diff --git a/tests/_utils/setup.sql b/tests/_utils/setup.sql
index 12ba2584a462..76322bf0f407 100644
--- a/tests/_utils/setup.sql
+++ b/tests/_utils/setup.sql
@@ -429,3 +429,13 @@ CREATE TABLE `contenttypes_tests_modelwithm2mtosite_site` (
   KEY (`modelwithm2mtosite_id`),
   KEY (`site_id`)
 );
+
+--test_runner
+CREATE TABLE `test_runner_person_friend` (
+  `from_person_id` BIGINT NOT NULL,
+  `to_person_id` BIGINT NOT NULL,
+  SHARD KEY (`from_person_id`),
+  UNIQUE KEY (`from_person_id`, `to_person_id`),
+  KEY (`from_person_id`),
+  KEY (`to_person_id`)
+);
diff --git a/tests/test_runner/models.py b/tests/test_runner/models.py
index 80bf8dd8c769..313c07d3a23d 100644
--- a/tests/test_runner/models.py
+++ b/tests/test_runner/models.py
@@ -4,7 +4,19 @@
 class Person(models.Model):
     first_name = models.CharField(max_length=20)
     last_name = models.CharField(max_length=20)
-    friends = models.ManyToManyField("self")
+    friends = models.ManyToManyField("self", through="PersonFriend")
+
+class PersonFriend(models.Model):
+    from_person = models.ForeignKey(
+        Person, on_delete=models.CASCADE, related_name="from_person"
+    )
+    to_person = models.ForeignKey(
+        Person, on_delete=models.CASCADE, related_name="to_person"
+    )
+
+    class Meta:
+        unique_together = (('from_person', 'to_person'),)
+        db_table = "test_runner_person_friend"
 
 
 # A set of models that use a non-abstract inherited 'through' model.