diff --git a/packages/test-utils/report.api.md b/packages/test-utils/report.api.md
index a551d54c62..15625adb21 100644
--- a/packages/test-utils/report.api.md
+++ b/packages/test-utils/report.api.md
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ export class MockAnalyticsApi implements AnalyticsApi {
 
 // @public
 export namespace mockApis {
-  export function config(options?: { data?: JsonObject }): jest.Mocked<Config>;
+  export function config(options?: { data?: JsonObject }): ConfigApi;
   export namespace config {
     const factory: (
       options?:
diff --git a/packages/test-utils/src/testUtils/apis/mockApis.test.tsx b/packages/test-utils/src/testUtils/apis/mockApis.test.tsx
index b7a78867f8..ebbdb41884 100644
--- a/packages/test-utils/src/testUtils/apis/mockApis.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/test-utils/src/testUtils/apis/mockApis.test.tsx
@@ -20,15 +20,13 @@ describe('mockApis', () => {
   describe('config', () => {
     const data = { backend: { baseUrl: 'http://test.com' } };
 
-    it('can create an instance and make assertions on it', () => {
+    it('can create an instance', () => {
       const empty = mockApis.config();
       const notEmpty = mockApis.config({ data });
       expect(empty.getOptional('backend.baseUrl')).toBeUndefined();
-      expect(empty.getOptional).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       expect(notEmpty.getOptional('backend.baseUrl')).toEqual(
         'http://test.com',
       );
-      expect(notEmpty.getOptional).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     });
 
     it('can create a mock and make assertions on it', async () => {
diff --git a/packages/test-utils/src/testUtils/apis/mockApis.ts b/packages/test-utils/src/testUtils/apis/mockApis.ts
index d084fae332..eed5a88012 100644
--- a/packages/test-utils/src/testUtils/apis/mockApis.ts
+++ b/packages/test-utils/src/testUtils/apis/mockApis.ts
@@ -18,26 +18,13 @@ import { ConfigReader } from '@backstage/config';
 import {
   ApiFactory,
   ApiRef,
+  ConfigApi,
   configApiRef,
   createApiFactory,
 } from '@backstage/core-plugin-api';
 import { JsonObject } from '@backstage/types';
 import { ApiMock } from './ApiMock';
 
-/** @internal */
-function simpleInstance<TApi extends object>(
-  _ref: ApiRef<TApi>,
-  instance: TApi,
-  mockSkeleton: () => jest.Mocked<TApi>,
-): jest.Mocked<TApi> {
-  const mock = mockSkeleton();
-  const result = Object.create(instance) as any;
-  for (const [key, impl] of Object.entries(mock)) {
-    result[key] = (impl as any).mockImplementation((instance as any)[key]);
-  }
-  return result;
-}
-
 /** @internal */
 function simpleFactory<TApi, TArgs extends unknown[]>(
   ref: ApiRef<TApi>,
@@ -116,24 +103,6 @@ function simpleMock<TApi>(
  * ```
  */
 export namespace mockApis {
-  const configMockSkeleton = () => ({
-    has: jest.fn(),
-    keys: jest.fn(),
-    get: jest.fn(),
-    getOptional: jest.fn(),
-    getConfig: jest.fn(),
-    getOptionalConfig: jest.fn(),
-    getConfigArray: jest.fn(),
-    getOptionalConfigArray: jest.fn(),
-    getNumber: jest.fn(),
-    getOptionalNumber: jest.fn(),
-    getBoolean: jest.fn(),
-    getOptionalBoolean: jest.fn(),
-    getString: jest.fn(),
-    getOptionalString: jest.fn(),
-    getStringArray: jest.fn(),
-    getOptionalStringArray: jest.fn(),
-  });
   /**
    * Fake implementation of {@link @backstage/frontend-plugin-api#ConfigApi}
    * with optional data supplied.
@@ -153,12 +122,8 @@ export namespace mockApis {
    * );
    * ```
    */
-  export function config(options?: { data?: JsonObject }) {
-    return simpleInstance(
-      configApiRef,
-      new ConfigReader(options?.data, 'mock-config'),
-      configMockSkeleton,
-    );
+  export function config(options?: { data?: JsonObject }): ConfigApi {
+    return new ConfigReader(options?.data, 'mock-config');
   }
   /**
    * Mock helpers for {@link @backstage/frontend-plugin-api#ConfigApi}.
@@ -183,6 +148,23 @@ export namespace mockApis {
      *
      * @public
      */
-    export const mock = simpleMock(configApiRef, configMockSkeleton);
+    export const mock = simpleMock(configApiRef, () => ({
+      has: jest.fn(),
+      keys: jest.fn(),
+      get: jest.fn(),
+      getOptional: jest.fn(),
+      getConfig: jest.fn(),
+      getOptionalConfig: jest.fn(),
+      getConfigArray: jest.fn(),
+      getOptionalConfigArray: jest.fn(),
+      getNumber: jest.fn(),
+      getOptionalNumber: jest.fn(),
+      getBoolean: jest.fn(),
+      getOptionalBoolean: jest.fn(),
+      getString: jest.fn(),
+      getOptionalString: jest.fn(),
+      getStringArray: jest.fn(),
+      getOptionalStringArray: jest.fn(),
+    }));
   }
 }