diff --git a/lerna.json b/lerna.json
index 50582f0a95..13040cb50c 100644
--- a/lerna.json
+++ b/lerna.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "$schema": "node_modules/lerna/schemas/lerna-schema.json",
-  "version": "3.2.47",
+  "version": "3.3.1",
   "npmClient": "yarn",
   "concurrency": 20,
   "command": {
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/helpers/data/format.js b/packages/builder/src/helpers/data/format.js
index 428ce273b2..ba274d5464 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/helpers/data/format.js
+++ b/packages/builder/src/helpers/data/format.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export const datasourceSelect = {
   },
   viewV2: (view, datasources) => {
     const datasource = datasources
-      .filter(f => f.entities)
+      ?.filter(f => f.entities)
       .flatMap(d => d.entities)
       .find(ds => ds._id === view.tableId)
     return {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts
index abc0e492c0..13d057ebb7 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import * as triggers from "../../automations/triggers"
 import { sdk as coreSdk } from "@budibase/shared-core"
 import { DocumentType } from "../../db/utils"
 import { updateTestHistory, removeDeprecated } from "../../automations/utils"
-import { setTestFlag, clearTestFlag } from "../../utilities/redis"
+import { withTestFlag } from "../../utilities/redis"
 import { context, cache, events, db as dbCore } from "@budibase/backend-core"
 import { automations, features } from "@budibase/pro"
 import {
@@ -231,24 +231,25 @@ export async function test(
   ctx: UserCtx<TestAutomationRequest, TestAutomationResponse>
 ) {
   const db = context.getAppDB()
-  let automation = await db.get<Automation>(ctx.params.id)
-  await setTestFlag(automation._id!)
-  const testInput = prepareTestInput(ctx.request.body)
-  const response = await triggers.externalTrigger(
-    automation,
-    {
-      ...testInput,
-      appId: ctx.appId,
-      user: sdk.users.getUserContextBindings(ctx.user),
-    },
-    { getResponses: true }
-  )
-  // save a test history run
-  await updateTestHistory(ctx.appId, automation, {
-    ...ctx.request.body,
-    occurredAt: new Date().getTime(),
+  const automation = await db.tryGet<Automation>(ctx.params.id)
+  if (!automation) {
+    ctx.throw(404, `Automation ${ctx.params.id} not found`)
+  }
+
+  const { request, appId } = ctx
+  const { body } = request
+
+  ctx.body = await withTestFlag(automation._id!, async () => {
+    const occurredAt = new Date().getTime()
+    await updateTestHistory(appId, automation, { ...body, occurredAt })
+
+    const user = sdk.users.getUserContextBindings(ctx.user)
+    return await triggers.externalTrigger(
+      automation,
+      { ...prepareTestInput(body), appId, user },
+      { getResponses: true }
+    )
   })
-  await clearTestFlag(automation._id!)
-  ctx.body = response
+
   await events.automation.tested(automation)
 }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/createRow.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/createRow.ts
index 24dada422d..cf915dd300 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/createRow.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/createRow.ts
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@ import {
   sendAutomationAttachmentsToStorage,
 } from "../automationUtils"
 import { buildCtx } from "./utils"
-import { CreateRowStepInputs, CreateRowStepOutputs } from "@budibase/types"
-import { EventEmitter } from "events"
+import {
+  ContextEmitter,
+  CreateRowStepInputs,
+  CreateRowStepOutputs,
+} from "@budibase/types"
 
 export async function run({
   inputs,
@@ -15,7 +18,7 @@ export async function run({
 }: {
   inputs: CreateRowStepInputs
   appId: string
-  emitter: EventEmitter
+  emitter: ContextEmitter
 }): Promise<CreateRowStepOutputs> {
   if (inputs.row == null || inputs.row.tableId == null) {
     return {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/deleteRow.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/deleteRow.ts
index 7c50fe4dcb..2498a4e4de 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/deleteRow.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/deleteRow.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
-import { EventEmitter } from "events"
 import { destroy } from "../../api/controllers/row"
 import { buildCtx } from "./utils"
 import { getError } from "../automationUtils"
-import { DeleteRowStepInputs, DeleteRowStepOutputs } from "@budibase/types"
+import {
+  ContextEmitter,
+  DeleteRowStepInputs,
+  DeleteRowStepOutputs,
+} from "@budibase/types"
 
 export async function run({
   inputs,
@@ -11,7 +14,7 @@ export async function run({
 }: {
   inputs: DeleteRowStepInputs
   appId: string
-  emitter: EventEmitter
+  emitter: ContextEmitter
 }): Promise<DeleteRowStepOutputs> {
   if (inputs.id == null) {
     return {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeQuery.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeQuery.ts
index 9816e31b1e..ad99240eb8 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeQuery.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeQuery.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-import { EventEmitter } from "events"
 import * as queryController from "../../api/controllers/query"
 import { buildCtx } from "./utils"
 import * as automationUtils from "../automationUtils"
 import {
+  ContextEmitter,
   ExecuteQueryStepInputs,
   ExecuteQueryStepOutputs,
 } from "@budibase/types"
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export async function run({
 }: {
   inputs: ExecuteQueryStepInputs
   appId: string
-  emitter: EventEmitter
+  emitter: ContextEmitter
 }): Promise<ExecuteQueryStepOutputs> {
   if (inputs.query == null) {
     return {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeScript.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeScript.ts
index 105543d34c..db05d0937a 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeScript.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/executeScript.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ import * as scriptController from "../../api/controllers/script"
 import { buildCtx } from "./utils"
 import * as automationUtils from "../automationUtils"
 import {
+  ContextEmitter,
   ExecuteScriptStepInputs,
   ExecuteScriptStepOutputs,
 } from "@budibase/types"
-import { EventEmitter } from "events"
 
 export async function run({
   inputs,
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export async function run({
   inputs: ExecuteScriptStepInputs
   appId: string
   context: object
-  emitter: EventEmitter
+  emitter: ContextEmitter
 }): Promise<ExecuteScriptStepOutputs> {
   if (inputs.code == null) {
     return {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/updateRow.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/updateRow.ts
index 46ae2a5c74..7a62e40706 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/updateRow.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/updateRow.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
-import { EventEmitter } from "events"
 import * as rowController from "../../api/controllers/row"
 import * as automationUtils from "../automationUtils"
 import { buildCtx } from "./utils"
-import { UpdateRowStepInputs, UpdateRowStepOutputs } from "@budibase/types"
+import {
+  ContextEmitter,
+  UpdateRowStepInputs,
+  UpdateRowStepOutputs,
+} from "@budibase/types"
 
 export async function run({
   inputs,
@@ -11,7 +14,7 @@ export async function run({
 }: {
   inputs: UpdateRowStepInputs
   appId: string
-  emitter: EventEmitter
+  emitter: ContextEmitter
 }): Promise<UpdateRowStepOutputs> {
   if (inputs.rowId == null || inputs.row == null) {
     return {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/utils.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/utils.ts
index 8b99044303..20f1e67589 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/steps/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/steps/utils.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { EventEmitter } from "events"
+import { ContextEmitter } from "@budibase/types"
 
 export async function getFetchResponse(fetched: any) {
   let status = fetched.status,
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export async function getFetchResponse(fetched: any) {
 // opts can contain, body, params and version
 export function buildCtx(
   appId: string,
-  emitter?: EventEmitter | null,
+  emitter?: ContextEmitter | null,
   opts: any = {}
 ) {
   const ctx: any = {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/tests/utilities/AutomationTestBuilder.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/tests/utilities/AutomationTestBuilder.ts
index 830d2ee5ca..50527d97af 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/tests/utilities/AutomationTestBuilder.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/tests/utilities/AutomationTestBuilder.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { v4 as uuidv4 } from "uuid"
-import { testAutomation } from "../../../api/routes/tests/utilities/TestFunctions"
 import { BUILTIN_ACTION_DEFINITIONS } from "../../actions"
 import { TRIGGER_DEFINITIONS } from "../../triggers"
 import {
@@ -7,7 +6,6 @@ import {
   AppActionTriggerOutputs,
   Automation,
   AutomationActionStepId,
-  AutomationResults,
   AutomationStep,
   AutomationStepInputs,
   AutomationTrigger,
@@ -24,6 +22,7 @@ import {
   ExecuteQueryStepInputs,
   ExecuteScriptStepInputs,
   FilterStepInputs,
+  isDidNotTriggerResponse,
   LoopStepInputs,
   OpenAIStepInputs,
   QueryRowsStepInputs,
@@ -36,6 +35,7 @@ import {
   SearchFilters,
   ServerLogStepInputs,
   SmtpEmailStepInputs,
+  TestAutomationRequest,
   UpdateRowStepInputs,
   WebhookTriggerInputs,
   WebhookTriggerOutputs,
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ class StepBuilder extends BaseStepBuilder {
 class AutomationBuilder extends BaseStepBuilder {
   private automationConfig: Automation
   private config: TestConfiguration
-  private triggerOutputs: any
+  private triggerOutputs: TriggerOutputs
   private triggerSet = false
 
   constructor(
@@ -398,21 +398,19 @@ class AutomationBuilder extends BaseStepBuilder {
 
   async run() {
     const automation = await this.save()
-    const results = await testAutomation(
-      this.config,
-      automation,
-      this.triggerOutputs
+    const response = await this.config.api.automation.test(
+      automation._id!,
+      this.triggerOutputs as TestAutomationRequest
     )
-    return this.processResults(results)
-  }
 
-  private processResults(results: {
-    body: AutomationResults
-  }): AutomationResults {
-    results.body.steps.shift()
+    if (isDidNotTriggerResponse(response)) {
+      throw new Error(response.message)
+    }
+
+    response.steps.shift()
     return {
-      trigger: results.body.trigger,
-      steps: results.body.steps,
+      trigger: response.trigger,
+      steps: response.steps,
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.ts b/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.ts
index 67d2dcb911..a9317772d9 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/automations/triggers.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
   AutomationRowEvent,
   UserBindings,
   AutomationResults,
+  DidNotTriggerResponse,
 } from "@budibase/types"
 import { executeInThread } from "../threads/automation"
 import { dataFilters, sdk } from "@budibase/shared-core"
@@ -33,14 +34,6 @@ const JOB_OPTS = {
 import * as automationUtils from "../automations/automationUtils"
 import { doesTableExist } from "../sdk/app/tables/getters"
 
-type DidNotTriggerResponse = {
-  outputs: {
-    success: false
-    status: AutomationStatus.STOPPED
-  }
-  message: AutomationStoppedReason.TRIGGER_FILTER_NOT_MET
-}
-
 async function getAllAutomations() {
   const db = context.getAppDB()
   let automations = await db.allDocs<Automation>(
@@ -156,14 +149,26 @@ export function isAutomationResults(
   )
 }
 
+interface AutomationTriggerParams {
+  fields: Record<string, any>
+  timeout?: number
+  appId?: string
+  user?: UserBindings
+}
+
 export async function externalTrigger(
   automation: Automation,
-  params: {
-    fields: Record<string, any>
-    timeout?: number
-    appId?: string
-    user?: UserBindings
-  },
+  params: AutomationTriggerParams,
+  options: { getResponses: true }
+): Promise<AutomationResults | DidNotTriggerResponse>
+export async function externalTrigger(
+  automation: Automation,
+  params: AutomationTriggerParams,
+  options?: { getResponses: false }
+): Promise<AutomationJob | DidNotTriggerResponse>
+export async function externalTrigger(
+  automation: Automation,
+  params: AutomationTriggerParams,
   { getResponses }: { getResponses?: boolean } = {}
 ): Promise<AutomationResults | DidNotTriggerResponse | AutomationJob> {
   if (automation.disabled) {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/tests/utilities/api/automation.ts b/packages/server/src/tests/utilities/api/automation.ts
index 9d9a27e891..3f51385251 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/tests/utilities/api/automation.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/tests/utilities/api/automation.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
-import { Automation, FetchAutomationResponse } from "@budibase/types"
+import {
+  Automation,
+  FetchAutomationResponse,
+  TestAutomationRequest,
+  TestAutomationResponse,
+} from "@budibase/types"
 import { Expectations, TestAPI } from "./base"
 
 export class AutomationAPI extends TestAPI {
@@ -33,4 +38,18 @@ export class AutomationAPI extends TestAPI {
     })
     return result
   }
+
+  test = async (
+    id: string,
+    body: TestAutomationRequest,
+    expectations?: Expectations
+  ): Promise<TestAutomationResponse> => {
+    return await this._post<TestAutomationResponse>(
+      `/api/automations/${id}/test`,
+      {
+        body,
+        expectations,
+      }
+    )
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts b/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts
index 2d10f5d1fb..2790d8fda6 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/threads/automation.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import {
   LoopStep,
   UserBindings,
   isBasicSearchOperator,
+  ContextEmitter,
 } from "@budibase/types"
 import {
   AutomationContext,
@@ -71,6 +72,24 @@ function getLoopIterations(loopStep: LoopStep) {
   return 0
 }
 
+export async function enrichBaseContext(context: Record<string, any>) {
+  context.env = await sdkUtils.getEnvironmentVariables()
+
+  try {
+    const { config } = await configs.getSettingsConfigDoc()
+    context.settings = {
+      url: config.platformUrl,
+      logo: config.logoUrl,
+      company: config.company,
+    }
+  } catch (e) {
+    // if settings doc doesn't exist, make the settings blank
+    context.settings = {}
+  }
+
+  return context
+}
+
 /**
  * The automation orchestrator is a class responsible for executing automations.
  * It handles the context of the automation and makes sure each step gets the correct
@@ -80,7 +99,7 @@ class Orchestrator {
   private chainCount: number
   private appId: string
   private automation: Automation
-  private emitter: any
+  private emitter: ContextEmitter
   private context: AutomationContext
   private job: Job
   private loopStepOutputs: LoopStep[]
@@ -270,20 +289,9 @@ class Orchestrator {
           appId: this.appId,
           automationId: this.automation._id,
         })
-        this.context.env = await sdkUtils.getEnvironmentVariables()
-        this.context.user = this.currentUser
 
-        try {
-          const { config } = await configs.getSettingsConfigDoc()
-          this.context.settings = {
-            url: config.platformUrl,
-            logo: config.logoUrl,
-            company: config.company,
-          }
-        } catch (e) {
-          // if settings doc doesn't exist, make the settings blank
-          this.context.settings = {}
-        }
+        await enrichBaseContext(this.context)
+        this.context.user = this.currentUser
 
         let metadata
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utilities/index.ts b/packages/server/src/utilities/index.ts
index db57b4ec12..f1b32c81f3 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utilities/index.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utilities/index.ts
@@ -58,30 +58,14 @@ export function checkSlashesInUrl(url: string) {
 export async function updateEntityMetadata(
   type: string,
   entityId: string,
-  updateFn: any
+  updateFn: (metadata: Document) => Document
 ) {
   const db = context.getAppDB()
   const id = generateMetadataID(type, entityId)
-  // read it to see if it exists, we'll overwrite it no matter what
-  let rev, metadata: Document
-  try {
-    const oldMetadata = await db.get<any>(id)
-    rev = oldMetadata._rev
-    metadata = updateFn(oldMetadata)
-  } catch (err) {
-    rev = null
-    metadata = updateFn({})
-  }
+  const metadata = updateFn((await db.tryGet(id)) || {})
   metadata._id = id
-  if (rev) {
-    metadata._rev = rev
-  }
   const response = await db.put(metadata)
-  return {
-    ...metadata,
-    _id: id,
-    _rev: response.rev,
-  }
+  return { ...metadata, _id: id, _rev: response.rev }
 }
 
 export async function saveEntityMetadata(
@@ -89,26 +73,17 @@ export async function saveEntityMetadata(
   entityId: string,
   metadata: Document
 ): Promise<Document> {
-  return updateEntityMetadata(type, entityId, () => {
-    return metadata
-  })
+  return updateEntityMetadata(type, entityId, () => metadata)
 }
 
 export async function deleteEntityMetadata(type: string, entityId: string) {
   const db = context.getAppDB()
   const id = generateMetadataID(type, entityId)
-  let rev
-  try {
-    const metadata = await db.get<any>(id)
-    if (metadata) {
-      rev = metadata._rev
-    }
-  } catch (err) {
-    // don't need to error if it doesn't exist
-  }
-  if (id && rev) {
-    await db.remove(id, rev)
+  const metadata = await db.tryGet(id)
+  if (!metadata) {
+    return
   }
+  await db.remove(metadata)
 }
 
 export function escapeDangerousCharacters(string: string) {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utilities/redis.ts b/packages/server/src/utilities/redis.ts
index a4154b7b95..a3ce655316 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utilities/redis.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utilities/redis.ts
@@ -89,17 +89,22 @@ export async function setDebounce(id: string, seconds: number) {
   await debounceClient.store(id, "debouncing", seconds)
 }
 
-export async function setTestFlag(id: string) {
-  await flagClient.store(id, { testing: true }, AUTOMATION_TEST_FLAG_SECONDS)
-}
-
 export async function checkTestFlag(id: string) {
   const flag = await flagClient?.get(id)
   return !!(flag && flag.testing)
 }
 
-export async function clearTestFlag(id: string) {
-  await devAppClient.delete(id)
+export async function withTestFlag<R>(id: string, fn: () => Promise<R>) {
+  // TODO(samwho): this has a bit of a problem where if 2 automations are tested
+  // at the same time, the second one will overwrite the first one's flag. We
+  // should instead use an atomic counter and only clear the flag when the
+  // counter reaches 0.
+  await flagClient.store(id, { testing: true }, AUTOMATION_TEST_FLAG_SECONDS)
+  try {
+    return await fn()
+  } finally {
+    await devAppClient.delete(id)
+  }
 }
 
 export function getSocketPubSubClients() {
diff --git a/packages/types/src/api/web/app/automation.ts b/packages/types/src/api/web/app/automation.ts
index 40f69fc467..b97dee0baf 100644
--- a/packages/types/src/api/web/app/automation.ts
+++ b/packages/types/src/api/web/app/automation.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@ import {
   Automation,
   AutomationActionStepId,
   AutomationLogPage,
+  AutomationResults,
   AutomationStatus,
   AutomationStepDefinition,
   AutomationTriggerDefinition,
   AutomationTriggerStepId,
+  DidNotTriggerResponse,
   Row,
 } from "../../../documents"
 import { DocumentDestroyResponse } from "@budibase/nano"
@@ -74,4 +76,10 @@ export interface TestAutomationRequest {
   fields: Record<string, any>
   row?: Row
 }
-export interface TestAutomationResponse {}
+export type TestAutomationResponse = AutomationResults | DidNotTriggerResponse
+
+export function isDidNotTriggerResponse(
+  response: TestAutomationResponse
+): response is DidNotTriggerResponse {
+  return !!("message" in response && response.message)
+}
diff --git a/packages/types/src/documents/app/automation/automation.ts b/packages/types/src/documents/app/automation/automation.ts
index d56f0de879..0314701d72 100644
--- a/packages/types/src/documents/app/automation/automation.ts
+++ b/packages/types/src/documents/app/automation/automation.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import { Document } from "../../document"
-import { EventEmitter } from "events"
 import { User } from "../../global"
 import { ReadStream } from "fs"
 import { Row } from "../row"
 import { Table } from "../table"
 import { AutomationStep, AutomationTrigger } from "./schema"
+import { ContextEmitter } from "../../../sdk"
 
 export enum AutomationIOType {
   OBJECT = "object",
@@ -205,6 +205,14 @@ export interface AutomationResults {
   }[]
 }
 
+export interface DidNotTriggerResponse {
+  outputs: {
+    success: false
+    status: AutomationStatus.STOPPED
+  }
+  message: AutomationStoppedReason.TRIGGER_FILTER_NOT_MET
+}
+
 export interface AutomationLog extends AutomationResults, Document {
   automationName: string
   _rev?: string
@@ -218,7 +226,7 @@ export interface AutomationLogPage {
 
 export interface AutomationStepInputBase {
   context: Record<string, any>
-  emitter: EventEmitter
+  emitter: ContextEmitter
   appId: string
   apiKey?: string
 }