diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/test-and-release.yml
index 0bd6dc2..fbf6ea9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-and-release.yml
@@ -33,16 +33,19 @@ jobs:
         run: docker-compose up -d
         env:
           MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
-      - name: Create ClojureTest
-        run: ./run-tests.sh create
+      - name: Run MariaDB Tests
+        run: clojure -X:test
         env:
           MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
-      - name: Run All Tests
-        run: ./run-tests.sh
-        env:
-          MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
-      - name: Run Tests
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MYSQL: yes
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MARIADB: yes
+      - name: Run All Tests and Release
         run: clojure -T:build ci :snapshot false
+        env:
+          MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MYSQL: yes
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MSSQL: yes
+          MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD: Str0ngP4ssw0rd
       - name: Deploy Release
         run: clojure -T:build deploy :snapshot false
         env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-and-snapshot.yml b/.github/workflows/test-and-snapshot.yml
index 51be417..42f0abe 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-and-snapshot.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-and-snapshot.yml
@@ -31,16 +31,19 @@ jobs:
         run: docker-compose up -d
         env:
           MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
-      - name: Create ClojureTest
-        run: ./run-tests.sh create
+      - name: Run MariaDB Tests
+        run: clojure -X:test
         env:
           MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
-      - name: Run All Tests
-        run: ./run-tests.sh
-        env:
-          MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
-      - name: Run Tests
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MYSQL: yes
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MARIADB: yes
+      - name: Run All Tests and Snapshot
         run: clojure -T:build ci :snapshot true
+        env:
+          MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MYSQL: yes
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MSSQL: yes
+          MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD: Str0ngP4ssw0rd
       - name: Deploy Snapshot
         run: clojure -T:build deploy :snapshot true
         env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 1622ff0..9ef1ed7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -31,14 +31,19 @@ jobs:
         run: docker-compose up -d
         env:
           MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
-      - name: Create ClojureTest
-        run: ./run-tests.sh create
+      - name: Run MariaDB Tests
+        run: clojure -X:test
         env:
           MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
-      - name: Run Tests
-        run: ./run-tests.sh
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MYSQL: yes
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MARIADB: yes
+      - name: Run All Tests
+        run: clojure -X:test
         env:
           MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: testing
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MYSQL: yes
+          NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MSSQL: yes
+          MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD: Str0ngP4ssw0rd
 
   build-graalvm-new:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2079250..907bf23 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Only accretive/fixative changes will be made from now on.
 
 * 1.2.next in progress
   * Address [#212](https://github.com/seancorfield/next-jdbc/issues/212) by documenting the problem with SQLite's JDBC driver.
+  * Fix [#211](https://github.com/seancorfield/next-jdbc/issues/211) by auto-creating `clojure_test` DB in MySQL if needed; also streamline the CI processes.
   * Fix [#210](https://github.com/seancorfield/next-jdbc/issues/210) by updating CI to test against MySQL and SQL Server.
   * Switch SQL Server testing setup to `docker-compose`.
 
diff --git a/run-tests.sh b/run-tests.sh
index b9e4892..e9cdfd6 100755
--- a/run-tests.sh
+++ b/run-tests.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 # start databases with: docker-compose up
-# then: ./run-tests.sh create
-# - creates a new database in MySQL for running tests
+# then:
 #
 # test against "all" databases with MySQL JDBC driver:
 # ./run-tests.sh
@@ -10,12 +9,6 @@
 # test against "all" databases with MariaDB JDBC driver:
 # ./run-tests.sh maria
 
-if test "$1" = "create"
-then
-  sleep 30
-	# assumes you already have a MySQL instance running locally
-	NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MYSQL=yes clojure -X:test next.jdbc.test-fixtures/create-clojure-test
-fi
 if test "$1" = "maria"
 then
 	NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MSSQL=yes MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=Str0ngP4ssw0rd \
diff --git a/test/next/jdbc/test_fixtures.clj b/test/next/jdbc/test_fixtures.clj
index b73e1f4..929bdd4 100644
--- a/test/next/jdbc/test_fixtures.clj
+++ b/test/next/jdbc/test_fixtures.clj
@@ -36,13 +36,21 @@
 (def ^:private test-mysql
   (when (System/getenv "NEXT_JDBC_TEST_MYSQL") test-mysql-map))
 
-(defn create-clojure-test [_]
+(defn- create-clojure-test []
   (when test-mysql
     (let [mysql (assoc test-mysql :dbname "mysql")]
       (println "Creating clojure-test database in MySQL...")
-      (jdbc/execute-one! mysql ["create database if not exists clojure_test"])
-      (println "...done!")
-      (shutdown-agents))))
+      (loop [n 0]
+        (when (try
+                (jdbc/execute-one! mysql ["create database if not exists clojure_test"])
+                false ; done
+                (catch Throwable t
+                  (when (< 10 n) (throw t))
+                  (println "\t" (ex-message t) "(will retry)")
+                  (Thread/sleep 3000)
+                  true))
+          (recur (inc n))))
+      (println "...done!"))))
 
 (def ^:private test-mssql-map
   {:dbtype "mssql" :dbname "model"
@@ -226,6 +234,8 @@ CREATE PROCEDURE FRUITP" (cond (hsqldb?) "() READS SQL DATA DYNAMIC RESULT SETS
                           {:return-keys false})
        (t)))))
 
+(create-clojure-test)
+
 (comment
   ;; this is a convenience to bring next.jdbc's test dependencies
   ;; into any REPL that has the add-lib3 branch of tools.deps.alpha