diff --git a/db/fixtures/000_delayed_drops.rb b/db/fixtures/000_delayed_drops.rb
index eda3f843dbc..bf07dcb7251 100644
--- a/db/fixtures/000_delayed_drops.rb
+++ b/db/fixtures/000_delayed_drops.rb
@@ -181,5 +181,4 @@ Migration::TableDropper.delayed_drop(
   }
 )
 
-STDERR.puts "Resetting Active Record Cache"
 Discourse.reset_active_record_cache
diff --git a/spec/models/topic_timer_spec.rb b/spec/models/topic_timer_spec.rb
index dec05487fc3..b702f9a77e4 100644
--- a/spec/models/topic_timer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/topic_timer_spec.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,16 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 RSpec.describe TopicTimer, type: :model do
-  let(:topic_timer) { Fabricate(:topic_timer) }
+  let(:topic_timer) {
+    # we should not need to do this but somehow
+    # fabricator is failing here
+    TopicTimer.create!(
+      user_id: -1,
+      topic: Fabricate(:topic),
+      execute_at: 1.hour.from_now,
+      status_type: TopicTimer.types[:close]
+    )
+  }
   let(:topic) { Fabricate(:topic) }
   let(:admin) { Fabricate(:admin) }