diff --git a/cmd/setup_circuits_test.go b/cmd/setup_circuits_test.go
index 05365bd72..839616607 100644
--- a/cmd/setup_circuits_test.go
+++ b/cmd/setup_circuits_test.go
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ type circuitsTestSuite struct {
 }
 
 func (suite *circuitsTestSuite) SetupSuite() {
-	_ = db.NewInstance("sqlite", ":memory:")
-	config.SetupSchema()
+	suite.Require().NoError(db.NewInstance("sqlite", ":memory:"))
 }
 
 func (suite *circuitsTestSuite) SetupTest() {
diff --git a/core/metrics/db.go b/core/metrics/db.go
index c5c1aeef9..a7f722a9d 100644
--- a/core/metrics/db.go
+++ b/core/metrics/db.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/server/db"
+	"gorm.io/gorm"
 )
 
 type meter struct {
@@ -16,16 +17,11 @@ type meter struct {
 var ErrIncomplete = errors.New("meter profile incomplete")
 
 func init() {
-	db.Register(func() error {
-		return SetupSchema()
+	db.Register(func(db *gorm.DB) error {
+		return db.AutoMigrate(new(meter))
 	})
 }
 
-// SetupSchema is used for testing
-func SetupSchema() error {
-	return db.Instance.AutoMigrate(new(meter))
-}
-
 // Persist stores 15min consumption in Wh
 func Persist(ts time.Time, value float64) error {
 	return db.Instance.Create(meter{
diff --git a/core/session/db.go b/core/session/db.go
index fc7da5c6c..ab21ff624 100644
--- a/core/session/db.go
+++ b/core/session/db.go
@@ -13,17 +13,15 @@ type DB struct {
 	name string
 }
 
-var (
-	sessions Sessions
-)
+var sessions Sessions
 
 func init() {
-	db.Register(func() error {
-		if err := db.Instance.AutoMigrate(new(Session)); err != nil {
+	db.Register(func(db *gorm.DB) error {
+		if err := db.AutoMigrate(new(Session)); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		return db.Instance.Find(&sessions).Error
+		return db.Find(&sessions).Error
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/core/site_optimizer_test.go b/core/site_optimizer_test.go
index 2739b7157..ba68c6f9c 100644
--- a/core/site_optimizer_test.go
+++ b/core/site_optimizer_test.go
@@ -15,12 +15,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestSqliteTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
+	require.NoError(t, db.NewInstance("sqlite", ":memory:"))
+
 	clock := clock.NewMock()
 	clock.Add(time.Hour)
-
-	require.NoError(t, db.NewInstance("sqlite", ":memory:"))
-	require.NoError(t, metrics.SetupSchema())
-
 	metrics.Persist(clock.Now(), 0)
 
 	db, err := db.Instance.DB()
@@ -50,14 +48,12 @@ func TestSqliteTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestUpdateHouseholdProfile(t *testing.T) {
-	clock := clock.NewMock()
+	require.NoError(t, db.NewInstance("sqlite", ":memory:"))
 
 	// make sure test data added starting 00:00 local time
+	clock := clock.NewMock()
 	clock.Set(now.With(clock.Now()).BeginningOfDay())
 
-	require.NoError(t, db.NewInstance("sqlite", ":memory:"))
-	require.NoError(t, metrics.SetupSchema())
-
 	// 2 days of data
 	// day 1:   0 ...  95
 	// day 2:  96 ... 181
diff --git a/core/site_test.go b/core/site_test.go
index 301ecf0b4..7885c978b 100644
--- a/core/site_test.go
+++ b/core/site_test.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/benbjohnson/clock"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/api"
-	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/core/metrics"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/server/db"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/config"
@@ -163,10 +162,9 @@ func TestRequiredBatteryMode(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestUpdateHomeConsumption(t *testing.T) {
-	clock := clock.NewMock()
-
 	require.NoError(t, db.NewInstance("sqlite", ":memory:"))
-	require.NoError(t, metrics.SetupSchema())
+
+	clock := clock.NewMock()
 
 	s := &Site{
 		log:             util.NewLogger("foo"),
diff --git a/hems/smartgrid/smartgrid.go b/hems/smartgrid/smartgrid.go
index c2c650228..08f1cb9e6 100644
--- a/hems/smartgrid/smartgrid.go
+++ b/hems/smartgrid/smartgrid.go
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/server/db"
+	"gorm.io/gorm"
 )
 
 func init() {
-	db.Register(func() error {
-		return db.Instance.AutoMigrate(new(GridSession))
+	db.Register(func(db *gorm.DB) error {
+		return db.AutoMigrate(new(GridSession))
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/server/db/cache/cache.go b/server/db/cache/cache.go
index d971c0b2d..f19492278 100644
--- a/server/db/cache/cache.go
+++ b/server/db/cache/cache.go
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ type Cache struct {
 }
 
 func init() {
-	db.Register(func() error {
-		return db.Instance.AutoMigrate(new(Cache))
+	db.Register(func(db *gorm.DB) error {
+		return db.AutoMigrate(new(Cache))
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/server/db/db.go b/server/db/db.go
index 19b5011f2..4c4cea7b4 100644
--- a/server/db/db.go
+++ b/server/db/db.go
@@ -74,18 +74,18 @@ func New(driver, dsn string) (*gorm.DB, error) {
 }
 
 func NewInstance(driver, dsn string) error {
-	inst, err := New(strings.ToLower(driver), dsn)
+	db, err := New(strings.ToLower(driver), dsn)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	Instance = inst
+	Instance = db
 
 	mu.Lock()
 	defer mu.Unlock()
 
 	for _, f := range registry {
-		if err := f(); err != nil {
+		if err := f(db); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/server/db/registry.go b/server/db/registry.go
index ae98bdcd2..d96d400ff 100644
--- a/server/db/registry.go
+++ b/server/db/registry.go
@@ -1,13 +1,17 @@
 package db
 
-import "sync"
+import (
+	"sync"
+
+	"gorm.io/gorm"
+)
 
 var (
 	mu       sync.Mutex
-	registry []func() error
+	registry []func(db *gorm.DB) error
 )
 
-func Register(fun func() error) {
+func Register(fun func(db *gorm.DB) error) {
 	mu.Lock()
 	defer mu.Unlock()
 	registry = append(registry, fun)
diff --git a/server/db/settings/setting.go b/server/db/settings/setting.go
index 14f193075..211c05300 100644
--- a/server/db/settings/setting.go
+++ b/server/db/settings/setting.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util"
 	"github.com/samber/lo"
 	"go.yaml.in/yaml/v4"
+	"gorm.io/gorm"
 )
 
 var ErrNotFound = errors.New("not found")
@@ -34,12 +35,12 @@ var (
 )
 
 func init() {
-	db.Register(func() error {
-		if err := db.Instance.AutoMigrate(new(setting)); err != nil {
+	db.Register(func(db *gorm.DB) error {
+		if err := db.AutoMigrate(new(setting)); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		return db.Instance.Find(&settings).Error
+		return db.Find(&settings).Error
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/util/config/config.go b/util/config/config.go
index a566a3c6e..6a082163c 100644
--- a/util/config/config.go
+++ b/util/config/config.go
@@ -77,16 +77,11 @@ func (d *Config) Delete() error {
 }
 
 func init() {
-	db.Register(func() error {
-		return SetupSchema()
+	db.Register(func(db *gorm.DB) error {
+		return db.AutoMigrate(new(Config))
 	})
 }
 
-// SetupSchema is used for testing
-func SetupSchema() error {
-	return db.Instance.AutoMigrate(new(Config))
-}
-
 // NameForID returns a unique config name for the given id
 func NameForID(id int) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("db:%d", id)