diff --git a/app/api/library.py b/app/api/library.py
index 2f10834..40fa525 100644
--- a/app/api/library.py
+++ b/app/api/library.py
@@ -30,12 +30,17 @@ def _dispatch_ingest(
     background_tasks: BackgroundTasks,
 ) -> str:
     """Dispatch an ingest task. Tries cf-orch; falls back to BackgroundTasks."""
+    import os as _os
+    from pathlib import Path as _Path
+
+    # Read lazily so test fixtures (monkeypatch.setenv) take effect
+    _data_dir = _Path(_os.environ.get("PAGEPIPER_DATA_DIR", "data"))
     task_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
     args = {
         "doc_id": doc_id,
         "file_path": file_path,
-        "db_path": DB_PATH,
-        "vec_db_path": VEC_DB_PATH,
+        "db_path": str(_data_dir / "pagepiper.db"),
+        "vec_db_path": str(_data_dir / "pagepiper_vecs.db"),
     }
 
     try:
@@ -52,7 +57,7 @@ def _dispatch_ingest(
     return task_id
 
 
-def _run_ingest_background(run_fn, args: dict, task_id: str) -> None:
+def _run_ingest_background(run_fn: Callable[..., None], args: dict, task_id: str) -> None:
     from app.api.ingest import _task_registry
     _task_registry[task_id] = {"status": "running", "progress": 0}
     try:
@@ -61,6 +66,7 @@ def _run_ingest_background(run_fn, args: dict, task_id: str) -> None:
         if _mark_bm25_dirty:
             _mark_bm25_dirty()
     except Exception as exc:
+        logger.exception("Ingest task %s failed", task_id)
         _task_registry[task_id] = {"status": "error", "error": str(exc)}
 
 
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index c204030..3acd092 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -26,9 +26,13 @@ def client(test_db, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setenv("PAGEPIPER_WATCH_DIR", str(tmp_path / "books"))
     (tmp_path / "books").mkdir(exist_ok=True)
 
+    import app.main as _main_module
     from app.main import app, _bm25
     from app.deps import get_db
 
+    # Suppress migrations during tests — test_db fixture already applies the schema
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_main_module, "_apply_migrations", lambda: None)
+
     def override_db():
         conn = sqlite3.connect(test_db)
         conn.execute("PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON")