diff --git a/test/factories/observation_units.rb b/test/factories/observation_units.rb
index 6310a82552..60ba3929ef 100644
--- a/test/factories/observation_units.rb
+++ b/test/factories/observation_units.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
   factory(:observation_unit) do
     title { 'Observation Unit' }
     description { 'very simple obs unit'}
-    policy { FactoryBot.create(:public_policy) }
     association :contributor, factory: :person, strategy: :create
     after(:build) do |a|
       a.study ||= FactoryBot.create(:study, contributor: a.contributor)
@@ -11,6 +10,7 @@
 
   factory(:min_observation_unit, parent: :observation_unit) do
     title { 'A Minimal Observation Unit' }
+    policy { FactoryBot.create(:public_policy) }
     association :study, factory: :study, strategy: :create
     description { nil }
   end
diff --git a/test/unit/permissions/publishing_permissions_test.rb b/test/unit/permissions/publishing_permissions_test.rb
index 08aed6fd41..23652bbda9 100644
--- a/test/unit/permissions/publishing_permissions_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/permissions/publishing_permissions_test.rb
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ def items_for_publishing_tests(contributor = FactoryBot.create(:person))
     assay = FactoryBot.create(:assay, contributor: contributor, study:
       FactoryBot.create(:study, contributor: contributor, investigation: FactoryBot.create(:investigation, projects: contributor&.projects))
     )
-    obs_unit = FactoryBot.create(:observation_unit, contributor: contributor, policy: FactoryBot.create(:private_policy), study:
+    obs_unit = FactoryBot.create(:observation_unit, contributor: contributor, study:
       FactoryBot.create(:study, contributor: contributor, investigation: FactoryBot.create(:investigation, projects: contributor&.projects))
     )
     items | [study, assay, obs_unit]