diff --git a/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/badges.spec.ts b/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/badges.spec.ts
index 839727a9d..6c58de257 100644
--- a/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/badges.spec.ts
+++ b/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/badges.spec.ts
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ describe('Badges', () => {
             errors: [
               {
                 message:
-                  'Error: Could not reward badge! Ensure the user and the badge exist and the badge is of the correct type.',
+                  'UserInputError: Could not reward badge! Ensure the user and the badge exist and the badge is of the correct type.',
               },
             ],
           })
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ describe('Badges', () => {
             errors: [
               {
                 message:
-                  'Error: Could not reward badge! Ensure the user and the badge exist and the badge is of the correct type.',
+                  'UserInputError: Could not reward badge! Ensure the user and the badge exist and the badge is of the correct type.',
               },
             ],
           })
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ describe('Badges', () => {
             errors: [
               {
                 message:
-                  'Error: Could not reward badge! Ensure the user and the badge exist and the badge is of the correct type.',
+                  'UserInputError: Could not reward badge! Ensure the user and the badge exist and the badge is of the correct type.',
               },
             ],
           })
diff --git a/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/badges.ts b/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/badges.ts
index f3faf1fe4..0b840bb7c 100644
--- a/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/badges.ts
+++ b/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/badges.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call */
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access */
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-assignment */
+import { UserInputError } from 'apollo-server'
 import { neo4jgraphql } from 'neo4j-graphql-js'
 
 import { TROPHY_BADGES_SELECTED_MAX } from '@constants/badges'
@@ -62,10 +63,7 @@ export default {
       try {
         const { relation, user } = await writeTxResultPromise
         if (!relation) {
-          context.logger.error(
-            'Could not reward badge! Ensure the user and the badge exist and the badge is of the correct type.',
-          )
-          throw new Error(
+          throw new UserInputError(
             'Could not reward badge! Ensure the user and the badge exist and the badge is of the correct type.',
           )
         }
@@ -129,10 +127,7 @@ export default {
       ).records.map((record) => record.get('user'))
 
       if (users.length !== 1) {
-        context.logger.error(
-          'Could not reward badge! Ensure the user and the badge exist and the badge is of the correct type.',
-        )
-        throw new Error(
+        throw new UserInputError(
           'Could not reward badge! Ensure the user and the badge exist and the badge is of the correct type.',
         )
       }
@@ -140,7 +135,7 @@ export default {
       return users[0]
     },
 
-    revokeBadge: async (_object, args, context, _resolveInfo) => {
+    revokeBadge: async (_object, args, context: Context, _resolveInfo) => {
       const { badgeId, userId } = args
       const session = context.driver.session()
 
@@ -167,7 +162,7 @@ export default {
         context.logger.error('revokeBadge', error)
         throw new Error(error)
       } finally {
-        session.close()
+        await session.close()
       }
     },
   },
diff --git a/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/emails.spec.ts b/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/emails.spec.ts
index 367e1102a..240b76d37 100644
--- a/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/emails.spec.ts
+++ b/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/emails.spec.ts
@@ -1,22 +1,25 @@
+/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-return */
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/await-thenable */
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/require-await */
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call */
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access */
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-assignment */
+import { ApolloServer } from 'apollo-server-express'
 import { createTestClient } from 'apollo-server-testing'
 import gql from 'graphql-tag'
 
+import databaseContext from '@context/database'
 import Factory, { cleanDatabase } from '@db/factories'
-import { getDriver, getNeode } from '@db/neo4j'
-import createServer from '@src/server'
-
-const neode = getNeode()
+import createServer, { getContext } from '@src/server'
 
 let mutate, query
 let authenticatedUser
 let user
 let variables
-const driver = getDriver()
+
+const database = databaseContext()
+
+let server: ApolloServer
 
 const loggerErrorMock: (e) => void = jest.fn()
 
@@ -27,22 +30,21 @@ jest.mock('@src/logger', () => ({
 beforeAll(async () => {
   await cleanDatabase()
 
-  const { server } = createServer({
-    context: () => {
-      return {
-        driver,
-        neode,
-        user: authenticatedUser,
-      }
-    },
-  })
-  mutate = createTestClient(server).mutate
-  query = createTestClient(server).query
+  const contextUser = async (_req) => authenticatedUser
+  const context = getContext({ user: contextUser, database })
+
+  server = createServer({ context }).server
+
+  const createTestClientResult = createTestClient(server)
+  query = createTestClientResult.query
+  mutate = createTestClientResult.mutate
 })
 
 afterAll(async () => {
   await cleanDatabase()
-  await driver.close()
+  void server.stop()
+  void database.driver.close()
+  database.neode.close()
 })
 
 beforeEach(async () => {
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ describe('AddEmailAddress', () => {
 
       it('connects `UnverifiedEmailAddress` to the authenticated user', async () => {
         await mutate({ mutation, variables })
-        const result = await neode.cypher(
+        const result = await database.neode.cypher(
           `
         MATCH(u:User)-[:PRIMARY_EMAIL]->(:EmailAddress {email: "user@example.org"})
         MATCH(u:User)<-[:BELONGS_TO]-(e:UnverifiedEmailAddress {email: "new-email@example.org"})
@@ -124,7 +126,11 @@ describe('AddEmailAddress', () => {
       `,
           {},
         )
-        const email = neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'e', neode.model('UnverifiedEmailAddress'))
+        const email = database.neode.hydrateFirst(
+          result,
+          'e',
+          database.neode.model('UnverifiedEmailAddress'),
+        )
         await expect(email.toJson()).resolves.toMatchObject({
           email: 'new-email@example.org',
           nonce: expect.any(String),
@@ -266,14 +272,18 @@ describe('VerifyEmailAddress', () => {
 
           it('connects the new `EmailAddress` as PRIMARY', async () => {
             await mutate({ mutation, variables })
-            const result = await neode.cypher(
+            const result = await database.neode.cypher(
               `
             MATCH(u:User {id: "567"})-[:PRIMARY_EMAIL]->(e:EmailAddress {email: "to-be-verified@example.org"})
             RETURN e
           `,
               {},
             )
-            const email = neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'e', neode.model('EmailAddress'))
+            const email = database.neode.hydrateFirst(
+              result,
+              'e',
+              database.neode.model('EmailAddress'),
+            )
             await expect(email.toJson()).resolves.toMatchObject({
               email: 'to-be-verified@example.org',
             })
@@ -284,14 +294,18 @@ describe('VerifyEmailAddress', () => {
             MATCH(u:User {id: "567"})-[:PRIMARY_EMAIL]->(e:EmailAddress {email: "user@example.org"})
             RETURN e
           `
-            let result = await neode.cypher(cypherStatement, {})
-            let email = neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'e', neode.model('EmailAddress'))
+            let result = await database.neode.cypher(cypherStatement, {})
+            let email = database.neode.hydrateFirst(
+              result,
+              'e',
+              database.neode.model('EmailAddress'),
+            )
             await expect(email.toJson()).resolves.toMatchObject({
               email: 'user@example.org',
             })
             await mutate({ mutation, variables })
-            result = await neode.cypher(cypherStatement, {})
-            email = neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'e', neode.model('EmailAddress'))
+            result = await database.neode.cypher(cypherStatement, {})
+            email = database.neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'e', database.neode.model('EmailAddress'))
             await expect(email).toBe(false)
           })
 
@@ -300,14 +314,18 @@ describe('VerifyEmailAddress', () => {
             MATCH(u:User {id: "567"})<-[:BELONGS_TO]-(e:EmailAddress {email: "user@example.org"})
             RETURN e
           `
-            let result = await neode.cypher(cypherStatement, {})
-            let email = neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'e', neode.model('EmailAddress'))
+            let result = await database.neode.cypher(cypherStatement, {})
+            let email = database.neode.hydrateFirst(
+              result,
+              'e',
+              database.neode.model('EmailAddress'),
+            )
             await expect(email.toJson()).resolves.toMatchObject({
               email: 'user@example.org',
             })
             await mutate({ mutation, variables })
-            result = await neode.cypher(cypherStatement, {})
-            email = neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'e', neode.model('EmailAddress'))
+            result = await database.neode.cypher(cypherStatement, {})
+            email = database.neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'e', database.neode.model('EmailAddress'))
             await expect(email).toBe(false)
           })
 
@@ -331,14 +349,18 @@ describe('VerifyEmailAddress', () => {
 
             it('connects the new `EmailAddress` as PRIMARY', async () => {
               await mutate({ mutation, variables })
-              const result = await neode.cypher(
+              const result = await database.neode.cypher(
                 `
                 MATCH(u:User {id: "567"})-[:PRIMARY_EMAIL]->(e:EmailAddress {email: "to-be-verified@example.org"})
                 RETURN e
               `,
                 {},
               )
-              const email = neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'e', neode.model('EmailAddress'))
+              const email = database.neode.hydrateFirst(
+                result,
+                'e',
+                database.neode.model('EmailAddress'),
+              )
               await expect(email.toJson()).resolves.toMatchObject({
                 email: 'to-be-verified@example.org',
               })
diff --git a/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/emails.ts b/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/emails.ts
index 3b7b13a00..f52f451d6 100644
--- a/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/emails.ts
+++ b/backend/src/graphql/resolvers/emails.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import Resolver from './helpers/Resolver'
 
 export default {
   Query: {
-    VerifyNonce: async (_parent, args, context, _resolveInfo) => {
+    VerifyNonce: async (_parent, args, context: Context, _resolveInfo) => {
       args.email = normalizeEmail(args.email)
       const session = context.driver.session()
       const readTxResultPromise = session.readTransaction(async (txc) => {
@@ -32,8 +32,11 @@ export default {
       try {
         const txResult = await readTxResultPromise
         return txResult.records[0].get('result')
+      } catch (e) {
+        context.logger.error('VerifyNonce query', e)
+        throw new Error(e.message)
       } finally {
-        session.close()
+        await session.close()
       }
     },
   },
@@ -45,7 +48,6 @@ export default {
         const { neode } = context
         await new Validator(neode, neode.model('UnverifiedEmailAddress'), args)
       } catch (e) {
-        // context.logger.error('must be a valid email')
         throw new UserInputError('must be a valid email')
       }
 
@@ -79,6 +81,9 @@ export default {
       try {
         const txResult = await writeTxResultPromise
         response = txResult[0]
+      } catch (e) {
+        context.logger.error('AddEmailAddress mutation', e)
+        throw new Error(e.message)
       } finally {
         await session.close()
       }
@@ -115,16 +120,14 @@ export default {
         response = txResult[0]
       } catch (e) {
         if (e.code === 'Neo.ClientError.Schema.ConstraintValidationFailed') {
-          // context.logger.error('A user account with this email already exists.')
           throw new UserInputError('A user account with this email already exists.')
         }
-        // context.logger.error('VerifyEmailAddress', e)
+        context.logger.error('VerifyEmailAddress', e)
         throw new Error(e)
       } finally {
         await session.close()
       }
       if (!response) {
-        // context.logger.error('Invalid nonce or no email address found.')
         throw new UserInputError('Invalid nonce or no email address found.')
       }
       return response