diff --git a/Libraries/SPTarkov.Server.Core/Services/LocationLifecycleService.cs b/Libraries/SPTarkov.Server.Core/Services/LocationLifecycleService.cs
index c3b1e3c4..7e08464d 100644
--- a/Libraries/SPTarkov.Server.Core/Services/LocationLifecycleService.cs
+++ b/Libraries/SPTarkov.Server.Core/Services/LocationLifecycleService.cs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public class LocationLifecycleService(
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="playerSide">string</param>
     /// <returns>bool</returns>
-    protected bool IsSide(string playerSide, string sideCheck = Pmc)
+    protected internal bool IsSide(string playerSide, string sideCheck = Pmc)
     {
         return string.Equals(playerSide, sideCheck, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
     }
diff --git a/Testing/UnitTests/Tests/Services/LocationLifecycleServiceTests.cs b/Testing/UnitTests/Tests/Services/LocationLifecycleServiceTests.cs
index 3f4f990e..c3874775 100644
--- a/Testing/UnitTests/Tests/Services/LocationLifecycleServiceTests.cs
+++ b/Testing/UnitTests/Tests/Services/LocationLifecycleServiceTests.cs
@@ -1,63 +1,39 @@
-using System.Reflection;
-using System.Runtime.Serialization;
 using NUnit.Framework;
-using SPTarkov.Server.Core.Generators;
-using SPTarkov.Server.Core.Helpers;
-using SPTarkov.Server.Core.Models.Utils;
-using SPTarkov.Server.Core.Servers;
 using SPTarkov.Server.Core.Services;
-using SPTarkov.Server.Core.Utils;
-using SPTarkov.Server.Core.Utils.Cloners;
 
 namespace UnitTests.Tests.Services;
 
 [TestFixture]
 public class LocationLifecycleServiceTests
 {
-    // Note: The service has a heavy constructor with many DI deps. For testing the protected IsSide method,
-    // we bypass construction entirely and invoke the method via reflection.
+    private LocationLifecycleService _locationLifecycle;
 
-    private static bool InvokeIsSide(object instance, string playerSide, string sideCheck)
+    [OneTimeSetUp]
+    public void Initialize()
     {
-        var mi = typeof(LocationLifecycleService).GetMethod("IsSide", BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.NonPublic);
-        Assert.IsNotNull(mi, "Could not find protected method IsSide via reflection");
-
-        var result = mi!.Invoke(instance, new object[] { playerSide, sideCheck });
-        return result is bool b && b;
-    }
-
-    private static LocationLifecycleService CreateUninitializedService()
-    {
-        // Skips running the heavy ctor and DI; safe for IsSide which only compares strings
-        return (LocationLifecycleService)FormatterServices.GetUninitializedObject(typeof(LocationLifecycleService));
+        _locationLifecycle = DI.GetInstance().GetService<LocationLifecycleService>();
     }
 
     [Test]
     public void IsSide_ReturnsTrue_ForPmc_DefaultCheck_IsCaseInsensitive()
     {
-        var svc = CreateUninitializedService();
-
         // Default side is "pmc"; ensure case-insensitive match works
-        Assert.IsTrue(InvokeIsSide(svc, "PMC", "pmc"));
-        Assert.IsTrue(InvokeIsSide(svc, "pmc", "pmc"));
+        Assert.IsTrue(_locationLifecycle.IsSide("PMC", "pmc"));
+        Assert.IsTrue(_locationLifecycle.IsSide("pmc", "pmc"));
     }
 
     [Test]
     public void IsSide_ReturnsFalse_ForNonMatchingSide()
     {
-        var svc = CreateUninitializedService();
-
-        Assert.IsFalse(InvokeIsSide(svc, "savage", "pmc"));
-        Assert.IsFalse(InvokeIsSide(svc, "beAr", "pmc"));
+        Assert.IsFalse(_locationLifecycle.IsSide("savage", "pmc"));
+        Assert.IsFalse(_locationLifecycle.IsSide("beAr", "pmc"));
     }
 
     [Test]
     public void IsSide_ReturnsTrue_WhenCheckingScavAgainstSavage_IsCaseInsensitive()
     {
-        var svc = CreateUninitializedService();
-
         // In code, scav side string used for extracts is "savage"
-        Assert.IsTrue(InvokeIsSide(svc, "SAVAGE", "savage"));
-        Assert.IsTrue(InvokeIsSide(svc, "savage", "savage"));
+        Assert.IsTrue(_locationLifecycle.IsSide("SAVAGE", "savage"));
+        Assert.IsTrue(_locationLifecycle.IsSide("savage", "savage"));
     }
 }