diff --git a/src/test/common.js b/src/test/common.js
index 5e793444c..7594a61d8 100644
--- a/src/test/common.js
+++ b/src/test/common.js
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ async function domainSetup() {
     nock.cleanAll();
 
     await databaseSetup();
+    await settings.setMailLocation(domain.domain, `${constants.DASHBOARD_SUBDOMAIN}.${domain.domain}`); // default mail location. do this before we add the domain for upserting mail DNS
     await domains.add(domain.domain, domain, auditSource);
 }