diff --git a/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.citations.test.ts b/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.citations.test.ts
index 0fe84c6f5fa..ea097658ecf 100644
--- a/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.citations.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.citations.test.ts
@@ -6,24 +6,14 @@ import {
   setMemorySearchImpl,
   type MemoryReadParams,
 } from "../../../test/helpers/memory-tool-manager-mock.js";
-import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
-import { createMemoryGetTool, createMemorySearchTool } from "./memory-tool.js";
-
-function asOpenClawConfig(config: Partial<OpenClawConfig>): OpenClawConfig {
-  return config as OpenClawConfig;
-}
-
-function createToolConfig() {
-  return asOpenClawConfig({ agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] } });
-}
-
-function createMemoryGetToolOrThrow(config: OpenClawConfig = createToolConfig()) {
-  const tool = createMemoryGetTool({ config });
-  if (!tool) {
-    throw new Error("tool missing");
-  }
-  return tool;
-}
+import {
+  asOpenClawConfig,
+  createAutoCitationsMemorySearchTool,
+  createDefaultMemoryToolConfig,
+  createMemoryGetToolOrThrow,
+  createMemorySearchToolOrThrow,
+  expectUnavailableMemorySearchDetails,
+} from "./memory-tool.test-helpers.js";
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   resetMemoryToolMockState({
@@ -49,10 +39,7 @@ describe("memory search citations", () => {
       memory: { citations: "on" },
       agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] },
     });
-    const tool = createMemorySearchTool({ config: cfg });
-    if (!tool) {
-      throw new Error("tool missing");
-    }
+    const tool = createMemorySearchToolOrThrow({ config: cfg });
     const result = await tool.execute("call_citations_on", { query: "notes" });
     const details = result.details as { results: Array<{ snippet: string; citation?: string }> };
     expect(details.results[0]?.snippet).toMatch(/Source: MEMORY.md#L5-L7/);
@@ -65,10 +52,7 @@ describe("memory search citations", () => {
       memory: { citations: "off" },
       agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] },
     });
-    const tool = createMemorySearchTool({ config: cfg });
-    if (!tool) {
-      throw new Error("tool missing");
-    }
+    const tool = createMemorySearchToolOrThrow({ config: cfg });
     const result = await tool.execute("call_citations_off", { query: "notes" });
     const details = result.details as { results: Array<{ snippet: string; citation?: string }> };
     expect(details.results[0]?.snippet).not.toMatch(/Source:/);
@@ -81,10 +65,7 @@ describe("memory search citations", () => {
       memory: { citations: "on", backend: "qmd", qmd: { limits: { maxInjectedChars: 20 } } },
       agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] },
     });
-    const tool = createMemorySearchTool({ config: cfg });
-    if (!tool) {
-      throw new Error("tool missing");
-    }
+    const tool = createMemorySearchToolOrThrow({ config: cfg });
     const result = await tool.execute("call_citations_qmd", { query: "notes" });
     const details = result.details as { results: Array<{ snippet: string; citation?: string }> };
     expect(details.results[0]?.snippet.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(20);
@@ -92,17 +73,7 @@ describe("memory search citations", () => {
 
   it("honors auto mode for direct chats", async () => {
     setMemoryBackend("builtin");
-    const cfg = asOpenClawConfig({
-      memory: { citations: "auto" },
-      agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] },
-    });
-    const tool = createMemorySearchTool({
-      config: cfg,
-      agentSessionKey: "agent:main:discord:dm:u123",
-    });
-    if (!tool) {
-      throw new Error("tool missing");
-    }
+    const tool = createAutoCitationsMemorySearchTool("agent:main:discord:dm:u123");
     const result = await tool.execute("auto_mode_direct", { query: "notes" });
     const details = result.details as { results: Array<{ snippet: string }> };
     expect(details.results[0]?.snippet).toMatch(/Source:/);
@@ -110,17 +81,7 @@ describe("memory search citations", () => {
 
   it("suppresses citations for auto mode in group chats", async () => {
     setMemoryBackend("builtin");
-    const cfg = asOpenClawConfig({
-      memory: { citations: "auto" },
-      agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] },
-    });
-    const tool = createMemorySearchTool({
-      config: cfg,
-      agentSessionKey: "agent:main:discord:group:c123",
-    });
-    if (!tool) {
-      throw new Error("tool missing");
-    }
+    const tool = createAutoCitationsMemorySearchTool("agent:main:discord:group:c123");
     const result = await tool.execute("auto_mode_group", { query: "notes" });
     const details = result.details as { results: Array<{ snippet: string }> };
     expect(details.results[0]?.snippet).not.toMatch(/Source:/);
@@ -133,18 +94,11 @@ describe("memory tools", () => {
       throw new Error("openai embeddings failed: 429 insufficient_quota");
     });
 
-    const cfg = { agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] } };
-    const tool = createMemorySearchTool({ config: cfg });
-    expect(tool).not.toBeNull();
-    if (!tool) {
-      throw new Error("tool missing");
-    }
+    const cfg = createDefaultMemoryToolConfig();
+    const tool = createMemorySearchToolOrThrow({ config: cfg });
 
     const result = await tool.execute("call_1", { query: "hello" });
-    expect(result.details).toEqual({
-      results: [],
-      disabled: true,
-      unavailable: true,
+    expectUnavailableMemorySearchDetails(result.details, {
       error: "openai embeddings failed: 429 insufficient_quota",
       warning: "Memory search is unavailable because the embedding provider quota is exhausted.",
       action: "Top up or switch embedding provider, then retry memory_search.",
diff --git a/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.test-helpers.ts b/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.test-helpers.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9a1d0e455f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.test-helpers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import { expect } from "vitest";
+import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
+import { createMemoryGetTool, createMemorySearchTool } from "./memory-tool.js";
+
+export function asOpenClawConfig(config: Partial<OpenClawConfig>): OpenClawConfig {
+  return config as OpenClawConfig;
+}
+
+export function createDefaultMemoryToolConfig(): OpenClawConfig {
+  return asOpenClawConfig({ agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] } });
+}
+
+export function createMemorySearchToolOrThrow(params?: {
+  config?: OpenClawConfig;
+  agentSessionKey?: string;
+}) {
+  const tool = createMemorySearchTool({
+    config: params?.config ?? createDefaultMemoryToolConfig(),
+    ...(params?.agentSessionKey ? { agentSessionKey: params.agentSessionKey } : {}),
+  });
+  if (!tool) {
+    throw new Error("tool missing");
+  }
+  return tool;
+}
+
+export function createMemoryGetToolOrThrow(
+  config: OpenClawConfig = createDefaultMemoryToolConfig(),
+) {
+  const tool = createMemoryGetTool({ config });
+  if (!tool) {
+    throw new Error("tool missing");
+  }
+  return tool;
+}
+
+export function createAutoCitationsMemorySearchTool(agentSessionKey: string) {
+  return createMemorySearchToolOrThrow({
+    config: asOpenClawConfig({
+      memory: { citations: "auto" },
+      agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] },
+    }),
+    agentSessionKey,
+  });
+}
+
+export function expectUnavailableMemorySearchDetails(
+  details: unknown,
+  params: {
+    error: string;
+    warning: string;
+    action: string;
+  },
+) {
+  expect(details).toEqual({
+    results: [],
+    disabled: true,
+    unavailable: true,
+    error: params.error,
+    warning: params.warning,
+    action: params.action,
+  });
+}
diff --git a/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.test.ts b/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.test.ts
index de907c01632..e8764bd9f46 100644
--- a/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.test.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
-import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { beforeEach, describe, it } from "vitest";
 import {
   resetMemoryToolMockState,
   setMemorySearchImpl,
 } from "../../../test/helpers/memory-tool-manager-mock.js";
-import { createMemorySearchTool } from "./memory-tool.js";
+import {
+  createMemorySearchToolOrThrow,
+  expectUnavailableMemorySearchDetails,
+} from "./memory-tool.test-helpers.js";
 
 describe("memory_search unavailable payloads", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
@@ -15,18 +18,9 @@ describe("memory_search unavailable payloads", () => {
       throw new Error("openai embeddings failed: 429 insufficient_quota");
     });
 
-    const tool = createMemorySearchTool({
-      config: { agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] } },
-    });
-    if (!tool) {
-      throw new Error("tool missing");
-    }
-
+    const tool = createMemorySearchToolOrThrow();
     const result = await tool.execute("quota", { query: "hello" });
-    expect(result.details).toEqual({
-      results: [],
-      disabled: true,
-      unavailable: true,
+    expectUnavailableMemorySearchDetails(result.details, {
       error: "openai embeddings failed: 429 insufficient_quota",
       warning: "Memory search is unavailable because the embedding provider quota is exhausted.",
       action: "Top up or switch embedding provider, then retry memory_search.",
@@ -38,18 +32,9 @@ describe("memory_search unavailable payloads", () => {
       throw new Error("embedding provider timeout");
     });
 
-    const tool = createMemorySearchTool({
-      config: { agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] } },
-    });
-    if (!tool) {
-      throw new Error("tool missing");
-    }
-
+    const tool = createMemorySearchToolOrThrow();
     const result = await tool.execute("generic", { query: "hello" });
-    expect(result.details).toEqual({
-      results: [],
-      disabled: true,
-      unavailable: true,
+    expectUnavailableMemorySearchDetails(result.details, {
       error: "embedding provider timeout",
       warning: "Memory search is unavailable due to an embedding/provider error.",
       action: "Check embedding provider configuration and retry memory_search.",