diff --git a/run-tests b/run-tests
index 5c8e9b000..3c2568217 100755
--- a/run-tests
+++ b/run-tests
@@ -74,14 +74,15 @@ echo "=> Ensure database"
 docker exec mysql-server mysql -uroot -ppassword -e "ALTER USER 'root'@'%' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'password';"
 docker exec mysql-server mysql -uroot -ppassword -e "CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS box"
 
-echo "=> Run database migrations"
-BOX_ENV=test DATABASE_URL=mysql://root:password@${MYSQL_IP}/box node_modules/.bin/db-migrate up
-
+# do this before migrations! box code requires oidc files to exist which are imported in migrations
 echo "=> Ensure dist/ exists"
 if [[ ! -d "dashboard/dist" ]]; then
     (cd dashboard && npm run build)
 fi
 
+echo "=> Run database migrations"
+BOX_ENV=test DATABASE_URL=mysql://root:password@${MYSQL_IP}/box node_modules/.bin/db-migrate up
+
 TESTS=${DEFAULT_TESTS}
 if [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; then
     TESTS="$*"