diff --git a/extensions/memory-core/src/cli.test.ts b/extensions/memory-core/src/cli.test.ts
index e1a9294878b..9018cbf4609 100644
--- a/extensions/memory-core/src/cli.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/memory-core/src/cli.test.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ const resolveCommandSecretRefsViaGateway = vi.hoisted(() =>
   })),
 );
 
+async function expectPathMissing(targetPath: string): Promise<void> {
+  await expect(fs.stat(targetPath)).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "ENOENT" });
+}
+
 vi.mock("./cli.host.runtime.js", async () => {
   const [runtimeCli, runtimeCore, runtimeFiles] = await Promise.all([
     import("openclaw/plugin-sdk/memory-core-host-runtime-cli"),
@@ -589,7 +593,7 @@ describe("memory cli", () => {
       await runMemoryCli(["status", "--fix"]);
 
       expectLogged(log, "Repair: rewrote store");
-      await expect(fs.stat(lockPath)).rejects.toThrow();
+      await expectPathMissing(lockPath);
       const repaired = JSON.parse(await fs.readFile(storePath, "utf-8")) as {
         entries: Record<string, { conceptTags?: string[] }>;
       };
diff --git a/extensions/memory-core/src/dreaming-markdown.test.ts b/extensions/memory-core/src/dreaming-markdown.test.ts
index 6bb3c3c6be6..5df6d9dc4d7 100644
--- a/extensions/memory-core/src/dreaming-markdown.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/memory-core/src/dreaming-markdown.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ import { createMemoryCoreTestHarness } from "./test-helpers.js";
 
 const { createTempWorkspace } = createMemoryCoreTestHarness();
 
+async function expectPathMissing(targetPath: string): Promise<void> {
+  await expect(fs.access(targetPath)).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "ENOENT" });
+}
+
 function requireInlinePath(result: { inlinePath?: string }): string {
   if (!result.inlinePath) {
     throw new Error("Expected inline dreaming markdown path");
@@ -127,6 +131,6 @@ describe("dreaming markdown storage", () => {
     expect(content).toContain("# Deep Sleep");
     expect(content).toContain("- Promoted: durable preference");
 
-    await expect(fs.access(path.join(workspaceDir, "DREAMS.md"))).rejects.toThrow();
+    await expectPathMissing(path.join(workspaceDir, "DREAMS.md"));
   });
 });
diff --git a/extensions/memory-core/src/memory/qmd-manager.test.ts b/extensions/memory-core/src/memory/qmd-manager.test.ts
index aa5a467358c..8da808c82c9 100644
--- a/extensions/memory-core/src/memory/qmd-manager.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/memory-core/src/memory/qmd-manager.test.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ const MEMORY_EMBEDDING_PROVIDERS_KEY = Symbol.for("openclaw.memoryEmbeddingProvi
 const MCPORTER_STATE_KEY = Symbol.for("openclaw.mcporterState");
 const QMD_EMBED_QUEUE_KEY = Symbol.for("openclaw.qmdEmbedQueueTail");
 
+async function expectPathMissing(targetPath: string): Promise<void> {
+  await expect(fs.lstat(targetPath)).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "ENOENT" });
+}
+
 interface MockChild extends EventEmitter {
   stdout: EventEmitter;
   stderr: EventEmitter;
@@ -4969,7 +4973,7 @@ describe("QmdMemoryManager", () => {
             await fs.rm(defaultModelsDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
           },
           assert: async () => {
-            await expect(fs.lstat(customModelsDir)).rejects.toThrow();
+            await expectPathMissing(customModelsDir);
             expect(logWarnMock).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
               expect.stringContaining("failed to symlink qmd models directory"),
             );