diff --git a/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py b/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py
index f81899c21..8e5f495e2 100644
--- a/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py
+++ b/tests/app/dao/notification_dao/test_notification_dao.py
@@ -671,16 +671,13 @@ def test_dao_timeout_notifications(sample_template):
         pending = create_notification(sample_template, status='pending')
         delivered = create_notification(sample_template, status='delivered')
 
-    assert Notification.query.get(created.id).status == 'created'
-    assert Notification.query.get(sending.id).status == 'sending'
-    assert Notification.query.get(pending.id).status == 'pending'
-    assert Notification.query.get(delivered.id).status == 'delivered'
     temporary_failure_notifications = dao_timeout_notifications(1)
+
+    assert len(temporary_failure_notifications) == 2
     assert Notification.query.get(created.id).status == 'created'
     assert Notification.query.get(sending.id).status == 'temporary-failure'
     assert Notification.query.get(pending.id).status == 'temporary-failure'
     assert Notification.query.get(delivered.id).status == 'delivered'
-    assert len(temporary_failure_notifications) == 2
 
 
 def test_dao_timeout_notifications_only_updates_for_older_notifications(sample_template):
@@ -690,12 +687,13 @@ def test_dao_timeout_notifications_only_updates_for_older_notifications(sample_t
         pending = create_notification(sample_template, status='pending')
         delivered = create_notification(sample_template, status='delivered')
 
+    temporary_failure_notifications = dao_timeout_notifications(1)
+
+    assert len(temporary_failure_notifications) == 0
     assert Notification.query.get(created.id).status == 'created'
     assert Notification.query.get(sending.id).status == 'sending'
     assert Notification.query.get(pending.id).status == 'pending'
     assert Notification.query.get(delivered.id).status == 'delivered'
-    temporary_failure_notifications = dao_timeout_notifications(1)
-    assert len(temporary_failure_notifications) == 0
 
 
 def test_dao_timeout_notifications_doesnt_affect_letters(sample_letter_template):
@@ -705,12 +703,13 @@ def test_dao_timeout_notifications_doesnt_affect_letters(sample_letter_template)
         pending = create_notification(sample_letter_template, status='pending')
         delivered = create_notification(sample_letter_template, status='delivered')
 
+    temporary_failure_notifications = dao_timeout_notifications(1)
+
+    assert len(temporary_failure_notifications) == 0
     assert Notification.query.get(created.id).status == 'created'
     assert Notification.query.get(sending.id).status == 'sending'
     assert Notification.query.get(pending.id).status == 'pending'
     assert Notification.query.get(delivered.id).status == 'delivered'
-    temporary_failure_notifications = dao_timeout_notifications(1)
-    assert len(temporary_failure_notifications) == 0
 
 
 def test_should_return_notifications_excluding_jobs_by_default(sample_template, sample_job, sample_api_key):