diff --git a/clientapi/auth/storage/devices/storage_test.go b/clientapi/auth/storage/devices/storage_test.go
index a43126b18..e4ab229e0 100644
--- a/clientapi/auth/storage/devices/storage_test.go
+++ b/clientapi/auth/storage/devices/storage_test.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func init() {
 
 	if insideCi {
 		database := "dendrite_device"
-		cmd := exec.Command("psql", database)
+		cmd := exec.Command("psql", "postgres")
 		cmd.Stdin = strings.NewReader(
 			fmt.Sprintf("DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS %s; CREATE DATABASE %s;", database, database),
 		)
diff --git a/syncapi/storage/output_room_events_table_test.go b/syncapi/storage/output_room_events_table_test.go
index 1ec2ea1e6..c3be40838 100644
--- a/syncapi/storage/output_room_events_table_test.go
+++ b/syncapi/storage/output_room_events_table_test.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func init() {
 
 	if insideCi {
 		database := "dendrite_syncapi"
-		cmd := exec.Command("psql", database)
+		cmd := exec.Command("psql", "postgres")
 		cmd.Stdin = strings.NewReader(
 			fmt.Sprintf("DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS %s; CREATE DATABASE %s;", database, database),
 		)