diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_setup.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f15604fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+""" test for app action functionality """
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
+from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
+from django.test import TestCase
+from django.test.client import RequestFactory
+
+from bookwyrm import forms, models, views
+from bookwyrm.tests.validate_html import validate_html
+
+
+class SetupViews(TestCase):
+    """activity feed, statuses, dms"""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """we need basic test data and mocks"""
+        self.factory = RequestFactory()
+        self.site = models.SiteSettings.objects.create(install_mode=True)
+
+    def test_instance_config_permission_denied(self):
+        """there are so many views, this just makes sure it LOADS"""
+        self.site.install_mode = False
+        self.site.save()
+        view = views.InstanceConfig.as_view()
+        request = self.factory.get("")
+        with self.assertRaises(PermissionDenied):
+            view(request)
+
+    def test_instance_config(self):
+        """there are so many views, this just makes sure it LOADS"""
+        view = views.InstanceConfig.as_view()
+        request = self.factory.get("")
+
+        result = view(request)
+
+        self.assertIsInstance(result, TemplateResponse)
+        validate_html(result.render())
+        self.assertEqual(result.status_code, 200)
+
+    def test_create_admin_get(self):
+        """there are so many views, this just makes sure it LOADS"""
+        view = views.CreateAdmin.as_view()
+        request = self.factory.get("")
+
+        result = view(request)
+
+        self.assertIsInstance(result, TemplateResponse)
+        validate_html(result.render())
+        self.assertEqual(result.status_code, 200)
+
+    def test_create_admin_post(self):
+        """there are so many views, this just makes sure it LOADS"""
+        self.site.name = "hello"
+        self.site.save()
+        self.assertFalse(self.site.allow_registration)
+        self.assertTrue(self.site.require_confirm_email)
+        self.assertTrue(self.site.install_mode)
+
+        view = views.CreateAdmin.as_view()
+
+        form = forms.RegisterForm()
+        form.data["localname"] = "mouse"
+        form.data["password"] = "mouseword"
+        form.data["email"] = "aaa@bbb.ccc"
+        request = self.factory.post("", form.data)
+
+        with patch("bookwyrm.views.setup.login") as mock:
+            view(request)
+        self.assertTrue(mock.called)
+
+        self.site.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertFalse(self.site.install_mode)
+
+        user = models.User.objects.get()
+        self.assertTrue(user.is_active)
+        self.assertTrue(user.is_superuser)
+        self.assertTrue(user.is_staff)
+        self.assertTrue(user.shelf_set.exists())
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/setup.py b/bookwyrm/views/setup.py
index 8fb968b47..188c6a0ae 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/setup.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/setup.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class CreateAdmin(View):
     @transaction.atomic
     def post(self, request):
         """Create that user"""
-        site = models.SiteSettings.get()
+        site = models.SiteSettings.objects.get()
         # you can't create an admin user if you're in config mode
         if not site.install_mode:
             raise PermissionDenied()
diff --git a/bw-dev b/bw-dev
index f9148066f..969c5c925 100755
--- a/bw-dev
+++ b/bw-dev
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ case "$CMD" in
         docker-compose restart celery_worker
         ;;
     pytest)
-        runweb pytest --no-cov-on-fail "$@"
+        runweb --no-deps pytest --no-cov-on-fail "$@"
         ;;
     collectstatic)
         runweb python manage.py collectstatic --no-input