diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index db63cb684..de7862220 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 node_modules
 
-/.cache
+/.cache*
 /build
 /public/build
 .env
diff --git a/app/components/Combobox.tsx b/app/components/Combobox.tsx
index 07b549349..568a8a4f5 100644
--- a/app/components/Combobox.tsx
+++ b/app/components/Combobox.tsx
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ export function Combobox<T extends Record<string, string | null | number>>({
         displayValue={(option) =>
           (option as Unpacked<typeof options>)?.label ?? ""
         }
+        data-cy={`${inputName}-combobox-input`}
       />
       <HeadlessCombobox.Options
         className={clsx("combobox-options", {
diff --git a/app/db/seed.ts b/app/db/seed.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e86c4387f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/db/seed.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import { db } from "~/db";
+import { sql } from "~/db/sql";
+import { faker } from "@faker-js/faker";
+import type { User } from "~/db/types";
+import invariant from "tiny-invariant";
+import { upcomingVoting } from "~/core/plus";
+
+const ADMIN_TEST_DISCORD_ID = "79237403620945920";
+const ADMIN_TEST_AVATAR = "fcfd65a3bea598905abb9ca25296816b";
+
+const NZAP_TEST_DISCORD_ID = "455039198672453645";
+const NZAP_TEST_AVATAR = "f809176af93132c3db5f0a5019e96339"; // https://cdn.discordapp.com/avatars/455039198672453645/f809176af93132c3db5f0a5019e96339.webp?size=160
+
+const basicSeeds = [
+  adminUser,
+  nzapUser,
+  users,
+  plusTierToUsers,
+  plusSuggestions,
+];
+
+export function seed() {
+  wipeDB();
+  for (const seedFunc of basicSeeds) {
+    seedFunc();
+  }
+}
+
+function wipeDB() {
+  const tablesToDelete = ["User"];
+
+  for (const table of tablesToDelete) {
+    sql.prepare(`delete from "${table}"`).run();
+  }
+}
+
+function adminUser() {
+  db.users.upsert({
+    discordDiscriminator: "4059",
+    discordId: ADMIN_TEST_DISCORD_ID,
+    discordName: "Sendou",
+    twitch: "Sendou",
+    youtubeId: "UCWbJLXByvsfQvTcR4HLPs5Q",
+    discordAvatar: ADMIN_TEST_AVATAR,
+    twitter: "sendouc",
+  });
+}
+
+function nzapUser() {
+  db.users.upsert({
+    discordDiscriminator: "6227",
+    discordId: NZAP_TEST_DISCORD_ID,
+    discordName: "N-ZAP",
+    twitch: null,
+    youtubeId: null,
+    discordAvatar: NZAP_TEST_AVATAR,
+    twitter: null,
+  });
+}
+
+function users() {
+  new Array(500).fill(null).map(fakeUser).forEach(db.users.upsert);
+}
+
+function fakeUser() {
+  return {
+    discordAvatar: null,
+    discordDiscriminator: String(faker.random.numeric(4)),
+    discordId: String(faker.random.numeric(17)),
+    discordName: faker.random.word(),
+    twitch: null,
+    twitter: null,
+    youtubeId: null,
+  };
+}
+
+function plusTierToUsers() {
+  sql.prepare(`update "User" set "plusTier" = 3 where id < 150`).run();
+  sql.prepare(`update "User" set "plusTier" = 2 where id < 80`).run();
+  sql.prepare(`update "User" set "plusTier" = 1 where id < 30`).run();
+
+  // omit N-ZAP user for testing
+  sql.prepare(`update "User" set "plusTier" = null where id = 2`).run();
+}
+
+function plusSuggestions() {
+  const usersInPlus = sql
+    .prepare(`select * from "User" where "plusTier" is not null and "id" != 1`) // exclude admin
+    .all() as User[];
+  const { month, year } = upcomingVoting(new Date());
+
+  for (let userId = 150; userId < 190; userId++) {
+    const amountOfSuggestions = faker.helpers.arrayElement([1, 1, 2, 3, 4]);
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < amountOfSuggestions; i++) {
+      const suggester = usersInPlus.shift();
+      invariant(suggester);
+      invariant(suggester.plusTier);
+
+      db.plusSuggestions.create({
+        authorId: suggester.id,
+        month,
+        year,
+        suggestedId: userId,
+        text: faker.lorem.lines(),
+        tier: suggester.plusTier,
+      });
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/permissions.ts b/app/permissions.ts
index 44cff55bc..096ab6052 100644
--- a/app/permissions.ts
+++ b/app/permissions.ts
@@ -45,9 +45,12 @@ interface CanDeleteCommentArgs {
   suggestions: plusSuggestions.FindVisibleForUser;
 }
 export function canDeleteComment(args: CanDeleteCommentArgs) {
+  const votingActive =
+    process.env.NODE_ENV === "test" ? false : isVotingActive();
+
   if (isFirstSuggestion(args)) {
     return allTruthy([
-      !isVotingActive(),
+      !votingActive,
       isOwnComment(args),
       suggestionHasNoOtherComments(args),
     ]);
@@ -133,8 +136,11 @@ export function canSuggestNewUserFE({
   user,
   suggestions,
 }: CanSuggestNewUserFEArgs) {
+  const votingActive =
+    process.env.NODE_ENV === "test" ? false : isVotingActive();
+
   return allTruthy([
-    !isVotingActive(),
+    !votingActive,
     !hasUserSuggestedThisMonth({ user, suggestions }),
     isPlusServerMember(user),
   ]);
diff --git a/app/routes/auth/impersonate.tsx b/app/routes/auth/impersonate.tsx
index ba2fc2a02..85479118a 100644
--- a/app/routes/auth/impersonate.tsx
+++ b/app/routes/auth/impersonate.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ import { IMPERSONATED_SESSION_KEY } from "~/core/auth/authenticator.server";
 import { sessionStorage } from "~/core/auth/session.server";
 
 export const action: ActionFunction = async ({ request }) => {
-  if (!["development", "test"].includes(process.env.NODE_ENV)) return null;
+  if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "production") {
+    throw new Response(null, { status: 400 });
+  }
 
   const session = await sessionStorage.getSession(
     request.headers.get("Cookie")
diff --git a/app/routes/plus/suggestions.tsx b/app/routes/plus/suggestions.tsx
index 10f1b80a7..239cfe5f3 100644
--- a/app/routes/plus/suggestions.tsx
+++ b/app/routes/plus/suggestions.tsx
@@ -162,7 +162,9 @@ export default function PlusSuggestionsPage() {
             </div>
             {canSuggestNewUserFE({ user, suggestions: data.suggestions }) ? (
               // TODO: resetScroll={false} https://twitter.com/ryanflorence/status/1527775882797907969
-              <LinkButton to="new">Suggest</LinkButton>
+              <LinkButton to="new" data-cy="new-suggest-button">
+                Suggest
+              </LinkButton>
             ) : null}
           </div>
           <div className="stack lg">
diff --git a/app/routes/plus/suggestions/new.tsx b/app/routes/plus/suggestions/new.tsx
index 0a7ec9aab..f3366dfc1 100644
--- a/app/routes/plus/suggestions/new.tsx
+++ b/app/routes/plus/suggestions/new.tsx
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ export default function PlusNewSuggestionModalPage() {
           <select
             id="tier"
             name="tier"
+            data-cy="tier-select"
             className="plus__modal-select"
             value={targetPlusTier}
             onChange={(e) => setTargetPlusTier(Number(e.target.value))}
diff --git a/app/routes/seed.tsx b/app/routes/seed.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..27f4c8cea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/routes/seed.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import type { ActionFunction } from "@remix-run/node";
+import { seed } from "~/db/seed";
+
+export const action: ActionFunction = () => {
+  if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "production") {
+    throw new Response(null, { status: 400 });
+  }
+
+  seed();
+
+  return null;
+};
diff --git a/cypress/integration/plus.spec.ts b/cypress/integration/plus.spec.ts
index 86f3a44d3..7584c5d0a 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/plus.spec.ts
+++ b/cypress/integration/plus.spec.ts
@@ -31,5 +31,28 @@ describe("Plus suggestions page", () => {
     cy.contains("Cracked!").should("not.exist");
   });
 
-  // xxx: test adding completely new suggestion, validation works
+  it.only("adds a new suggestion, validates suggested user and deletes it", () => {
+    cy.clock(new Date(Date.UTC(2022, 5, 15))); // let's make sure voting is not happening
+    cy.auth();
+    cy.visit(PLUS_SUGGESTIONS_PAGE);
+
+    cy.getCy("new-suggest-button").click();
+    cy.getCy("tier-select").select("2");
+    cy.getCy("user-combobox-input").type("Sendou{enter}");
+
+    cy.contains("This user already has access");
+    cy.getCy("submit-button").should("be.disabled");
+
+    cy.getCy("user-combobox-input").clear().type("N-ZAP{enter}");
+    cy.getCy("comment-textarea").type("So good");
+    cy.getCy("submit-button").click();
+
+    cy.getCy("plus2-radio").click();
+    cy.contains("N-ZAP");
+
+    cy.getCy("comments-summary").first().click();
+    cy.getCy("delete-comment-button").first().click();
+    cy.getCy("confirm-button").click();
+    cy.contains("N-ZAP").should("not.exist");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/cypress/support/index.ts b/cypress/support/index.ts
index 15b277832..70fdaed12 100644
--- a/cypress/support/index.ts
+++ b/cypress/support/index.ts
@@ -15,9 +15,8 @@ Cypress.Commands.add("getCy", (id) => {
   return cy.get(`[data-cy=${id}]`);
 });
 
-// TODO: make this a request instead... probably faster?
 Cypress.Commands.add("seed", () => {
-  cy.exec("npm run seed:cypress");
+  cy.request("POST", `/seed`);
 });
 
 Cypress.Commands.add("auth", (id = 1) => {
diff --git a/remix.config.js b/remix.config.js
index 260b82c7c..3f8a5f61e 100644
--- a/remix.config.js
+++ b/remix.config.js
@@ -3,8 +3,5 @@
  */
 module.exports = {
   ignoredRouteFiles: ["**/.*"],
-  // appDirectory: "app",
-  // assetsBuildDirectory: "public/build",
-  // serverBuildPath: "build/index.js",
-  // publicPath: "/build/",
+  cacheDirectory: process.env.NODE_ENV === "test" ? ".cache-test" : undefined,
 };