diff --git a/.semversioner/next-release/patch-20241022221802983784.json b/.semversioner/next-release/patch-20241022221802983784.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b73219b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.semversioner/next-release/patch-20241022221802983784.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "type": "patch",
+  "description": "Add runtime-only storage option."
+}
diff --git a/graphrag/index/context.py b/graphrag/index/context.py
index 48c1cd80..94934e49 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/context.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/context.py
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ class PipelineRunContext:
 
     stats: PipelineRunStats
     storage: PipelineStorage
+    "Long-term storage for pipeline verbs to use. Items written here will be written to the storage provider."
     cache: PipelineCache
+    "Cache instance for reading previous LLM responses."
+    runtime_storage: PipelineStorage
+    "Runtime only storage for pipeline verbs to use. Items written here will only live in memory during the current run."
 
 
 # TODO: For now, just has the same props available to it
diff --git a/graphrag/index/run/profiling.py b/graphrag/index/run/profiling.py
index d1a54a66..6121b9ea 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/run/profiling.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/run/profiling.py
@@ -69,7 +69,3 @@ async def _write_workflow_stats(
         await _save_profiler_stats(
             storage, workflow.name, workflow_result.memory_profile
         )
-
-    log.debug(
-        "first row of %s => %s", workflow.name, workflow.output().iloc[0].to_json()
-    )
diff --git a/graphrag/index/run/run.py b/graphrag/index/run/run.py
index 980e804c..6f3e6721 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/run/run.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/run/run.py
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ from graphrag.index.run.utils import (
     _apply_substitutions,
     _create_input,
     _create_reporter,
-    _create_run_context,
     _validate_dataset,
+    create_run_context,
 )
 from graphrag.index.run.workflow import (
     _create_callback_chain,
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ async def run_pipeline(
     """
     start_time = time.time()
 
-    context = _create_run_context(storage=storage, cache=cache, stats=None)
+    context = create_run_context(storage=storage, cache=cache, stats=None)
 
     progress_reporter = progress_reporter or NullProgressReporter()
     callbacks = callbacks or ConsoleWorkflowCallbacks()
diff --git a/graphrag/index/run/utils.py b/graphrag/index/run/utils.py
index 0b4e9a80..49650d62 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/run/utils.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/run/utils.py
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ def _apply_substitutions(config: PipelineConfig, run_id: str) -> PipelineConfig:
     return config
 
 
-def _create_run_context(
+def create_run_context(
     storage: PipelineStorage | None,
     cache: PipelineCache | None,
     stats: PipelineRunStats | None,
@@ -113,4 +113,5 @@ def _create_run_context(
         stats=stats or PipelineRunStats(),
         cache=cache or InMemoryCache(),
         storage=storage or MemoryPipelineStorage(),
+        runtime_storage=MemoryPipelineStorage(),
     )
diff --git a/graphrag/index/run/workflow.py b/graphrag/index/run/workflow.py
index aa288262..e8f001a2 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/run/workflow.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/run/workflow.py
@@ -39,7 +39,18 @@ async def _inject_workflow_data_dependencies(
     log.info("dependencies for %s: %s", workflow.name, deps)
     for id in deps:
         workflow_id = f"workflow:{id}"
-        table = await _load_table_from_storage(f"{id}.parquet", storage)
+        try:
+            table = await _load_table_from_storage(f"{id}.parquet", storage)
+        except ValueError:
+            # our workflows now allow transient tables, and we avoid putting those in primary storage
+            # however, we need to keep the table in the dependency list for proper execution order
+            # this allows us to catch missing table errors but emit a warning for pipeline users who may genuinely have an error (which we expect to be very rare)
+            # todo: this issue will resolve itself if we remove DataShaper completely
+            log.warning(
+                "Dependency table %s not found in storage: it may be a runtime-only in-memory table. If you see further errors, this may be an actual problem.",
+                id,
+            )
+            table = pd.DataFrame()
         workflow.add_table(workflow_id, table)
 
 
diff --git a/graphrag/index/storage/blob_pipeline_storage.py b/graphrag/index/storage/blob_pipeline_storage.py
index 5494c5a6..bdf25c99 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/storage/blob_pipeline_storage.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/storage/blob_pipeline_storage.py
@@ -276,6 +276,11 @@ class BlobPipelineStorage(PipelineStorage):
             self._storage_account_blob_url,
         )
 
+    def keys(self) -> list[str]:
+        """Return the keys in the storage."""
+        msg = "Blob storage does yet not support listing keys."
+        raise NotImplementedError(msg)
+
     def _keyname(self, key: str) -> str:
         """Get the key name."""
         return str(Path(self._path_prefix) / key)
diff --git a/graphrag/index/storage/file_pipeline_storage.py b/graphrag/index/storage/file_pipeline_storage.py
index ccb06d1f..a3a18cf4 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/storage/file_pipeline_storage.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/storage/file_pipeline_storage.py
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ class FilePipelineStorage(PipelineStorage):
             return self
         return FilePipelineStorage(str(Path(self._root_dir) / Path(name)))
 
+    def keys(self) -> list[str]:
+        """Return the keys in the storage."""
+        return os.listdir(self._root_dir)
+
 
 def join_path(file_path: str, file_name: str) -> Path:
     """Join a path and a file. Independent of the OS."""
diff --git a/graphrag/index/storage/memory_pipeline_storage.py b/graphrag/index/storage/memory_pipeline_storage.py
index ed490983..3f9f9c9b 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/storage/memory_pipeline_storage.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/storage/memory_pipeline_storage.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class MemoryPipelineStorage(FilePipelineStorage):
         -------
             - output - The value for the given key.
         """
-        return self._storage.get(key) or await super().get(key, as_bytes, encoding)
+        return self._storage.get(key)
 
     async def set(self, key: str, value: Any, encoding: str | None = None) -> None:
         """Set the value for the given key.
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class MemoryPipelineStorage(FilePipelineStorage):
         -------
             - output - True if the key exists in the storage, False otherwise.
         """
-        return key in self._storage or await super().has(key)
+        return key in self._storage
 
     async def delete(self, key: str) -> None:
         """Delete the given key from the storage.
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class MemoryPipelineStorage(FilePipelineStorage):
 
     def child(self, name: str | None) -> "PipelineStorage":
         """Create a child storage instance."""
-        return self
+        return MemoryPipelineStorage()
 
     def keys(self) -> list[str]:
         """Return the keys in the storage."""
diff --git a/graphrag/index/storage/pipeline_storage.py b/graphrag/index/storage/pipeline_storage.py
index 08ccb409..554c2ffd 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/storage/pipeline_storage.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/storage/pipeline_storage.py
@@ -76,3 +76,7 @@ class PipelineStorage(metaclass=ABCMeta):
     @abstractmethod
     def child(self, name: str | None) -> "PipelineStorage":
         """Create a child storage instance."""
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def keys(self) -> list[str]:
+        """List all keys in the storage."""
diff --git a/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_base_entity_graph.py b/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_base_entity_graph.py
index 2ab85b01..dea94792 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_base_entity_graph.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_base_entity_graph.py
@@ -5,12 +5,10 @@
 
 from typing import Any, cast
 
-import pandas as pd
 from datashaper import (
     AsyncType,
     Table,
     VerbCallbacks,
-    VerbInput,
     verb,
 )
 from datashaper.table_store.types import VerbResult, create_verb_result
@@ -27,10 +25,10 @@ from graphrag.index.storage import PipelineStorage
     treats_input_tables_as_immutable=True,
 )
 async def create_base_entity_graph(
-    input: VerbInput,
     callbacks: VerbCallbacks,
     cache: PipelineCache,
     storage: PipelineStorage,
+    runtime_storage: PipelineStorage,
     text_column: str,
     id_column: str,
     clustering_strategy: dict[str, Any],
@@ -48,10 +46,10 @@ async def create_base_entity_graph(
     **_kwargs: dict,
 ) -> VerbResult:
     """All the steps to create the base entity graph."""
-    source = cast(pd.DataFrame, input.get_input())
+    text_units = await runtime_storage.get("base_text_units")
 
     output = await create_base_entity_graph_flow(
-        source,
+        text_units,
         callbacks,
         cache,
         storage,
diff --git a/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_base_text_units.py b/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_base_text_units.py
index 18c65008..2518111d 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_base_text_units.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_base_text_units.py
@@ -17,12 +17,14 @@ from datashaper.table_store.types import VerbResult, create_verb_result
 from graphrag.index.flows.create_base_text_units import (
     create_base_text_units as create_base_text_units_flow,
 )
+from graphrag.index.storage import PipelineStorage
 
 
 @verb(name="create_base_text_units", treats_input_tables_as_immutable=True)
-def create_base_text_units(
+async def create_base_text_units(
     input: VerbInput,
     callbacks: VerbCallbacks,
+    runtime_storage: PipelineStorage,
     chunk_column_name: str,
     n_tokens_column_name: str,
     chunk_by_columns: list[str],
@@ -41,9 +43,11 @@ def create_base_text_units(
         chunk_strategy=chunk_strategy,
     )
 
+    await runtime_storage.set("base_text_units", output)
+
     return create_verb_result(
         cast(
             Table,
-            output,
+            pd.DataFrame(),
         )
     )
diff --git a/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_final_covariates.py b/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_final_covariates.py
index d0812bc5..f6998770 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_final_covariates.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_final_covariates.py
@@ -5,12 +5,10 @@
 
 from typing import Any, cast
 
-import pandas as pd
 from datashaper import (
     AsyncType,
     Table,
     VerbCallbacks,
-    VerbInput,
     verb,
 )
 from datashaper.table_store.types import VerbResult, create_verb_result
@@ -19,13 +17,14 @@ from graphrag.index.cache import PipelineCache
 from graphrag.index.flows.create_final_covariates import (
     create_final_covariates as create_final_covariates_flow,
 )
+from graphrag.index.storage import PipelineStorage
 
 
 @verb(name="create_final_covariates", treats_input_tables_as_immutable=True)
 async def create_final_covariates(
-    input: VerbInput,
     callbacks: VerbCallbacks,
     cache: PipelineCache,
+    runtime_storage: PipelineStorage,
     column: str,
     covariate_type: str,
     extraction_strategy: dict[str, Any] | None,
@@ -35,10 +34,10 @@ async def create_final_covariates(
     **_kwargs: dict,
 ) -> VerbResult:
     """All the steps to extract and format covariates."""
-    source = cast(pd.DataFrame, input.get_input())
+    text_units = await runtime_storage.get("base_text_units")
 
     output = await create_final_covariates_flow(
-        source,
+        text_units,
         callbacks,
         cache,
         column,
diff --git a/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_final_text_units.py b/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_final_text_units.py
index 14bd8399..37ddb106 100644
--- a/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_final_text_units.py
+++ b/graphrag/index/workflows/v1/subflows/create_final_text_units.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from graphrag.index.cache import PipelineCache
 from graphrag.index.flows.create_final_text_units import (
     create_final_text_units as create_final_text_units_flow,
 )
+from graphrag.index.storage import PipelineStorage
 from graphrag.index.utils.ds_util import get_named_input_table, get_required_input_table
 
 
@@ -27,11 +28,12 @@ async def create_final_text_units(
     input: VerbInput,
     callbacks: VerbCallbacks,
     cache: PipelineCache,
+    runtime_storage: PipelineStorage,
     text_text_embed: dict | None = None,
     **_kwargs: dict,
 ) -> VerbResult:
     """All the steps to transform the text units."""
-    source = cast(pd.DataFrame, input.get_input())
+    text_units = await runtime_storage.get("base_text_units")
     final_entities = cast(
         pd.DataFrame, get_required_input_table(input, "entities").table
     )
@@ -44,7 +46,7 @@ async def create_final_text_units(
         final_covariates = cast(pd.DataFrame, final_covariates.table)
 
     output = await create_final_text_units_flow(
-        source,
+        text_units,
         final_entities,
         final_relationships,
         final_covariates,
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/min-csv/config.json b/tests/fixtures/min-csv/config.json
index db07f773..78e601f1 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/min-csv/config.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/min-csv/config.json
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
                 2500
             ],
             "subworkflows": 1,
-            "max_runtime": 100
+            "max_runtime": 300
         },
         "create_final_entities": {
             "row_range": [
diff --git a/tests/smoke/test_fixtures.py b/tests/smoke/test_fixtures.py
index c5aff3d9..33b0b6a0 100644
--- a/tests/smoke/test_fixtures.py
+++ b/tests/smoke/test_fixtures.py
@@ -178,30 +178,26 @@ class TestIndexer:
             workflows == expected_workflows
         ), f"Workflows missing from stats.json: {expected_workflows - workflows}. Unexpected workflows in stats.json: {workflows - expected_workflows}"
 
-        # [OPTIONAL] Check subworkflows
+        # [OPTIONAL] Check runtime
         for workflow in expected_workflows:
-            if "subworkflows" in workflow_config[workflow]:
-                # Check number of subworkflows
-                subworkflows = stats["workflows"][workflow]
-                expected_subworkflows = workflow_config[workflow].get(
-                    "subworkflows", None
-                )
-                if expected_subworkflows:
-                    assert (
-                        len(subworkflows) - 1 == expected_subworkflows
-                    ), f"Expected {expected_subworkflows} subworkflows, found: {len(subworkflows) - 1} for workflow: {workflow}: [{subworkflows}]"
-
-                # Check max runtime
-                max_runtime = workflow_config[workflow].get("max_runtime", None)
-                if max_runtime:
-                    assert (
-                        stats["workflows"][workflow]["overall"] <= max_runtime
-                    ), f"Expected max runtime of {max_runtime}, found: {stats['workflows'][workflow]['overall']} for workflow: {workflow}"
+            # Check max runtime
+            max_runtime = workflow_config[workflow].get("max_runtime", None)
+            if max_runtime:
+                assert (
+                    stats["workflows"][workflow]["overall"] <= max_runtime
+                ), f"Expected max runtime of {max_runtime}, found: {stats['workflows'][workflow]['overall']} for workflow: {workflow}"
 
         # Check artifacts
         artifact_files = os.listdir(artifacts)
+        # check that the number of workflows matches the number of artifacts, but:
+        # (1) do not count workflows with only transient output
+        # (2) account for the stats.json file
+        transient_workflows = [
+            "workflow:create_base_text_units",
+        ]
         assert (
-            len(artifact_files) == len(expected_workflows) + 1
+            len(artifact_files)
+            == (len(expected_workflows) - len(transient_workflows) + 1)
         ), f"Expected {len(expected_workflows) + 1} artifacts, found: {len(artifact_files)}"
 
         for artifact in artifact_files:
diff --git a/tests/verbs/test_create_base_entity_graph.py b/tests/verbs/test_create_base_entity_graph.py
index 86868585..ab03d4ac 100644
--- a/tests/verbs/test_create_base_entity_graph.py
+++ b/tests/verbs/test_create_base_entity_graph.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import networkx as nx
 import pytest
 
 from graphrag.config.enums import LLMType
-from graphrag.index.storage.memory_pipeline_storage import MemoryPipelineStorage
+from graphrag.index.run.utils import create_run_context
 from graphrag.index.workflows.v1.create_base_entity_graph import (
     build_steps,
     workflow_name,
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ async def test_create_base_entity_graph():
     ])
     expected = load_expected(workflow_name)
 
-    storage = MemoryPipelineStorage()
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
+    await context.runtime_storage.set(
+        "base_text_units", input_tables["workflow:create_base_text_units"]
+    )
 
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
     config["entity_extract"]["strategy"]["llm"] = MOCK_LLM_ENTITY_CONFIG
@@ -68,7 +71,7 @@ async def test_create_base_entity_graph():
         {
             "steps": steps,
         },
-        storage=storage,
+        context=context,
     )
 
     assert len(actual.columns) == len(
@@ -88,7 +91,7 @@ async def test_create_base_entity_graph():
     nodes = list(actual_graph_0.nodes(data=True))
     assert nodes[0][1]["description"] == "Company_A is a test company"
 
-    assert len(storage.keys()) == 0, "Storage should be empty"
+    assert len(context.storage.keys()) == 0, "Storage should be empty"
 
 
 async def test_create_base_entity_graph_with_embeddings():
@@ -97,6 +100,11 @@ async def test_create_base_entity_graph_with_embeddings():
     ])
     expected = load_expected(workflow_name)
 
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
+    await context.runtime_storage.set(
+        "base_text_units", input_tables["workflow:create_base_text_units"]
+    )
+
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
 
     config["entity_extract"]["strategy"]["llm"] = MOCK_LLM_ENTITY_CONFIG
@@ -110,6 +118,7 @@ async def test_create_base_entity_graph_with_embeddings():
         {
             "steps": steps,
         },
+        context=context,
     )
 
     assert (
@@ -123,7 +132,10 @@ async def test_create_base_entity_graph_with_snapshots():
         "workflow:create_base_text_units",
     ])
 
-    storage = MemoryPipelineStorage()
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
+    await context.runtime_storage.set(
+        "base_text_units", input_tables["workflow:create_base_text_units"]
+    )
 
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
 
@@ -140,10 +152,10 @@ async def test_create_base_entity_graph_with_snapshots():
         {
             "steps": steps,
         },
-        storage=storage,
+        context=context,
     )
 
-    assert storage.keys() == [
+    assert context.storage.keys() == [
         "raw_extracted_entities.json",
         "merged_graph.graphml",
         "summarized_graph.graphml",
@@ -157,6 +169,11 @@ async def test_create_base_entity_graph_missing_llm_throws():
         "workflow:create_base_text_units",
     ])
 
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
+    await context.runtime_storage.set(
+        "base_text_units", input_tables["workflow:create_base_text_units"]
+    )
+
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
 
     config["entity_extract"]["strategy"]["llm"] = MOCK_LLM_ENTITY_CONFIG
@@ -170,4 +187,5 @@ async def test_create_base_entity_graph_missing_llm_throws():
             {
                 "steps": steps,
             },
+            context=context,
         )
diff --git a/tests/verbs/test_create_base_text_units.py b/tests/verbs/test_create_base_text_units.py
index bb3bb0ee..8fd6fee2 100644
--- a/tests/verbs/test_create_base_text_units.py
+++ b/tests/verbs/test_create_base_text_units.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2024 Microsoft Corporation.
 # Licensed under the MIT License
 
+from graphrag.index.run.utils import create_run_context
 from graphrag.index.workflows.v1.create_base_text_units import (
     build_steps,
     workflow_name,
@@ -19,17 +20,21 @@ async def test_create_base_text_units():
     input_tables = load_input_tables(inputs=[])
     expected = load_expected(workflow_name)
 
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
+
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
     # test data was created with 4o, so we need to match the encoding for chunks to be identical
     config["text_chunk"]["strategy"]["encoding_name"] = "o200k_base"
 
     steps = build_steps(config)
 
-    actual = await get_workflow_output(
+    await get_workflow_output(
         input_tables,
         {
             "steps": steps,
         },
+        context,
     )
 
+    actual = await context.runtime_storage.get("base_text_units")
     compare_outputs(actual, expected)
diff --git a/tests/verbs/test_create_final_covariates.py b/tests/verbs/test_create_final_covariates.py
index 4251583e..4a2aa8e6 100644
--- a/tests/verbs/test_create_final_covariates.py
+++ b/tests/verbs/test_create_final_covariates.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from datashaper.errors import VerbParallelizationError
 from pandas.testing import assert_series_equal
 
 from graphrag.config.enums import LLMType
+from graphrag.index.run.utils import create_run_context
 from graphrag.index.workflows.v1.create_final_covariates import (
     build_steps,
     workflow_name,
@@ -31,6 +32,11 @@ async def test_create_final_covariates():
     input_tables = load_input_tables(["workflow:create_base_text_units"])
     expected = load_expected(workflow_name)
 
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
+    await context.runtime_storage.set(
+        "base_text_units", input_tables["workflow:create_base_text_units"]
+    )
+
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
 
     config["claim_extract"]["strategy"]["llm"] = MOCK_LLM_CONFIG
@@ -42,6 +48,7 @@ async def test_create_final_covariates():
         {
             "steps": steps,
         },
+        context,
     )
 
     input = input_tables["workflow:create_base_text_units"]
@@ -81,6 +88,11 @@ async def test_create_final_covariates():
 async def test_create_final_covariates_missing_llm_throws():
     input_tables = load_input_tables(["workflow:create_base_text_units"])
 
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
+    await context.runtime_storage.set(
+        "base_text_units", input_tables["workflow:create_base_text_units"]
+    )
+
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
 
     del config["claim_extract"]["strategy"]["llm"]
@@ -93,4 +105,5 @@ async def test_create_final_covariates_missing_llm_throws():
             {
                 "steps": steps,
             },
+            context,
         )
diff --git a/tests/verbs/test_create_final_nodes.py b/tests/verbs/test_create_final_nodes.py
index cd8d4dd9..6256e67e 100644
--- a/tests/verbs/test_create_final_nodes.py
+++ b/tests/verbs/test_create_final_nodes.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2024 Microsoft Corporation.
 # Licensed under the MIT License
 
-from graphrag.index.storage.memory_pipeline_storage import MemoryPipelineStorage
+from graphrag.index.run.utils import create_run_context
 from graphrag.index.workflows.v1.create_final_nodes import (
     build_steps,
     workflow_name,
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ async def test_create_final_nodes():
     ])
     expected = load_expected(workflow_name)
 
-    storage = MemoryPipelineStorage()
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
 
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
 
@@ -37,12 +37,12 @@ async def test_create_final_nodes():
         {
             "steps": steps,
         },
-        storage=storage,
+        context=context,
     )
 
     compare_outputs(actual, expected)
 
-    assert len(storage.keys()) == 0, "Storage should be empty"
+    assert len(context.storage.keys()) == 0, "Storage should be empty"
 
 
 async def test_create_final_nodes_with_snapshot():
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ async def test_create_final_nodes_with_snapshot():
     ])
     expected = load_expected(workflow_name)
 
-    storage = MemoryPipelineStorage()
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
 
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
 
@@ -67,11 +67,11 @@ async def test_create_final_nodes_with_snapshot():
         {
             "steps": steps,
         },
-        storage=storage,
+        context=context,
     )
 
     assert actual.shape == expected.shape, "Graph dataframe shapes differ"
 
-    assert storage.keys() == [
+    assert context.storage.keys() == [
         "top_level_nodes.json",
     ], "Graph snapshot keys differ"
diff --git a/tests/verbs/test_create_final_text_units.py b/tests/verbs/test_create_final_text_units.py
index 4a3bee0a..9560d06a 100644
--- a/tests/verbs/test_create_final_text_units.py
+++ b/tests/verbs/test_create_final_text_units.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2024 Microsoft Corporation.
 # Licensed under the MIT License
 
+from graphrag.index.run.utils import create_run_context
 from graphrag.index.workflows.v1.create_final_text_units import (
     build_steps,
     workflow_name,
@@ -24,6 +25,11 @@ async def test_create_final_text_units():
     ])
     expected = load_expected(workflow_name)
 
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
+    await context.runtime_storage.set(
+        "base_text_units", input_tables["workflow:create_base_text_units"]
+    )
+
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
 
     config["covariates_enabled"] = True
@@ -36,6 +42,7 @@ async def test_create_final_text_units():
         {
             "steps": steps,
         },
+        context=context,
     )
 
     compare_outputs(actual, expected)
@@ -50,6 +57,11 @@ async def test_create_final_text_units_no_covariates():
     ])
     expected = load_expected(workflow_name)
 
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
+    await context.runtime_storage.set(
+        "base_text_units", input_tables["workflow:create_base_text_units"]
+    )
+
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
 
     config["covariates_enabled"] = False
@@ -62,6 +74,7 @@ async def test_create_final_text_units_no_covariates():
         {
             "steps": steps,
         },
+        context=context,
     )
 
     # we're short a covariate_ids column
@@ -81,6 +94,11 @@ async def test_create_final_text_units_with_embeddings():
     ])
     expected = load_expected(workflow_name)
 
+    context = create_run_context(None, None, None)
+    await context.runtime_storage.set(
+        "base_text_units", input_tables["workflow:create_base_text_units"]
+    )
+
     config = get_config_for_workflow(workflow_name)
 
     config["covariates_enabled"] = True
@@ -96,6 +114,7 @@ async def test_create_final_text_units_with_embeddings():
         {
             "steps": steps,
         },
+        context=context,
     )
 
     assert "text_embedding" in actual.columns
diff --git a/tests/verbs/util.py b/tests/verbs/util.py
index 9533bc61..389b9802 100644
--- a/tests/verbs/util.py
+++ b/tests/verbs/util.py
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ from graphrag.index import (
     PipelineWorkflowConfig,
     create_pipeline_config,
 )
-from graphrag.index.run.utils import _create_run_context
-from graphrag.index.storage.pipeline_storage import PipelineStorage
+from graphrag.index.context import PipelineRunContext
+from graphrag.index.run.utils import create_run_context
 
 pd.set_option("display.max_columns", None)
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def get_config_for_workflow(name: str) -> PipelineWorkflowConfig:
 async def get_workflow_output(
     input_tables: dict[str, pd.DataFrame],
     schema: dict,
-    storage: PipelineStorage | None = None,
+    context: PipelineRunContext | None = None,
 ) -> pd.DataFrame:
     """Pass in the input tables, the schema, and the output name"""
 
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ async def get_workflow_output(
         input_tables=input_tables,
     )
 
-    context = _create_run_context(storage, None, None)
+    run_context = context or create_run_context(None, None, None)
 
-    await workflow.run(context=context)
+    await workflow.run(context=run_context)
 
     # if there's only one output, it is the default here, no name required
     return cast(pd.DataFrame, workflow.output())