diff --git a/data/data.go b/data/data.go
index c525d54..5a15365 100644
--- a/data/data.go
+++ b/data/data.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
 	dbTraceLog = apid.Log().ForModule("data_trace")
 
 	config.SetDefault(configDataDriverKey, "sqlite3")
-	config.SetDefault(configDataSourceKey, "%s")
+	config.SetDefault(configDataSourceKey, "file:%s")
 	config.SetDefault(configDataPathKey, "sqlite")
 
 	return &dataService{}
diff --git a/data/data_test.go b/data/data_test.go
index 26dd52e..b4d20ae 100644
--- a/data/data_test.go
+++ b/data/data_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 )
 
 const (
-	count    = 2000
+	count    = 5000
 	setupSql = `
 		CREATE TABLE test_1 (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, counter TEXT);
 		CREATE TABLE test_2 (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, counter TEXT);`
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@
 }
 
 func write(db apid.DB, i int) {
+
+	// DB INSERT as a txn
 	tx, err := db.Begin()
 	defer tx.Rollback()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -162,5 +164,7 @@
 	}
 	prep.Close()
 	tx.Commit()
+	// DB INSERT directly, not via a txn
+	db.Exec("INSERT INTO test_1 (counter) VALUES ($?)", i + 10000)
 	fmt.Print("+")
 }