diff --git a/tests/sync/conftest.py b/tests/sync/conftest.py
index 8bb0302..221643f 100644
--- a/tests/sync/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/sync/conftest.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from typing import Callable
 
 import pytest
 from cryptography.fernet import Fernet
-from sqlalchemy import create_engine
+from sqlalchemy import create_engine, select
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Session, sessionmaker
 from sqlalchemy.pool import StaticPool
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def settings(tmp_path: Path) -> StubSettings:
 def load_only_activity(session_factory) -> Callable[[int], Activity]:
     def _load(user_id: int) -> Activity:
         with session_factory() as session:
-            activities = ActivityRepository(session).session.query(Activity).filter_by(user_id=user_id).all()
+            activities = list(session.scalars(select(Activity).where(Activity.user_id == user_id)))
             assert len(activities) == 1, f"expected exactly one activity for user {user_id}, found {len(activities)}"
             return activities[0]
 
diff --git a/tests/sync/test_manager.py b/tests/sync/test_manager.py
index 332009f..c5d713d 100644
--- a/tests/sync/test_manager.py
+++ b/tests/sync/test_manager.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
+from sqlalchemy import select
 
 from app.db.models import ActivityStatus, SyncRun, SyncRunStatus, SyncUser
 
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ async def test_sync_run_repository_wiring_records_run(manager, seeded_user: Sync
     await manager.sync_user(seeded_user.id)
 
     with session_factory() as session:
-        runs = session.query(SyncRun).filter_by(user_id=seeded_user.id).all()
+        runs = list(session.scalars(select(SyncRun).where(SyncRun.user_id == seeded_user.id)))
         assert len(runs) == 1
         run = runs[0]
         assert run.status == SyncRunStatus.SUCCESS