diff --git a/tests/app/dao/test_notification_dao.py b/tests/app/dao/test_notification_dao.py
index 52dd115c6..4c26025a5 100644
--- a/tests/app/dao/test_notification_dao.py
+++ b/tests/app/dao/test_notification_dao.py
@@ -410,7 +410,6 @@ def test_should_by_able_to_update_status_by_id(sample_template, sample_job, mmg_
         data = _notification_json(sample_template, job_id=sample_job.id, status='sending')
         notification = Notification(**data)
         dao_create_notification(notification)
-        assert notification._status_enum == 'sending'
         assert notification._status_fkey == 'sending'
 
     assert Notification.query.get(notification.id).status == 'sending'
@@ -422,7 +421,6 @@ def test_should_by_able_to_update_status_by_id(sample_template, sample_job, mmg_
     assert updated.updated_at == datetime(2000, 1, 2, 12, 0, 0)
     assert Notification.query.get(notification.id).status == 'delivered'
     assert notification.updated_at == datetime(2000, 1, 2, 12, 0, 0)
-    assert notification._status_enum == 'delivered'
     assert notification._status_fkey == 'delivered'
 
 
@@ -950,7 +948,7 @@ def test_get_notification_billable_unit_count_per_month(notify_db, notify_db_ses
         ) == months
 
 
-def test_update_notification(sample_notification):
+def test_update_notification_sets_status(sample_notification):
     assert sample_notification.status == 'created'
     sample_notification.status = 'failed'
     dao_update_notification(sample_notification)
@@ -958,37 +956,6 @@ def test_update_notification(sample_notification):
     assert notification_from_db.status == 'failed'
 
 
-def test_update_notification_with_no_notification_status(sample_notification):
-    # specifically, it has an old enum status, but not a new status (because the upgrade script has just run)
-    update_dict = {'_status_enum': 'created', '_status_fkey': None}
-    Notification.query.filter(Notification.id == sample_notification.id).update(update_dict)
-
-    # now lets update the status to failed - both columns should now be populated
-    sample_notification.status = 'failed'
-    dao_update_notification(sample_notification)
-
-    notification_from_db = Notification.query.get(sample_notification.id)
-    assert notification_from_db.status == 'failed'
-    assert notification_from_db._status_enum == 'failed'
-    assert notification_from_db._status_fkey == 'failed'
-
-
-def test_updating_notification_with_no_notification_status_updates_notification_history(sample_notification):
-    # same as above, but with notification history
-    update_dict = {'_status_enum': 'created', '_status_fkey': None}
-    Notification.query.filter(Notification.id == sample_notification.id).update(update_dict)
-    NotificationHistory.query.filter(NotificationHistory.id == sample_notification.id).update(update_dict)
-
-    # now lets update the notification's status to failed - both columns should now be populated on the history object
-    sample_notification.status = 'failed'
-    dao_update_notification(sample_notification)
-
-    hist_from_db = NotificationHistory.query.get(sample_notification.id)
-    assert hist_from_db.status == 'failed'
-    assert hist_from_db._status_enum == 'failed'
-    assert hist_from_db._status_fkey == 'failed'
-
-
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('notification_type, expected_sms_count, expected_email_count, expected_letter_count', [
     ('sms', 8, 10, 10), ('email', 10, 8, 10), ('letter', 10, 10, 8)
 ])