diff --git a/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/Owin/WireMockMiddlewareTests.cs b/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/Owin/WireMockMiddlewareTests.cs
index 7d63dd3d..d38cf603 100644
--- a/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/Owin/WireMockMiddlewareTests.cs
+++ b/test/WireMock.Net.Tests/Owin/WireMockMiddlewareTests.cs
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ public class WireMockMiddlewareTests
         // _matcherMock.Setup(m => m.FindBestMatch(It.IsAny<RequestMessage>())).Returns((new MappingMatcherResult(), new MappingMatcherResult()));
 
         _contextMock = new Mock<IContext>();
+        _contextMock.SetupGet(c => c.Items).Returns(new Dictionary<object, object?>());
 
         _mappingMock = new Mock<IMapping>();