diff --git a/lib/storage/merge_test.go b/lib/storage/merge_test.go
index a329340bf..189935c41 100644
--- a/lib/storage/merge_test.go
+++ b/lib/storage/merge_test.go
@@ -366,8 +366,7 @@ func TestMergeForciblyStop(t *testing.T) {
 	var rowsMerged, rowsDeleted uint64
 	close(ch)
 
-	strg := &Storage{}
-	strg.setDeletedMetricIDs(nil)
+	strg := newTestStorage()
 	if err := mergeBlockStreams(&mp.ph, &bsw, bsrs, ch, strg, 0, &rowsMerged, &rowsDeleted); !errors.Is(err, errForciblyStopped) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error in mergeBlockStreams: got %v; want %v", err, errForciblyStopped)
 	}
@@ -387,8 +386,7 @@ func testMergeBlockStreams(t *testing.T, bsrs []*blockStreamReader, expectedBloc
 	var bsw blockStreamWriter
 	bsw.InitFromInmemoryPart(&mp)
 
-	strg := &Storage{}
-	strg.setDeletedMetricIDs(nil)
+	strg := newTestStorage()
 	var rowsMerged, rowsDeleted uint64
 	if err := mergeBlockStreams(&mp.ph, &bsw, bsrs, nil, strg, 0, &rowsMerged, &rowsDeleted); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error in mergeBlockStreams: %s", err)
diff --git a/lib/storage/merge_timing_test.go b/lib/storage/merge_timing_test.go
index 5c68bae5e..5cbbe5455 100644
--- a/lib/storage/merge_timing_test.go
+++ b/lib/storage/merge_timing_test.go
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ func BenchmarkMergeBlockStreamsFourSourcesBestCase(b *testing.B) {
 
 func benchmarkMergeBlockStreams(b *testing.B, mps []*inmemoryPart, rowsPerLoop int64) {
 	var rowsMerged, rowsDeleted uint64
-	strg := &Storage{}
-	strg.setDeletedMetricIDs(nil)
+	strg := newTestStorage()
 
 	b.ReportAllocs()
 	b.SetBytes(rowsPerLoop)
diff --git a/lib/storage/partition_search_test.go b/lib/storage/partition_search_test.go
index 6e4fb62d6..7844a3bef 100644
--- a/lib/storage/partition_search_test.go
+++ b/lib/storage/partition_search_test.go
@@ -165,8 +165,7 @@ func testPartitionSearchEx(t *testing.T, ptt int64, tr TimeRange, partsCount, ma
 	})
 
 	// Create partition from rowss and test search on it.
-	strg := &Storage{}
-	strg.setDeletedMetricIDs(nil)
+	strg := newTestStorage()
 	retentionMsecs := timestampFromTime(time.Now()) - ptr.MinTimestamp + 3600*1000
 	var isReadOnly uint32
 	pt, err := createPartition(ptt, "./small-table", "./big-table", strg, retentionMsecs, &isReadOnly)
diff --git a/lib/storage/table_search_test.go b/lib/storage/table_search_test.go
index 7f4bf08c7..5676bfcd3 100644
--- a/lib/storage/table_search_test.go
+++ b/lib/storage/table_search_test.go
@@ -181,8 +181,7 @@ func testTableSearchEx(t *testing.T, trData, trSearch TimeRange, partitionsCount
 	})
 
 	// Create a table from rowss and test search on it.
-	strg := &Storage{}
-	strg.setDeletedMetricIDs(nil)
+	strg := newTestStorage()
 	var isReadOnly uint32
 	tb, err := openTable("./test-table", strg, maxRetentionMsecs, &isReadOnly)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/lib/storage/table_search_timing_test.go b/lib/storage/table_search_timing_test.go
index 5c0140176..1308d8ac5 100644
--- a/lib/storage/table_search_timing_test.go
+++ b/lib/storage/table_search_timing_test.go
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ func openBenchTable(b *testing.B, startTimestamp int64, rowsPerInsert, rowsCount
 		createBenchTable(b, path, startTimestamp, rowsPerInsert, rowsCount, tsidsCount)
 		createdBenchTables[path] = true
 	}
-	strg := &Storage{}
-	strg.setDeletedMetricIDs(nil)
+	strg := newTestStorage()
 	var isReadOnly uint32
 	tb, err := openTable(path, strg, maxRetentionMsecs, &isReadOnly)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -70,8 +69,7 @@ var createdBenchTables = make(map[string]bool)
 func createBenchTable(b *testing.B, path string, startTimestamp int64, rowsPerInsert, rowsCount, tsidsCount int) {
 	b.Helper()
 
-	strg := &Storage{}
-	strg.setDeletedMetricIDs(nil)
+	strg := newTestStorage()
 	var isReadOnly uint32
 	tb, err := openTable(path, strg, maxRetentionMsecs, &isReadOnly)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/lib/storage/table_test.go b/lib/storage/table_test.go
index 2a3533a24..7268d45d7 100644
--- a/lib/storage/table_test.go
+++ b/lib/storage/table_test.go
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ func TestTableOpenClose(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 
 	// Create a new table
-	strg := &Storage{}
-	strg.setDeletedMetricIDs(nil)
+	strg := newTestStorage()
 	var isReadOnly uint32
 	tb, err := openTable(path, strg, retentionMsecs, &isReadOnly)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -46,8 +45,7 @@ func TestTableOpenMultipleTimes(t *testing.T) {
 		_ = os.RemoveAll(path)
 	}()
 
-	strg := &Storage{}
-	strg.setDeletedMetricIDs(nil)
+	strg := newTestStorage()
 	var isReadOnly uint32
 	tb1, err := openTable(path, strg, retentionMsecs, &isReadOnly)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/lib/storage/table_timing_test.go b/lib/storage/table_timing_test.go
index 2b4cd6316..01bae910a 100644
--- a/lib/storage/table_timing_test.go
+++ b/lib/storage/table_timing_test.go
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@ func benchmarkTableAddRows(b *testing.B, rowsPerInsert, tsidsCount int) {
 	b.ReportAllocs()
 	b.SetBytes(int64(rowsCountExpected))
 	tablePath := "./benchmarkTableAddRows"
-	strg := &Storage{}
-	strg.setDeletedMetricIDs(nil)
+	strg := newTestStorage()
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
 		var isReadOnly uint32
 		tb, err := openTable(tablePath, strg, maxRetentionMsecs, &isReadOnly)