diff --git a/src/documents/tests/conftest.py b/src/documents/tests/conftest.py
index 7e75b9194..d1e93bf03 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/conftest.py
@@ -92,6 +92,23 @@ def sample_doc(
     )
 
 
+@pytest.fixture()
+def _search_index(tmp_path: Path, settings: SettingsWrapper) -> None:
+    """Create a temp index directory and point INDEX_DIR at it.
+
+    Resets the backend singleton before and after so each test gets a clean
+    index rather than reusing a stale singleton from another test.
+    """
+    from documents.search import reset_backend
+
+    index_dir = tmp_path / "index"
+    index_dir.mkdir()
+    settings.INDEX_DIR = index_dir
+    reset_backend()
+    yield
+    reset_backend()
+
+
 @pytest.fixture()
 def settings_timezone(settings: SettingsWrapper) -> zoneinfo.ZoneInfo:
     return zoneinfo.ZoneInfo(settings.TIME_ZONE)
diff --git a/src/documents/tests/test_workflows.py b/src/documents/tests/test_workflows.py
index 58d989882..0fd893a5b 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/test_workflows.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/test_workflows.py
@@ -4802,6 +4802,7 @@ class TestWebhookSecurity:
 
 
 @pytest.mark.django_db
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("_search_index")
 class TestDateWorkflowLocalization(
     SampleDirMixin,
 ):