diff --git a/test/python/conftest.py b/test/python/conftest.py
index b2fe9d4a..2f19ed4c 100644
--- a/test/python/conftest.py
+++ b/test/python/conftest.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def temp_db(monkeypatch):
 
     with psycopg.connect(dbname='postgres', autocommit=True) as conn:
         with conn.cursor() as cur:
-            cur.execute('DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS {}'.format(name))
+            cur.execute(pysql.SQL('DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS') + pysql.Identifier(name))
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -104,7 +104,9 @@ def table_factory(temp_db_conn):
     """
     def mk_table(name, definition='id INT', content=None):
         with psycopg.ClientCursor(temp_db_conn) as cur:
-            cur.execute('CREATE TABLE {} ({})'.format(name, definition))
+            cur.execute(pysql.SQL("CREATE TABLE {} ({})")
+                             .format(pysql.Identifier(name),
+                                     pysql.SQL(definition)))
             if content:
                 sql = pysql.SQL("INSERT INTO {} VALUES ({})")\
                            .format(pysql.Identifier(name),
diff --git a/test/python/tools/test_database_import.py b/test/python/tools/test_database_import.py
index eab747a5..221e4fba 100644
--- a/test/python/tools/test_database_import.py
+++ b/test/python/tools/test_database_import.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # This file is part of Nominatim. (https://nominatim.org)
 #
-# Copyright (C) 2025 by the Nominatim developer community.
+# Copyright (C) 2026 by the Nominatim developer community.
 # For a full list of authors see the git log.
 """
 Tests for functions to import a new database.
@@ -25,12 +25,14 @@ class TestDatabaseSetup:
     def setup_nonexistant_db(self):
         with psycopg.connect(dbname='postgres', autocommit=True) as conn:
             with conn.cursor() as cur:
-                cur.execute(f'DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS {self.DBNAME}')
+                cur.execute(pysql.SQL('DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS ')
+                            + pysql.Identifier(self.DBNAME))
 
             yield True
 
             with conn.cursor() as cur:
-                cur.execute(f'DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS {self.DBNAME}')
+                cur.execute(pysql.SQL('DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS ')
+                            + pysql.Identifier(self.DBNAME))
 
     @pytest.fixture
     def cursor(self):