diff --git a/Examples/RemindersTests/Internal.swift b/Examples/RemindersTests/Internal.swift
index a73dc220..6d763a8f 100644
--- a/Examples/RemindersTests/Internal.swift
+++ b/Examples/RemindersTests/Internal.swift
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import Testing
   .dependency(\.uuid, .incrementing),
   .dependencies {
     try $0.bootstrapDatabase()
+    try await $0.defaultSyncEngine.start()
     try $0.defaultDatabase.seedSampleData()
     try await $0.defaultSyncEngine.sendChanges()
   },
diff --git a/Examples/SyncUpTests/SyncUpFormTests.swift b/Examples/SyncUpTests/SyncUpFormTests.swift
index df6b6c24..c0f60e96 100644
--- a/Examples/SyncUpTests/SyncUpFormTests.swift
+++ b/Examples/SyncUpTests/SyncUpFormTests.swift
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import Testing
 @Suite(
   .dependencies {
     try $0.bootstrapDatabase()
+    try await $0.defaultSyncEngine.start()
     try await $0.defaultDatabase.seedForTests()
     $0.uuid = .incrementing
   }
diff --git a/Sources/SQLiteData/CloudKit/CloudKitSharing.swift b/Sources/SQLiteData/CloudKit/CloudKitSharing.swift
index d36306c8..1b5cd976 100644
--- a/Sources/SQLiteData/CloudKit/CloudKitSharing.swift
+++ b/Sources/SQLiteData/CloudKit/CloudKitSharing.swift
@@ -133,7 +133,9 @@
             recordPrimaryKey: record.primaryKey.rawIdentifier,
             reason: .recordMetadataNotFound,
             debugDescription: """
-              No sync metadata found for record. Has the record been saved to the database?
+              No sync metadata found for record. Has the record been saved to the database \
+              and synchronized to iCloud? Invoke 'SyncEngine.sendChanges()' to force \
+              synchronization.
               """
           )
         }
diff --git a/Sources/SQLiteData/CloudKit/SyncEngine.swift b/Sources/SQLiteData/CloudKit/SyncEngine.swift
index 6f968ce5..33ccf8e1 100644
--- a/Sources/SQLiteData/CloudKit/SyncEngine.swift
+++ b/Sources/SQLiteData/CloudKit/SyncEngine.swift
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
       privateTables: repeat (each T2).Type,
       containerIdentifier: String? = nil,
       defaultZone: CKRecordZone = CKRecordZone(zoneName: "co.pointfree.SQLiteData.defaultZone"),
-      startImmediately: Bool = true,
+      startImmediately: Bool? = nil,
       delegate: (any SyncEngineDelegate)? = nil,
       logger: Logger = isTesting
         ? Logger(.disabled) : Logger(subsystem: "SQLiteData", category: "CloudKit")
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
           privateTables: allPrivateTables
         )
         try setUpSyncEngine()
-        if startImmediately {
+        if startImmediately ?? !isTesting {
           _ = try start()
         }
         return
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@
         privateTables: allPrivateTables
       )
       try setUpSyncEngine()
-      if startImmediately {
+      if startImmediately ?? !isTesting {
         _ = try start()
       }
     }
@@ -1167,14 +1167,17 @@
         }
         func open<T>(_: some SynchronizableTable<T>) async -> CKRecord? {
           let row =
-            withErrorReporting(.sqliteDataCloudKitFailure) {
-              try userDatabase.read { db in
-                try T
+            await withErrorReporting(.sqliteDataCloudKitFailure) {
+              // NB: Fake 'sending' result.
+              nonisolated(unsafe) var result: T.QueryOutput?
+              try await userDatabase.read { db in
+                result = try T
                   .where {
                     #sql("\($0.primaryKey) = \(bind: metadata.recordPrimaryKey)")
                   }
                   .fetchOne(db)
               }
+              return result
             }
             ?? nil
           guard let row
diff --git a/Tests/SQLiteDataTests/CloudKitTests/SharingTests.swift b/Tests/SQLiteDataTests/CloudKitTests/SharingTests.swift
index 7fff8667..9d6705f4 100644
--- a/Tests/SQLiteDataTests/CloudKitTests/SharingTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/SQLiteDataTests/CloudKitTests/SharingTests.swift
@@ -307,14 +307,14 @@
           """
         }
         assertInlineSnapshot(of: error, as: .customDump) {
-          """
+          #"""
           SyncEngine.SharingError(
             recordTableName: "remindersLists",
             recordPrimaryKey: "1",
             reason: .recordMetadataNotFound,
-            debugDescription: "No sync metadata found for record. Has the record been saved to the database?"
+            debugDescription: "No sync metadata found for record. Has the record been saved to the database and synchronized to iCloud? Invoke \'SyncEngine.sendChanges()\' to force synchronization."
           )
-          """
+          """#
         }
       }