diff --git a/tests/conf.py b/tests/conf.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 57a8708d5..000000000
--- a/tests/conf.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-import multiprocessing as mp
-
-mp.set_start_method("fork", force=True)
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a90c5cab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import multiprocessing as mp
+import os
+import yaml
+
+from dacapo.options import Options
+
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(params=["fork", "spawn"], autouse=True)
+def context(monkeypatch):
+    ctx = mp.get_context("spawn")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mp, "Queue", ctx.Queue)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mp, "Process", ctx.Process)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mp, "Event", ctx.Event)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mp, "Value", ctx.Value)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def runs_base_dir(tmpdir):
+    options_file = tmpdir / "dacapo.yaml"
+    os.environ["DACAPO_OPTIONS_FILE"] = f"{options_file}"
+
+    with open(options_file, "w") as f:
+        options_file.write(yaml.safe_dump({"runs_base_dir": f"{tmpdir}"}))
+
+    assert Options.config_file() == options_file
+    assert Options.instance().runs_base_dir == tmpdir