Setting the env var in spec_helper is not early enough

config/environments/test.rb

@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ require 'gitlab/testing/request_inspector_middleware'
 require 'gitlab/testing/clear_process_memory_cache_middleware'
 require 'gitlab/utils'
 
+# Set GITLAB_USE_MODEL_LOAD_BALANCING to a non-nil value
+# CI tables consistently use the same connection
+# See https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/82562
+ENV['GITLAB_USE_MODEL_LOAD_BALANCING'] ||= 'true'
+
 Rails.application.configure do
   # Make sure the middleware is inserted first in middleware chain
   config.middleware.insert_before(ActionDispatch::Static, Gitlab::Testing::RequestBlockerMiddleware)

spec/spec_helper.rb

@@ -264,14 +264,7 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
       stub_feature_flags(force_no_sharing_primary_model: false)
     end
 
-    # Set GITLAB_USE_MODEL_LOAD_BALANCING to a non-nil value
-    # so that feature, and request specs work with multiple databases
-    previous_value = ENV['GITLAB_USE_MODEL_LOAD_BALANCING']
-    ENV['GITLAB_USE_MODEL_LOAD_BALANCING'] ||= 'true'
-
     example.run
-
-    ENV['GITLAB_USE_MODEL_LOAD_BALANCING'] = previous_value
   end
 
   config.append_after do