diff --git a/tests/app/conftest.py b/tests/app/conftest.py
index 43b17490d..356c951e5 100644
--- a/tests/app/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/app/conftest.py
@@ -544,8 +544,7 @@ def sample_notification(
         'job': job,
         'service_id': service.id,
         'service': service,
-        'template_id': template.id if template else None,
-        'template': template,
+        'template_id': template.id,
         'template_version': template.version,
         'status': status,
         'reference': reference,
@@ -624,7 +623,7 @@ def sample_email_notification(notify_db, notify_db_session):
         'job': job,
         'service_id': service.id,
         'service': service,
-        'template': template,
+        'template_id': template.id,
         'template_version': template.version,
         'status': 'created',
         'reference': None,
diff --git a/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py b/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py
index cec15552d..d662b6e4c 100644
--- a/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py
+++ b/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ def test_save_notification_creates_sms(sample_template, sample_job, mmg_provider
     assert data['to'] == notification_from_db.to
     assert data['job_id'] == notification_from_db.job_id
     assert data['service'] == notification_from_db.service
-    assert data['template'] == notification_from_db.template
+    assert data['template_id'] == notification_from_db.template_id
     assert data['template_version'] == notification_from_db.template_version
     assert data['created_at'] == notification_from_db.created_at
     assert notification_from_db.status == 'created'
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ def test_save_notification_and_create_email(sample_email_template, sample_job):
     assert data['to'] == notification_from_db.to
     assert data['job_id'] == notification_from_db.job_id
     assert data['service'] == notification_from_db.service
-    assert data['template'] == notification_from_db.template
+    assert data['template_id'] == notification_from_db.template_id
     assert data['template_version'] == notification_from_db.template_version
     assert data['created_at'] == notification_from_db.created_at
     assert notification_from_db.status == 'created'
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ def test_save_notification_and_increment_job(sample_template, sample_job, mmg_pr
     assert data['to'] == notification_from_db.to
     assert data['job_id'] == notification_from_db.job_id
     assert data['service'] == notification_from_db.service
-    assert data['template'] == notification_from_db.template
+    assert data['template_id'] == notification_from_db.template_id
     assert data['template_version'] == notification_from_db.template_version
     assert data['created_at'] == notification_from_db.created_at
     assert notification_from_db.status == 'created'
@@ -788,7 +788,7 @@ def test_save_notification_and_increment_correct_job(notify_db, notify_db_sessio
     assert data['to'] == notification_from_db.to
     assert data['job_id'] == notification_from_db.job_id
     assert data['service'] == notification_from_db.service
-    assert data['template'] == notification_from_db.template
+    assert data['template_id'] == notification_from_db.template_id
     assert data['template_version'] == notification_from_db.template_version
     assert data['created_at'] == notification_from_db.created_at
     assert notification_from_db.status == 'created'
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ def test_save_notification_with_no_job(sample_template, mmg_provider):
     assert notification_from_db.id
     assert data['to'] == notification_from_db.to
     assert data['service'] == notification_from_db.service
-    assert data['template'] == notification_from_db.template
+    assert data['template_id'] == notification_from_db.template_id
     assert data['template_version'] == notification_from_db.template_version
     assert data['created_at'] == notification_from_db.created_at
     assert notification_from_db.status == 'created'
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ def test_save_notification_no_job_id(sample_template, mmg_provider):
     assert notification_from_db.id
     assert data['to'] == notification_from_db.to
     assert data['service'] == notification_from_db.service
-    assert data['template'] == notification_from_db.template
+    assert data['template_id'] == notification_from_db.template_id
     assert data['template_version'] == notification_from_db.template_version
     assert notification_from_db.status == 'created'
     assert data.get('job_id') is None
@@ -1251,7 +1251,6 @@ def _notification_json(sample_template, job_id=None, id=None, status=None):
         'to': '+44709123456',
         'service': sample_template.service,
         'service_id': sample_template.service.id,
-        'template': sample_template,
         'template_id': sample_template.id,
         'template_version': sample_template.version,
         'created_at': datetime.utcnow(),
diff --git a/tests/app/db.py b/tests/app/db.py
index c7c950544..d4f3a2afe 100644
--- a/tests/app/db.py
+++ b/tests/app/db.py
@@ -160,8 +160,7 @@ def create_notification(
         'job': job,
         'service_id': template.service.id,
         'service': template.service,
-        'template_id': template and template.id,
-        'template': template,
+        'template_id': template.id,
         'template_version': template.version,
         'status': status,
         'reference': reference,
diff --git a/tests/app/notifications/test_process_letter_notifications.py b/tests/app/notifications/test_process_letter_notifications.py
index 24f37c06f..a607bf68b 100644
--- a/tests/app/notifications/test_process_letter_notifications.py
+++ b/tests/app/notifications/test_process_letter_notifications.py
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ def test_create_letter_notification_creates_notification(sample_letter_template,
     assert notification == Notification.query.one()
     assert notification.job is None
     assert notification.status == NOTIFICATION_CREATED
-    assert notification.template == sample_letter_template
+    assert notification.template_id == sample_letter_template.id
+    assert notification.template_version == sample_letter_template.version
     assert notification.api_key == sample_api_key
     assert notification.notification_type == LETTER_TYPE
     assert notification.key_type == sample_api_key.key_type
diff --git a/tests/app/test_model.py b/tests/app/test_model.py
index 7062e7a30..09f1325f8 100644
--- a/tests/app/test_model.py
+++ b/tests/app/test_model.py
@@ -202,8 +202,8 @@ def test_notification_subject_fills_in_placeholders_for_email(sample_email_templ
 
 
 def test_notification_subject_fills_in_placeholders_for_letter(sample_letter_template):
-    sample_letter_template.subject = '((name))'
     noti = create_notification(sample_letter_template, personalisation={'name': 'hello'})
+    noti.template.subject = '((name))'
     assert noti.subject == 'hello'