='SYMBOLTEST'
-    )
-    source = MirnaSource.objects.create(
-        name='source',
-        site_url='this_site_url',
-        min_score=0,
-        max_score=70,
-        score_interpretation='this is a score interpretation',
-        description='this is a description',
-        synchronization_date=datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc),
-        file_separator='t'
-    )
-
-    MirnaColumns.objects.create(
-        mirna_source=source,
-        position=1,
-        column_name='column_name',
-        field_to_map='field_to_map'
-
-    )
-
-    MirnaXGene.objects.create(
-        mirna=mirna,
-        gene='GEN_1',
-        score=80,
-        mirna_source=source
-    )
-
-    MirnaDisease.objects.create(
-        category='CAT',
-        mirna='MIRNA',
-        disease='DIS',
-        pubmed_id='12312312',
-        description='this is a description'
-    )
-
-    MirnaDrug.objects.create(
-        mature_mirna='ASSSDWA',
-        mirbase_accession_id='NMAEASDE',
-        small_molecule='SOME TEST',
-        fda_approved=True,
-        detection_method='detect method',
-        condition='condition this',
-        pubmed_id=2312,
-        reference='reference ',
-        support='suppport',
-        expression_pattern='pattern'
-    )
diff --git a/modulector/tests/runner.py b/modulector/tests/runner.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e1aec6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modulector/tests/runner.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+from django.test.runner import DiscoverRunner
+
+
+class DjangoTestSuiteRunner(DiscoverRunner):
+    """
+    This runner prevents Django from creating and destroying the test database. This is useful as Modulector has
+    read-only preloaded data in the database.
+    """
+    def setup_databases(self, **kwargs):
+        pass
+
+    def teardown_databases(self, old_config, **kwargs):
+        pass
diff --git a/modulector/tests/test_views.py b/modulector/tests/test_views.py
index d604285..4c6865e 100644
--- a/modulector/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/modulector/tests/test_views.py
@@ -1,14 +1,9 @@
 from django.test import Client, TestCase
-from modulector.tests.data_init import load_test_data
 
 client = Client()
 
 
 class ViewTests(TestCase):
-    @classmethod
-    def setUpTestData(cls):
-        load_test_data(cls)
-
     def __check_empty_pagination(self, response):
         """Checks if fields of response are valid for an empty pagination response"""
         self.assertEqual(response.data['count'], 0)