diff --git a/lib/Db/AbstractDriver.php b/lib/Db/AbstractDriver.php
index 814159e4..6dbfb0a5 100644
--- a/lib/Db/AbstractDriver.php
+++ b/lib/Db/AbstractDriver.php
@@ -17,14 +17,6 @@ abstract class AbstractDriver implements Driver {
     abstract protected function unlock(bool $rollback = false): bool;
     abstract protected function getError(): string;
 
-    public function schemaVersion(): int {
-        try {
-            return (int) $this->query("SELECT value from arsse_meta where key = 'schema_version'")->getValue();
-        } catch (Exception $e) {
-            return 0;
-        }
-    }
-
     public function schemaUpdate(int $to, string $basePath = null): bool {
         $ver = $this->schemaVersion();
         if (!Arsse::$conf->dbAutoUpdate) {
diff --git a/lib/Db/PostgreSQL/Driver.php b/lib/Db/PostgreSQL/Driver.php
index d70801e8..5b243857 100644
--- a/lib/Db/PostgreSQL/Driver.php
+++ b/lib/Db/PostgreSQL/Driver.php
@@ -101,6 +101,14 @@ class Driver extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\AbstractDriver {
         return $this->query("SELECT pg_encoding_to_char(encoding) from pg_database where datname = current_database()")->getValue() == "UTF8";
     }
 
+    public function schemaVersion(): int {
+        if ($this->query("SELECT count(*) from information_schema.tables where table_name = 'arsse_meta' and table_schema = current_schema()")->getValue()) {
+            return (int) $this->query("SELECT value from arsse_meta where key = 'schema_version'")->getValue();
+        } else {
+            return 0;
+        }
+    }
+
     public function savepointCreate(bool $lock = false): int {
         if (!$this->transStart) {
             $this->exec("BEGIN TRANSACTION");
diff --git a/tests/cases/Db/BaseDriver.php b/tests/cases/Db/BaseDriver.php
index 87f2d173..ad04409f 100644
--- a/tests/cases/Db/BaseDriver.php
+++ b/tests/cases/Db/BaseDriver.php
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ abstract class BaseDriver extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\Test\AbstractTest {
         $class = get_class($this->drv);
         $this->assertTrue(strlen($class::driverName()) > 0);
     }
+    
+    public function testFetchSchemaId() {
+        $class = get_class($this->drv);
+        $this->assertTrue(strlen($class::schemaID()) > 0);
+    }
 
     public function testCheckCharacterSetAcceptability() {
         $this->assertTrue($this->drv->charsetAcceptable());
diff --git a/tests/cases/Db/BaseUpdate.php b/tests/cases/Db/BaseUpdate.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b4de0ea3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/Db/BaseUpdate.php
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+<?php
+/** @license MIT
+ * Copyright 2017 J. King, Dustin Wilson et al.
+ * See LICENSE and AUTHORS files for details */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+namespace JKingWeb\Arsse\TestCase\Db;
+
+use JKingWeb\Arsse\Arsse;
+use JKingWeb\Arsse\Database;
+use JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\Exception;
+use JKingWeb\Arsse\Test\DatabaseInformation;
+use org\bovigo\vfs\vfsStream;
+
+class BaseUpdate extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\Test\AbstractTest {
+    protected static $dbInfo;
+    protected static $interface;
+    protected $drv;
+    protected $vfs;
+    protected $base;
+    protected $path;
+
+    public static function setUpBeforeClass() {
+        // establish a clean baseline
+        static::clearData();
+        static::$dbInfo = new DatabaseInformation(static::$implementation);
+        static::setConf();
+        static::$interface = (static::$dbInfo->interfaceConstructor)();
+    }
+    
+    public function setUp() {
+        if (!static::$interface) {
+            $this->markTestSkipped(static::$implementation." database driver not available");
+        }
+        self::clearData();
+        self::setConf();
+        // construct a fresh driver for each test
+        $this->drv = new static::$dbInfo->driverClass;
+        $schemaId = (get_class($this->drv))::schemaID();
+        // set up a virtual filesystem for schema files
+        $this->vfs = vfsStream::setup("schemata", null, [$schemaId => []]);
+        $this->base = $this->vfs->url();
+        $this->path = $this->base."/$schemaId/";
+        // completely clear the database
+        (static::$dbInfo->razeFunction)(static::$interface);
+    }
+
+    public function tearDown() {
+        // deconstruct the driver
+        unset($this->drv);
+        if (static::$interface) {
+            // completely clear the database
+            (static::$dbInfo->razeFunction)(static::$interface);
+        }
+        unset($this->path, $this->base, $this->vfs);
+        self::clearData();
+    }
+
+    public static function tearDownAfterClass() {
+        static::$implementation = null;
+        static::$dbInfo = null;
+        self::clearData();
+    }
+
+    public function testLoadMissingFile() {
+        $this->assertException("updateFileMissing", "Db");
+        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
+    }
+
+    public function testLoadUnreadableFile() {
+        touch($this->path."0.sql");
+        chmod($this->path."0.sql", 0000);
+        $this->assertException("updateFileUnreadable", "Db");
+        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
+    }
+
+    public function testLoadCorruptFile() {
+        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", "This is a corrupt file");
+        $this->assertException("updateFileError", "Db");
+        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
+    }
+
+    public function testLoadIncompleteFile() {
+        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", "create table arsse_meta(key text primary key not null, value text);");
+        $this->assertException("updateFileIncomplete", "Db");
+        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
+    }
+
+    public function testLoadEmptyFile() {
+        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", "");
+        $this->assertException("updateFileIncomplete", "Db");
+        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
+    }
+
+    public function testLoadCorrectFile() {
+        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", static::$minimal1);
+        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
+        $this->assertEquals(1, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
+    }
+
+    public function testPerformPartialUpdate() {
+        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", static::$minimal1);
+        file_put_contents($this->path."1.sql", "UPDATE arsse_meta set value = '1' where key = 'schema_version'");
+        $this->assertException("updateFileIncomplete", "Db");
+        try {
+            $this->drv->schemaUpdate(2, $this->base);
+        } catch (Exception $e) {
+            $this->assertEquals(1, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
+            throw $e;
+        }
+    }
+
+    public function testPerformSequentialUpdate() {
+        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", static::$minimal1);
+        file_put_contents($this->path."1.sql", static::$minimal2);
+        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(2, $this->base);
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
+    }
+
+    public function testPerformActualUpdate() {
+        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(Database::SCHEMA_VERSION);
+        $this->assertEquals(Database::SCHEMA_VERSION, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
+    }
+
+    public function testDeclineManualUpdate() {
+        // turn auto-updating off
+        Arsse::$conf->dbAutoUpdate = false;
+        $this->assertException("updateManual", "Db");
+        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(Database::SCHEMA_VERSION);
+    }
+
+    public function testDeclineDowngrade() {
+        $this->assertException("updateTooNew", "Db");
+        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(-1, $this->base);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/cases/Db/PostgreSQL/TestUpdate.php b/tests/cases/Db/PostgreSQL/TestUpdate.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..62f9140b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/Db/PostgreSQL/TestUpdate.php
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?php
+/** @license MIT
+ * Copyright 2017 J. King, Dustin Wilson et al.
+ * See LICENSE and AUTHORS files for details */
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+namespace JKingWeb\Arsse\TestCase\Db\PostgreSQL;
+
+/**
+ * @covers \JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\PostgreSQL\PDODriver<extended>
+ * @covers \JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\PDOError */
+class TestUpdate extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\TestCase\Db\BaseUpdate {
+    protected static $implementation = "PDO PostgreSQL";
+    protected static $minimal1 = "CREATE TABLE arsse_meta(key text primary key, value text); INSERT INTO arsse_meta(key,value) values('schema_version','1');";
+    protected static $minimal2 = "UPDATE arsse_meta set value = '2' where key = 'schema_version';";
+}
diff --git a/tests/cases/Db/SQLite3/TestUpdate.php b/tests/cases/Db/SQLite3/TestUpdate.php
index 1c219a1d..ecea58b9 100644
--- a/tests/cases/Db/SQLite3/TestUpdate.php
+++ b/tests/cases/Db/SQLite3/TestUpdate.php
@@ -6,113 +6,11 @@
 declare(strict_types=1);
 namespace JKingWeb\Arsse\TestCase\Db\SQLite3;
 
-use JKingWeb\Arsse\Arsse;
-use JKingWeb\Arsse\Conf;
-use JKingWeb\Arsse\Database;
-use JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\Exception;
-use JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\SQLite3\Driver;
-use org\bovigo\vfs\vfsStream;
-
 /**
  * @covers \JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\SQLite3\Driver<extended>
  * @covers \JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\SQLite3\ExceptionBuilder */
-class TestUpdate extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\Test\AbstractTest {
-    protected $data;
-    protected $drv;
-    protected $vfs;
-    protected $base;
-
-    const MINIMAL1 = "create table arsse_meta(key text primary key not null, value text); pragma user_version=1";
-    const MINIMAL2 = "pragma user_version=2";
-
-    public function setUp(array $conf = []) {
-        if (!Driver::requirementsMet()) {
-            $this->markTestSkipped("SQLite extension not loaded");
-        }
-        self::clearData();
-        $this->vfs = vfsStream::setup("schemata", null, ['SQLite3' => []]);
-        self::setConf($conf);
-        $this->base = $this->vfs->url();
-        $this->path = $this->base."/SQLite3/";
-        $this->drv = new Driver();
-    }
-
-    public function tearDown() {
-        unset($this->drv);
-        unset($this->data);
-        unset($this->vfs);
-        self::clearData();
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadMissingFile() {
-        $this->assertException("updateFileMissing", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadUnreadableFile() {
-        touch($this->path."0.sql");
-        chmod($this->path."0.sql", 0000);
-        $this->assertException("updateFileUnreadable", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadCorruptFile() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", "This is a corrupt file");
-        $this->assertException("updateFileError", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadIncompleteFile() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", "create table arsse_meta(key text primary key not null, value text);");
-        $this->assertException("updateFileIncomplete", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadEmptyFile() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", "");
-        $this->assertException("updateFileIncomplete", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadCorrectFile() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", self::MINIMAL1);
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-        $this->assertEquals(1, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
-    }
-
-    public function testPerformPartialUpdate() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", self::MINIMAL1);
-        file_put_contents($this->path."1.sql", " ");
-        $this->assertException("updateFileIncomplete", "Db");
-        try {
-            $this->drv->schemaUpdate(2, $this->base);
-        } catch (Exception $e) {
-            $this->assertEquals(1, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
-            throw $e;
-        }
-    }
-
-    public function testPerformSequentialUpdate() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", self::MINIMAL1);
-        file_put_contents($this->path."1.sql", self::MINIMAL2);
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(2, $this->base);
-        $this->assertEquals(2, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
-    }
-
-    public function testPerformActualUpdate() {
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(Database::SCHEMA_VERSION);
-        $this->assertEquals(Database::SCHEMA_VERSION, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
-    }
-
-    public function testDeclineManualUpdate() {
-        // turn auto-updating off
-        $this->setUp(['dbAutoUpdate' => false]);
-        $this->assertException("updateManual", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(Database::SCHEMA_VERSION);
-    }
-
-    public function testDeclineDowngrade() {
-        $this->assertException("updateTooNew", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(-1, $this->base);
-    }
+class TestUpdate extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\TestCase\Db\BaseUpdate {
+    protected static $implementation = "SQLite 3";
+    protected static $minimal1 = "create table arsse_meta(key text primary key not null, value text); pragma user_version=1";
+    protected static $minimal2 = "pragma user_version=2";
 }
diff --git a/tests/cases/Db/SQLite3PDO/TestUpdate.php b/tests/cases/Db/SQLite3PDO/TestUpdate.php
index 58caca37..4a23595f 100644
--- a/tests/cases/Db/SQLite3PDO/TestUpdate.php
+++ b/tests/cases/Db/SQLite3PDO/TestUpdate.php
@@ -6,114 +6,11 @@
 declare(strict_types=1);
 namespace JKingWeb\Arsse\TestCase\Db\SQLite3PDO;
 
-use JKingWeb\Arsse\Arsse;
-use JKingWeb\Arsse\Conf;
-use JKingWeb\Arsse\Database;
-use JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\Exception;
-use JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\SQLite3\PDODriver;
-use org\bovigo\vfs\vfsStream;
-
 /**
  * @covers \JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\SQLite3\PDODriver<extended>
  * @covers \JKingWeb\Arsse\Db\PDOError */
-class TestUpdate extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\Test\AbstractTest {
-    protected $data;
-    protected $drv;
-    protected $vfs;
-    protected $base;
-
-    const MINIMAL1 = "create table arsse_meta(key text primary key not null, value text); pragma user_version=1";
-    const MINIMAL2 = "pragma user_version=2";
-
-    public function setUp(array $conf = []) {
-        if (!PDODriver::requirementsMet()) {
-            $this->markTestSkipped("PDO-SQLite extension not loaded");
-        }
-        self::clearData();
-        $this->vfs = vfsStream::setup("schemata", null, ['SQLite3' => []]);
-        $conf['dbDriver'] = PDODriver::class;
-        self::setConf($conf);
-        $this->base = $this->vfs->url();
-        $this->path = $this->base."/SQLite3/";
-        $this->drv = new PDODriver();
-    }
-
-    public function tearDown() {
-        unset($this->drv);
-        unset($this->data);
-        unset($this->vfs);
-        self::clearData();
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadMissingFile() {
-        $this->assertException("updateFileMissing", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadUnreadableFile() {
-        touch($this->path."0.sql");
-        chmod($this->path."0.sql", 0000);
-        $this->assertException("updateFileUnreadable", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadCorruptFile() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", "This is a corrupt file");
-        $this->assertException("updateFileError", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadIncompleteFile() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", "create table arsse_meta(key text primary key not null, value text);");
-        $this->assertException("updateFileIncomplete", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadEmptyFile() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", "");
-        $this->assertException("updateFileIncomplete", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-    }
-
-    public function testLoadCorrectFile() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", self::MINIMAL1);
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(1, $this->base);
-        $this->assertEquals(1, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
-    }
-
-    public function testPerformPartialUpdate() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", self::MINIMAL1);
-        file_put_contents($this->path."1.sql", " ");
-        $this->assertException("updateFileIncomplete", "Db");
-        try {
-            $this->drv->schemaUpdate(2, $this->base);
-        } catch (Exception $e) {
-            $this->assertEquals(1, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
-            throw $e;
-        }
-    }
-
-    public function testPerformSequentialUpdate() {
-        file_put_contents($this->path."0.sql", self::MINIMAL1);
-        file_put_contents($this->path."1.sql", self::MINIMAL2);
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(2, $this->base);
-        $this->assertEquals(2, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
-    }
-
-    public function testPerformActualUpdate() {
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(Database::SCHEMA_VERSION);
-        $this->assertEquals(Database::SCHEMA_VERSION, $this->drv->schemaVersion());
-    }
-
-    public function testDeclineManualUpdate() {
-        // turn auto-updating off
-        $this->setUp(['dbAutoUpdate' => false]);
-        $this->assertException("updateManual", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(Database::SCHEMA_VERSION);
-    }
-
-    public function testDeclineDowngrade() {
-        $this->assertException("updateTooNew", "Db");
-        $this->drv->schemaUpdate(-1, $this->base);
-    }
+class TestUpdate extends \JKingWeb\Arsse\TestCase\Db\BaseUpdate {
+    protected static $implementation = "PDO SQLite 3";
+    protected static $minimal1 = "create table arsse_meta(key text primary key not null, value text); pragma user_version=1";
+    protected static $minimal2 = "pragma user_version=2";
 }
diff --git a/tests/phpunit.xml b/tests/phpunit.xml
index 06b3d6ad..d4964100 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit.xml
+++ b/tests/phpunit.xml
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
         <file>cases/Db/PostgreSQL/TestStatement.php</file>
         <file>cases/Db/PostgreSQL/TestCreation.php</file>
         <file>cases/Db/PostgreSQL/TestDriver.php</file>
-    <!--<file>cases/Db/PostgreSQL/TestUpdate.php</file>-->
+        <file>cases/Db/PostgreSQL/TestUpdate.php</file>
     </testsuite>
     <testsuite name="Database functions">
         <file>cases/Db/SQLite3/TestDatabase.php</file>