diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/model_tests.py b/tests/integration_tests/model_tests.py
index cf4c96fac6ee..e80fea7db883 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/model_tests.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/model_tests.py
@@ -448,11 +448,14 @@ def query_with_expr_helper(self, is_timeseries, inner_join=True):
             return None
         old_inner_join = spec.allows_joins
         spec.allows_joins = inner_join
+
+        # Use database-specific string concatenation syntax
         arbitrary_gby = (
-            "state OR gender OR '_test'"
+            "CONCAT(state, gender, '_test')"
             if get_example_database().backend == "mysql"
             else "state || gender || '_test'"
         )
+
         arbitrary_metric = dict(  # noqa: C408
             label="arbitrary", expressionType="SQL", sqlExpression="SUM(num_boys)"
         )