diff --git a/.current_session b/.current_session
index dfead40..a9978f9 100644
--- a/.current_session
+++ b/.current_session
@@ -1 +1 @@
-9c19e0b3-b43e-4d58-b3fe-89a43f26a4e3
\ No newline at end of file
+fe1956ee-19bd-4c38-b24b-9eb2047644f7
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_phase43_execute.py b/tests/test_phase43_execute.py
index b01925c..50018c9 100644
--- a/tests/test_phase43_execute.py
+++ b/tests/test_phase43_execute.py
@@ -183,19 +183,26 @@ def runner(cmd, **kwargs):
         }
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
             dest = Path(td) / "wt"
-            # execute_tests_node builds dest under tmp/codeturtle-exec — inject checkout
-            out = execute_tests_node(
-                state,
-                runner=runner,
-                checkout=self._checkout(dest),
-                which=lambda n: "pytest",
-            )
+            # Do not pick up repos/<clone>/.venv from a live checkout on this machine.
+            missing_clone = Path(td) / "no-clone"
+            with patch(
+                "core.verification.execute.resolve_repo_dir",
+                return_value=missing_clone,
+            ):
+                out = execute_tests_node(
+                    state,
+                    runner=runner,
+                    checkout=self._checkout(dest),
+                    which=lambda n: "pytest",
+                )
         self.assertFalse(out["execution_report"]["skipped"])
         self.assertEqual(out["execution_report"]["exit_code"], 0)
         self.assertEqual(out["validated_findings"][0]["verification_status"], "supported")
         self.assertTrue(out["validated_findings"][0]["tests_run"])
         self.assertTrue(out["validated_findings"][0]["tests_passed"])
-        pytest_cmds = [c for c in calls if c and "pytest" in str(c[0])]
+        pytest_cmds = [
+            c for c in calls if any("pytest" in str(x) for x in c)
+        ]
         self.assertTrue(pytest_cmds)
         self.assertIn(TEST_SAN, pytest_cmds[0] or pytest_cmds[-1])
 
diff --git a/tests/test_phase43b_install.py b/tests/test_phase43b_install.py
index 9ec237c..fd57fe6 100644
--- a/tests/test_phase43b_install.py
+++ b/tests/test_phase43b_install.py
@@ -172,24 +172,30 @@ def fake_checkout(repo_dir, sha, dest_path, runner=None):
                 "title": "quoter",
             }
         ]
-        out = execute_tests_node(
-            {
-                "execute_tests": True,
-                "execute_install": True,
-                "repo": "FalkorDB/QueryWeaver",
-                "number": 538,
-                "pr_head_sha": "abc",
-                "pr_facts": {
-                    "classification": "source",
-                    "files_changed": [SANITIZER, TEST_SAN],
-                    "source_files": [SANITIZER],
-                },
-                "validated_findings": findings,
-            },
-            runner=runner,
-            checkout=fake_checkout,
-            which=_which_map(uv="uv", pytest="pytest"),
-        )
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+            missing_clone = Path(td) / "no-clone"
+            with patch(
+                "core.verification.execute.resolve_repo_dir",
+                return_value=missing_clone,
+            ):
+                out = execute_tests_node(
+                    {
+                        "execute_tests": True,
+                        "execute_install": True,
+                        "repo": "FalkorDB/QueryWeaver",
+                        "number": 538,
+                        "pr_head_sha": "abc",
+                        "pr_facts": {
+                            "classification": "source",
+                            "files_changed": [SANITIZER, TEST_SAN],
+                            "source_files": [SANITIZER],
+                        },
+                        "validated_findings": findings,
+                    },
+                    runner=runner,
+                    checkout=fake_checkout,
+                    which=_which_map(uv="uv", pytest="pytest"),
+                )
         self.assertFalse(out["execution_report"]["skipped"])
         self.assertEqual(out["execution_report"]["python_env"], "uv_sync")
         self.assertTrue(out["execution_report"]["python"]["frozen"])