diff --git a/tests/ChatClient.hs b/tests/ChatClient.hs
index 2bd8e48f08..942f43bbe7 100644
--- a/tests/ChatClient.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatClient.hs
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import Simplex.Chat.Controller (ChatConfig (..), ChatController (..), ChatDataba
 import Simplex.Chat.Core
 import Simplex.Chat.Options
 import Simplex.Chat.Store
-import Simplex.Chat.Store.NoteFolders (createNoteFolder)
 import Simplex.Chat.Store.Profiles
 import Simplex.Chat.Terminal
 import Simplex.Chat.Terminal.Output (newChatTerminal)
@@ -192,10 +191,7 @@ groupLinkViaContactVRange = mkVersionRange 1 2
 createTestChat :: FilePath -> ChatConfig -> ChatOpts -> String -> Profile -> IO TestCC
 createTestChat tmp cfg opts@ChatOpts {coreOptions = CoreChatOpts {dbKey}} dbPrefix profile = do
   Right db@ChatDatabase {chatStore} <- createChatDatabase (tmp </> dbPrefix) dbKey False MCError
-  Right user <- withTransaction chatStore $ \db' -> runExceptT $ do
-    user <- createUserRecord db' (AgentUserId 1) profile True
-    createNoteFolder db' user
-    pure user
+  Right user <- withTransaction chatStore $ \db' -> runExceptT $ createUserRecord db' (AgentUserId 1) profile True
   startTestChat_ db cfg opts user
 
 startTestChat :: FilePath -> ChatConfig -> ChatOpts -> String -> IO TestCC
diff --git a/tests/ChatTests/ChatList.hs b/tests/ChatTests/ChatList.hs
index 835cf446c3..6066b92b8f 100644
--- a/tests/ChatTests/ChatList.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatTests/ChatList.hs
@@ -193,9 +193,9 @@ testPaginationAllChatTypes =
 
       _ts6 <- iso8601Show <$> getCurrentTime
 
-      -- $notes
-      alice `send` "/- psst"
-      dropTime <$> getTermLine alice `shouldReturn` "- psst"
+      -- -notes
+      createCCNoteFolder alice
+      alice /- "psst"
 
       ts7 <- iso8601Show <$> getCurrentTime
 
diff --git a/tests/ChatTests/Local.hs b/tests/ChatTests/Local.hs
index 3ea92981d9..e682a86754 100644
--- a/tests/ChatTests/Local.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatTests/Local.hs
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ chatLocalTests = do
 
 testNotes :: FilePath -> IO ()
 testNotes tmp = withNewTestChat tmp "alice" aliceProfile $ \alice -> do
+  createCCNoteFolder alice
+
   alice ##> "/contacts"
   -- not a contact
 
@@ -50,6 +52,8 @@ testNotes tmp = withNewTestChat tmp "alice" aliceProfile $ \alice -> do
 
 testUserNotes :: FilePath -> IO ()
 testUserNotes tmp = withNewTestChat tmp "alice" aliceProfile $ \alice -> do
+  createCCNoteFolder alice
+
   alice /- "keep in mind"
   alice ##> "/tail"
   alice <# "- keep in mind"
@@ -66,6 +70,8 @@ testUserNotes tmp = withNewTestChat tmp "alice" aliceProfile $ \alice -> do
 
 testPreviewsPagination :: FilePath -> IO ()
 testPreviewsPagination tmp = withNewTestChat tmp "alice" aliceProfile $ \alice -> do
+  createCCNoteFolder alice
+
   tsS <- iso8601Show <$> getCurrentTime
   alice /- "first"
   tsM <- iso8601Show <$> getCurrentTime
@@ -82,6 +88,8 @@ testPreviewsPagination tmp = withNewTestChat tmp "alice" aliceProfile $ \alice -
 
 testChatPagination :: FilePath -> IO ()
 testChatPagination tmp = withNewTestChat tmp "alice" aliceProfile $ \alice -> do
+  createCCNoteFolder alice
+
   alice /- "hello world"
   alice /- "memento mori"
   alice /- "knock-knock"
@@ -99,6 +107,7 @@ testChatPagination tmp = withNewTestChat tmp "alice" aliceProfile $ \alice -> do
 testFiles :: FilePath -> IO ()
 testFiles tmp = withNewTestChat tmp "alice" aliceProfile $ \alice -> do
   -- setup
+  createCCNoteFolder alice
   let files = "./tests/tmp/app_files"
   alice ##> ("/_files_folder " <> files)
   alice <## "ok"
@@ -138,8 +147,3 @@ testFiles tmp = withNewTestChat tmp "alice" aliceProfile $ \alice -> do
   alice <## "chat db error: SEChatItemNotFoundByFileId {fileId = 1}"
   alice ##> "/tail"
   doesFileExist stored `shouldReturn` False
-
-(/-) :: HasCallStack => TestCC -> String -> IO ()
-cc /- note = do
-  cc `send` ("/- " <> note)
-  (dropTime <$> getTermLine cc) `shouldReturn` ("- " <> note)
diff --git a/tests/ChatTests/Utils.hs b/tests/ChatTests/Utils.hs
index ac87311c9e..95134b8192 100644
--- a/tests/ChatTests/Utils.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatTests/Utils.hs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import Control.Concurrent (threadDelay)
 import Control.Concurrent.Async (concurrently_)
 import Control.Concurrent.STM
 import Control.Monad (unless, when)
+import Control.Monad.Except (runExceptT)
 import qualified Data.ByteString.Char8 as B
 import Data.Char (isDigit)
 import Data.List (isPrefixOf, isSuffixOf)
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import qualified Data.Text as T
 import Database.SQLite.Simple (Only (..))
 import Simplex.Chat.Controller (ChatConfig (..), ChatController (..), InlineFilesConfig (..), defaultInlineFilesConfig)
 import Simplex.Chat.Protocol
+import Simplex.Chat.Store.NoteFolders (createNoteFolder)
 import Simplex.Chat.Store.Profiles (getUserContactProfiles)
 import Simplex.Chat.Types
 import Simplex.Chat.Types.Preferences
@@ -287,6 +289,11 @@ cc <##.. ls = do
   unless prefix $ print ("expected to start from one of: " <> show ls, ", got: " <> l)
   prefix `shouldBe` True
 
+(/-) :: HasCallStack => TestCC -> String -> IO ()
+cc /- note = do
+  cc `send` ("/- " <> note)
+  (dropTime <$> getTermLine cc) `shouldReturn` ("- " <> note)
+
 data ConsoleResponse
   = ConsoleString String
   | WithTime String
@@ -462,6 +469,12 @@ withCCTransaction :: TestCC -> (DB.Connection -> IO a) -> IO a
 withCCTransaction cc action =
   withTransaction (chatStore $ chatController cc) $ \db -> action db
 
+createCCNoteFolder :: TestCC -> IO ()
+createCCNoteFolder cc =
+  withCCTransaction cc $ \db ->
+    withCCUser cc $ \user ->
+      runExceptT (createNoteFolder db user) >>= either (fail . show) pure
+
 getProfilePictureByName :: TestCC -> String -> IO (Maybe String)
 getProfilePictureByName cc displayName =
   withTransaction (chatStore $ chatController cc) $ \db ->