diff --git a/tests/dbz-twin/docker-compose.yaml b/tests/dbz-twin/docker-compose.yaml
index 8d5607b7..b3e88ba9 100644
--- a/tests/dbz-twin/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/tests/dbz-twin/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ services:
       - ./output:/app/output
 
   olr:
-    image: olr-dev:${OLR_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
+    image: ${OLR_IMAGE:-olr-dev:latest}
+    user: "${OLR_UID:-1000}:${OLR_GID:-1000}"
     container_name: dbz-olr
     entrypoint: ["/bin/bash", "-c", "mkdir -p /olr-data/checkpoint && exec /opt/OpenLogReplicator/OpenLogReplicator \"$@\"", "--"]
     command: ["-r", "-f", "/config/olr-config.json"]
diff --git a/tests/environments/enterprise-19/docker-compose.yaml b/tests/environments/enterprise-19/docker-compose.yaml
index dcfa05b5..6cdeb53a 100644
--- a/tests/environments/enterprise-19/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/tests/environments/enterprise-19/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 services:
   olr:
-    image: olr-dev:${OLR_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
+    image: ${OLR_IMAGE:-olr-dev:latest}
+    user: "${OLR_UID:-1000}:${OLR_GID:-1000}"
     entrypoint: []
     command: ["sleep", "infinity"]
     volumes:
diff --git a/tests/environments/free-23/docker-compose.yaml b/tests/environments/free-23/docker-compose.yaml
index 4a1601e2..4e22a447 100644
--- a/tests/environments/free-23/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/tests/environments/free-23/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 services:
   olr:
-    image: olr-dev:${OLR_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
+    image: ${OLR_IMAGE:-olr-dev:latest}
+    user: "${OLR_UID:-1000}:${OLR_GID:-1000}"
     entrypoint: []
     command: ["sleep", "infinity"]
     volumes:
diff --git a/tests/environments/xe-21-official/docker-compose.yaml b/tests/environments/xe-21-official/docker-compose.yaml
index 8284b0c0..b985d677 100644
--- a/tests/environments/xe-21-official/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/tests/environments/xe-21-official/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 services:
   olr:
-    image: olr-dev:${OLR_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
+    image: ${OLR_IMAGE:-olr-dev:latest}
+    user: "${OLR_UID:-1000}:${OLR_GID:-1000}"
     entrypoint: []
     command: ["sleep", "infinity"]
     volumes:
diff --git a/tests/environments/xe-21/docker-compose.yaml b/tests/environments/xe-21/docker-compose.yaml
index 7f93a017..335754c6 100644
--- a/tests/environments/xe-21/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/tests/environments/xe-21/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 services:
   olr:
-    image: olr-dev:${OLR_IMAGE_TAG:-latest}
+    image: ${OLR_IMAGE:-olr-dev:latest}
+    user: "${OLR_UID:-1000}:${OLR_GID:-1000}"
     entrypoint: []
     command: ["sleep", "infinity"]
     volumes:
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/test_fixtures.py b/tests/fixtures/test_fixtures.py
index 6c16b101..e3872f17 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/test_fixtures.py
+++ b/tests/fixtures/test_fixtures.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ def _run_olr(config_path, tmp_dir):
     return subprocess.run(
         [
             "docker", "run", "--rm",
+            "--user", f"{os.getuid()}:{os.getgid()}",
             "-v", f"{tmp_dir}:/olr-work",
             "-v", f"{TESTS_DIR}:/tests:ro",
             "--entrypoint", "/opt/OpenLogReplicator/OpenLogReplicator",
diff --git a/tests/sql/scripts/drivers/base.sh b/tests/sql/scripts/drivers/base.sh
index 292215b1..8218e9e9 100644
--- a/tests/sql/scripts/drivers/base.sh
+++ b/tests/sql/scripts/drivers/base.sh
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@
 # Container path prefix — tests/ is mounted here inside OLR container
 _CONTAINER_TESTS="${_CONTAINER_TESTS:-/opt/OpenLogReplicator-local/tests}"
 
+# Export UID/GID so docker-compose can set user: on the olr service
+export OLR_UID="$(id -u)"
+export OLR_GID="$(id -g)"
+
 # ---- Overridable hook ----
 patch_gencfg() { :; }
 
diff --git a/tests/sql/scripts/drivers/docker.sh b/tests/sql/scripts/drivers/docker.sh
index f8b626fd..9d740657 100755
--- a/tests/sql/scripts/drivers/docker.sh
+++ b/tests/sql/scripts/drivers/docker.sh
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ source "$SCRIPT_DIR/drivers/base.sh"
 
 : "${ORACLE_CONTAINER:=oracle}"
 
-_DEXEC="docker exec"
+_DEXEC="docker exec -e NLS_LANG=AMERICAN_AMERICA.AL32UTF8"
 if [[ -n "${DOCKER_EXEC_USER:-}" ]]; then
-    _DEXEC="docker exec -u $DOCKER_EXEC_USER"
+    _DEXEC="docker exec -e NLS_LANG=AMERICAN_AMERICA.AL32UTF8 -u $DOCKER_EXEC_USER"
 fi
 
 _OLR_BINARY="/opt/OpenLogReplicator/OpenLogReplicator"