diff --git a/src/agents/pi-hooks/compaction-safeguard.test.ts b/src/agents/pi-hooks/compaction-safeguard.test.ts
index 1469fb2e5bd..a8f3f3755aa 100644
--- a/src/agents/pi-hooks/compaction-safeguard.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/pi-hooks/compaction-safeguard.test.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ const createCompactionHandler = () => {
     }),
   } as unknown as ExtensionAPI;
   compactionSafeguardExtension(mockApi);
-  expect(compactionHandler).toBeDefined();
   if (!compactionHandler) {
     throw new Error("Expected compaction safeguard to register a handler.");
   }
diff --git a/src/agents/tool-search.test.ts b/src/agents/tool-search.test.ts
index bec8b5163f7..7c9d2a681c2 100644
--- a/src/agents/tool-search.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tool-search.test.ts
@@ -866,8 +866,10 @@ describe("Tool Search", () => {
         code: `return await openclaw.tools.call("fake_abort_on_timeout", { value: "wait" });`,
       }),
     ).rejects.toThrow("tool_search_code timed out");
-    expect(observedSignal).toBeDefined();
-    expect(observedSignal?.aborted).toBe(true);
+    if (!observedSignal) {
+      throw new Error("Expected observed abort signal");
+    }
+    expect(observedSignal.aborted).toBe(true);
     expect(abortCount).toBe(1);
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/skills.update.normalizes-api-key.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/skills.update.normalizes-api-key.test.ts
index 2ce1c1f1213..2bda795682d 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/skills.update.normalizes-api-key.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/skills.update.normalizes-api-key.test.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ vi.mock("../../config/config.js", () => {
 const { skillsHandlers } = await import("./skills.js");
 
 function expectWrittenSkillEntry(skillKey: string, entry: unknown) {
-  expect(writtenConfig).toBeDefined();
+  if (!writtenConfig) {
+    throw new Error("Expected written config");
+  }
   const config = writtenConfig as {
     skills?: {
       entries?: Record<string, unknown>;