diff --git a/src/acp/control-plane/manager.test.ts b/src/acp/control-plane/manager.test.ts
index 03027a1509b..477c4451cf8 100644
--- a/src/acp/control-plane/manager.test.ts
+++ b/src/acp/control-plane/manager.test.ts
@@ -66,18 +66,9 @@ async function withAcpManagerTaskStateDir(run: (root: string) => Promise<void>):
   });
 }
 
-async function waitForAssertion(assertion: () => void, timeoutMs = 2_000, stepMs = 5) {
-  const startedAt = Date.now();
-  for (;;) {
-    try {
-      assertion();
-      return;
-    } catch (error) {
-      if (Date.now() - startedAt >= timeoutMs) {
-        throw error;
-      }
-      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, stepMs));
-    }
+async function flushMicrotasks(rounds = 3): Promise<void> {
+  for (let index = 0; index < rounds; index += 1) {
+    await Promise.resolve();
   }
 }
 
@@ -338,20 +329,19 @@ describe("AcpSessionManager", () => {
         requestId: "direct-parented-run",
       });
 
-      await waitForAssertion(() =>
-        expect(findTaskByRunId("direct-parented-run")).toMatchObject({
-          runtime: "acp",
-          requesterSessionKey: "agent:quant:telegram:quant:direct:822430204",
-          childSessionKey: "agent:codex:acp:child-1",
-          label: "Quant patch",
-          task: "Implement the feature and report back",
-          status: "succeeded",
-          progressSummary:
-            "Write failed: permission denied for /root/oc-acp-write-should-fail.txt.",
-          terminalOutcome: "blocked",
-          terminalSummary: "Permission denied for /root/oc-acp-write-should-fail.txt.",
-        }),
-      );
+      await flushMicrotasks();
+
+      expect(findTaskByRunId("direct-parented-run")).toMatchObject({
+        runtime: "acp",
+        requesterSessionKey: "agent:quant:telegram:quant:direct:822430204",
+        childSessionKey: "agent:codex:acp:child-1",
+        label: "Quant patch",
+        task: "Implement the feature and report back",
+        status: "succeeded",
+        progressSummary: "Write failed: permission denied for /root/oc-acp-write-should-fail.txt.",
+        terminalOutcome: "blocked",
+        terminalSummary: "Permission denied for /root/oc-acp-write-should-fail.txt.",
+      });
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/src/mcp/channel-server.test.ts b/src/mcp/channel-server.test.ts
index 7f7a0054799..76c565f2bd3 100644
--- a/src/mcp/channel-server.test.ts
+++ b/src/mcp/channel-server.test.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ async function connectMcp(params: {
 
 describe("openclaw channel mcp server", () => {
   describe("gateway-backed flows", () => {
-    installGatewayTestHooks();
+    installGatewayTestHooks({ scope: "suite" });
 
     test("lists conversations, reads messages, and waits for events", async () => {
       const storePath = await createSessionStoreFile();
diff --git a/src/plugin-sdk/channel-lifecycle.test.ts b/src/plugin-sdk/channel-lifecycle.test.ts
index 8534fbe9bbb..98e15f0f8b2 100644
--- a/src/plugin-sdk/channel-lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugin-sdk/channel-lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -23,11 +23,13 @@ function createFakeServer(): FakeServer {
 }
 
 async function expectTaskPending(task: Promise<unknown>) {
-  const early = await Promise.race([
-    task.then(() => "resolved"),
-    new Promise<"pending">((resolve) => setTimeout(() => resolve("pending"), 25)),
-  ]);
-  expect(early).toBe("pending");
+  let settled = false;
+  void task.finally(() => {
+    settled = true;
+  });
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  expect(settled).toBe(false);
 }
 
 describe("plugin-sdk channel lifecycle helpers", () => {
diff --git a/src/test-utils/session-state-cleanup.test.ts b/src/test-utils/session-state-cleanup.test.ts
index 2449dd0e80f..8f5759e0fa3 100644
--- a/src/test-utils/session-state-cleanup.test.ts
+++ b/src/test-utils/session-state-cleanup.test.ts
@@ -11,11 +11,17 @@ import {
   withSessionStoreLockForTest,
 } from "../config/sessions/store.js";
 import { resetFileLockStateForTest } from "../infra/file-lock.js";
-import { cleanupSessionStateForTest } from "./session-state-cleanup.js";
+import {
+  cleanupSessionStateForTest,
+  resetSessionStateCleanupRuntimeForTests,
+  setSessionStateCleanupRuntimeForTests,
+} from "./session-state-cleanup.js";
 
 const acquireSessionWriteLockMock = vi.hoisted(() =>
   vi.fn(async () => ({ release: vi.fn(async () => {}) })),
 );
+const drainFileLockStateMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => undefined));
+const drainSessionWriteLockStateMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => undefined));
 
 function createDeferred<T>() {
   let resolve!: (value: T | PromiseLike<T>) => void;
@@ -27,6 +33,12 @@ function createDeferred<T>() {
   return { promise, resolve, reject };
 }
 
+async function flushMicrotasks(rounds = 3): Promise<void> {
+  for (let index = 0; index < rounds; index += 1) {
+    await Promise.resolve();
+  }
+}
+
 describe("cleanupSessionStateForTest", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.useRealTimers();
@@ -34,7 +46,13 @@ describe("cleanupSessionStateForTest", () => {
     resetFileLockStateForTest();
     resetSessionWriteLockStateForTest();
     acquireSessionWriteLockMock.mockClear();
+    drainFileLockStateMock.mockClear();
+    drainSessionWriteLockStateMock.mockClear();
     setSessionWriteLockAcquirerForTests(acquireSessionWriteLockMock);
+    setSessionStateCleanupRuntimeForTests({
+      drainFileLockStateForTest: drainFileLockStateMock,
+      drainSessionWriteLockStateForTest: drainSessionWriteLockStateMock,
+    });
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
@@ -43,6 +61,7 @@ describe("cleanupSessionStateForTest", () => {
     resetFileLockStateForTest();
     resetSessionWriteLockStateForTest();
     resetSessionStoreLockRuntimeForTests();
+    resetSessionStateCleanupRuntimeForTests();
     vi.restoreAllMocks();
   });
 
@@ -66,14 +85,18 @@ describe("cleanupSessionStateForTest", () => {
         settled = true;
       });
 
-      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 25));
+      await flushMicrotasks();
       expect(settled).toBe(false);
+      expect(drainFileLockStateMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(drainSessionWriteLockStateMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 
       release.resolve();
       await running;
       await cleanupPromise;
 
       expect(getSessionStoreLockQueueSizeForTest()).toBe(0);
+      expect(drainFileLockStateMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(drainSessionWriteLockStateMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     } finally {
       release.resolve();
       await running?.catch(() => undefined);
diff --git a/src/test-utils/session-state-cleanup.ts b/src/test-utils/session-state-cleanup.ts
index 7487fc5b802..fbb7b3869aa 100644
--- a/src/test-utils/session-state-cleanup.ts
+++ b/src/test-utils/session-state-cleanup.ts
@@ -5,9 +5,29 @@ import {
 } from "../config/sessions/store.js";
 import { drainFileLockStateForTest } from "../infra/file-lock.js";
 
+let fileLockDrainerForTests: typeof drainFileLockStateForTest | null = null;
+let sessionWriteLockDrainerForTests: typeof drainSessionWriteLockStateForTest | null = null;
+
+export function setSessionStateCleanupRuntimeForTests(params: {
+  drainFileLockStateForTest?: typeof drainFileLockStateForTest | null;
+  drainSessionWriteLockStateForTest?: typeof drainSessionWriteLockStateForTest | null;
+}): void {
+  if ("drainFileLockStateForTest" in params) {
+    fileLockDrainerForTests = params.drainFileLockStateForTest ?? null;
+  }
+  if ("drainSessionWriteLockStateForTest" in params) {
+    sessionWriteLockDrainerForTests = params.drainSessionWriteLockStateForTest ?? null;
+  }
+}
+
+export function resetSessionStateCleanupRuntimeForTests(): void {
+  fileLockDrainerForTests = null;
+  sessionWriteLockDrainerForTests = null;
+}
+
 export async function cleanupSessionStateForTest(): Promise<void> {
   await drainSessionStoreLockQueuesForTest();
   clearSessionStoreCacheForTest();
-  await drainFileLockStateForTest();
-  await drainSessionWriteLockStateForTest();
+  await (fileLockDrainerForTests ?? drainFileLockStateForTest)();
+  await (sessionWriteLockDrainerForTests ?? drainSessionWriteLockStateForTest)();
 }