diff --git a/features/steps/project/merge_requests.rb b/features/steps/project/merge_requests.rb
index cfa586f859f..b2fa8750234 100644
--- a/features/steps/project/merge_requests.rb
+++ b/features/steps/project/merge_requests.rb
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ class Spinach::Features::ProjectMergeRequests < Spinach::FeatureSteps
   step 'user "John Doe" leaves a comment like "Line is wrong" on diff' do
     mr = MergeRequest.find_by(title: "Bug NS-05")
     create(:note_on_merge_request_diff, project: project,
-                                        noteable_id: mr.id,
+                                        noteable: mr,
                                         author: user_exists("John Doe"),
                                         line_code: sample_commit.line_code,
                                         note: 'Line is wrong')
diff --git a/spec/factories/notes.rb b/spec/factories/notes.rb
index 6f9b3568e70..c32e205ee69 100644
--- a/spec/factories/notes.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/notes.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     project
     note "Note"
     author
-    noteable { create(:issue, project: project) }
+    on_issue
 
     factory :note_on_commit,             traits: [:on_commit]
     factory :note_on_commit_diff,        traits: [:on_commit, :on_diff], class: LegacyDiffNote
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
 
     trait :on_commit do
       noteable nil
-      noteable_type 'Commit'
       noteable_id nil
+      noteable_type 'Commit'
       commit_id RepoHelpers.sample_commit.id
     end
 
@@ -31,17 +31,14 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     end
 
     trait :on_issue do
-      noteable_type 'Issue'
       noteable { create(:issue, project: project) }
     end
 
     trait :on_merge_request do
-      noteable_type 'MergeRequest'
       noteable { create(:merge_request, source_project: project) }
     end
 
     trait :on_project_snippet do
-      noteable_type 'Snippet'
       noteable { create(:snippet, project: project) }
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/features/issues/note_polling_spec.rb b/spec/features/issues/note_polling_spec.rb
index 9f521263e4c..f5cfe2d666e 100644
--- a/spec/features/issues/note_polling_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/issues/note_polling_spec.rb
@@ -9,9 +9,8 @@ feature 'Issue notes polling' do
   end
 
   scenario 'Another user adds a comment to an issue', js: true do
-    note = create(:note_on_issue, noteable: issue,
-                                  project: project,
-                                  note: 'Looks good!')
+    note = create(:note, noteable: issue, project: project,
+                         note: 'Looks good!')
 
     page.execute_script('notes.refresh();')
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/note_data_builder_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/note_data_builder_spec.rb
index 82823e7f790..e848d88182f 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/note_data_builder_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/note_data_builder_spec.rb
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ describe 'Gitlab::NoteDataBuilder', lib: true do
     end
 
     let(:note) do
-      create(:note_on_issue, noteable_id: issue.id, project: project)
+      create(:note_on_issue, noteable: issue, project: project)
     end
 
     it 'returns the note and issue-specific data' do
       expect(data).to have_key(:issue)
       expect(data[:issue].except('updated_at'))
-        .to eq(issue.hook_attrs.except('updated_at'))
+        .to eq(issue.reload.hook_attrs.except('updated_at'))
       expect(data[:issue]['updated_at'])
         .to be > issue.hook_attrs['updated_at']
     end
@@ -67,14 +67,14 @@ describe 'Gitlab::NoteDataBuilder', lib: true do
     end
 
     let(:note) do
-      create(:note_on_merge_request, noteable_id: merge_request.id,
+      create(:note_on_merge_request, noteable: merge_request,
                                      project: project)
     end
 
     it 'returns the note and merge request data' do
       expect(data).to have_key(:merge_request)
       expect(data[:merge_request].except('updated_at'))
-        .to eq(merge_request.hook_attrs.except('updated_at'))
+        .to eq(merge_request.reload.hook_attrs.except('updated_at'))
       expect(data[:merge_request]['updated_at'])
         .to be > merge_request.hook_attrs['updated_at']
     end
@@ -90,14 +90,14 @@ describe 'Gitlab::NoteDataBuilder', lib: true do
     end
 
     let(:note) do
-      create(:note_on_merge_request_diff, noteable_id: merge_request.id,
+      create(:note_on_merge_request_diff, noteable: merge_request,
                                           project: project)
     end
 
     it 'returns the note and merge request diff data' do
       expect(data).to have_key(:merge_request)
       expect(data[:merge_request].except('updated_at'))
-        .to eq(merge_request.hook_attrs.except('updated_at'))
+        .to eq(merge_request.reload.hook_attrs.except('updated_at'))
       expect(data[:merge_request]['updated_at'])
         .to be > merge_request.hook_attrs['updated_at']
     end
@@ -113,14 +113,14 @@ describe 'Gitlab::NoteDataBuilder', lib: true do
     end
 
     let!(:note) do
-      create(:note_on_project_snippet, noteable_id: snippet.id,
+      create(:note_on_project_snippet, noteable: snippet,
                                        project: project)
     end
 
     it 'returns the note and project snippet data' do
       expect(data).to have_key(:snippet)
       expect(data[:snippet].except('updated_at'))
-        .to eq(snippet.hook_attrs.except('updated_at'))
+        .to eq(snippet.reload.hook_attrs.except('updated_at'))
       expect(data[:snippet]['updated_at'])
         .to be > snippet.hook_attrs['updated_at']
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/legacy_diff_note_spec.rb b/spec/models/legacy_diff_note_spec.rb
index 7c29bef54e4..b2d06853886 100644
--- a/spec/models/legacy_diff_note_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/legacy_diff_note_spec.rb
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ describe LegacyDiffNote, models: true do
         code = Gitlab::Diff::LineCode.generate(diff.new_path, line.new_pos, line.old_pos)
 
         # We're persisting in order to trigger the set_diff callback
-        note = create(:note_on_merge_request_diff, noteable: merge, line_code: code)
+        note = create(:note_on_merge_request_diff, noteable: merge,
+                                                   line_code: code,
+                                                   project: merge.source_project)
 
         # Make sure we don't get a false positive from a guard clause
         expect(note).to receive(:find_noteable_diff).and_call_original
diff --git a/spec/models/project_services/hipchat_service_spec.rb b/spec/models/project_services/hipchat_service_spec.rb
index 7013ffbf3e1..5f618322aab 100644
--- a/spec/models/project_services/hipchat_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/project_services/hipchat_service_spec.rb
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ describe HipchatService, models: true do
         end
 
         let(:merge_request_note) do
-          create(:note_on_merge_request, noteable_id: merge_request.id,
+          create(:note_on_merge_request, noteable: merge_request,
                                          project: project,
                                          note: "merge request note")
         end
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ describe HipchatService, models: true do
       context 'when issue comment event triggered' do
         let(:issue) { create(:issue, project: project) }
         let(:issue_note) do
-          create(:note_on_issue, noteable_id: issue.id, project: project,
+          create(:note_on_issue, noteable: issue, project: project,
                                  note: "issue note")
         end
 
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ describe HipchatService, models: true do
       context 'when snippet comment event triggered' do
         let(:snippet) { create(:project_snippet, project: project) }
         let(:snippet_note) do
-          create(:note_on_project_snippet, noteable_id: snippet.id,
+          create(:note_on_project_snippet, noteable: snippet,
                                            project: project,
                                            note: "snippet note")
         end