diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5c2412702..7205062ce 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -75,3 +75,8 @@ lockfiles/
 # this file may be created accidentally by ibek being run in its own directory
 # so we ignore it
 config/
+
+# generated test files
+tests/samples/epics/opi
+tests/samples/epics/runtime
+
diff --git a/src/ibek/runtime_cmds/commands.py b/src/ibek/runtime_cmds/commands.py
index 288d56a7f..8b1899b47 100644
--- a/src/ibek/runtime_cmds/commands.py
+++ b/src/ibek/runtime_cmds/commands.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ def generate_pvi(ioc: IOC) -> Tuple[List[IndexEntry], List[Tuple[Database, Entit
 
                 # Add to extra databases to be added into substitution file
                 databases.append(
-                    (Database(file=output_template.as_posix(), args=macros), entity)
+                    (Database(file=output_template.name, args=macros), entity)
                 )
 
             if device_name not in formatted_pvi_devices:
diff --git a/src/ibek/templates/ioc/start.sh b/src/ibek/templates/ioc/start.sh
index c633fbb2f..17939c779 100755
--- a/src/ibek/templates/ioc/start.sh
+++ b/src/ibek/templates/ioc/start.sh
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ if [ -f ${ibek_src} ]; then
     # build expanded database using msi
     if [ -f ${db_src} ]; then
         includes=$(for i in ${SUPPORT}/*/db; do echo -n "-I $i "; done)
-        bash -c "msi -o${epics_db} ${includes} -S${db_src}"
+        bash -c "msi -o${epics_db} ${includes} -I${RUNTIME_DIR} -S${db_src}"
     fi
 
 # 2. st.cmd + ioc.subst ************************************************
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ elif [ -f ${ioc_startup} ] ; then
     if [ -f ${CONFIG_DIR}/ioc.subst ]; then
         # generate ioc.db from ioc.subst, including all templates from SUPPORT
         includes=$(for i in ${SUPPORT}/*/db; do echo -n "-I $i "; done)
-        msi ${includes} -S ${CONFIG_DIR}/ioc.subst -o ${epics_db}
+        msi ${includes} -I${RUNTIME_DIR} -S ${CONFIG_DIR}/ioc.subst -o ${epics_db}
     fi
     final_ioc_startup=${ioc_startup}
 
diff --git a/tests/samples/outputs/all.db.subst b/tests/samples/outputs/all.db.subst
deleted file mode 100644
index 18768ef31..000000000
--- a/tests/samples/outputs/all.db.subst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-#############################################################################
-# DB substitution file generated by http://github.com/epics-containers/ibek #
-#############################################################################
-
-file "another_test.db" {
-pattern 
-	{ "name",          "my_int_enum", "clock_rate", "db_calculated",       "calculated_one"                                }
-	{ "AllObject One", "2",           "dummy",      "HELLO AllObject One", "AllObject One.AllObject One String.1.1.0.True" }
-	{ "AllObject Two", "1",           "1",          "HELLO AllObject Two", "AllObject Two.AllObject Two String.1.1.0.True" }
-}
-
-file "yet_another.db" {
-pattern 
-	{ "name",          "my_object", "my_float", "my_bool" }
-	{ "AllObject One", "Ref1",      "1.0",      "True"    }
-	{ "AllObject Two", "Ref1",      "1.0",      "True"    }
-}
-
-file "test.db" {
-pattern 
-	{ "name",                 "ip",        "value"          }
-	{ "Consumer Two With DB", "127.0.0.1", "Ref1.127.0.0.1" }
-}
-
-file "/epics/pvi/simple.pvi.template" {
-pattern 
-	{ "prefix"             }
-	{ "Ref1"               }
-	{ "AllObject One"      }
-	{ "AllObject Two"      }
-	{ "Disabled RefObject" }
-}
diff --git a/tests/samples/outputs/all.ioc.subst b/tests/samples/outputs/all.ioc.subst
index 13ad05aaa..3f64c0324 100644
--- a/tests/samples/outputs/all.ioc.subst
+++ b/tests/samples/outputs/all.ioc.subst
@@ -28,3 +28,10 @@ pattern
 	{ "name",                 "ip",        "value"          }
 	{ "Consumer Two With DB", "127.0.0.1", "Ref1.127.0.0.1" }
 }
+
+file "simple.pvi.template" {
+pattern 
+	{ "prefix"        }
+	{ "AllObject One" }
+	{ "AllObject Two" }
+}
diff --git a/tests/samples/outputs/objects.db.subst b/tests/samples/outputs/objects.db.subst
deleted file mode 100644
index 119777883..000000000
--- a/tests/samples/outputs/objects.db.subst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-#############################################################################
-# DB substitution file generated by http://github.com/epics-containers/ibek #
-#############################################################################
-
-file "test.db" {
-pattern 
-	{ "name",                             "ip",       "value"              }
-	{ "Consumer of another port",         "10.0.0.2", "AsynPort2.10.0.0.2" }
-	{ "Another Consumer of the 2nd port", "10.0.0.2", "AsynPort2.10.0.0.2" }
-}
-
-file "/epics/pvi/simple.pvi.template" {
-pattern 
-	{ "prefix"    }
-	{ "AsynPort1" }
-	{ "AsynPort2" }
-}
diff --git a/tests/samples/outputs/utils.db.subst b/tests/samples/outputs/utils.db.subst
deleted file mode 100644
index 535e1a86b..000000000
--- a/tests/samples/outputs/utils.db.subst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-#############################################################################
-# DB substitution file generated by http://github.com/epics-containers/ibek #
-#############################################################################
diff --git a/tests/samples/yaml/all.ibek.support.yaml b/tests/samples/yaml/all.ibek.support.yaml
index 437265629..fbff68342 100644
--- a/tests/samples/yaml/all.ibek.support.yaml
+++ b/tests/samples/yaml/all.ibek.support.yaml
@@ -122,3 +122,4 @@ defs:
     pvi:
       yaml_path: simple.pvi.device.yaml
       prefix: "{{ name }}"
+      pva: true