diff --git a/tests/test_middleware_interface.py b/tests/test_middleware_interface.py
index 424f59e9..928fc504 100644
--- a/tests/test_middleware_interface.py
+++ b/tests/test_middleware_interface.py
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 import lsst.daf.butler.tests as butler_tests
 from lsst.obs.base.formatters.fitsExposure import FitsImageFormatter
 from lsst.obs.base.ingest import RawFileDatasetInfo, RawFileData
+import lsst.pipe.base
+from lsst.pipe.base.tests.simpleQGraph import makeSimpleQGraph
 import lsst.resources
 import lsst.sphgeom
 
@@ -570,7 +572,7 @@ def _check_run_pipeline_fallback(self, callable, pipe_files, graphs, final_label
     def test_run_pipeline_fallback_1failof2(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ApPipe.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'SingleFrame.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [[], ["node1", "node2"]]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(2)]
         expected = "SingleFrame.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_pipeline()
@@ -580,7 +582,7 @@ def test_run_pipeline_fallback_1failof2(self):
     def test_run_pipeline_fallback_1failof2_inverse(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ApPipe.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'SingleFrame.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [["node1", "node2"], []]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(2), self._make_test_graph(0)]
         expected = "ApPipe.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_pipeline()
@@ -590,7 +592,7 @@ def test_run_pipeline_fallback_1failof2_inverse(self):
     def test_run_pipeline_fallback_2failof2(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ApPipe.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'SingleFrame.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [[], []]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(0)]
         expected = ""
 
         self._prepare_run_pipeline()
@@ -602,7 +604,7 @@ def test_run_pipeline_fallback_0failof3(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ApPipe.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'SingleFrame.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ISR.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [["node1", "node2"], ["node3", "node4"], ["node5"]]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(2), self._make_test_graph(2), self._make_test_graph(0)]
         expected = "ApPipe.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_pipeline()
@@ -613,7 +615,7 @@ def test_run_pipeline_fallback_1failof3(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ApPipe.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'SingleFrame.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ISR.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [[], ["node3", "node4"], ["node5"]]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(2), self._make_test_graph(1)]
         expected = "SingleFrame.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_pipeline()
@@ -624,7 +626,7 @@ def test_run_pipeline_fallback_2failof3(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ApPipe.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'SingleFrame.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ISR.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [[], [], ["node5"]]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(1)]
         expected = "ISR.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_pipeline()
@@ -635,7 +637,7 @@ def test_run_pipeline_fallback_2failof3_inverse(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ApPipe.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'SingleFrame.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'ISR.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [[], ["node3", "node4"], []]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(2), self._make_test_graph(0)]
         expected = "SingleFrame.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_pipeline()
@@ -745,7 +747,7 @@ def test_run_preprocessing_full(self):
     def test_run_preprocessing_fallback_1failof2(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'Preprocess.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'MinPrep.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [[], ["node1", "node2"]]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(2)]
         expected = "MinPrep.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_preprocessing()
@@ -754,7 +756,7 @@ def test_run_preprocessing_fallback_1failof2(self):
     def test_run_preprocessing_fallback_1failof2_inverse(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'Preprocess.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'MinPrep.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [["node1", "node2"], []]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(2), self._make_test_graph(0)]
         expected = "Preprocess.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_preprocessing()
@@ -763,7 +765,7 @@ def test_run_preprocessing_fallback_1failof2_inverse(self):
     def test_run_preprocessing_fallback_2failof2(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'Preprocess.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'MinPrep.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [[], []]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(0)]
         expected = ""
 
         self._prepare_run_preprocessing()
@@ -775,7 +777,7 @@ def test_run_preprocessing_fallback_0failof3(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'Preprocess.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'MinPrep.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'NoPrep.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [["node1", "node2"], ["node3", "node4"], ["node5"]]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(2), self._make_test_graph(2), self._make_test_graph(1)]
         expected = "Preprocess.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_preprocessing()
@@ -785,7 +787,7 @@ def test_run_preprocessing_fallback_1failof3(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'Preprocess.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'MinPrep.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'NoPrep.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [[], ["node3", "node4"], ["node5"]]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(2), self._make_test_graph(1)]
         expected = "MinPrep.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_preprocessing()
@@ -795,7 +797,7 @@ def test_run_preprocessing_fallback_2failof3(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'Preprocess.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'MinPrep.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'NoPrep.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [[], [], ["node5"]]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(1)]
         expected = "NoPrep.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_preprocessing()
@@ -805,7 +807,7 @@ def test_run_preprocessing_fallback_2failof3_inverse(self):
         pipe_list = [os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'Preprocess.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'MinPrep.yaml'),
                      os.path.join(self.data_dir, 'NoPrep.yaml')]
-        graph_list = [[], ["node3", "node4"], []]
+        graph_list = [self._make_test_graph(0), self._make_test_graph(2), self._make_test_graph(0)]
         expected = "MinPrep.yaml"
 
         self._prepare_run_preprocessing()
@@ -912,6 +914,29 @@ def _make_expanded_ref(registry, dtype, data_id, run):
         return lsst.daf.butler.DatasetRef(registry.getDatasetType(dtype), data_id, run=run) \
             .expanded(registry.expandDataId(data_id))
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _make_test_graph(n_quanta):
+        """Make a `QuantumGraph` for tests.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        n_quanta : `int`
+            Number of quanta in a graph.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        qgraph : `~lsst.pipe.base.QuantumGraph`
+            Quantum graph instance.
+        """
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            if n_quanta == 0:
+                butler = Butler(Butler.makeRepo(tmpdir))
+                return lsst.pipe.base.QuantumGraph({}, universe=butler.dimensions)
+            elif n_quanta < 0:
+                raise RuntimeError("Invalid input")
+            else:
+                return makeSimpleQGraph(n_quanta, root=tmpdir)[1]
+
     def test_get_sasquatch_dispatcher(self):
         self.assertIsNone(_get_sasquatch_dispatcher())
         with unittest.mock.patch.dict(os.environ,