diff --git modules/simpletest/tests/database_test.test modules/simpletest/tests/database_test.test
index 243dbba..7d0e271 100644
--- modules/simpletest/tests/database_test.test
+++ modules/simpletest/tests/database_test.test
@@ -1689,21 +1689,14 @@ class DatabaseSelectSubqueryTestCase extends DatabaseTestCase {
    * Test EXISTS subquery conditionals on SELECT statements.
    */
   function testExistsSubquerySelect() {
-    // Put George into {test_people}.
-    db_insert('test_people')
-      ->fields(array(
-        'name' => 'George',
-        'age' => 27,
-        'job' => 'Singer',
-      ))
-      ->execute();
     // Base query to {test}.
     $query = db_select('test', 't')
-      ->fields('t', array('name'));
+      ->fields('t', array('name'))
+      ->condition('t.name', 'George');
     // Subquery to {test_people}.
     $subquery = db_select('test_people', 'tp')
       ->fields('tp', array('name'))
-      ->condition('name', 'George');
+      ->condition('tp.name', 'Meredith');
     $query->exists($subquery);
     $result = $query->execute();
 
@@ -1716,22 +1709,14 @@ class DatabaseSelectSubqueryTestCase extends DatabaseTestCase {
    * Test NOT EXISTS subquery conditionals on SELECT statements.
    */
   function testNotExistsSubquerySelect() {
-    // Put George into {test_people}.
-    db_insert('test_people')
-      ->fields(array(
-        'name' => 'George',
-        'age' => 27,
-        'job' => 'Singer',
-      ))
-      ->execute();
-
     // Base query to {test}.
     $query = db_select('test', 't')
-      ->fields('t', array('name'));
+      ->fields('t', array('name'))
+      ->condition('t.name', 'George');
     // Subquery to {test_people}.
     $subquery = db_select('test_people', 'tp')
       ->fields('tp', array('name'))
-      ->condition('name', 'George');
+      ->condition('tp.name', 'Meredith');
     $query->notExists($subquery);
     $result = $query->execute();