diff --git a/src/test/subscription/t/031_column_list.pl b/src/test/subscription/t/031_column_list.pl
index 2ca120f7a4..86521a12dc 100644
--- a/src/test/subscription/t/031_column_list.pl
+++ b/src/test/subscription/t/031_column_list.pl
@@ -370,7 +370,8 @@ $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 
 $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 	'postgres', qq(
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 SET PUBLICATION pub2, pub3
+	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
+	CREATE SUBSCRIPTION sub1 CONNECTION '$publisher_connstr' PUBLICATION pub2, pub3
 ));
 
 $node_subscriber->wait_for_subscription_sync($node_publisher, 'sub1');
@@ -411,7 +412,8 @@ $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 
 $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 	'postgres', qq(
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 SET PUBLICATION pub4
+	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
+	CREATE SUBSCRIPTION sub1 CONNECTION '$publisher_connstr' PUBLICATION pub4
 ));
 
 $node_subscriber->wait_for_subscription_sync;
@@ -487,7 +489,8 @@ $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 
 $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 	'postgres', qq(
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 SET PUBLICATION pub5
+	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
+	CREATE SUBSCRIPTION sub1 CONNECTION '$publisher_connstr' PUBLICATION pub5
 ));
 
 $node_subscriber->wait_for_subscription_sync;
@@ -601,10 +604,12 @@ $node_publisher->safe_psql(
 	ALTER PUBLICATION pub6 ADD TABLE test_part_a_2 (b);
 ));
 
-# add the publication to our subscription, wait for sync to complete
+# create the subscription for the above publication, wait for sync to
+# complete
 $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 	'postgres', qq(
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 SET PUBLICATION pub6
+	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
+	CREATE SUBSCRIPTION sub1 CONNECTION '$publisher_connstr' PUBLICATION pub6
 ));
 
 $node_subscriber->wait_for_subscription_sync;
@@ -667,10 +672,12 @@ $node_publisher->safe_psql(
 	CREATE PUBLICATION pub7 FOR TABLE test_part_b (a, b) WITH (publish_via_partition_root = true);
 ));
 
-# add the publication to our subscription, wait for sync to complete
+# create the subscription for the above publication, wait for sync to
+# complete
 $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 	'postgres', qq(
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 SET PUBLICATION pub7
+	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
+	CREATE SUBSCRIPTION sub1 CONNECTION '$publisher_connstr' PUBLICATION pub7
 ));
 
 $node_subscriber->wait_for_subscription_sync;
@@ -737,7 +744,8 @@ $node_publisher->safe_psql(
 	ALTER PUBLICATION pub8 ADD TABLE test_part_c_2 (a,b);
 ));
 
-# add the publication to our subscription, wait for sync to complete
+# create the subscription for the above publication, wait for sync to
+# complete
 $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 	'postgres', qq(
 	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
@@ -835,10 +843,12 @@ $node_publisher->safe_psql(
 	CREATE PUBLICATION pub9 FOR TABLE test_part_d (a) WITH (publish_via_partition_root = true);
 ));
 
-# add the publication to our subscription, wait for sync to complete
+# create the subscription for the above publication, wait for sync to
+# complete
 $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 	'postgres', qq(
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 SET PUBLICATION pub9
+	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
+	CREATE SUBSCRIPTION sub1 CONNECTION '$publisher_connstr' PUBLICATION pub9
 ));
 
 $node_subscriber->wait_for_subscription_sync;
@@ -880,8 +890,8 @@ $node_publisher->safe_psql(
 $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 	'postgres', qq(
 	CREATE TABLE test_mix_2 (a int PRIMARY KEY, b int, c int);
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 SET PUBLICATION pub_mix_3, pub_mix_4;
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 REFRESH PUBLICATION;
+	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
+	CREATE SUBSCRIPTION sub1 CONNECTION '$publisher_connstr' PUBLICATION pub_mix_3, pub_mix_4;
 ));
 
 $node_subscriber->wait_for_subscription_sync;
@@ -1017,7 +1027,8 @@ $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 	CREATE TABLE s1.t (a int, b int, c int) PARTITION BY RANGE (a);
 	CREATE TABLE t_1 PARTITION OF s1.t FOR VALUES FROM (1) TO (10);
 
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 SET PUBLICATION pub1, pub2;
+	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
+	CREATE SUBSCRIPTION sub1 CONNECTION '$publisher_connstr' PUBLICATION pub1, pub2;
 ));
 
 $node_subscriber->wait_for_subscription_sync;
@@ -1085,7 +1096,8 @@ $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 		   PARTITION BY RANGE (a);
 	CREATE TABLE t_2 PARTITION OF t_1 FOR VALUES FROM (1) TO (10);
 
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 SET PUBLICATION pub3;
+	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
+	CREATE SUBSCRIPTION sub1 CONNECTION '$publisher_connstr' PUBLICATION pub3;
 ));
 
 $node_subscriber->wait_for_subscription_sync;
@@ -1133,7 +1145,8 @@ $node_subscriber->safe_psql(
 		   PARTITION BY RANGE (a);
 	CREATE TABLE t_2 PARTITION OF t_1 FOR VALUES FROM (1) TO (10);
 
-	ALTER SUBSCRIPTION sub1 SET PUBLICATION pub4;
+	DROP SUBSCRIPTION sub1;
+	CREATE SUBSCRIPTION sub1 CONNECTION '$publisher_connstr' PUBLICATION pub4;
 ));
 
 $node_subscriber->wait_for_subscription_sync;