diff --git a/spec/fixtures/files/attachment.gif b/spec/fixtures/files/attachment.gif
index 2937f5abe..89dd73ad3 100644
Binary files a/spec/fixtures/files/attachment.gif and b/spec/fixtures/files/attachment.gif differ
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/files/attachment.webm b/spec/fixtures/files/attachment.webm
index 3babe5cf5..edde44396 100644
Binary files a/spec/fixtures/files/attachment.webm and b/spec/fixtures/files/attachment.webm differ
diff --git a/spec/models/media_attachment_spec.rb b/spec/models/media_attachment_spec.rb
index d142875aa..d57d43eda 100644
--- a/spec/models/media_attachment_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/media_attachment_spec.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ RSpec.describe MediaAttachment, paperclip_processing: true do
   describe 'local?' do
     subject { media_attachment.local? }
 
-    let(:media_attachment) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, remote_url: remote_url) }
+    let(:media_attachment) { described_class.new(remote_url: remote_url) }
 
     context 'when remote_url is blank' do
       let(:remote_url) { '' }
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ RSpec.describe MediaAttachment, paperclip_processing: true do
   describe 'needs_redownload?' do
     subject { media_attachment.needs_redownload? }
 
-    let(:media_attachment) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, remote_url: remote_url, file: file) }
+    let(:media_attachment) { described_class.new(remote_url: remote_url, file: file) }
 
     context 'when file is blank' do
       let(:file) { nil }
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@ RSpec.describe MediaAttachment, paperclip_processing: true do
   end
 
   describe '#to_param' do
-    let(:media_attachment) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, shortcode: shortcode) }
-    let(:shortcode)        { nil }
+    let(:media_attachment) { Fabricate.build(:media_attachment, shortcode: shortcode, id: id) }
 
     context 'when media attachment has a shortcode' do
       let(:shortcode) { 'foo' }
+      let(:id) { 123 }
 
       it 'returns shortcode' do
         expect(media_attachment.to_param).to eq shortcode
@@ -77,9 +77,10 @@ RSpec.describe MediaAttachment, paperclip_processing: true do
 
     context 'when media attachment does not have a shortcode' do
       let(:shortcode) { nil }
+      let(:id) { 123 }
 
       it 'returns string representation of id' do
-        expect(media_attachment.to_param).to eq media_attachment.id.to_s
+        expect(media_attachment.to_param).to eq id.to_s
       end
     end
   end
@@ -89,38 +90,33 @@ RSpec.describe MediaAttachment, paperclip_processing: true do
       media.destroy
     end
 
-    it 'saves media attachment' do
+    it 'saves media attachment with correct file metadata' do
       expect(media.persisted?).to be true
       expect(media.file).to_not be_nil
-    end
 
-    it 'completes processing' do
+      # completes processing
       expect(media.processing_complete?).to be true
-    end
 
-    it 'sets type' do
+      # sets type
       expect(media.type).to eq 'image'
-    end
 
-    it 'sets content type' do
+      # sets content type
       expect(media.file_content_type).to eq content_type
-    end
 
-    it 'sets file extension' do
+      # sets file extension
       expect(media.file_file_name).to end_with extension
     end
 
-    it 'strips original file name' do
+    it 'saves media attachment with correct size metadata' do
+      # strips original file name
       expect(media.file_file_name).to_not start_with '600x400'
-    end
 
-    it 'sets meta for original' do
+      # sets meta for original
       expect(media.file.meta['original']['width']).to eq 600
       expect(media.file.meta['original']['height']).to eq 400
       expect(media.file.meta['original']['aspect']).to eq 1.5
-    end
 
-    it 'sets meta for thumbnail' do
+      # sets meta for thumbnail
       expect(media.file.meta['small']['width']).to eq 588
       expect(media.file.meta['small']['height']).to eq 392
       expect(media.file.meta['small']['aspect']).to eq 1.5
@@ -128,54 +124,48 @@ RSpec.describe MediaAttachment, paperclip_processing: true do
   end
 
   describe 'jpeg' do
-    let(:media) { described_class.create(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('600x400.jpeg')) }
+    let(:media) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('600x400.jpeg')) }
 
     it_behaves_like 'static 600x400 image', 'image/jpeg', '.jpeg'
   end
 
   describe 'png' do
-    let(:media) { described_class.create(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('600x400.png')) }
+    let(:media) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('600x400.png')) }
 
     it_behaves_like 'static 600x400 image', 'image/png', '.png'
   end
 
   describe 'webp' do
-    let(:media) { described_class.create(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('600x400.webp')) }
+    let(:media) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('600x400.webp')) }
 
     it_behaves_like 'static 600x400 image', 'image/webp', '.webp'
   end
 
   describe 'avif' do
-    let(:media) { described_class.create(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('600x400.avif')) }
+    let(:media) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('600x400.avif')) }
 
     it_behaves_like 'static 600x400 image', 'image/jpeg', '.jpeg'
   end
 
   describe 'heic' do
-    let(:media) { described_class.create(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('600x400.heic')) }
+    let(:media) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('600x400.heic')) }
 
     it_behaves_like 'static 600x400 image', 'image/jpeg', '.jpeg'
   end
 
   describe 'base64-encoded image' do
     let(:base64_attachment) { "data:image/jpeg;base64,#{Base64.encode64(attachment_fixture('600x400.jpeg').read)}" }
-    let(:media) { described_class.create(account: Fabricate(:account), file: base64_attachment) }
+    let(:media) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: base64_attachment) }
 
     it_behaves_like 'static 600x400 image', 'image/jpeg', '.jpeg'
   end
 
   describe 'animated gif' do
-    let(:media) { described_class.create(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('avatar.gif')) }
+    let(:media) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('avatar.gif')) }
 
-    it 'sets type to gifv' do
+    it 'sets correct file metadata' do
       expect(media.type).to eq 'gifv'
-    end
-
-    it 'converts original file to mp4' do
       expect(media.file_content_type).to eq 'video/mp4'
-    end
-
-    it 'sets meta' do
       expect(media.file.meta['original']['width']).to eq 128
       expect(media.file.meta['original']['height']).to eq 128
     end
@@ -189,17 +179,11 @@ RSpec.describe MediaAttachment, paperclip_processing: true do
 
     fixtures.each do |fixture|
       context fixture[:filename] do
-        let(:media) { described_class.create(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture(fixture[:filename])) }
+        let(:media) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture(fixture[:filename])) }
 
-        it 'sets type to image' do
+        it 'sets correct file metadata' do
           expect(media.type).to eq 'image'
-        end
-
-        it 'leaves original file as-is' do
           expect(media.file_content_type).to eq 'image/gif'
-        end
-
-        it 'sets meta' do
           expect(media.file.meta['original']['width']).to eq fixture[:width]
           expect(media.file.meta['original']['height']).to eq fixture[:height]
           expect(media.file.meta['original']['aspect']).to eq fixture[:aspect]
@@ -209,31 +193,19 @@ RSpec.describe MediaAttachment, paperclip_processing: true do
   end
 
   describe 'ogg with cover art' do
-    let(:media) { described_class.create(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('boop.ogg')) }
+    let(:media) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('boop.ogg')) }
 
-    it 'detects it as an audio file' do
+    it 'sets correct file metadata' do
       expect(media.type).to eq 'audio'
-    end
-
-    it 'sets meta for the duration' do
       expect(media.file.meta['original']['duration']).to be_within(0.05).of(0.235102)
-    end
-
-    it 'extracts thumbnail' do
       expect(media.thumbnail.present?).to be true
-    end
-
-    it 'extracts colors from thumbnail' do
       expect(media.file.meta['colors']['background']).to eq '#3088d4'
-    end
-
-    it 'gives the file a random name' do
       expect(media.file_file_name).to_not eq 'boop.ogg'
     end
   end
 
   describe 'mp3 with large cover art' do
-    let(:media) { described_class.create(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('boop.mp3')) }
+    let(:media) { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('boop.mp3')) }
 
     it 'detects it as an audio file' do
       expect(media.type).to eq 'audio'
@@ -253,34 +225,36 @@ RSpec.describe MediaAttachment, paperclip_processing: true do
   end
 
   it 'is invalid without file' do
-    media = described_class.new(account: Fabricate(:account))
+    media = described_class.new
+
     expect(media.valid?).to be false
+    expect(media).to model_have_error_on_field(:file)
   end
 
   describe 'size limit validation' do
     it 'rejects video files that are too large' do
       stub_const 'MediaAttachment::IMAGE_LIMIT', 100.megabytes
       stub_const 'MediaAttachment::VIDEO_LIMIT', 1.kilobyte
-      expect { described_class.create!(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('attachment.webm')) }.to raise_error(ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid)
+      expect { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('attachment.webm')) }.to raise_error(ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid)
     end
 
     it 'accepts video files that are small enough' do
       stub_const 'MediaAttachment::IMAGE_LIMIT', 1.kilobyte
       stub_const 'MediaAttachment::VIDEO_LIMIT', 100.megabytes
-      media = described_class.create!(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('attachment.webm'))
+      media = Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('attachment.webm'))
       expect(media.valid?).to be true
     end
 
     it 'rejects image files that are too large' do
       stub_const 'MediaAttachment::IMAGE_LIMIT', 1.kilobyte
       stub_const 'MediaAttachment::VIDEO_LIMIT', 100.megabytes
-      expect { described_class.create!(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('attachment.jpg')) }.to raise_error(ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid)
+      expect { Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('attachment.jpg')) }.to raise_error(ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid)
     end
 
     it 'accepts image files that are small enough' do
       stub_const 'MediaAttachment::IMAGE_LIMIT', 100.megabytes
       stub_const 'MediaAttachment::VIDEO_LIMIT', 1.kilobyte
-      media = described_class.create!(account: Fabricate(:account), file: attachment_fixture('attachment.jpg'))
+      media = Fabricate(:media_attachment, file: attachment_fixture('attachment.jpg'))
       expect(media.valid?).to be true
     end
   end