diff --git a/tests/mock_vws/fixtures/vuforia_backends.py b/tests/mock_vws/fixtures/vuforia_backends.py
index 01e820015..a01c958ba 100644
--- a/tests/mock_vws/fixtures/vuforia_backends.py
+++ b/tests/mock_vws/fixtures/vuforia_backends.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 from tests.mock_vws.utils.model_target_retries import (
     retrying_transient_real_backend_failures,
 )
+from tests.mock_vws.utils.recognition_counts import SeedRecognitionCounts
 from tests.mock_vws.utils.retries import (
     RETRY_ON_TARGET_STILL_PROCESSING,
     RETRY_ON_TRANSIENT_VWS_FAILURE,
@@ -571,3 +572,62 @@ def add_flask_cloud_database(*, cloud_database: CloudDatabase) -> None:
         response.raise_for_status()
 
     return add_flask_cloud_database
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(name="seed_recognition_counts")
+def fixture_seed_recognition_counts(
+    *,
+    mock_only_vuforia: VuforiaBackend,
+) -> SeedRecognitionCounts:
+    """The recognition-count operation for the running mock backend."""
+    if mock_only_vuforia == VuforiaBackend.MOCK:
+
+        @beartype
+        def seed_in_memory_counts(
+            *,
+            vuforia_database: CloudDatabase,
+            target_id: str,
+            current_month_recos: int,
+            previous_month_recos: int,
+            total_recos: int,
+        ) -> None:
+            """Set recognition counts through the running in-memory
+            mock.
+            """
+            del vuforia_database
+            running_in_memory_mock().set_target_recognition_counts(
+                target_id=target_id,
+                current_month_recos=current_month_recos,
+                previous_month_recos=previous_month_recos,
+                total_recos=total_recos,
+            )
+
+        return seed_in_memory_counts
+
+    @beartype
+    def seed_flask_counts(
+        *,
+        vuforia_database: CloudDatabase,
+        target_id: str,
+        current_month_recos: int,
+        previous_month_recos: int,
+        total_recos: int,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Set recognition counts through the target manager service."""
+        target_manager_base_url = os.environ["TARGET_MANAGER_BASE_URL"]
+        database_name = vuforia_database.database_name
+        response = requests.post(
+            url=(
+                f"{target_manager_base_url}/cloud_databases/"
+                f"{database_name}/targets/{target_id}/recognition_counts"
+            ),
+            json={
+                "current_month_recos": current_month_recos,
+                "previous_month_recos": previous_month_recos,
+                "total_recos": total_recos,
+            },
+            timeout=30,
+        )
+        response.raise_for_status()
+
+    return seed_flask_counts
diff --git a/tests/mock_vws/reco_counts_report/test_download_report_mock_only.py b/tests/mock_vws/reco_counts_report/test_download_report_mock_only.py
index 73c27c1a1..cfa447b96 100644
--- a/tests/mock_vws/reco_counts_report/test_download_report_mock_only.py
+++ b/tests/mock_vws/reco_counts_report/test_download_report_mock_only.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 from mock_vws import MockVWS
 from mock_vws.database import CloudDatabase
-from tests.mock_vws.fixtures.vuforia_backends import VuforiaBackend
 from tests.mock_vws.reco_counts_report.helpers import (
     CSV_HEADER,
     CURRENT_MONTH_RECOS,
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@
     report_key,
     wait_for_report,
 )
-from tests.mock_vws.utils.recognition_counts import seed_recognition_counts
+from tests.mock_vws.utils.recognition_counts import SeedRecognitionCounts
 
 
 def test_not_ready(*, fresh_database: CloudDatabase) -> None:
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@ def test_unknown_report(*, vuforia_database: CloudDatabase) -> None:
 )
 def test_seeded_recognition_counts(
     *,
-    mock_only_vuforia: VuforiaBackend,
+    seed_recognition_counts: SeedRecognitionCounts,
     fresh_database: CloudDatabase,
     high_quality_image: io.BytesIO,
     image_file_failed_state: io.BytesIO,
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ def test_seeded_recognition_counts(
         application_metadata=None,
     )
     seed_recognition_counts(
-        backend=mock_only_vuforia,
         vuforia_database=fresh_database,
         target_id=recognized_target_id,
         current_month_recos=CURRENT_MONTH_RECOS,
@@ -133,7 +131,7 @@ def test_seeded_recognition_counts(
 
 def test_counts_set_after_first_request(
     *,
-    mock_only_vuforia: VuforiaBackend,
+    seed_recognition_counts: SeedRecognitionCounts,
     fresh_database: CloudDatabase,
     high_quality_image: io.BytesIO,
 ) -> None:
@@ -154,7 +152,6 @@ def test_counts_set_after_first_request(
         month=month,
     )
     seed_recognition_counts(
-        backend=mock_only_vuforia,
         vuforia_database=fresh_database,
         target_id=target_id,
         current_month_recos=CURRENT_MONTH_RECOS,
diff --git a/tests/mock_vws/target_summary/test_seeded_recognition_counts.py b/tests/mock_vws/target_summary/test_seeded_recognition_counts.py
index 9d32e2981..6c1575f4c 100644
--- a/tests/mock_vws/target_summary/test_seeded_recognition_counts.py
+++ b/tests/mock_vws/target_summary/test_seeded_recognition_counts.py
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@
 from vws.reports import TargetStatuses
 
 from mock_vws.database import CloudDatabase
-from tests.mock_vws.fixtures.vuforia_backends import VuforiaBackend
-from tests.mock_vws.utils.recognition_counts import seed_recognition_counts
+from tests.mock_vws.utils.recognition_counts import SeedRecognitionCounts
 
 _CURRENT_MONTH_RECOS = 3
 _PREVIOUS_MONTH_RECOS = 5
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@
 
 def test_seeded_counts(
     *,
-    mock_only_vuforia: VuforiaBackend,
+    seed_recognition_counts: SeedRecognitionCounts,
     vws_client: VWS,
     vuforia_database: CloudDatabase,
     high_quality_image: io.BytesIO,
@@ -39,7 +38,6 @@ def test_seeded_counts(
     vws_client.wait_for_target_processed(target_id=target_id)
 
     seed_recognition_counts(
-        backend=mock_only_vuforia,
         vuforia_database=vuforia_database,
         target_id=target_id,
         current_month_recos=_CURRENT_MONTH_RECOS,
diff --git a/tests/mock_vws/utils/recognition_counts.py b/tests/mock_vws/utils/recognition_counts.py
index 7a0db883b..f858e23de 100644
--- a/tests/mock_vws/utils/recognition_counts.py
+++ b/tests/mock_vws/utils/recognition_counts.py
@@ -1,70 +1,37 @@
-"""Helpers for seeding recognition counts on a target.
+"""The recognition-count operation supplied by a mock backend.
 
 Neither mock counts recognitions, because real Vuforia's counts lag behind
 its queries by longer than a test runs. Each mock instead has its own way of
-being told what the counts are, and this module hides that difference from
-the tests.
+being told what the counts are.
 """
 
-import os
-
-import requests
-from beartype import beartype
+from typing import Protocol, runtime_checkable
 
 from mock_vws.database import CloudDatabase
-from tests.mock_vws.fixtures.vuforia_backends import (
-    VuforiaBackend,
-    running_in_memory_mock,
-)
-
-
-@beartype
-def seed_recognition_counts(
-    *,
-    backend: VuforiaBackend,
-    vuforia_database: CloudDatabase,
-    target_id: str,
-    current_month_recos: int,
-    previous_month_recos: int,
-    total_recos: int,
-) -> None:
-    """Set the recognition counts of a target on a mock backend.
 
-    Args:
-        backend: The mock backend which the test is running against. Real
-            Vuforia's recognition counts cannot be set, so tests which seed
-            counts use ``mock_only_vuforia``.
-        vuforia_database: The database which the target is in.
-        target_id: The ID of the target to set recognition counts of.
-        current_month_recos: The number of recognitions of the target in the
-            current month.
-        previous_month_recos: The number of recognitions of the target in the
-            previous month.
-        total_recos: The total number of recognitions of the target.
-    """
-    if backend == VuforiaBackend.MOCK:
-        running_in_memory_mock().set_target_recognition_counts(
-            target_id=target_id,
-            current_month_recos=current_month_recos,
-            previous_month_recos=previous_month_recos,
-            total_recos=total_recos,
-        )
-        return
 
-    # The Flask and Docker mock keeps its targets in the target manager
-    # service, which is where its recognition counts are set.
-    target_manager_base_url = os.environ["TARGET_MANAGER_BASE_URL"]
-    database_name = vuforia_database.database_name
-    response = requests.post(
-        url=(
-            f"{target_manager_base_url}/cloud_databases/"
-            f"{database_name}/targets/{target_id}/recognition_counts"
-        ),
-        json={
-            "current_month_recos": current_month_recos,
-            "previous_month_recos": previous_month_recos,
-            "total_recos": total_recos,
-        },
-        timeout=30,
-    )
-    response.raise_for_status()
+@runtime_checkable
+class SeedRecognitionCounts(Protocol):
+    """A backend operation which sets recognition counts on a target."""
+
+    def __call__(
+        self,
+        *,
+        vuforia_database: CloudDatabase,
+        target_id: str,
+        current_month_recos: int,
+        previous_month_recos: int,
+        total_recos: int,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Set the target's recognition counts on the running mock backend.
+
+        Args:
+            vuforia_database: The database which the target is in.
+            target_id: The ID of the target to set recognition counts of.
+            current_month_recos: The number of recognitions in the current
+                month.
+            previous_month_recos: The number of recognitions in the previous
+                month.
+            total_recos: The total number of recognitions of the target.
+        """
+        ...