diff --git a/src/LockstakeEngine.sol b/src/LockstakeEngine.sol
index 054315af..2cff3252 100644
--- a/src/LockstakeEngine.sol
+++ b/src/LockstakeEngine.sol
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ contract LockstakeEngine is Multicall {
         vat.hope(nstJoin_);
         mkrNgt = MkrNgtLike(mkrNgt_);
         ngt = GemLike(mkrNgt.ngt());
+        ngt.approve(address(mkrNgt), type(uint256).max);
+        gov.approve(address(mkrNgt), type(uint256).max);
         mkrNgtRate = mkrNgt.rate();
 
         wards[msg.sender] = 1;
@@ -231,17 +233,14 @@ contract LockstakeEngine is Multicall {
 
     function lockNgt(address urn, uint256 ngtWad) external urnAuth(urn) {
         ngt.transferFrom(msg.sender, address(this), ngtWad);
-        ngt.approve(address(mkrNgt), ngtWad);
         mkrNgt.ngtToMkr(address(this), ngtWad);
         _lock(urn, ngtWad / mkrNgtRate);
-
         emit LockNgt(urn, ngtWad);
     }
 
     function lock(address urn, uint256 wad) external urnAuth(urn) {
         gov.transferFrom(msg.sender, address(this), wad);
         _lock(urn, wad);
-
         emit Lock(urn, wad);
     }
 
@@ -262,16 +261,13 @@ contract LockstakeEngine is Multicall {
     function freeNgt(address urn, address to, uint256 ngtWad) external urnAuth(urn) {
         uint256 wad = ngtWad / mkrNgtRate;
         uint256 freed = _free(urn, wad);
-        gov.approve(address(mkrNgt), freed);
         mkrNgt.mkrToNgt(to, freed);
-
         emit FreeNgt(urn, to, ngtWad, wad - freed);
     }
 
     function free(address urn, address to, uint256 wad) external urnAuth(urn) {
         uint256 freed = _free(urn, wad);
         gov.transfer(to, freed);
-
         emit Free(urn, to, wad, wad - freed);
     }
 
diff --git a/test/LockstakeEngine.t.sol b/test/LockstakeEngine.t.sol
index f608a47a..5ec66e30 100644
--- a/test/LockstakeEngine.t.sol
+++ b/test/LockstakeEngine.t.sol
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ contract AllocatorVaultTest is DssTest {
     GemMock             public rTok;
     StakingRewardsMock  public farm;
     MkrNgtMock          public mkrNgt;
+    GemMock             public ngt;
     bytes32             public ilk = "LSE";
     address             public voter;
     address             public voterDelegate;
@@ -116,7 +117,8 @@ contract AllocatorVaultTest is DssTest {
         stkGov = new GemMock(0);
         rTok = new GemMock(0);
         farm = new StakingRewardsMock(address(rTok), address(stkGov));
-        mkrNgt = new MkrNgtMock(address(0), address(0), 0); // TODO: set real values
+        ngt = new GemMock(0);
+        mkrNgt = new MkrNgtMock(address(gov), address(ngt), 25_000);
 
         pip = new PipMock();
         delFactory = new DelegateFactoryMock(address(gov));