diff --git a/app/helpers/collection_time_helper.rb b/app/helpers/collection_time_helper.rb
index 34c0aae1a..93852c597 100644
--- a/app/helpers/collection_time_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/collection_time_helper.rb
@@ -95,16 +95,9 @@ module CollectionTimeHelper
     available_dates.empty? ? nil : available_dates.sample
   end
 
-  # will time travel forwards only if needed.
-  # useful for writing future tests that will also test the current time if it can.
+  # useful for writing future tests that will also test the current time if it can or a future year if needed.
   # stops tests being frozen on a specific year.
   def collection_start_date_for_year_or_later(year)
-    Timecop.return do
-      if current_collection_start_year < year
-        collection_start_date_for_year(year)
-      else
-        current_collection_start_date
-      end
-    end
+    collection_start_date_for_year([current_collection_start_year, year].max)
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/services/bulk_upload/sales/validator_spec.rb b/spec/services/bulk_upload/sales/validator_spec.rb
index 37115e609..33f29c1a8 100644
--- a/spec/services/bulk_upload/sales/validator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/bulk_upload/sales/validator_spec.rb
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ RSpec.describe BulkUpload::Sales::Validator do
 
     context "when file has too many columns" do
       before do
-        file.write((%w[a] * (Object.const_get("BulkUpload::Sales::Year#{year}::CsvParser::MAX_COLUMNS") + 1)).join(","))
+        Timecop.travel(collection_start_date_for_year_or_later(2025))
+        file.write((%w[a] * (Object.const_get("BulkUpload::Sales::Year#{year}::CsvParser::FIELDS") + 1)).join(","))
         file.rewind
       end