diff --git a/app/celery/letters_pdf_tasks.py b/app/celery/letters_pdf_tasks.py
index 7d659c876..3a9cac2fa 100644
--- a/app/celery/letters_pdf_tasks.py
+++ b/app/celery/letters_pdf_tasks.py
@@ -67,8 +67,9 @@ def create_letters_pdf(self, notification_id):
 
         upload_letter_pdf(notification, pdf_data)
 
-        notification.billable_units = billable_units
-        dao_update_notification(notification)
+        if notification.key_type != KEY_TYPE_TEST:
+            notification.billable_units = billable_units
+            dao_update_notification(notification)
 
         current_app.logger.info(
             'Letter notification reference {reference}: billable units set to {billable_units}'.format(
diff --git a/app/letters/utils.py b/app/letters/utils.py
index e23542081..10e4310eb 100644
--- a/app/letters/utils.py
+++ b/app/letters/utils.py
@@ -50,11 +50,10 @@ def get_letter_pdf_filename(reference, crown, is_scan_letter=False, postage=SECO
 
 
 def get_bucket_name_and_prefix_for_notification(notification):
-    is_test_letter = notification.key_type == KEY_TYPE_TEST and notification.template.is_precompiled_letter
     folder = ''
     if notification.status == NOTIFICATION_VALIDATION_FAILED:
         bucket_name = current_app.config['INVALID_PDF_BUCKET_NAME']
-    elif is_test_letter:
+    elif notification.key_type == KEY_TYPE_TEST:
         bucket_name = current_app.config['TEST_LETTERS_BUCKET_NAME']
     else:
         bucket_name = current_app.config['LETTERS_PDF_BUCKET_NAME']
@@ -90,6 +89,8 @@ def upload_letter_pdf(notification, pdf_data, precompiled=False):
 
     if precompiled:
         bucket_name = current_app.config['LETTERS_SCAN_BUCKET_NAME']
+    elif notification.key_type == KEY_TYPE_TEST:
+        bucket_name = current_app.config['TEST_LETTERS_BUCKET_NAME']
     else:
         bucket_name = current_app.config['LETTERS_PDF_BUCKET_NAME']
 
diff --git a/app/v2/notifications/post_notifications.py b/app/v2/notifications/post_notifications.py
index 3d06c16d7..90801cb8a 100644
--- a/app/v2/notifications/post_notifications.py
+++ b/app/v2/notifications/post_notifications.py
@@ -259,10 +259,11 @@ def process_letter_notification(*, letter_data, api_key, template, reply_to_text
                                                         template=template,
                                                         reply_to_text=reply_to_text)
 
-    should_send = not (api_key.key_type == KEY_TYPE_TEST)
+    test_key = api_key.key_type == KEY_TYPE_TEST
 
     # if we don't want to actually send the letter, then start it off in SENDING so we don't pick it up
-    status = NOTIFICATION_CREATED if should_send else NOTIFICATION_SENDING
+    status = NOTIFICATION_CREATED if not test_key else NOTIFICATION_SENDING
+    queue = QueueNames.CREATE_LETTERS_PDF if not test_key else QueueNames.RESEARCH_MODE
 
     notification = create_letter_notification(letter_data=letter_data,
                                               template=template,
@@ -270,18 +271,19 @@ def process_letter_notification(*, letter_data, api_key, template, reply_to_text
                                               status=status,
                                               reply_to_text=reply_to_text)
 
-    if should_send:
-        create_letters_pdf.apply_async(
-            [str(notification.id)],
-            queue=QueueNames.CREATE_LETTERS_PDF
-        )
-    elif current_app.config['NOTIFY_ENVIRONMENT'] in ['preview', 'development']:
-        create_fake_letter_response_file.apply_async(
-            (notification.reference,),
-            queue=QueueNames.RESEARCH_MODE
-        )
-    else:
-        update_notification_status_by_reference(notification.reference, NOTIFICATION_DELIVERED)
+    create_letters_pdf.apply_async(
+        [str(notification.id)],
+        queue=queue
+    )
+
+    if test_key:
+        if current_app.config['NOTIFY_ENVIRONMENT'] in ['preview', 'development']:
+            create_fake_letter_response_file.apply_async(
+                (notification.reference,),
+                queue=queue
+            )
+        else:
+            update_notification_status_by_reference(notification.reference, NOTIFICATION_DELIVERED)
 
     return notification
 
diff --git a/tests/app/v2/notifications/test_post_letter_notifications.py b/tests/app/v2/notifications/test_post_letter_notifications.py
index f950135af..f891314f6 100644
--- a/tests/app/v2/notifications/test_post_letter_notifications.py
+++ b/tests/app/v2/notifications/test_post_letter_notifications.py
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ def test_post_letter_notification_sets_postage(
     'staging',
     'live',
 ])
-def test_post_letter_notification_with_test_key_set_status_to_delivered(
+def test_post_letter_notification_with_test_key_creates_pdf_and_sets_status_to_delivered(
         notify_api, client, sample_letter_template, mocker, env):
 
     data = {
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ def test_post_letter_notification_with_test_key_set_status_to_delivered(
 
     notification = Notification.query.one()
 
-    assert not fake_create_letter_task.called
+    fake_create_letter_task.assert_called_once_with([str(notification.id)], queue='research-mode-tasks')
     assert not fake_create_dvla_response_task.called
     assert notification.status == NOTIFICATION_DELIVERED
 
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ def test_post_letter_notification_with_test_key_set_status_to_delivered(
     'development',
     'preview',
 ])
-def test_post_letter_notification_with_test_key_sets_status_to_sending_and_sends_fake_response_file(
+def test_post_letter_notification_with_test_key_creates_pdf_and_sets_status_to_sending_and_sends_fake_response_file(
         notify_api, client, sample_letter_template, mocker, env):
 
     data = {
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ def test_post_letter_notification_with_test_key_sets_status_to_sending_and_sends
 
     notification = Notification.query.one()
 
-    assert not fake_create_letter_task.called
+    fake_create_letter_task.assert_called_once_with([str(notification.id)], queue='research-mode-tasks')
     assert fake_create_dvla_response_task.called
     assert notification.status == NOTIFICATION_SENDING
 
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ def test_post_letter_notification_doesnt_send_in_trial(client, sample_trial_lett
         {'error': 'BadRequestError', 'message': 'Cannot send letters when service is in trial mode'}]
 
 
-def test_post_letter_notification_is_delivered_if_in_trial_mode_and_using_test_key(
+def test_post_letter_notification_is_delivered_but_still_creates_pdf_if_in_trial_mode_and_using_test_key(
     client,
     sample_trial_letter_template,
     mocker
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ def test_post_letter_notification_is_delivered_if_in_trial_mode_and_using_test_k
 
     notification = Notification.query.one()
     assert notification.status == NOTIFICATION_DELIVERED
-    assert not fake_create_letter_task.called
+    fake_create_letter_task.assert_called_once_with([str(notification.id)], queue='research-mode-tasks')
 
 
 def test_post_letter_notification_is_delivered_and_has_pdf_uploaded_to_test_letters_bucket_using_test_key(