diff --git a/backend/src/config/index.js b/backend/src/config/index.js
index 2f8d0ed22..058dc00ab 100644
--- a/backend/src/config/index.js
+++ b/backend/src/config/index.js
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ if (require.resolve) {
   dotenv.config({ path: require.resolve('../../.env') })
 }
 
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-undef
+const env = typeof Cypress !== 'undefined' ? Cypress.env() : process.env
+
 const {
   MAPBOX_TOKEN,
   JWT_SECRET,
@@ -20,7 +23,7 @@ const {
   NEO4J_PASSWORD = 'neo4j',
   CLIENT_URI = 'http://localhost:3000',
   GRAPHQL_URI = 'http://localhost:4000',
-} = process.env
+} = env
 
 export const requiredConfigs = {
   MAPBOX_TOKEN,
diff --git a/backend/src/factories/users.js b/backend/src/factories/users.js
index 9ed701441..91b9e9a8b 100644
--- a/backend/src/factories/users.js
+++ b/backend/src/factories/users.js
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ Factory.define('userWithoutEmailAddress')
   })
 
 Factory.define('user')
-  .option('email', faker.internet.exampleEmail)
   .extend('userWithoutEmailAddress')
+  .option('email', faker.internet.exampleEmail)
   .after(async (buildObject, options) => {
     const [user, email] = await Promise.all([
       buildObject,
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ Factory.define('user')
 
 export default function create() {
   return {
-    factory: async ({ args, options }) => {
+    factory: ({ args, options }) => {
       return Factory.build('user', args, options)
     },
   }
diff --git a/cypress/integration/common/report.js b/cypress/integration/common/report.js
index 710928ff2..6b808c75f 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/common/report.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/common/report.js
@@ -31,10 +31,11 @@ Given("I see David Irving's post on the post page", page => {
 
 Given('I am logged in with a {string} role', role => {
   cy.factory().create('User', {
-    email: `${role}@example.org`,
-    password: '1234',
     termsAndConditionsAgreedVersion: VERSION,
     role
+  }, {
+    email: `${role}@example.org`,
+    password: '1234',
   })
   cy.login({
     email: `${role}@example.org`,
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ Given('somebody reported the following posts:', table => {
       password: '1234'
     }
     cy.factory()
-      .create('User', submitter)
+      .create('User', {}, submitter)
       .authenticateAs(submitter)
       .mutate(gql`mutation($resourceId: ID!, $reasonCategory: ReasonCategory!, $reasonDescription: String!) {
         fileReport(resourceId: $resourceId, reasonCategory: $reasonCategory, reasonDescription: $reasonDescription) {
diff --git a/cypress/integration/common/steps.js b/cypress/integration/common/steps.js
index 9a5c02d08..3867b3513 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/common/steps.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/common/steps.js
@@ -192,11 +192,6 @@ When("I press {string}", label => {
   cy.contains(label).click();
 });
 
-Given("we have this user in our database:", table => {
-  const [firstRow] = table.hashes()
-  cy.factory().create('User', firstRow)
-})
-
 Given("we have the following posts in our database:", table => {
   cy.factory().create('Category', {
     id: `cat-456`,
diff --git a/cypress/support/factories.js b/cypress/support/factories.js
index 1b76a1a01..d5d4ee768 100644
--- a/cypress/support/factories.js
+++ b/cypress/support/factories.js
@@ -40,17 +40,9 @@ Cypress.Commands.add('factory', () => {
 Cypress.Commands.add(
   'create',
   { prevSubject: true },
-  async (factory, node, properties) => {
-    await factory.create(node, properties)
+  async (factory, node, properties, options) => {
+    await factory.create(node, properties, options)
     return factory
   }
 )
 
-Cypress.Commands.add(
-  'relate',
-  { prevSubject: true },
-  async (factory, node, relationship, properties) => {
-    await factory.relate(node, relationship, properties)
-    return factory
-  }
-)