diff --git a/source/loader/linux/platform_discovery_lin.cpp b/source/loader/linux/platform_discovery_lin.cpp
index 68d06a8bfd..aff0af402e 100644
--- a/source/loader/linux/platform_discovery_lin.cpp
+++ b/source/loader/linux/platform_discovery_lin.cpp
@@ -15,9 +15,7 @@
 
 namespace loader {
 
-static const char *knownPlatformNames[] = {
-    MAKE_LIBRARY_NAME("ur_null", UR_VERSION),
-};
+static constexpr char *knownPlatformNames[] = {};
 
 std::vector<PlatformLibraryPath> discoverEnabledPlatforms() {
     std::vector<PlatformLibraryPath> enabledPlatforms;
diff --git a/source/loader/windows/platform_discovery_win.cpp b/source/loader/windows/platform_discovery_win.cpp
index 4b9cfad32b..82f3f515e4 100644
--- a/source/loader/windows/platform_discovery_win.cpp
+++ b/source/loader/windows/platform_discovery_win.cpp
@@ -21,9 +21,7 @@
 
 namespace loader {
 
-static const char *knownAdaptersNames[] = {
-    MAKE_LIBRARY_NAME("ur_null", UR_VERSION),
-};
+static constexpr char *knownAdaptersNames[] = {};
 
 std::vector<PlatformLibraryPath> discoverEnabledPlatforms() {
     std::vector<PlatformLibraryPath> enabledPlatforms;
@@ -32,11 +30,7 @@ std::vector<PlatformLibraryPath> discoverEnabledPlatforms() {
     char *altPlatforms = nullptr;
     _dupenv_s(&altPlatforms, NULL, "UR_ADAPTERS_FORCE_LOAD");
 
-    if (altPlatforms == nullptr) {
-        for (auto libName : knownAdaptersNames) {
-            enabledPlatforms.emplace_back(libName);
-        }
-    } else {
+    if (altPlatforms != nullptr) {
         std::stringstream ss(altPlatforms);
         while (ss.good()) {
             std::string substr;
diff --git a/test/conformance/source/environment.cpp b/test/conformance/source/environment.cpp
index ea57fa3d33..084a062e39 100644
--- a/test/conformance/source/environment.cpp
+++ b/test/conformance/source/environment.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,13 @@ uur::PlatformEnvironment::PlatformEnvironment(int argc, char **argv)
     : platform_options{parsePlatformOptions(argc, argv)} {
     instance = this;
     ur_device_init_flags_t device_flags = 0;
-    if (urInit(device_flags)) {
+    switch (urInit(device_flags)) {
+    case UR_RESULT_SUCCESS:
+        break;
+    case UR_RESULT_ERROR_UNINITIALIZED:
+        error = "Could not load adapter";
+        return;
+    default:
         error = "urInit() failed";
         return;
     }
@@ -100,11 +106,18 @@ uur::PlatformEnvironment::PlatformEnvironment(int argc, char **argv)
 
 void uur::PlatformEnvironment::SetUp() {
     if (!error.empty()) {
-        FAIL() << error;
+        if (error == "Could not load adapter") {
+            GTEST_SKIP() << error;
+        } else {
+            FAIL() << error;
+        }
     }
 }
 
 void uur::PlatformEnvironment::TearDown() {
+    if (error == "Could not load adapter") {
+        return;
+    }
     ur_tear_down_params_t tear_down_params{};
     if (urTearDown(&tear_down_params)) {
         FAIL() << "urTearDown() failed";
@@ -155,8 +168,21 @@ DevicesEnvironment::DevicesEnvironment(int argc, char **argv)
 
 void DevicesEnvironment::SetUp() {
     PlatformEnvironment::SetUp();
+    if (error == "Could not load adapter") {
+        return;
+    }
     if (devices.empty() || !error.empty()) {
         FAIL() << error;
     }
 }
+
+void DevicesEnvironment::TearDown() {
+    PlatformEnvironment::TearDown();
+    for (auto device : devices) {
+        if (urDeviceRelease(device)) {
+            error = "urDeviceRelease() failed";
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+}
 } // namespace uur
diff --git a/test/conformance/testing/uur/environment.h b/test/conformance/testing/uur/environment.h
index 03fae035b0..52f9fdb2be 100644
--- a/test/conformance/testing/uur/environment.h
+++ b/test/conformance/testing/uur/environment.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ struct DevicesEnvironment : PlatformEnvironment {
     virtual ~DevicesEnvironment() override = default;
 
     virtual void SetUp() override;
-    inline virtual void TearDown() override { PlatformEnvironment::TearDown(); }
+    virtual void TearDown() override;
 
     inline const std::vector<ur_device_handle_t> &GetDevices() const {
         return devices;
diff --git a/test/layers/validation/CMakeLists.txt b/test/layers/validation/CMakeLists.txt
index 2c55dfe0a9..633b6e730c 100644
--- a/test/layers/validation/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/layers/validation/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ function(add_validation_test name)
     set_tests_properties(${name} PROPERTIES LABELS "validation")
     set_property(TEST ${name} PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT
         "UR_ENABLE_VALIDATION_LAYER=1"
-        "UR_ENABLE_PARAMETER_VALIDATION=1")
+        "UR_ENABLE_PARAMETER_VALIDATION=1"
+        "UR_ADAPTERS_FORCE_LOAD=$<TARGET_FILE:ur_null>")
 endfunction()
 
 add_validation_test(parameters parameters.cpp)
diff --git a/test/python/CMakeLists.txt b/test/python/CMakeLists.txt
index 0dd4db32d5..779e8e8991 100644
--- a/test/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function(add_python_test name)
     endif()
     # this is for importing the include/ur.py module in other python files
     set_property(TEST ${TEST_NAME} APPEND PROPERTY
-       ENVIRONMENT "PYTHONPATH=${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}")
+       ENVIRONMENT "PYTHONPATH=${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}" "UR_ADAPTERS_FORCE_LOAD=$<TARGET_FILE:ur_null>")
 endfunction()
 
 add_python_test(basic)