diff --git a/tests/system/conftest.py b/tests/system/conftest.py
index dd42e736..9d476dcb 100644
--- a/tests/system/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/system/conftest.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def dataset(project_id, bq_client):
     bq_client.delete_dataset(dataset, delete_contents=True)
 
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+@pytest.fixture
 def table(project_id, dataset, bq_client):
     from google.cloud import bigquery
 
diff --git a/tests/system/reader/test_reader.py b/tests/system/reader/test_reader.py
index d0328041..92bfcc54 100644
--- a/tests/system/reader/test_reader.py
+++ b/tests/system/reader/test_reader.py
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 from google.cloud import bigquery
 
 
+_TABLE_FORMAT = "projects/{}/datasets/{}/tables/{}"
+
+
 def _to_bq_table_ref(table_name_string, partition_suffix=""):
     """Converts protobuf table reference to bigquery table reference.
 
@@ -177,25 +180,37 @@ def test_column_selection_read(
         assert sorted(row.keys()) == ["age", "first_name"]
 
 
-def test_snapshot(client_and_types, project_id, table_with_data_ref, bq_client):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("data_format", ("AVRO", "ARROW"))
+def test_snapshot(client_and_types, project_id, table, bq_client, data_format):
     client, types = client_and_types
-    before_new_data = dt.datetime.now(tz=dt.timezone.utc)
+
+    # load original data into the table
+    original_data = [
+        {"first_name": "OGFoo", "last_name": "Smith", "age": 44},
+        {"first_name": "OGBar", "last_name": "Jones", "age": 33},
+    ]
+    og_job = bq_client.load_table_from_json(original_data, table).result()
+    og_time = og_job.ended
 
     # load additional data into the table
     new_data = [
-        {"first_name": "NewGuyFoo", "last_name": "Smith", "age": 46},
-        {"first_name": "NewGuyBar", "last_name": "Jones", "age": 30},
+        {"first_name": "NewFoo", "last_name": "Smiff", "age": 43},
+        {"first_name": "NewBar", "last_name": "Jomes", "age": 34},
     ]
+    new_job = bq_client.load_table_from_json(new_data, table).result()
+    new_time = new_job.ended
 
-    destination = _to_bq_table_ref(table_with_data_ref)
-    bq_client.load_table_from_json(new_data, destination).result()
+    # Because we want our snapshot to be between when we loaded the original
+    # data and when the new data was loaded, take the average of the two load
+    # job completion times.
+    before_new_data = og_time + ((new_time - og_time) / 2)
 
     # read data using the timestamp before the additional data load
-
+    table_path = _TABLE_FORMAT.format(table.project, table.dataset_id, table.table_id)
     read_session = types.ReadSession()
-    read_session.table = table_with_data_ref
+    read_session.table = table_path
     read_session.table_modifiers.snapshot_time = before_new_data
-    read_session.data_format = types.DataFormat.AVRO
+    read_session.data_format = data_format
 
     session = client.create_read_session(
         request={
@@ -209,10 +224,11 @@ def test_snapshot(client_and_types, project_id, table_with_data_ref, bq_client):
     rows = list(client.read_rows(stream).rows(session))
 
     # verify that only the data before the timestamp was returned
-    assert len(rows) == 5  # all initial records
+    assert len(rows) == 2  # all initial records
 
     for row in rows:
-        assert "NewGuy" not in row["first_name"]  # no new records
+        assert "OG" in str(row["first_name"])
+        assert "New" not in str(row["first_name"])
 
 
 def test_column_partitioned_table(