diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/storage/db.ts b/packages/opencode/src/storage/db.ts
index fadd6395ed..a940b3a55f 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/storage/db.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/storage/db.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const log = Log.create({ service: "db" })
 export namespace Database {
   export const Path = iife(() => {
     if (Flag.OPENCODE_DB) {
-      if (path.isAbsolute(Flag.OPENCODE_DB)) return Flag.OPENCODE_DB
+      if (Flag.OPENCODE_DB === ":memory:" || path.isAbsolute(Flag.OPENCODE_DB)) return Flag.OPENCODE_DB
       return path.join(Global.Path.data, Flag.OPENCODE_DB)
     }
     const channel = Installation.CHANNEL
diff --git a/packages/opencode/test/sync/index.test.ts b/packages/opencode/test/sync/index.test.ts
index 0e9e596ea8..30a60e7815 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/test/sync/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/opencode/test/sync/index.test.ts
@@ -9,13 +9,14 @@ import { EventTable } from "../../src/sync/event.sql"
 import { Identifier } from "../../src/id/id"
 import { Flag } from "../../src/flag/flag"
 
+const original = Flag.OPENCODE_EXPERIMENTAL_WORKSPACES
+
 beforeEach(() => {
   Database.close()
-})
 
-const original = Flag.OPENCODE_EXPERIMENTAL_WORKSPACES
-// @ts-expect-error don't do this normally, but it works
-Flag.OPENCODE_EXPERIMENTAL_WORKSPACES = true
+  // @ts-expect-error don't do this normally, but it works
+  Flag.OPENCODE_EXPERIMENTAL_WORKSPACES = true
+})
 
 afterEach(() => {
   // @ts-expect-error don't do this normally, but it works