diff --git a/server/service/testing_client.go b/server/service/testing_client.go
index 6445b6dbee..7d226ec093 100644
--- a/server/service/testing_client.go
+++ b/server/service/testing_client.go
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ type withDS struct {
 func (ts *withDS) SetupSuite(dbName string) {
 	t := ts.s.T()
 	ts.ds = mysql.CreateNamedMySQLDS(t, dbName)
+	// remove any migration-created labels
+	mysql.ExecAdhocSQL(t, ts.ds, func(q sqlx.ExtContext) error {
+		_, err := q.ExecContext(context.Background(), `DELETE FROM labels`)
+		return err
+	})
 	test.AddAllHostsLabel(t, ts.ds)
 
 	// setup the required fields on AppConfig