diff --git a/spec/rails_helper.rb b/spec/rails_helper.rb
index 0d6fddf6c..80c5056c2 100644
--- a/spec/rails_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/rails_helper.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ require "knapsack_pro"
 require "simplecov"
 require "simplecov_json_formatter"
 
-SimpleCov.formatter = SimpleCov::Formatter::JSONFormatter
+if ENV["CI"]
+  SimpleCov.formatter = SimpleCov::Formatter::JSONFormatter
+end
 KnapsackPro::Adapters::RSpecAdapter.bind
 KnapsackPro::Hooks::Queue.before_queue do |_queue_id|
   SimpleCov.command_name("rspec_ci_node_#{KnapsackPro::Config::Env.ci_node_index}")
@@ -24,6 +26,9 @@ require File.expand_path("../config/environment", __dir__)
 require "rspec/rails"
 abort("The Rails environment is running in production mode!") if Rails.env.production?
 
+Rake.application = Rake::Application.new
+Rails.application.load_tasks
+
 # Add additional requires below this line. Rails is not loaded until this point!
 
 require "fakeredis/rspec"
@@ -83,7 +88,7 @@ Browser::Bot.matchers.delete(Browser::Bot::EmptyUserAgentMatcher)
 
 RSpec.configure do |config|
   config.use_transactional_fixtures = true
-  config.fixture_path = "#{::Rails.root}/spec/fixtures"
+  config.fixture_path = Rails.root.join("spec/fixtures")
 
   config.include ActionMailer::TestHelper
   config.include ApplicationHelper
diff --git a/spec/tasks/add_navigation_links_spec.rb b/spec/tasks/add_navigation_links_spec.rb
index 4b603ee13..6182688e5 100644
--- a/spec/tasks/add_navigation_links_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/tasks/add_navigation_links_spec.rb
@@ -2,28 +2,20 @@ require "rails_helper"
 
 RSpec.describe "Navigation Links tasks", type: :task do
   before do
-    Rake::Task.clear
-    PracticalDeveloper::Application.load_tasks
+    Rake.application["navigation_links:create"].reenable
+
+    %w[home readinglist contact code_of_conduct privacy terms].each do |page|
+      Rake.application["navigation_links:find_or_create:#{page}"].reenable
+    end
   end
 
-  describe "#create" do
-    it "creates navigation links for new forem if nonexistent" do
-      expect { Rake::Task["navigation_links:create"].invoke }.to change(NavigationLink, :count).by(6)
-    end
+  it "creates navigation links for new forem if nonexistent" do
+    expect { Rake::Task["navigation_links:create"].invoke }.to change(NavigationLink, :count).by(6)
+  end
 
-    context "when navigation links exist" do
-      before do
-        NavigationLink.destroy_all
-        create(:navigation_link,
-               name: "Reading List",
-               url: URL.url("readinglist"),
-               display_to: :logged_in,
-               position: 0)
-      end
+  it "does not create nav links if they already exist" do
+    create(:navigation_link, name: "Reading List", url: URL.url("readinglist"), display_to: :logged_in, position: 0)
 
-      it "does not create nav links if they already exist" do
-        expect { Rake::Task["navigation_links:create"].invoke }.to change(NavigationLink, :count).from(1).to(6)
-      end
-    end
+    expect { Rake::Task["navigation_links:create"].invoke }.to change(NavigationLink, :count).from(1).to(6)
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/tasks/fastly_spec.rb b/spec/tasks/fastly_spec.rb
index c0726be3e..e9ea9f0b4 100644
--- a/spec/tasks/fastly_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/tasks/fastly_spec.rb
@@ -2,20 +2,35 @@ require "rails_helper"
 
 RSpec.describe "Fastly tasks", type: :task do
   before do
-    Rake::Task.clear
-    PracticalDeveloper::Application.load_tasks
+    Rake.application["fastly:update_configs"].reenable
+    allow(FastlyConfig::Update).to receive(:call)
   end
 
   describe "#update_configs" do
     it "doesn't run if Fastly isn't configured" do
-      %w[FASTLY_API_KEY FASTLY_SERVICE_ID].each do |var|
-        allow(ApplicationConfig).to receive(:[]).with(var).and_return(nil)
-      end
-      allow(FastlyConfig::Update).to receive(:call)
+      allow(ApplicationConfig).to receive(:[]).with("FASTLY_API_KEY").and_return(nil)
+      allow(ApplicationConfig).to receive(:[]).with("FASTLY_SERVICE_ID").and_return(nil)
 
       Rake::Task["fastly:update_configs"].invoke
 
       expect(FastlyConfig::Update).not_to have_received(:call)
     end
+
+    it "doesn't run if SKIP_FASTLY_CONFIG_UPDATE is set" do
+      allow(ENV).to receive(:[]).with("SKIP_FASTLY_CONFIG_UPDATE").and_return("true")
+
+      Rake::Task["fastly:update_configs"].invoke
+
+      expect(FastlyConfig::Update).not_to have_received(:call)
+    end
+
+    it "does run if Fastly is configured" do
+      allow(ApplicationConfig).to receive(:[]).with("FASTLY_API_KEY").and_return("123")
+      allow(ApplicationConfig).to receive(:[]).with("FASTLY_SERVICE_ID").and_return("123")
+
+      Rake::Task["fastly:update_configs"].invoke
+
+      expect(FastlyConfig::Update).to have_received(:call)
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/tasks/metrics_spec.rb b/spec/tasks/metrics_spec.rb
index 7116c3fa4..31a3f2653 100644
--- a/spec/tasks/metrics_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/tasks/metrics_spec.rb
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
 require "rails_helper"
 
 RSpec.describe "Metrics Overview task", type: :task do
-  before do
-    Rake::Task.clear
-    PracticalDeveloper::Application.load_tasks
-  end
+  before { Rake.application["fastly:update_configs"].reenable }
 
   describe "#overview" do
     let(:event_name) { "Admin Overview Link Clicked" }