diff --git a/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py
index db645b3a195..48f565ddb56 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/recorder/__init__.py
@@ -1119,8 +1119,7 @@ class Recorder(threading.Thread):
             self.event_session.add(dbstate)
             dbstate.event = dbevent
 
-        # If they do not have a commit interval
-        # than we commit right away
+        # Commit right away if the commit interval is zero
         if not self.commit_interval:
             self._commit_event_session_or_retry()
 
diff --git a/tests/common.py b/tests/common.py
index 98fc6188777..4920d27fd1c 100644
--- a/tests/common.py
+++ b/tests/common.py
@@ -905,7 +905,10 @@ def assert_setup_component(count, domain=None):
 def init_recorder_component(hass, add_config=None):
     """Initialize the recorder."""
     config = dict(add_config) if add_config else {}
-    config[recorder.CONF_DB_URL] = "sqlite://"  # In memory DB
+    if recorder.CONF_DB_URL not in config:
+        config[recorder.CONF_DB_URL] = "sqlite://"  # In memory DB
+        if recorder.CONF_COMMIT_INTERVAL not in config:
+            config[recorder.CONF_COMMIT_INTERVAL] = 0
 
     with patch("homeassistant.components.recorder.migration.migrate_schema"):
         assert setup_component(hass, recorder.DOMAIN, {recorder.DOMAIN: config})
@@ -915,9 +918,11 @@ def init_recorder_component(hass, add_config=None):
 
 async def async_init_recorder_component(hass, add_config=None):
     """Initialize the recorder asynchronously."""
-    config = add_config or {recorder.CONF_COMMIT_INTERVAL: 0}
+    config = dict(add_config) if add_config else {}
     if recorder.CONF_DB_URL not in config:
-        config[recorder.CONF_DB_URL] = "sqlite://"
+        config[recorder.CONF_DB_URL] = "sqlite://"  # In memory DB
+        if recorder.CONF_COMMIT_INTERVAL not in config:
+            config[recorder.CONF_COMMIT_INTERVAL] = 0
 
     with patch("homeassistant.components.recorder.migration.migrate_schema"):
         assert await async_setup_component(