diff --git a/ci/github/phpunit/sqlite.xml b/ci/github/phpunit/sqlite.xml
index 90943141657..4639aa3a1b2 100644
--- a/ci/github/phpunit/sqlite.xml
+++ b/ci/github/phpunit/sqlite.xml
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
          failOnRisky="true"
 >
     <php>
+        <!-- use an in-memory sqlite database -->
+        <var name="db_driver" value="pdo_sqlite"/>
+        <var name="db_memory" value="true"/>
+
         <!-- necessary change for some CLI/console output test assertions -->
         <env name="COLUMNS" value="120"/>
     </php>
diff --git a/phpunit.xml.dist b/phpunit.xml.dist
index 39eaa5f1784..e965bf24319 100644
--- a/phpunit.xml.dist
+++ b/phpunit.xml.dist
@@ -33,22 +33,26 @@
 
   <php>
     <!-- "Real" test database -->
-    <!-- uncomment, otherwise sqlite memory runs
-    <var name="db_driver" value="pdo_mysql"/>
-    <var name="db_host" value="localhost" />
-    <var name="db_user" value="root" />
-    <var name="db_password" value="" />
-    <var name="db_dbname" value="doctrine_tests" />
-    <var name="db_port" value="3306"/>-->
+    <var name="db_driver" value="pdo_sqlite"/>
+    <var name="db_memory" value="true"/>
+      <!-- to use another database driver / credentials, provide them like so:
+      <var name="db_driver" value="pdo_mysql"/>
+      <var name="db_host" value="localhost" />
+      <var name="db_user" value="root" />
+      <var name="db_password" value="" />
+      <var name="db_dbname" value="doctrine_tests" />
+      <var name="db_port" value="3306"/>-->
     <!--<var name="db_event_subscribers" value="Doctrine\DBAL\Event\Listeners\OracleSessionInit">-->
 
     <!-- Database for temporary connections (i.e. to drop/create the main database) -->
+    <!--
     <var name="tmpdb_driver" value="pdo_mysql"/>
     <var name="tmpdb_host" value="localhost" />
     <var name="tmpdb_user" value="root" />
     <var name="tmpdb_password" value="" />
     <var name="tmpdb_dbname" value="doctrine_tests_tmp" />
     <var name="tmpdb_port" value="3306"/>
+    -->
 
     <env name="COLUMNS" value="120"/>
   </php>
diff --git a/tests/Doctrine/Tests/TestUtil.php b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/TestUtil.php
index 74a99cadbb9..604ac082b73 100644
--- a/tests/Doctrine/Tests/TestUtil.php
+++ b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/TestUtil.php
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 use function strlen;
 use function strpos;
 use function substr;
-use function unlink;
 
 use const STDERR;
 
@@ -60,9 +59,8 @@ public static function getConnection(): Connection
         fwrite(
             STDERR,
             sprintf(
-                "\nUsing DB driver %s (from %s connection params)\n",
-                get_class($conn->getDriver()),
-                $params['is_fallback'] ? 'fallback' : 'specified'
+                "\nUsing DB driver %s\n",
+                get_class($conn->getDriver())
             )
         );
 
@@ -100,25 +98,7 @@ public static function getTempConnection(): Connection
      */
     private static function getConnectionParams()
     {
-        if (self::hasRequiredConnectionParams()) {
-            return self::getSpecifiedConnectionParams();
-        }
-
-        return self::getFallbackConnectionParams();
-    }
-
-    private static function hasRequiredConnectionParams(): bool
-    {
-        return isset($GLOBALS['db_driver']);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @psalm-return array<string, mixed>
-     */
-    private static function getSpecifiedConnectionParams()
-    {
-        $realDbParams                = self::getParamsForMainConnection();
-        $realDbParams['is_fallback'] = false;
+        $realDbParams = self::getParamsForMainConnection();
 
         if (! self::$initialized) {
             $tmpDbParams = self::getParamsForTemporaryConnection();
@@ -154,25 +134,6 @@ private static function getSpecifiedConnectionParams()
         return $realDbParams;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @psalm-return array<string, mixed>
-     */
-    private static function getFallbackConnectionParams()
-    {
-        $params = [
-            'driver' => 'pdo_sqlite',
-            'memory' => true,
-            'is_fallback' => true,
-        ];
-
-        if (isset($GLOBALS['db_path'])) {
-            $params['path'] = $GLOBALS['db_path'];
-            unlink($GLOBALS['db_path']);
-        }
-
-        return $params;
-    }
-
     private static function addDbEventSubscribers(Connection $conn): void
     {
         if (isset($GLOBALS['db_event_subscribers'])) {
@@ -204,6 +165,12 @@ private static function getParamsForTemporaryConnection()
      */
     private static function getParamsForMainConnection()
     {
+        if (! isset($GLOBALS['db_driver'])) {
+            throw new UnexpectedValueException(
+                'You must provide database connection params including a db_driver value. See phpunit.xml.dist for details'
+            );
+        }
+
         return self::mapConnectionParameters($GLOBALS, 'db_');
     }
 
@@ -225,6 +192,7 @@ private static function mapConnectionParameters(array $configuration, string $pr
                 'dbname',
                 'port',
                 'server',
+                'memory',
                 'ssl_key',
                 'ssl_cert',
                 'ssl_ca',