diff --git a/cratedb_toolkit/testing/pytest.py b/cratedb_toolkit/testing/pytest.py
index 99df2967..9c036926 100644
--- a/cratedb_toolkit/testing/pytest.py
+++ b/cratedb_toolkit/testing/pytest.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ def cratedb_service() -> Generator[CrateDBTestAdapter, None, None]:
         """
         Provide a CrateDB service instance to the test suite.
         """
-        db = CrateDBTestAdapter()
+        db = CrateDBTestAdapter(crate_version="nightly")
         db.start()
         yield db
         db.stop()
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 67832bca..1b498e58 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def cratedb_custom_service():
     """
     Provide a CrateDB service instance to the test suite.
     """
-    db = CrateDBTestAdapter()
+    db = CrateDBTestAdapter(crate_version="nightly")
     db.start(ports={CRATEDB_HTTP_PORT: None}, cmd_opts=CRATEDB_SETTINGS)
     db.reset(tables=RESET_TABLES)
     yield db