diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests.Common/SettingsForTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests.Common/SettingsForTests.cs
index c3ba47e61b..0f7836c788 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests.Common/SettingsForTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests.Common/SettingsForTests.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-using Moq;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using Moq;
 using Semver;
 using Umbraco.Core;
 using Umbraco.Core.Configuration;
@@ -100,31 +101,26 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Common
         /// </summary>
         private void ResetSettings()
         {
-            _defaultGlobalSettings = null;
+            _defaultGlobalSettings.Clear();
+            _defaultHostingSettings = null;
         }
 
-        private IGlobalSettings _defaultGlobalSettings;
+        private readonly Dictionary<SemVersion, IGlobalSettings> _defaultGlobalSettings = new Dictionary<SemVersion, IGlobalSettings>();
         private IHostingSettings _defaultHostingSettings;
 
         public IGlobalSettings GetDefaultGlobalSettings(IUmbracoVersion umbVersion)
         {
-            if (_defaultGlobalSettings == null)
-            {
-                _defaultGlobalSettings = GenerateMockGlobalSettings(umbVersion);
-            }
-            return _defaultGlobalSettings;
+            if (_defaultGlobalSettings.TryGetValue(umbVersion.SemanticVersion, out var settings))
+                return settings;
+
+            settings = GenerateMockGlobalSettings(umbVersion);
+            _defaultGlobalSettings[umbVersion.SemanticVersion] = settings;
+            return settings;
         }
 
-        public IHostingSettings GetDefaultHostingSettings()
-        {
-            if (_defaultHostingSettings == null)
-            {
-                _defaultHostingSettings = GenerateMockHostingSettings();
-            }
-            return _defaultHostingSettings;
-        }
+        public IHostingSettings DefaultHostingSettings => _defaultHostingSettings ?? (_defaultHostingSettings = GenerateMockHostingSettings());
 
-        private IHostingSettings GenerateMockHostingSettings()
+        public IHostingSettings GenerateMockHostingSettings()
         {
             var config = Mock.Of<IHostingSettings>(
                 settings =>
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests.Integration/Implementations/TestHelper.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests.Integration/Implementations/TestHelper.cs
index d5b2d1a196..eb96ca01a8 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests.Integration/Implementations/TestHelper.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests.Integration/Implementations/TestHelper.cs
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Integration.Implementations
 
         public override IHostingEnvironment GetHostingEnvironment()
             => _hostingEnvironment ??= new TestHostingEnvironment(
-                SettingsForTests.GetDefaultHostingSettings(),
+                SettingsForTests.DefaultHostingSettings,
                 _hostEnvironment);
 
         public override IApplicationShutdownRegistry GetHostingEnvironmentLifetime() => _hostingLifetime;
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Components/ComponentTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Components/ComponentTests.cs
index 807c12973c..8438ec0109 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Components/ComponentTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Components/ComponentTests.cs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Components
 
             var logger = Mock.Of<ILogger>();
             var typeFinder = TestHelper.GetTypeFinder();
-            var f = new UmbracoDatabaseFactory(logger, SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings(), Mock.Of<IConnectionStrings>(), new Lazy<IMapperCollection>(() => new MapperCollection(Enumerable.Empty<BaseMapper>())), TestHelper.DbProviderFactoryCreator);
+            var f = new UmbracoDatabaseFactory(logger, SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings, Mock.Of<IConnectionStrings>(), new Lazy<IMapperCollection>(() => new MapperCollection(Enumerable.Empty<BaseMapper>())), TestHelper.DbProviderFactoryCreator);
             var fs = new FileSystems(mock.Object, logger, TestHelper.IOHelper, SettingsForTests.GenerateMockGlobalSettings());
             var coreDebug = Mock.Of<ICoreDebugSettings>();
             var mediaFileSystem = Mock.Of<IMediaFileSystem>();
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Configurations/GlobalSettingsTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Configurations/GlobalSettingsTests.cs
index 327c801f5b..56237f562c 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Configurations/GlobalSettingsTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Configurations/GlobalSettingsTests.cs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Configurations
         {
 
             var globalSettings = SettingsForTests.GenerateMockGlobalSettings();
-            var mockHostingSettings = Mock.Get(SettingsForTests.GetDefaultHostingSettings());
+            var mockHostingSettings = Mock.Get(SettingsForTests.GenerateMockHostingSettings());
             mockHostingSettings.Setup(x => x.ApplicationVirtualPath).Returns(rootPath);
 
             var hostingEnvironment = new AspNetHostingEnvironment(mockHostingSettings.Object);
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/CoreThings/UriExtensionsTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/CoreThings/UriExtensionsTests.cs
index 1fe3a50d0c..6fdf9d9385 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/CoreThings/UriExtensionsTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/CoreThings/UriExtensionsTests.cs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.CoreThings
         public void Is_Back_Office_Request(string input, string virtualPath, bool expected)
         {
             var globalSettings = SettingsForTests.GenerateMockGlobalSettings();
-            var mockHostingSettings = Mock.Get(SettingsForTests.GetDefaultHostingSettings());
+            var mockHostingSettings = Mock.Get(SettingsForTests.GenerateMockHostingSettings());
             mockHostingSettings.Setup(x => x.ApplicationVirtualPath).Returns(virtualPath);
             var hostingEnvironment = new AspNetHostingEnvironment(mockHostingSettings.Object);
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/IO/FileSystemsTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/IO/FileSystemsTests.cs
index bf726c6fd8..bbd306ad6d 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/IO/FileSystemsTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/IO/FileSystemsTests.cs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.IO
             composition.RegisterUnique<IMediaPathScheme, UniqueMediaPathScheme>();
             composition.RegisterUnique(TestHelper.IOHelper);
 
-            composition.Configs.Add(SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings);
+            composition.Configs.Add(() => SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings);
             composition.Configs.Add(SettingsForTests.GenerateMockContentSettings);
 
             composition.ComposeFileSystems();
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Models/UserTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Models/UserTests.cs
index 531112e4b6..0bd6b17cf1 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Models/UserTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Models/UserTests.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Models
     [TestFixture]
     public class UserTests
     {
-        private IGlobalSettings GlobalSettings { get; } = SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings();
+        private IGlobalSettings GlobalSettings { get; } = SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings;
 
         [Test]
         public void Can_Deep_Clone()
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Models/VariationTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Models/VariationTests.cs
index f353ee3c8a..774c1cb612 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Models/VariationTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Models/VariationTests.cs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Models
             Current.Reset();
 
             var configs = TestHelper.GetConfigs();
-            configs.Add(SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings);
+            configs.Add(() => SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings);
             configs.Add(SettingsForTests.GenerateMockContentSettings);
 
             _factory = Mock.Of<IFactory>();
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Routing/RoutableDocumentFilterTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Routing/RoutableDocumentFilterTests.cs
index bedd8a8744..a78459fa39 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Routing/RoutableDocumentFilterTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Routing/RoutableDocumentFilterTests.cs
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Routing
         public void Is_Reserved_By_Route(string url, bool shouldMatch)
         {
             //reset the app config, we only want to test routes not the hard coded paths
+            // TODO: Why are we using and modifying the global IGlobalSettings and not just a custom one?
             var globalSettingsMock = Mock.Get(Factory.GetInstance<IGlobalSettings>()); //this will modify the IGlobalSettings instance stored in the container
             globalSettingsMock.Setup(x => x.ReservedPaths).Returns("");
             globalSettingsMock.Setup(x => x.ReservedUrls).Returns("");
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Runtimes/CoreRuntimeTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Runtimes/CoreRuntimeTests.cs
index 6ccb2c3b35..488a4f6dad 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Runtimes/CoreRuntimeTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Runtimes/CoreRuntimeTests.cs
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Runtimes
             private static readonly IIOHelper _ioHelper = TestHelper.IOHelper;
             private static readonly IProfiler _profiler = new TestProfiler();
             private static readonly Configs _configs = GetConfigs();
-            private static readonly IGlobalSettings _globalSettings = SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings();
-            private static readonly IHostingSettings _hostingSettings = SettingsForTests.GetDefaultHostingSettings();
+            private static readonly IGlobalSettings _globalSettings = SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings;
+            private static readonly IHostingSettings _hostingSettings = SettingsForTests.DefaultHostingSettings;
             private static readonly IContentSettings _contentSettings = SettingsForTests.GenerateMockContentSettings();
             private static readonly IWebRoutingSettings _settings = _configs.WebRouting();
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Runtimes/StandaloneTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Runtimes/StandaloneTests.cs
index 1b6526c24b..1a4c7f2040 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Runtimes/StandaloneTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Runtimes/StandaloneTests.cs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Runtimes
                 .Append<DistributedCacheBinderComponent>();
 
             // configure
-            composition.Configs.Add(TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings);
+            composition.Configs.Add(() => TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings);
             composition.Configs.Add(TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GenerateMockContentSettings);
 
             // create and register the factory
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Runtimes
                 var scopeProvider = factory.GetInstance<IScopeProvider>();
                 using (var scope = scopeProvider.CreateScope())
                 {
-                    var creator = new DatabaseSchemaCreator(scope.Database, logger, umbracoVersion, TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings());
+                    var creator = new DatabaseSchemaCreator(scope.Database, logger, umbracoVersion, TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings);
                     creator.InitializeDatabaseSchema();
                     scope.Complete();
                 }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Scoping/ScopeEventDispatcherTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Scoping/ScopeEventDispatcherTests.cs
index fd37192da2..40e0f60fe6 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Scoping/ScopeEventDispatcherTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Scoping/ScopeEventDispatcherTests.cs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Scoping
             composition.RegisterUnique(factory => new FileSystems(factory, factory.TryGetInstance<ILogger>(), TestHelper.IOHelper, SettingsForTests.GenerateMockGlobalSettings()));
             composition.WithCollectionBuilder<MapperCollectionBuilder>();
 
-            composition.Configs.Add(SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings);
+            composition.Configs.Add(() => SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings);
             composition.Configs.Add(SettingsForTests.GenerateMockContentSettings);
 
             Current.Reset();
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/SettingsForTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/SettingsForTests.cs
index fc3d3f6b52..b58301287b 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/SettingsForTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/SettingsForTests.cs
@@ -45,9 +45,11 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.TestHelpers
 
         public static void Reset() => _settingsForTests.Reset();
 
-        internal static IGlobalSettings GetDefaultGlobalSettings() => _settingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings(TestHelper.GetUmbracoVersion());
+        internal static IGlobalSettings DefaultGlobalSettings => _settingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings(TestHelper.GetUmbracoVersion());
 
-        internal static IHostingSettings GetDefaultHostingSettings() => _settingsForTests.GetDefaultHostingSettings();
+        internal static IHostingSettings DefaultHostingSettings => _settingsForTests.DefaultHostingSettings;
+
+        public static IHostingSettings GenerateMockHostingSettings() => _settingsForTests.GenerateMockHostingSettings();
 
         public static IWebRoutingSettings GenerateMockWebRoutingSettings() => _settingsForTests.GenerateMockWebRoutingSettings();
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestHelper.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestHelper.cs
index aab0903f1d..7eca49183d 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestHelper.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestHelper.cs
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.TestHelpers
                     TestHelper.IOHelper, Mock.Of<ILogger>(), SettingsForTests.GenerateMockWebRoutingSettings());
 
             public override IHostingEnvironment GetHostingEnvironment()
-                => new AspNetHostingEnvironment(SettingsForTests.GetDefaultHostingSettings());
+                => new AspNetHostingEnvironment(SettingsForTests.DefaultHostingSettings);
 
             public override IApplicationShutdownRegistry GetHostingEnvironmentLifetime()
                 => new AspNetApplicationShutdownRegistry();
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestObjects-Mocks.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestObjects-Mocks.cs
index 585ad6cc9e..76c8173ad0 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestObjects-Mocks.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestObjects-Mocks.cs
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.TestHelpers
 
         public IGlobalSettings GetGlobalSettings()
         {
-            return SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings();
+            return SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings;
         }
         public IFileSystems GetFileSystemsMock()
         {
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestObjects.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestObjects.cs
index cc61c84abd..c27bd046c8 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestObjects.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/TestObjects.cs
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.TestHelpers
                 // var mappers = mappersBuilder.CreateCollection();
                 var mappers = Current.Factory.GetInstance<IMapperCollection>();
                 databaseFactory = new UmbracoDatabaseFactory(logger,
-                    SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings(),
+                    SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings,
                     new ConnectionStrings(),
                     Constants.System.UmbracoConnectionName,
                     new Lazy<IMapperCollection>(() => mappers),
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Testing/UmbracoTestBase.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Testing/UmbracoTestBase.cs
index 56f0534cf4..b635e63e94 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Testing/UmbracoTestBase.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Testing/UmbracoTestBase.cs
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Testing
 
         protected virtual IProfilingLogger ProfilingLogger => Factory.GetInstance<IProfilingLogger>();
 
-        protected IHostingEnvironment HostingEnvironment { get; } = new AspNetHostingEnvironment(TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GetDefaultHostingSettings());
+        protected IHostingEnvironment HostingEnvironment { get; } = new AspNetHostingEnvironment(TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.DefaultHostingSettings);
         protected IApplicationShutdownRegistry HostingLifetime { get; } = new AspNetApplicationShutdownRegistry();
         protected IIpResolver IpResolver => Factory.GetInstance<IIpResolver>();
         protected IBackOfficeInfo BackOfficeInfo => Factory.GetInstance<IBackOfficeInfo>();
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Testing
 
             TypeFinder = new TypeFinder(logger, new DefaultUmbracoAssemblyProvider(GetType().Assembly), new VaryingRuntimeHash());
             var appCaches = GetAppCaches();
-            var globalSettings = TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings();
+            var globalSettings = TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings;
             var settings = TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GenerateMockWebRoutingSettings();
 
             IBackOfficeInfo backOfficeInfo = new AspNetBackOfficeInfo(globalSettings, IOHelper, logger, settings);
@@ -413,8 +413,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Testing
 
         protected virtual void ComposeSettings()
         {
-            Composition.Configs.Add(TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GetDefaultGlobalSettings);
-            Composition.Configs.Add(TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GetDefaultHostingSettings);
+            Composition.Configs.Add(() => TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.DefaultGlobalSettings);
+            Composition.Configs.Add(() => TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.DefaultHostingSettings);
             Composition.Configs.Add(TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GenerateMockRequestHandlerSettings);
             Composition.Configs.Add(TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GenerateMockWebRoutingSettings);
             Composition.Configs.Add(TestHelpers.SettingsForTests.GenerateMockSecuritySettings);
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/AspNet/AspNetHostingEnvironment.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/AspNet/AspNetHostingEnvironment.cs
index 59271bf88d..03c12c36f8 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/AspNet/AspNetHostingEnvironment.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/AspNet/AspNetHostingEnvironment.cs
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Hosting
             ApplicationId = HostingEnvironment.ApplicationID;
             // when we are not hosted (i.e. unit test or otherwise) we'll need to get the root path from the executing assembly
             ApplicationPhysicalPath = HostingEnvironment.ApplicationPhysicalPath ?? Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetRootDirectorySafe();
-            ApplicationVirtualPath = hostingSettings.ApplicationVirtualPath ?? HostingEnvironment.ApplicationVirtualPath?.EnsureStartsWith("/") ?? "/";
+            ApplicationVirtualPath = hostingSettings.ApplicationVirtualPath?.EnsureStartsWith('/')
+                                     ?? HostingEnvironment.ApplicationVirtualPath?.EnsureStartsWith("/")
+                                     ?? "/";
             IISVersion = HttpRuntime.IISVersion;
         }
 
@@ -38,7 +40,11 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Hosting
 
         public string MapPath(string path)
         {
-            return HostingEnvironment.MapPath(path);
+            if (HostingEnvironment.IsHosted)
+                return HostingEnvironment.MapPath(path);
+
+            // this will be the case in unit tests, we'll manually map the path
+            return ApplicationPhysicalPath + path.TrimStart("~").EnsureStartsWith("/");
         }
 
         public string ToAbsolute(string virtualPath) => VirtualPathUtility.ToAbsolute(virtualPath, ApplicationVirtualPath);