ServiceStack License not found when using NUnit 3 through Console Runner in TeamCity

I am using a valid license key. But I keep getting this error:

ServiceStack.LicenseException : The free-quota limit on '10 ServiceStack Operations' has been reached. Please see https://servicestack.net to upgrade to a commercial license or visit https://github.com/ServiceStackV3/ServiceStackV3 to revert back to the free ServiceStack v3.

So far I have tried the following:

• Storing my license key in app.config
• Storing my license key in web.config
• Adding my key as a System Environment Variable called "SERVICESTACK_LICENSE"
• Adding my key as a System Property through TeamCity Build Parameters
• Adding my key as a System Environment Variable through TeamCity Build Parameters
• Adding my key by calling Licensing.RegisterLicense before running AppHost.Init

When adding my key as a System Environment Variable through TeamCity Build Parameters I instead get an exception from JsConfig:

System.TypeInitializationException : The type initializer for 'ServiceStack.Text.JsConfig' threw an exception.
  ----> System.TypeInitializationException : The type initializer for 'ServiceStack.LicenseUtils' threw an exception.
  ----> System.IO.FileLoadException : Could not load file or assembly 'System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe, Version=4.0.4.1, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or one of its dependencies. The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040)
   at ServiceStack.Text.JsConfig.InitStatics()
   at ServiceStack.AppHostHttpListenerPoolBase..ctor(String serviceName, Int32 poolSize, Assembly[] assembliesWithServices) in C:\BuildAgent\work\3481147c480f4a2f\src\ServiceStack\AppHostHttpListenerPoolBase.cs:line 75
   at ServiceStack.AppSelfHostBase..ctor(String serviceName, Assembly[] assembliesWithServices) in C:\BuildAgent\work\3481147c480f4a2f\src\ServiceStack\AppSelfHostBase.cs:line 13
   at Alstra.SG.Tests.AppSelfHost..ctor() in C:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\a0903bf22b2d1e1c\Test\AppSelfHost.cs:line 31
   at Alstra.SG.Tests.Private.BaseIntegrationTest..ctor() in C:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\a0903bf22b2d1e1c\Test\Private\BaseIntegrationTest.cs:line 16
   at Alstra.SG.Tests.Private.Integration.RespondentServiceTests..ctor()
--TypeInitializationException
   at ServiceStack.LicenseUtils.Init()
   at ServiceStack.Text.JsConfig..cctor() in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\JsConfig.cs:line 21
--FileLoadException
   at System.MemoryExtensions.AsSpan(String text)
   at ServiceStack.Text.Jsv.JsvReader`1.Parse(String value) in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\Jsv\JsvReader.Generic.cs:line 81
   at ServiceStack.Text.TypeSerializer.DeserializeFromString[T](String value) in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\TypeSerializer.cs:line 67
   at ServiceStack.LicenseUtils.ToLicenseKeyFallback(String licenseKeyText) in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\LicenseUtils.cs:line 446
   at ServiceStack.LicenseUtils.RegisterLicense(String licenseKeyText) in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\LicenseUtils.cs:line 252
   at ServiceStack.Net45PclExport.RegisterLicenseFromConfig() in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\PclExport.Net45.cs:line 140
   at ServiceStack.LicenseUtils..cctor() in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\LicenseUtils.cs:line 135

When adding my key by calling Licensing.RegisterLicense before running AppHost.Init I get the following exception instead:

System.IO.FileLoadException : Could not load file or assembly 'System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe, Version=4.0.4.1, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or one of its dependencies. The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040)
   at System.MemoryExtensions.AsSpan(String text)
   at ServiceStack.Text.Jsv.JsvReader`1.Parse(String value) in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\Jsv\JsvReader.Generic.cs:line 81
   at ServiceStack.Text.TypeSerializer.DeserializeFromString[T](String value) in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\TypeSerializer.cs:line 67
   at ServiceStack.LicenseUtils.ToLicenseKeyFallback(String licenseKeyText) in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\LicenseUtils.cs:line 446
   at ServiceStack.LicenseUtils.RegisterLicense(String licenseKeyText) in C:\BuildAgent\work\912418dcce86a188\src\ServiceStack.Text\LicenseUtils.cs:line 252
   at Alstra.SG.Tests.Private.BaseIntegrationTest..ctor() in C:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\a0903bf22b2d1e1c\Test\Private\BaseIntegrationTest.cs:line 17
   at Alstra.SG.Tests.Private.Integration.ActivityServiceTests..ctor()

Happy to get some help!

I believe the version of ServiceStack you are using was built with a different version of System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe than what you are using in your Test project and because bindingredirect are not working in this context. See Does redirecting assembly binding work for unit testing with a test runner?

As a workaround, you can try changing System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe in Nuget Package Manager to 4.5.2.

This version matches the missing assembly, Version=4.0.4.1.

Edit: If you are using NUnit 3 in your NUnit build step, you can then specify "Path to application configuration file: " to point to your app.config. This should solve the root problem and let you use the most current version of your Nuget packages (since the correct bindingRedirects will then be applied).