diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 48851ac..c32fafe 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -24,3 +24,5 @@ jobs:
           node bin/cli.js help
       - name: Syntax check
         run: node -c bin/cli.js && node -c src/data.js && node -c src/server.js && node -c src/terminals.js && node -c src/html.js
+      - name: Tests
+        run: node --test test/*.test.js
diff --git a/src/repo-refresh.js b/src/repo-refresh.js
index b75716d..ce44ac8 100644
--- a/src/repo-refresh.js
+++ b/src/repo-refresh.js
@@ -52,6 +52,22 @@ function createRepoRefreshManager(opts = {}) {
   const waiters = new Map();     // gitRoot -> Set<(state)=>void> for waitForRefreshOrTimeout
   let settings = { ...DEFAULT_SETTINGS };
   let saveTimer = null;
+  // Track every manager-owned setTimeout so shutdown() can cancel them.
+  // We deliberately do NOT .unref() these timers — node:test treats unref'd
+  // timers as if they don't keep the event loop alive, so awaiting a Promise
+  // whose only "alive" handle is an unref'd timer reports as
+  // "Promise resolution is still pending but the event loop has already
+  // resolved" (observed on macOS/ubuntu CI runners). Hosts should call
+  // shutdown() at process exit instead to release timers gracefully.
+  const pendingTimers = new Set();
+  // Track spawned children so shutdown() can SIGTERM them on host teardown.
+  const inflightChildren = new Set();
+  // Track each in-flight runFetch finalizer so shutdown() can resolve the
+  // promise. Without this, an unresolved fetch leaves a pending promise that
+  // node:test flags as "Promise resolution is still pending" on stricter
+  // hosts (e.g. macOS CI runners), even after timers are cancelled.
+  const activeFinalizers = new Set();
+  let isShutdown = false;
 
   // ── Semaphore ────────────────────────────────────────────
   // Synchronous when capacity is available so triggerRefresh can spawn the
@@ -105,16 +121,25 @@ function createRepoRefreshManager(opts = {}) {
       const finalize = (next) => {
         if (settled) return;
         settled = true;
+        activeFinalizers.delete(finalize);
         if (timeoutTimer) clearTimeout(timeoutTimer);
         if (killTimer) clearTimeout(killTimer);
         resolve(next);
       };
+      activeFinalizers.add(finalize);
+
+      const cleanupTimers = () => {
+        if (timeoutTimer) { pendingTimers.delete(timeoutTimer); clearTimeout(timeoutTimer); timeoutTimer = null; }
+        if (killTimer) { pendingTimers.delete(killTimer); clearTimeout(killTimer); killTimer = null; }
+      };
 
       const child = execFile('git', ['-C', gitRoot, 'fetch', '--all', '--prune'], {
         timeout: 0, // we manage timeout manually for SIGTERM → SIGKILL escalation
         windowsHide: true,
       }, (err, stdout, stderr) => {
+        inflightChildren.delete(child);
         if (timeoutFired) {
+          cleanupTimers();
           finalize(setState(gitRoot, {
             status: 'error',
             startedAt: null,
@@ -124,6 +149,7 @@ function createRepoRefreshManager(opts = {}) {
           return;
         }
         if (err) {
+          cleanupTimers();
           const errStderr = err.stderr || stderr || '';
           const msg = errStderr || err.message || 'git fetch failed';
           finalize(setState(gitRoot, {
@@ -134,6 +160,7 @@ function createRepoRefreshManager(opts = {}) {
           }));
           return;
         }
+        cleanupTimers();
         finalize(setState(gitRoot, {
           status: 'idle',
           startedAt: null,
@@ -142,16 +169,19 @@ function createRepoRefreshManager(opts = {}) {
           lastErrorAt: null,
         }));
       });
+      inflightChildren.add(child);
 
       timeoutTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+        pendingTimers.delete(timeoutTimer);
         timeoutFired = true;
         try { child.kill('SIGTERM'); } catch {}
         killTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+          pendingTimers.delete(killTimer);
           try { child.kill('SIGKILL'); } catch {}
         }, sigkillGraceMs);
-        if (killTimer && killTimer.unref) killTimer.unref();
+        pendingTimers.add(killTimer);
       }, fetchTimeoutMs);
-      if (timeoutTimer && timeoutTimer.unref) timeoutTimer.unref();
+      pendingTimers.add(timeoutTimer);
     });
   }
 
@@ -223,13 +253,14 @@ function createRepoRefreshManager(opts = {}) {
       bucket.add(onDone);
 
       to = setTimeout(() => {
+        pendingTimers.delete(to);
         if (settled) return;
         settled = true;
         bucket.delete(onDone);
         if (bucket.size === 0) waiters.delete(gitRoot);
         resolve({ state: state.get(gitRoot) || defaultRepoState(), timedOut: true });
       }, timeoutMs);
-      if (to && to.unref) to.unref();
+      pendingTimers.add(to);
     });
   }
 
@@ -270,8 +301,9 @@ function createRepoRefreshManager(opts = {}) {
   }
 
   function scheduleSave() {
-    if (saveTimer) clearTimeout(saveTimer);
+    if (saveTimer) { clearTimeout(saveTimer); pendingTimers.delete(saveTimer); }
     saveTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+      pendingTimers.delete(saveTimer);
       saveTimer = null;
       try {
         // 0o600 — settings include the user's project list; keep them
@@ -281,7 +313,7 @@ function createRepoRefreshManager(opts = {}) {
         logger.error('Failed to save refresh settings: ' + err.message);
       }
     }, debounceMs);
-    if (saveTimer && saveTimer.unref) saveTimer.unref();
+    pendingTimers.add(saveTimer);
   }
 
   function updateSettings(partial) {
@@ -350,6 +382,37 @@ function createRepoRefreshManager(opts = {}) {
     }
   }
 
+  // Cancel every manager-owned timer and signal SIGTERM to any in-flight git
+  // fetch children. Safe to call multiple times. Intended for test teardown
+  // and host process shutdown — once called, the manager should not be used
+  // for new operations (no internal flag enforces this; callers decide).
+  function shutdown() {
+    if (isShutdown) return;
+    isShutdown = true;
+    if (saveTimer) { clearTimeout(saveTimer); saveTimer = null; }
+    for (const t of pendingTimers) clearTimeout(t);
+    pendingTimers.clear();
+    for (const child of inflightChildren) {
+      try { child.kill('SIGTERM'); } catch {}
+    }
+    inflightChildren.clear();
+    // Resolve every in-flight fetch with a synthetic "cancelled" error state
+    // so callers awaiting the promise don't hang and node:test does not flag
+    // pending promises at teardown. Snapshot first — finalize mutates the Set.
+    const pending = [...activeFinalizers];
+    activeFinalizers.clear();
+    for (const fin of pending) {
+      try {
+        fin({
+          status: 'error',
+          startedAt: null,
+          lastError: 'cancelled (manager shutdown)',
+          lastErrorAt: Date.now(),
+        });
+      } catch {}
+    }
+  }
+
   // Load settings synchronously on construction.
   loadSettings();
 
@@ -360,6 +423,7 @@ function createRepoRefreshManager(opts = {}) {
     updateSettings,
     initOnStartup,
     setKnownGitRootsProvider,
+    shutdown,
     // Exposed for tests only — production callers should never invoke these
     // directly (loadSettings can drop in-flight debounced changes;
     // triggerAllEnabled duplicates initOnStartup minus the known-roots gate).
diff --git a/test/repo-refresh-api.test.js b/test/repo-refresh-api.test.js
index 2cf790d..2ad04cc 100644
--- a/test/repo-refresh-api.test.js
+++ b/test/repo-refresh-api.test.js
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ function request(port, method, urlPath, body) {
   });
 }
 
-function makeDeps(extraOverrides = {}) {
+function makeDeps(t, extraOverrides = {}) {
   const settingsPath = path.join(mkTmp('codbash-api-'), 'settings.json');
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
   const manager = createRepoRefreshManager({
@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ function makeDeps(extraOverrides = {}) {
     existsSync: () => true,
     ...extraOverrides,
   });
+  // Cancel manager-owned timers and resolve any in-flight fetch promise on
+  // test teardown so node:test's resource tracker doesn't see them as leaks.
+  if (t && typeof t.after === 'function') {
+    t.after(() => { try { manager.shutdown(); } catch {} });
+  }
   // Fixed list of "known" gitRoots used for /trigger and /settings validation.
   const knownGitRoots = new Set(['/repos/known-a', '/repos/known-b']);
   const getKnownGitRoots = () => knownGitRoots;
@@ -95,8 +100,8 @@ function makeDeps(extraOverrides = {}) {
 
 // ── Tests ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-test('GET /api/repo-refresh/state returns repos + settings on a fresh manager', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('GET /api/repo-refresh/state returns repos + settings on a fresh manager', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     const res = await request(port, 'GET', '/api/repo-refresh/state');
@@ -109,8 +114,8 @@ test('GET /api/repo-refresh/state returns repos + settings on a fresh manager',
   }
 });
 
-test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger spawns a fetch for a known gitRoot', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger spawns a fetch for a known gitRoot', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     const res = await request(port, 'POST', '/api/repo-refresh/trigger', { gitRoot: '/repos/known-a' });
@@ -124,8 +129,8 @@ test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger spawns a fetch for a known gitRoot', async
   }
 });
 
-test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger returns 404 with code=not_found for an unknown gitRoot', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger returns 404 with code=not_found for an unknown gitRoot', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     const res = await request(port, 'POST', '/api/repo-refresh/trigger', { gitRoot: '/repos/wat' });
@@ -137,8 +142,8 @@ test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger returns 404 with code=not_found for an unkn
   }
 });
 
-test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger returns 400 with code=invalid_payload when gitRoot is missing', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger returns 400 with code=invalid_payload when gitRoot is missing', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     const res = await request(port, 'POST', '/api/repo-refresh/trigger', {});
@@ -149,8 +154,8 @@ test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger returns 400 with code=invalid_payload when
   }
 });
 
-test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger returns 400 for malformed JSON body', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger returns 400 for malformed JSON body', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     const res = await request(port, 'POST', '/api/repo-refresh/trigger', '{ not json');
@@ -161,8 +166,8 @@ test('POST /api/repo-refresh/trigger returns 400 for malformed JSON body', async
   }
 });
 
-test('POST /api/repo-refresh/wait returns timedOut=true when fetch outruns the wait', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('POST /api/repo-refresh/wait returns timedOut=true when fetch outruns the wait', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     // Start a fetch that never resolves.
@@ -177,8 +182,8 @@ test('POST /api/repo-refresh/wait returns timedOut=true when fetch outruns the w
   }
 });
 
-test('POST /api/repo-refresh/wait returns 404 with code=not_found for unknown gitRoot', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('POST /api/repo-refresh/wait returns 404 with code=not_found for unknown gitRoot', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     const res = await request(port, 'POST', '/api/repo-refresh/wait', { gitRoot: '/repos/not-mine' });
@@ -189,8 +194,8 @@ test('POST /api/repo-refresh/wait returns 404 with code=not_found for unknown gi
   }
 });
 
-test('POST /api/repo-refresh/wait clamps timeoutMs to a sane maximum', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('POST /api/repo-refresh/wait clamps timeoutMs to a sane maximum', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     // No fetch in flight — wait should return immediately regardless of timeoutMs.
@@ -203,8 +208,8 @@ test('POST /api/repo-refresh/wait clamps timeoutMs to a sane maximum', async ()
   }
 });
 
-test('GET /api/repo-refresh/settings returns the current settings', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('GET /api/repo-refresh/settings returns the current settings', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     const res = await request(port, 'GET', '/api/repo-refresh/settings');
@@ -216,8 +221,8 @@ test('GET /api/repo-refresh/settings returns the current settings', async () =>
   }
 });
 
-test('POST /api/repo-refresh/settings merges and persists valid input', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('POST /api/repo-refresh/settings merges and persists valid input', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     const res = await request(port, 'POST', '/api/repo-refresh/settings', {
@@ -238,8 +243,8 @@ test('POST /api/repo-refresh/settings merges and persists valid input', async ()
   }
 });
 
-test('POST /api/repo-refresh/settings returns 400 with code=invalid_payload for unknown gitRoot in perProject', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('POST /api/repo-refresh/settings returns 400 with code=invalid_payload for unknown gitRoot in perProject', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     const res = await request(port, 'POST', '/api/repo-refresh/settings', {
@@ -252,8 +257,8 @@ test('POST /api/repo-refresh/settings returns 400 with code=invalid_payload for
   }
 });
 
-test('GET /api/repo-refresh/settings returns the value just POSTed', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('GET /api/repo-refresh/settings returns the value just POSTed', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     await request(port, 'POST', '/api/repo-refresh/settings', {
@@ -267,8 +272,8 @@ test('GET /api/repo-refresh/settings returns the value just POSTed', async () =>
   }
 });
 
-test('Unknown route under /api/repo-refresh/ returns 404', async () => {
-  const deps = makeDeps();
+test('Unknown route under /api/repo-refresh/ returns 404', async (t) => {
+  const deps = makeDeps(t);
   const { server, port } = await startTestServer(deps);
   try {
     const res = await request(port, 'GET', '/api/repo-refresh/nonsense');
diff --git a/test/repo-refresh.test.js b/test/repo-refresh.test.js
index aa34269..680f771 100644
--- a/test/repo-refresh.test.js
+++ b/test/repo-refresh.test.js
@@ -59,11 +59,21 @@ function defaults(overrides = {}) {
   };
 }
 
+// Create a manager and register shutdown() via t.after() so per-test timers
+// (60s fetch timeout, debounced save, waiter timeouts) never leak into
+// subsequent tests — otherwise node:test's resource tracker may mark them as
+// leaks and cancel later tests on slower machines.
+function makeMgr(t, opts) {
+  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager(opts);
+  t.after(() => { try { mgr.shutdown(); } catch {} });
+  return mgr;
+}
+
 // ── Tests ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-test('triggerRefresh transitions idle → fetching → idle on success', async () => {
+test('triggerRefresh transitions idle → fetching → idle on success', async (t) => {
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({ ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, { ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
 
   const before = mgr.getState().repos['/repos/x'];
   assert.equal(before, undefined);
@@ -81,9 +91,9 @@ test('triggerRefresh transitions idle → fetching → idle on success', async (
   assert.ok(final.lastSuccessAt > 0);
 });
 
-test('triggerRefresh single-flight: 2 concurrent calls share the same promise', async () => {
+test('triggerRefresh single-flight: 2 concurrent calls share the same promise', async (t) => {
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({ ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, { ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
 
   const p1 = mgr.triggerRefresh('/repos/x');
   const p2 = mgr.triggerRefresh('/repos/x');
@@ -95,9 +105,9 @@ test('triggerRefresh single-flight: 2 concurrent calls share the same promise',
   await p1;
 });
 
-test('semaphore caps concurrent fetches at 4; 5th queues until one finishes', async () => {
+test('semaphore caps concurrent fetches at 4; 5th queues until one finishes', async (t) => {
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, {
     ...defaults(),
     execFile: exec.execFile,
     maxConcurrency: 4,
@@ -119,9 +129,9 @@ test('semaphore caps concurrent fetches at 4; 5th queues until one finishes', as
   await Promise.all(promises);
 });
 
-test('60s timeout: child killed (SIGTERM then SIGKILL grace), state=error, inflight cleared', async () => {
+test('60s timeout: child killed (SIGTERM then SIGKILL grace), state=error, inflight cleared', async (t) => {
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, {
     ...defaults(),
     execFile: exec.execFile,
     fetchTimeoutMs: 50,
@@ -151,9 +161,9 @@ test('60s timeout: child killed (SIGTERM then SIGKILL grace), state=error, infli
   await p2;
 });
 
-test('non-zero exit propagates as state=error with truncated stderr (≤200 chars)', async () => {
+test('non-zero exit propagates as state=error with truncated stderr (≤200 chars)', async (t) => {
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({ ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, { ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
 
   const p = mgr.triggerRefresh('/repos/x');
   const longErr = 'fatal: ' + 'x'.repeat(500);
@@ -167,14 +177,14 @@ test('non-zero exit propagates as state=error with truncated stderr (≤200 char
   assert.ok(state.lastErrorAt > 0);
 });
 
-test('corrupt settings file → loadSettings logs warning, sets defaults, file untouched', () => {
+test('corrupt settings file → loadSettings logs warning, sets defaults, file untouched', (t) => {
   const dir = mkTmp('codbash-repo-refresh-');
   const settingsPath = path.join(dir, 'settings.json');
   fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, '{ not valid json');
   const original = fs.readFileSync(settingsPath, 'utf8');
 
   const warnings = [];
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, {
     ...defaults(),
     settingsPath,
     logger: { warn: (msg) => warnings.push(msg) },
@@ -187,10 +197,10 @@ test('corrupt settings file → loadSettings logs warning, sets defaults, file u
   assert.equal(fs.readFileSync(settingsPath, 'utf8'), original, 'file must NOT be auto-overwritten');
 });
 
-test('updateSettings round-trips through atomicWriteJson (debounced)', async () => {
+test('updateSettings round-trips through atomicWriteJson (debounced)', async (t) => {
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
   const atomic = makeMockAtomicWrite();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, {
     ...defaults(),
     execFile: exec.execFile,
     atomicWriteJson: atomic.atomicWriteJson,
@@ -211,9 +221,9 @@ test('updateSettings round-trips through atomicWriteJson (debounced)', async ()
   assert.deepEqual(atomic.calls[0].obj.perProject, { '/repos/x': { autoRefreshOnNewChat: true } });
 });
 
-test('gitRoot with spaces is passed as a single argv element', async () => {
+test('gitRoot with spaces is passed as a single argv element', async (t) => {
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({ ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, { ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
   const root = '/repos/My Project (legacy)';
 
   const p = mgr.triggerRefresh(root);
@@ -225,7 +235,7 @@ test('gitRoot with spaces is passed as a single argv element', async () => {
   await p;
 });
 
-test('initOnStartup triggers only enabled repos and does not block', async () => {
+test('initOnStartup triggers only enabled repos and does not block', async (t) => {
   const dir = mkTmp('codbash-repo-refresh-');
   const settingsPath = path.join(dir, 'settings.json');
   fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({
@@ -239,7 +249,7 @@ test('initOnStartup triggers only enabled repos and does not block', async () =>
   }));
 
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({ ...defaults(), settingsPath, execFile: exec.execFile });
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, { ...defaults(), settingsPath, execFile: exec.execFile });
 
   const t0 = Date.now();
   mgr.initOnStartup();
@@ -256,7 +266,7 @@ test('initOnStartup triggers only enabled repos and does not block', async () =>
   for (const c of exec.calls) c.resolve();
 });
 
-test('initOnStartup with refreshOnStartup=false launches nothing', async () => {
+test('initOnStartup with refreshOnStartup=false launches nothing', async (t) => {
   const dir = mkTmp('codbash-repo-refresh-');
   const settingsPath = path.join(dir, 'settings.json');
   fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({
@@ -266,14 +276,14 @@ test('initOnStartup with refreshOnStartup=false launches nothing', async () => {
   }));
 
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({ ...defaults(), settingsPath, execFile: exec.execFile });
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, { ...defaults(), settingsPath, execFile: exec.execFile });
 
   mgr.initOnStartup();
   await new Promise(r => setImmediate(r));
   assert.equal(exec.calls.length, 0);
 });
 
-test('initOnStartup garbage-collects orphan perProject entries', async () => {
+test('initOnStartup garbage-collects orphan perProject entries', async (t) => {
   const dir = mkTmp('codbash-repo-refresh-');
   const settingsPath = path.join(dir, 'settings.json');
   fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({
@@ -286,7 +296,7 @@ test('initOnStartup garbage-collects orphan perProject entries', async () => {
   }));
 
   const atomic = makeMockAtomicWrite();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, {
     ...defaults(),
     settingsPath,
     atomicWriteJson: atomic.atomicWriteJson,
@@ -305,9 +315,9 @@ test('initOnStartup garbage-collects orphan perProject entries', async () => {
   assert.ok(atomic.calls.some(c => c.obj.perProject && !('/repos/deleted' in c.obj.perProject)));
 });
 
-test('waitForRefreshOrTimeout returns timedOut=true when fetch outruns the wait', async () => {
+test('waitForRefreshOrTimeout returns timedOut=true when fetch outruns the wait', async (t) => {
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({ ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, { ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
 
   const fetchP = mgr.triggerRefresh('/repos/x');
   const result = await mgr.waitForRefreshOrTimeout('/repos/x', 30);
@@ -320,9 +330,9 @@ test('waitForRefreshOrTimeout returns timedOut=true when fetch outruns the wait'
   await fetchP;
 });
 
-test('lastError redacts https://user:token@host credentials', async () => {
+test('lastError redacts https://user:token@host credentials', async (t) => {
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({ ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, { ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
 
   const p = mgr.triggerRefresh('/repos/x');
   const errMsg = "fatal: Authentication failed for 'https://alice:ghp_secrettoken123@github.com/org/repo.git'";
@@ -336,7 +346,7 @@ test('lastError redacts https://user:token@host credentials', async () => {
   assert.ok(/<redacted>@github\.com/.test(state.lastError), 'should preserve host with <redacted> placeholder');
 });
 
-test('initOnStartup skips perProject entries not in known-roots set', async () => {
+test('initOnStartup skips perProject entries not in known-roots set', async (t) => {
   const dir = mkTmp('codbash-repo-refresh-');
   const settingsPath = path.join(dir, 'settings.json');
   fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({
@@ -349,7 +359,7 @@ test('initOnStartup skips perProject entries not in known-roots set', async () =
   }));
 
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, {
     ...defaults(),
     settingsPath,
     execFile: exec.execFile,
@@ -367,7 +377,7 @@ test('initOnStartup skips perProject entries not in known-roots set', async () =
   for (const c of exec.calls) c.resolve();
 });
 
-test('setKnownGitRootsProvider wires the gate after construction', async () => {
+test('setKnownGitRootsProvider wires the gate after construction', async (t) => {
   const dir = mkTmp('codbash-repo-refresh-');
   const settingsPath = path.join(dir, 'settings.json');
   fs.writeFileSync(settingsPath, JSON.stringify({
@@ -377,7 +387,7 @@ test('setKnownGitRootsProvider wires the gate after construction', async () => {
   }));
 
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({ ...defaults(), settingsPath, execFile: exec.execFile });
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, { ...defaults(), settingsPath, execFile: exec.execFile });
   // No known-roots set yet — wire it in after construction.
   mgr.setKnownGitRootsProvider(() => new Set(['/repos/a']));
 
@@ -387,9 +397,9 @@ test('setKnownGitRootsProvider wires the gate after construction', async () => {
   exec.calls[0].resolve();
 });
 
-test('waitForRefreshOrTimeout returns timedOut=false when fetch finishes first', async () => {
+test('waitForRefreshOrTimeout returns timedOut=false when fetch finishes first', async (t) => {
   const exec = makeMockExecFile();
-  const mgr = createRepoRefreshManager({ ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
+  const mgr = makeMgr(t, { ...defaults(), execFile: exec.execFile });
 
   const fetchP = mgr.triggerRefresh('/repos/x');
   const waitP = mgr.waitForRefreshOrTimeout('/repos/x', 200);
diff --git a/test/wsl-windows.test.js b/test/wsl-windows.test.js
index 97393ac..ebf5bf9 100644
--- a/test/wsl-windows.test.js
+++ b/test/wsl-windows.test.js
@@ -45,7 +45,11 @@ test('buildWslUncPath and shortenHomePath normalize WSL-visible paths', () => {
   assert.equal(normalizeProjectPath('\\\\?\\C:\\Projects\\codedash'), 'C:\\Projects\\codedash');
 });
 
-test('detectWindowsWslHomes discovers only running distros with supported agent data', () => {
+// The implementation uses `path.join` (platform-default), so the constructed
+// `\\wsl$\...` paths only match the mocked existsSync set when path defaults
+// to win32. Run this assertion only on Windows; the cross-platform behavior
+// is covered by the test below.
+test('detectWindowsWslHomes discovers only running distros with supported agent data', { skip: process.platform !== 'win32' && 'win32-only: uses backslash path joining' }, () => {
   const existing = new Set([
     '\\\\wsl$\\Ubuntu-24.04\\home\\dius\\.codex',
     '\\\\wsl$\\Debian\\home\\tester\\.cursor',