diff --git a/hare3/hare_test.go b/hare3/hare_test.go
index dd8139ab12..0df5b7f726 100644
--- a/hare3/hare_test.go
+++ b/hare3/hare_test.go
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ func (n *node) reuseSigner(signer *signing.EdSigner) *node {
 	return n
 }
 
-func (n *node) withDb() *node {
-	n.db = sql.InMemory()
+func (n *node) withDb(tb testing.TB) *node {
+	n.db = sql.InMemoryTest(tb)
 	n.atxsdata = atxsdata.New()
 	n.proposals = store.New()
 	return n
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ func (cl *lockstepCluster) addActive(n int) *lockstepCluster {
 	for i := last; i < last+n; i++ {
 		cl.addNode((&node{t: cl.t, i: i}).
 			withController().withSyncer().withPublisher().
-			withClock().withDb().withSigner().withAtx(cl.units.min, cl.units.max).
+			withClock().withDb(cl.t).withSigner().withAtx(cl.units.min, cl.units.max).
 			withOracle().withHare())
 	}
 	return cl
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ func (cl *lockstepCluster) addInactive(n int) *lockstepCluster {
 	for i := last; i < last+n; i++ {
 		cl.addNode((&node{t: cl.t, i: i}).
 			withController().withSyncer().withPublisher().
-			withClock().withDb().withSigner().
+			withClock().withDb(cl.t).withSigner().
 			withOracle().withHare())
 	}
 	return cl
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ func (cl *lockstepCluster) addEquivocators(n int) *lockstepCluster {
 		cl.addNode((&node{t: cl.t, i: i}).
 			reuseSigner(cl.nodes[i-last].signer).
 			withController().withSyncer().withPublisher().
-			withClock().withDb().withAtx(cl.units.min, cl.units.max).
+			withClock().withDb(cl.t).withAtx(cl.units.min, cl.units.max).
 			withOracle().withHare())
 	}
 	return cl
diff --git a/hare3/malfeasance_test.go b/hare3/malfeasance_test.go
index 0f2a0f1491..7ff1cf52b1 100644
--- a/hare3/malfeasance_test.go
+++ b/hare3/malfeasance_test.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ type testMalfeasanceHandler struct {
 }
 
 func newTestMalfeasanceHandler(tb testing.TB) *testMalfeasanceHandler {
-	db := sql.InMemory()
+	db := sql.InMemoryTest(tb)
 	observer, observedLogs := observer.New(zapcore.WarnLevel)
 	logger := zaptest.NewLogger(tb, zaptest.WrapOptions(zap.WrapCore(
 		func(core zapcore.Core) zapcore.Core {
diff --git a/hare4/eligibility/oracle_test.go b/hare4/eligibility/oracle_test.go
index d6ae2e4a58..5dfdf877b6 100644
--- a/hare4/eligibility/oracle_test.go
+++ b/hare4/eligibility/oracle_test.go
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ type testOracle struct {
 }
 
 func defaultOracle(tb testing.TB) *testOracle {
-	db := sql.InMemory()
+	db := sql.InMemoryTest(tb)
 	atxsdata := atxsdata.New()
 
 	ctrl := gomock.NewController(tb)
diff --git a/hare4/hare_test.go b/hare4/hare_test.go
index 70f363a8f6..498a80d23f 100644
--- a/hare4/hare_test.go
+++ b/hare4/hare_test.go
@@ -159,8 +159,8 @@ func (n *node) reuseSigner(signer *signing.EdSigner) *node {
 	return n
 }
 
-func (n *node) withDb() *node {
-	n.db = sql.InMemory()
+func (n *node) withDb(tb testing.TB) *node {
+	n.db = sql.InMemoryTest(tb)
 	n.atxsdata = atxsdata.New()
 	n.proposals = store.New()
 	return n
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ func (cl *lockstepCluster) addActive(n int) *lockstepCluster {
 	for i := last; i < last+n; i++ {
 		nn := (&node{t: cl.t, i: i}).
 			withController().withSyncer().withPublisher().
-			withClock().withDb().withSigner().withAtx(cl.units.min, cl.units.max).
+			withClock().withDb(cl.t).withSigner().withAtx(cl.units.min, cl.units.max).
 			withStreamRequester().withOracle().withHare()
 		if cl.mockVerify {
 			nn = nn.withVerifier()
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ func (cl *lockstepCluster) addInactive(n int) *lockstepCluster {
 	for i := last; i < last+n; i++ {
 		cl.addNode((&node{t: cl.t, i: i}).
 			withController().withSyncer().withPublisher().
-			withClock().withDb().withSigner().
+			withClock().withDb(cl.t).withSigner().
 			withStreamRequester().withOracle().withHare())
 	}
 	return cl
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ func (cl *lockstepCluster) addEquivocators(n int) *lockstepCluster {
 		cl.addNode((&node{t: cl.t, i: i}).
 			reuseSigner(cl.nodes[i-last].signer).
 			withController().withSyncer().withPublisher().
-			withClock().withDb().withAtx(cl.units.min, cl.units.max).
+			withClock().withDb(cl.t).withAtx(cl.units.min, cl.units.max).
 			withStreamRequester().withOracle().withHare())
 	}
 	return cl
diff --git a/sql/database.go b/sql/database.go
index 5f86f0bda5..e20a393b63 100644
--- a/sql/database.go
+++ b/sql/database.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
 	"time"
 
 	sqlite "github.com/go-llsqlite/crawshaw"
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@ func WithQueryCacheSizes(sizes map[QueryCacheKind]int) Opt {
 type Opt func(c *conf)
 
 // InMemory database for testing.
+// Please use InMemoryTest for automatic closing of the returned db during `tb.Cleanup`.
 func InMemory(opts ...Opt) *Database {
 	opts = append(opts, WithConnections(1))
 	db, err := Open("file::memory:?mode=memory", opts...)
@@ -185,6 +187,17 @@ func InMemory(opts ...Opt) *Database {
 	return db
 }
 
+// InMemoryTest returns an in-mem database for testing and ensures database is closed during `tb.Cleanup`.
+func InMemoryTest(tb testing.TB, opts ...Opt) *Database {
+	opts = append(opts, WithConnections(1))
+	db, err := Open("file::memory:?mode=memory", opts...)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	tb.Cleanup(func() { db.Close() })
+	return db
+}
+
 // Open database with options.
 //
 // Database is opened in WAL mode and pragma synchronous=normal.