diff --git a/bin/delta-processor.ts b/bin/delta-processor.ts
index e8a4a92..11af02b 100644
--- a/bin/delta-processor.ts
+++ b/bin/delta-processor.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import {
     createPrometheusConfig,
 } from '../src/system/PrometheusFactory';
 import { AmqpConnection } from '../src/system/amqp/AmqpConnection';
+import { parse as avro_parse } from "avro-js";
 
 
 const amqp_conf           = createAmqpConfig( process.env );
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ const publisher           = new DeltaPublisher(
     ts_ctr,
     createAvroEncoder,
     amqp_connection,
+    avro_parse( __dirname + '/../src/system/avro/schema.avsc' ),
 );
 
 // Prometheus Metrics
diff --git a/src/system/DeltaPublisher.ts b/src/system/DeltaPublisher.ts
index 5def3a9..9b05114 100644
--- a/src/system/DeltaPublisher.ts
+++ b/src/system/DeltaPublisher.ts
@@ -30,16 +30,10 @@ import { AmqpError } from '../error/AmqpError';
 import { AvroEncoderCtr } from './avro/AvroFactory';
 import { AmqpConnection } from './amqp/AmqpConnection';
 
-import { AvroSchema, parse } from "avro-js";
+import { AvroSchema } from "avro-js";
 
 export class DeltaPublisher implements AmqpPublisher
 {
-    /** The avro schema */
-    private _schema: AvroSchema;
-
-    /** The path to the avro schema */
-    readonly SCHEMA_PATH = __dirname + '/avro/schema.avsc';
-
     /** A mapping of which delta type translated to which avro event */
     readonly DELTA_MAP: Record<string, string> = {
         data:     'STEP_SAVE',
@@ -58,11 +52,10 @@ export class DeltaPublisher implements AmqpPublisher
     constructor(
         private readonly _emitter:     EventEmitter,
         private readonly _ts_ctr:      () => UnixTimestamp,
-        private readonly _encoder_ctr: AvroEncoderCtr,
+        private readonly _encoder_ctor: AvroEncoderCtr,
         private readonly _conn:        AmqpConnection,
-    ) {
-        this._schema = parse( this.SCHEMA_PATH );
-    }
+        private readonly _schema:      AvroSchema,
+    ) {}
 
 
     /**
@@ -263,7 +256,7 @@ export class DeltaPublisher implements AmqpPublisher
             {
                 this._assertValidAvro( this._schema, data )
 
-                const encoder = this._encoder_ctr( this._schema )
+                const encoder = this._encoder_ctor( this._schema )
 
                 encoder.on('data', ( buf: Buffer ) => { bufs.push( buf ) } )
                 encoder.on('error', ( err: Error ) => { reject( err ); } )
diff --git a/test/system/DeltaPublisherTest.ts b/test/system/DeltaPublisherTest.ts
index b5dfed1..314c7da 100644
--- a/test/system/DeltaPublisherTest.ts
+++ b/test/system/DeltaPublisherTest.ts
@@ -28,10 +28,7 @@ import { EventEmitter } from "events";
 import { hasContext } from '../../src/error/ContextError';
 import { AmqpError } from '../../src/error/AmqpError';
 import { Channel } from 'amqplib';
-import {
-    createAvroEncoder,
-    AvroEncoderCtr,
-} from '../../src/system/avro/AvroFactory';
+import { AvroEncoderCtr } from '../../src/system/avro/AvroFactory';
 
 import { AvroSchema } from "avro-js";
 
@@ -66,7 +63,20 @@ describe( 'server.DeltaPublisher', () =>
                 };
             };
 
-            const sut = new Sut( emitter, ts_ctr, createAvroEncoder, conn );
+            const stub_schema = <AvroSchema>(<unknown>{
+                isValid()
+                {
+                    // TODO: test me
+                },
+            } );
+
+            const sut = new Sut(
+                emitter,
+                ts_ctr,
+                createMockEncoderCtor( stub_schema ),
+                conn,
+                stub_schema,
+            );
 
             return expect(
                     sut.publish( <DocumentId>123, delta, bucket, ratedata )
@@ -118,8 +128,20 @@ describe( 'server.DeltaPublisher', () =>
 
             conn.getAmqpChannel = getChannelF;
 
-            const result = new Sut( emitter, ts_ctr, createAvroEncoder, conn )
-                                .publish( doc_id, delta, bucket, ratedata );
+            const stub_schema = <AvroSchema>(<unknown>{
+                isValid()
+                {
+                    // TODO: test me
+                },
+            } );
+
+            const result = new Sut(
+                emitter,
+                ts_ctr,
+                createMockEncoderCtor( stub_schema ),
+                conn,
+                stub_schema,
+            ).publish( doc_id, delta, bucket, ratedata );
 
             return Promise.all( [
                 expect( result ).to.eventually.be.rejectedWith(
@@ -225,11 +247,20 @@ describe( 'server.DeltaPublisher', () =>
                 const emitter = createMockEventEmitter();
                 const conn    = createMockAmqpConnection();
                 const data    = createMockData( delta_data );
-                const sut     = new Sut(
+
+                const stub_schema = <AvroSchema>(<unknown>{
+                    isValid()
+                    {
+                        // TODO: test me
+                    },
+                } );
+
+                const sut = new Sut(
                     emitter,
                     ts_ctr,
-                    createAvroEncoder,
+                    createMockEncoderCtor( stub_schema ),
                     conn,
+                    stub_schema
                 );
 
                 sut.avroEncode( data )
@@ -384,11 +415,13 @@ describe( 'server.DeltaPublisher', () =>
                 const emitter        = createMockEventEmitter();
                 const conn           = createMockAmqpConnection();
                 const avroEncoderCtr = createMockEncoder( encoded );
+                const stub_schema    = <AvroSchema>{};
                 const sut            = new Sut(
                     emitter,
                     ts_ctr,
                     avroEncoderCtr,
                     conn,
+                    stub_schema,
                 );
                 const actual  = sut.setDataTypes( delta_data );
 
@@ -483,3 +516,28 @@ function createMockDelta(): Delta<any>
         data:      <DeltaResult<any>>{},
     }
 }
+
+
+function createMockEncoderCtor( stub_schema: AvroSchema ):
+    ( schema: AvroSchema ) => Duplex
+{
+    const events = <Record<string, () => void>>{};
+
+    const mock_duplex   = <Duplex>(<unknown>{
+        on( event_name: string, callback: () => void )
+        {
+            events[ event_name ] = callback;
+        },
+
+        end()
+        {
+            events.end();
+        },
+    } );
+
+    return ( schema: AvroSchema ): Duplex =>
+    {
+        expect( schema ).to.equal( stub_schema );
+        return mock_duplex;
+    };
+}