diff --git a/gratipay/testing/__init__.py b/gratipay/testing/__init__.py
index 29713d2385..e0b79ffa36 100644
--- a/gratipay/testing/__init__.py
+++ b/gratipay/testing/__init__.py
@@ -196,8 +196,7 @@ def make_exchange(self, route, amount, fee, participant, status='succeeded', err
             network = route
             route = ExchangeRoute.from_network(participant, network)
             if not route:
-                from .balanced import BalancedHarness
-                route = ExchangeRoute.insert(participant, network, BalancedHarness.card_href)
+                route = ExchangeRoute.insert(participant, network, 'dummy-address')
                 assert route
         e_id = record_exchange(self.db, route, amount, fee, participant, 'pre')
         record_exchange_result(self.db, e_id, status, error, participant)
diff --git a/gratipay/testing/balanced.py b/gratipay/testing/balanced.py
index dfbb1dd8ca..0d905a4840 100644
--- a/gratipay/testing/balanced.py
+++ b/gratipay/testing/balanced.py
@@ -24,6 +24,49 @@ def setUp(self):
                                            balanced_customer_href=self.homer_href)
         self.homer_route = ExchangeRoute.insert(self.homer, 'balanced-ba', self.bank_account_href)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        with use_cassette('BalancedHarness'):
+            balanced.configure(balanced.APIKey().save().secret)
+            mp = balanced.Marketplace.my_marketplace
+            if not mp:
+                mp = balanced.Marketplace().save()
+            cls.balanced_marketplace = mp
+
+            cls.david_href = cls.make_balanced_customer()
+
+            cls.janet_href = cls.make_balanced_customer()
+            cls.card = balanced.Card(
+                number='4111111111111111',
+                expiration_month=10,
+                expiration_year=2020,
+                address={
+                    'line1': "123 Main Street",
+                    'state': 'Confusion',
+                    'postal_code': '90210',
+                },
+                # gratipay stores some of the address data in the meta fields,
+                # continue using them to support backwards compatibility
+                meta={
+                    'address_2': 'Box 2',
+                    'city_town': '',
+                    'region': 'Confusion',
+                }
+            ).save()
+            cls.card.associate_to_customer(cls.janet_href)
+            cls.card_href = unicode(cls.card.href)
+
+            cls.homer_href = cls.make_balanced_customer()
+            cls.bank_account = balanced.BankAccount(
+                name='Homer Jay',
+                account_number='112233a',
+                routing_number='121042882',
+            ).save()
+            cls.bank_account.associate_to_customer(cls.homer_href)
+            cls.bank_account_href = unicode(cls.bank_account.href)
+
+        super(BalancedHarness, cls).setUpClass()
+
     @classmethod
     def tearDownClass(cls):
         has_exchange_id = balanced.Transaction.f.meta.contains('exchange_id')
@@ -35,42 +78,4 @@ def tearDownClass(cls):
         super(BalancedHarness, cls).tearDownClass()
 
 
-with use_cassette('BalancedHarness'):
-    cls = BalancedHarness
-    balanced.configure(balanced.APIKey().save().secret)
-    mp = balanced.Marketplace.my_marketplace
-    if not mp:
-        mp = balanced.Marketplace().save()
-    cls.balanced_marketplace = mp
-
-    cls.david_href = cls.make_balanced_customer()
-
-    cls.janet_href = cls.make_balanced_customer()
-    cls.card = balanced.Card(
-        number='4111111111111111',
-        expiration_month=10,
-        expiration_year=2020,
-        address={
-            'line1': "123 Main Street",
-            'state': 'Confusion',
-            'postal_code': '90210',
-        },
-        # gratipay stores some of the address data in the meta fields,
-        # continue using them to support backwards compatibility
-        meta={
-            'address_2': 'Box 2',
-            'city_town': '',
-            'region': 'Confusion',
-        }
-    ).save()
-    cls.card.associate_to_customer(cls.janet_href)
-    cls.card_href = unicode(cls.card.href)
 
-    cls.homer_href = cls.make_balanced_customer()
-    cls.bank_account = balanced.BankAccount(
-        name='Homer Jay',
-        account_number='112233a',
-        routing_number='121042882',
-    ).save()
-    cls.bank_account.associate_to_customer(cls.homer_href)
-    cls.bank_account_href = unicode(cls.bank_account.href)