diff --git a/.woodpecker/ci.yaml b/.woodpecker/ci.yaml
index 347becf386..c1c5e741f0 100644
--- a/.woodpecker/ci.yaml
+++ b/.woodpecker/ci.yaml
@@ -45,9 +45,8 @@ steps:
   # testcontainers, and a postgres service container deadlocks the step because the backend mounts
   # the ReadWriteOnce workspace volume into service pods and schedules them on another node.
   # Its data directory lives on the step's ephemeral storage, not on the workspace volume.
-  # Scoped to Jellyfin.Server.Tests: the three classes in Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL still
-  # start their own container, and PostgreSqlProviderTests already fails on main - on an EF 10
-  # scalar query and on its own data - which a third test in the class then inherits.
+  # Both projects attach to it through JELLYFIN_TEST_POSTGRES and give every test a database of
+  # its own, so nothing here depends on a docker daemon.
   - name: postgres-migration-chain
     image: mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/sdk:10.0
     depends_on:
@@ -64,7 +63,9 @@ steps:
       - su postgres -c "$PGBIN/initdb -D /tmp/pgdata -A trust -U postgres"
       - su postgres -c "$PGBIN/pg_ctl -D /tmp/pgdata -o \"-c listen_addresses=127.0.0.1 -k /tmp/pgrun\" -l /tmp/pg.log -w start"
       - dotnet build tests/Jellyfin.Server.Tests/Jellyfin.Server.Tests.csproj -c Release
+      - dotnet build tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL.csproj -c Release
       - dotnet test tests/Jellyfin.Server.Tests/Jellyfin.Server.Tests.csproj -c Release --no-build --verbosity minimal --filter "Category=RequiresDocker"
+      - dotnet test tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL.csproj -c Release --no-build --verbosity minimal --filter "Category=RequiresDocker"
     backend_options:
       kubernetes:
         serviceAccountName: jellyfin-ha-src
diff --git a/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL.csproj b/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL.csproj
index 71647b0d16..19eedc4053 100644
--- a/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL.csproj
+++ b/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL.csproj
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@
     <PackageReference Include="coverlet.collector" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <!-- Linked, not project-referenced: Jellyfin.Server.Tests drags the whole server into this output. -->
+    <Compile Include="..\Jellyfin.Server.Tests\Migrations\PostgreSqlTestServer.cs" Link="Migrations\PostgreSqlTestServer.cs" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
   <ItemGroup>
     <ProjectReference Include="..\..\src\Jellyfin.Database\Jellyfin.Database.Providers.PostgreSQL\Jellyfin.Database.Providers.PostgreSQL.csproj" />
     <ProjectReference Include="..\..\src\Jellyfin.Database\Jellyfin.Database.Implementations\Jellyfin.Database.Implementations.csproj" />
diff --git a/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlConcurrencyTests.cs b/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlConcurrencyTests.cs
index e186ad118a..21a41a0ef7 100644
--- a/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlConcurrencyTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlConcurrencyTests.cs
@@ -1,71 +1,68 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
-using DotNet.Testcontainers.Builders;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations.DbConfiguration;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations.Entities;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations.Locking;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Providers.PostgreSQL;
+using Jellyfin.Server.Tests.Migrations;
 using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions;
 using Npgsql;
-using Testcontainers.PostgreSql;
 using Xunit;
 
 namespace Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Integration tests that verify concurrent access patterns against a real PostgreSQL 16 container.
+/// Integration tests that verify concurrent access patterns against a real PostgreSQL server.
 /// </summary>
 [Xunit.Trait("Category", "RequiresDocker")]
 public sealed class PostgreSqlConcurrencyTests : IAsyncLifetime
 {
-    private readonly PostgreSqlContainer _container;
+    private static int _databaseSequence;
+
+    private PostgreSqlTestServer? _server;
     private NpgsqlDataSource? _dataSource;
     private PostgreSqlDatabaseProvider? _provider;
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="PostgreSqlConcurrencyTests"/> class.
-    /// </summary>
-    public PostgreSqlConcurrencyTests()
-    {
-        _container = new PostgreSqlBuilder("postgres:16-alpine")
-            .WithWaitStrategy(Wait.ForUnixContainer().UntilCommandIsCompleted("pg_isready"))
-            .Build();
-    }
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Starts the PostgreSQL container and applies migrations before any tests in the class run.
+    /// Attaches to the test server, hands this test a database of its own and applies migrations to it.
     /// </summary>
     /// <returns>A <see cref="ValueTask"/> representing the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     public async ValueTask InitializeAsync()
     {
-        await _container.StartAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        _server = await PostgreSqlTestServer.StartAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
 
-        _dataSource = new NpgsqlDataSourceBuilder(_container.GetConnectionString()).Build();
+        var databaseName = FormattableString.Invariant($"pg_concurrency_{Interlocked.Increment(ref _databaseSequence)}");
+        var connectionString = await _server.CreateDatabaseAsync(databaseName, TestContext.Current.CancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        _dataSource = new NpgsqlDataSourceBuilder(connectionString).Build();
         _provider = new PostgreSqlDatabaseProvider(_dataSource);
 
-        // Apply migrations once for the whole test class.
         var context = CreateContext();
         await using (context.ConfigureAwait(false))
         {
-            await context.Database.MigrateAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+            await context.Database.MigrateAsync(TestContext.Current.CancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
         }
     }
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Stops and removes the PostgreSQL container after all tests in the class have run.
+    /// Releases the data source and the test server.
     /// </summary>
     /// <returns>A <see cref="ValueTask"/> representing the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     public async ValueTask DisposeAsync()
     {
+        // InitializeAsync can fail before the data source exists; its error must not be masked by an NRE here.
         if (_dataSource is not null)
         {
             await _dataSource.DisposeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
         }
 
-        await _container.DisposeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        if (_server is not null)
+        {
+            await _server.DisposeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        }
     }
 
     /// <summary>
diff --git a/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlMigrationTests.cs b/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlMigrationTests.cs
index 2ede930b30..75585b015f 100644
--- a/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlMigrationTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlMigrationTests.cs
@@ -1,62 +1,68 @@
+using System;
+using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
-using DotNet.Testcontainers.Builders;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations.DbConfiguration;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations.Locking;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Providers.PostgreSQL;
+using Jellyfin.Server.Tests.Migrations;
 using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions;
 using Npgsql;
-using Testcontainers.PostgreSql;
 using Xunit;
 
 namespace Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Integration tests that validate PostgreSQL migrations against a real container.
+/// Integration tests that validate PostgreSQL migrations against a real server.
 /// </summary>
 [Xunit.Trait("Category", "RequiresDocker")]
 public sealed class PostgreSqlMigrationTests : IAsyncLifetime
 {
-    private readonly PostgreSqlContainer _container;
+    private static int _databaseSequence;
+
+    private PostgreSqlTestServer? _server;
+    private NpgsqlDataSource? _dataSource;
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="PostgreSqlMigrationTests"/> class.
-    /// </summary>
-    public PostgreSqlMigrationTests()
-    {
-        _container = new PostgreSqlBuilder("postgres:16-alpine")
-            .WithWaitStrategy(Wait.ForUnixContainer().UntilCommandIsCompleted("pg_isready"))
-            .Build();
-    }
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Starts the PostgreSQL container before any tests in the class run.
+    /// Attaches to the test server and hands this test an empty database of its own.
     /// </summary>
     /// <returns>A <see cref="ValueTask"/> representing the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     public async ValueTask InitializeAsync()
     {
-        await _container.StartAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        _server = await PostgreSqlTestServer.StartAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+        var databaseName = FormattableString.Invariant($"pg_migration_{Interlocked.Increment(ref _databaseSequence)}");
+        var connectionString = await _server.CreateDatabaseAsync(databaseName, TestContext.Current.CancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        _dataSource = new NpgsqlDataSourceBuilder(connectionString).Build();
     }
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Stops and removes the PostgreSQL container after all tests in the class have run.
+    /// Releases the data source and the test server.
     /// </summary>
     /// <returns>A <see cref="ValueTask"/> representing the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     public async ValueTask DisposeAsync()
     {
-        await _container.DisposeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        // InitializeAsync can fail before the data source exists; its error must not be masked by an NRE here.
+        if (_dataSource is not null)
+        {
+            await _dataSource.DisposeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        }
+
+        if (_server is not null)
+        {
+            await _server.DisposeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        }
     }
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Verifies that the <c>InitialPostgreSql</c> migration applies cleanly to a fresh PostgreSQL 16 container.
+    /// Verifies that the <c>InitialPostgreSql</c> migration applies cleanly to a fresh database.
     /// </summary>
     /// <returns>A <see cref="Task"/> representing the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     [Fact]
     public async Task MigrateAsync_AppliesInitialMigrationCleanly()
     {
-        await using var dataSource = new NpgsqlDataSourceBuilder(_container.GetConnectionString()).Build();
-        var context = CreateContext(dataSource);
+        var context = CreateContext(_dataSource!);
         await using (context)
         {
             await context.Database.MigrateAsync(TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
@@ -73,11 +79,7 @@ public sealed class PostgreSqlMigrationTests : IAsyncLifetime
     [Fact]
     public void CheckForUnappliedMigrations_PostgreSql()
     {
-        // Use a dummy connection string; HasPendingModelChanges() is a purely in-memory check
-        // that compares the current compiled model with the migration snapshots — no real DB needed.
-        const string dummyConnectionString = "Host=localhost;Database=jellyfin;Username=postgres;Password=postgres";
-        using var dataSource = new NpgsqlDataSourceBuilder(dummyConnectionString).Build();
-        using var context = CreateContext(dataSource);
+        using var context = CreateContext(_dataSource!);
 
         Assert.False(
             context.Database.HasPendingModelChanges(),
diff --git a/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlProviderTests.cs b/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlProviderTests.cs
index 639fcee640..ec3036c7c3 100644
--- a/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlProviderTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL/PostgreSqlProviderTests.cs
@@ -2,71 +2,67 @@ using System;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
-using DotNet.Testcontainers.Builders;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations.DbConfiguration;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations.Entities;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Implementations.Locking;
 using Jellyfin.Database.Providers.PostgreSQL;
+using Jellyfin.Server.Tests.Migrations;
 using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions;
 using Npgsql;
-using Testcontainers.PostgreSql;
 using Xunit;
 
 namespace Jellyfin.Database.Tests.PostgreSQL;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// Integration tests for CRUD operations, optimisation, and purge against a real PostgreSQL 16 container.
+/// Integration tests for CRUD operations, optimisation, and purge against a real PostgreSQL server.
 /// </summary>
 [Xunit.Trait("Category", "RequiresDocker")]
 public sealed class PostgreSqlProviderTests : IAsyncLifetime
 {
-    private readonly PostgreSqlContainer _container;
+    private static int _databaseSequence;
+
+    private PostgreSqlTestServer? _server;
     private NpgsqlDataSource? _dataSource;
     private PostgreSqlDatabaseProvider? _provider;
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="PostgreSqlProviderTests"/> class.
-    /// </summary>
-    public PostgreSqlProviderTests()
-    {
-        _container = new PostgreSqlBuilder("postgres:16-alpine")
-            .WithWaitStrategy(Wait.ForUnixContainer().UntilCommandIsCompleted("pg_isready"))
-            .Build();
-    }
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Starts the PostgreSQL container and applies migrations before any tests in the class run.
+    /// Attaches to the test server, hands this test a database of its own and applies migrations to it.
     /// </summary>
     /// <returns>A <see cref="ValueTask"/> representing the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     public async ValueTask InitializeAsync()
     {
-        await _container.StartAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        _server = await PostgreSqlTestServer.StartAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
 
-        _dataSource = new NpgsqlDataSourceBuilder(_container.GetConnectionString()).Build();
+        var databaseName = FormattableString.Invariant($"pg_provider_{Interlocked.Increment(ref _databaseSequence)}");
+        var connectionString = await _server.CreateDatabaseAsync(databaseName, TestContext.Current.CancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        _dataSource = new NpgsqlDataSourceBuilder(connectionString).Build();
         _provider = new PostgreSqlDatabaseProvider(_dataSource);
 
-        // Apply migrations once for the whole test class.
         var context = CreateContext();
         await using (context.ConfigureAwait(false))
         {
-            await context.Database.MigrateAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+            await context.Database.MigrateAsync(TestContext.Current.CancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
         }
     }
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Stops and removes the PostgreSQL container after all tests in the class have run.
+    /// Releases the data source and the test server.
     /// </summary>
     /// <returns>A <see cref="ValueTask"/> representing the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     public async ValueTask DisposeAsync()
     {
+        // InitializeAsync can fail before the data source exists; its error must not be masked by an NRE here.
         if (_dataSource is not null)
         {
             await _dataSource.DisposeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
         }
 
-        await _container.DisposeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        if (_server is not null)
+        {
+            await _server.DisposeAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+        }
     }
 
     /// <summary>
@@ -155,11 +151,15 @@ public sealed class PostgreSqlProviderTests : IAsyncLifetime
         var ctx = CreateContext();
         await using (ctx)
         {
-            var userId = Guid.NewGuid();
+            // DisplayPreferences.UserId is a foreign key onto Users, which PostgreSQL enforces and SQLite does not.
+            var user = new User("prefsuser", "Jellyfin.Server.Implementations.Users.DefaultAuthenticationProvider", "Jellyfin.Server.Implementations.Users.DefaultPasswordResetProvider");
+            ctx.Users.Add(user);
+            await ctx.SaveChangesAsync(TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
+
             var itemId = Guid.NewGuid();
 
             // Create
-            var prefs = new DisplayPreferences(userId, itemId, "TestClient");
+            var prefs = new DisplayPreferences(user.Id, itemId, "TestClient");
             ctx.DisplayPreferences.Add(prefs);
             await ctx.SaveChangesAsync(TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
 
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ public sealed class PostgreSqlProviderTests : IAsyncLifetime
 
             // session_replication_role should be reset to 'origin' (default)
             var role = await ctx.Database
-                .SqlQueryRaw<string>("SELECT current_setting('session_replication_role')")
+                .SqlQueryRaw<string>("SELECT current_setting('session_replication_role') AS \"Value\"")
                 .FirstAsync(TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
             Assert.Equal("origin", role);
         }