diff --git a/app/app/settings.py b/app/app/settings.py
index 989761be..626ebe56 100644
--- a/app/app/settings.py
+++ b/app/app/settings.py
@@ -500,7 +500,10 @@ if FEATURE_FLAGGING_ENABLED:
             'over_rides': FEATURE_FLAG_OVERRIDES
         })
 
-    if DEBUG:
+
+    if DEBUG or RUNNING_TESTS:
+
+        feature_flag.update({ 'disable_downloading': True, })
 
         debug_feature_flags = [
             {
diff --git a/app/centurion_feature_flag/lib/feature_flag.py b/app/centurion_feature_flag/lib/feature_flag.py
index 4e722878..ae87b03d 100644
--- a/app/centurion_feature_flag/lib/feature_flag.py
+++ b/app/centurion_feature_flag/lib/feature_flag.py
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ class CenturionFeatureFlagging:
 
         self._disable_downloading = disable_downloading
 
+        if self._disable_downloading:
+
+            self._feature_flags = {}
+
         _over_rides: dict = {}
 
         if over_rides:
@@ -183,7 +187,10 @@ class CenturionFeatureFlagging:
         Returns:
             dict: A complete Feature Flag.
         """
-        if self._feature_flags is None:
+        if(
+            self._feature_flags is None
+            and self._over_rides.get(key, None) is None
+        ):
 
             print('Feature Flagging has not been completly initialized.')
             print('    please ensure that the feature flags have been downloaded.')