diff --git a/base/uk.ac.stfc.isis.ibex.alarm.tests/src/uk/ac/stfc/isis/ibex/alarm/tests/AlarmSettingsTest.java b/base/uk.ac.stfc.isis.ibex.alarm.tests/src/uk/ac/stfc/isis/ibex/alarm/tests/AlarmSettingsTest.java
index f546261404..186af63db6 100644
--- a/base/uk.ac.stfc.isis.ibex.alarm.tests/src/uk/ac/stfc/isis/ibex/alarm/tests/AlarmSettingsTest.java
+++ b/base/uk.ac.stfc.isis.ibex.alarm.tests/src/uk/ac/stfc/isis/ibex/alarm/tests/AlarmSettingsTest.java
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public class AlarmSettingsTest {
      *         instrument.
      */
     private static String buildRdbUrl(String hostName, String table) {
-        return "jdbc:mysql://" + hostName + "/" + table + "?useSSL=false&useUnicode=true&useJDBCCompliantTimezoneShift=true&useLegacyDatetimeCode=false&serverTimezone=Europe/London&autoReconnect=true";
+        return "jdbc:mysql://" + hostName + "/" + table + "?useSSL=false&useUnicode=true&useJDBCCompliantTimezoneShift=true&useLegacyDatetimeCode=false&serverTimezone=Europe/London&autoReconnect=true&allowPublicKeyRetrieval=true";
     }
 
     /**