diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/data/feeds.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/data/feeds.js
index d79996aa6..19780edae 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/data/feeds.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/data/feeds.js
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ Zotero.Feeds = new function() {
 		
 		Zotero.Notifier.registerObserver({notify: function(event) {
 			if (event == 'finish') {
+				// Don't update during tests, since the database will have been closed
+				if (Zotero.test) return;
 				Zotero.Feeds.updateFeeds();
 			}
 		}}, ['sync'], 'feedsUpdate');
diff --git a/test/tests/syncRunnerTest.js b/test/tests/syncRunnerTest.js
index 36f06a0bf..1470bb3d6 100644
--- a/test/tests/syncRunnerTest.js
+++ b/test/tests/syncRunnerTest.js
@@ -556,18 +556,6 @@ describe("Zotero.Sync.Runner", function () {
 	})
 
 	describe("#sync()", function () {
-		// Notifier is triggered without waiting for async actions to finish, which
-		// fires off database queries after its been closed.
-		var observerTriggerDeferred;
-		beforeEach(function() {
-			observerTriggerDeferred = Zotero.Promise.defer();
-			sinon.stub(Zotero.Notifier, 'trigger', 
-				(e) => {if (e == 'finish') observerTriggerDeferred.resolve(); return Zotero.Promise.resolve()});
-		});
-		afterEach(function* () {
-			yield observerTriggerDeferred.promise;
-			Zotero.Notifier.trigger.restore();
-		});
 		it("should perform a sync across all libraries and update library versions", function* () {
 			setResponse('keyInfo.fullAccess');
 			setResponse('userGroups.groupVersions');
@@ -958,18 +946,7 @@ describe("Zotero.Sync.Runner", function () {
 	describe("Error Handling", function () {
 		var win;
 		
-		// Notifier is triggered without waiting for async actions to finish, which
-		// fires off database queries after its been closed.
-		var observerTriggerDeferred;
-		beforeEach(function() {
-			observerTriggerDeferred = Zotero.Promise.defer();
-			sinon.stub(Zotero.Notifier, 'trigger', 
-				(e) => {if (e == 'finish') observerTriggerDeferred.resolve(); return Zotero.Promise.resolve()});
-		});
-		
-		afterEach(function* () {
-			yield observerTriggerDeferred.promise;
-			Zotero.Notifier.trigger.restore();
+		afterEach(function () {
 			if (win) {
 				win.close();
 			}