diff --git a/softpack_core/app.py b/softpack_core/app.py
index 9c796f4..7c9bc7b 100644
--- a/softpack_core/app.py
+++ b/softpack_core/app.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def status() -> dict[str, Any]:
     def __init__(self) -> None:
         """Constructor."""
         self.settings = Settings.parse_obj({})
-        self.spack = Spack()
+        self.spack = Spack(self.settings.spack.bin, self.settings.spack.repo)
 
         self.router.add_middleware(
             CORSMiddleware,
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_spack.py b/tests/integration/test_spack.py
index 5a7f788..3baf616 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_spack.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_spack.py
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ def test_spack_packages():
 
     packages = list(PackageCollection.iter())
 
-    assert len(packages) == len(pkgs)
-
     assert isinstance(packages[0], PackageMultiVersion)
 
     assert packages[0].name != ""
@@ -43,12 +41,15 @@ def test_spack_packages():
     assert len(packages[0].versions) != 0
 
     if app.settings.spack.repo == "https://github.com/custom-spack/repo":
-        pytest.skip("skipped due to missing custom repo")
+        assert len(packages) == len(pkgs)
+    else:
+        assert len(packages) > len(pkgs)
 
-    spack = Spack("spack", app.settings.spack.repo)
-    spack.packages()
+        spack = Spack(custom_repo = app.settings.spack.repo)
+
+        spack.packages()
 
-    assert len(spack.stored_packages) > len(pkgs)
+        assert len(spack.stored_packages) == len(packages)
 
 
 def test_spack_package_updater():