diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-approval-request.test.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-approval-request.test.ts
index 7fba4368d43..163208b6d4f 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-approval-request.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-approval-request.test.ts
@@ -63,8 +63,9 @@ function requireApprovalRequestPayload(callIndex: number): ApprovalRequestPayloa
   const call = vi.mocked(callGatewayTool).mock.calls[callIndex];
   expect(call?.[0]).toBe("exec.approval.request");
   const payload = call?.[2];
-  expect(typeof payload).toBe("object");
-  expect(payload).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!payload || typeof payload !== "object") {
+    throw new Error(`expected approval request payload ${callIndex}`);
+  }
   return payload as ApprovalRequestPayload;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/agents/cli-credentials.test.ts b/src/agents/cli-credentials.test.ts
index 208e38847aa..a2db093b4af 100644
--- a/src/agents/cli-credentials.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/cli-credentials.test.ts
@@ -67,8 +67,9 @@ function mockClaudeCliCredentialRead() {
 }
 
 function expectFields(value: unknown, expected: Record<string, unknown>): void {
-  expect(value).toBeTypeOf("object");
-  expect(value).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!value || typeof value !== "object") {
+    throw new Error("expected fields object");
+  }
   const record = value as Record<string, unknown>;
   for (const [key, expectedValue] of Object.entries(expected)) {
     expect(record[key], key).toEqual(expectedValue);
diff --git a/src/agents/cli-runner.reliability.test.ts b/src/agents/cli-runner.reliability.test.ts
index 250143d8e1d..ec263beb787 100644
--- a/src/agents/cli-runner.reliability.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/cli-runner.reliability.test.ts
@@ -158,8 +158,9 @@ function buildPreparedContext(params?: {
 }
 
 function requireRecord(value: unknown, label: string): Record<string, unknown> {
-  expect(value, label).toBeTypeOf("object");
-  expect(value, label).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!value || typeof value !== "object") {
+    throw new Error(`expected ${label}`);
+  }
   return value as Record<string, unknown>;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/agents/sessions-spawn-hooks.test.ts b/src/agents/sessions-spawn-hooks.test.ts
index 955bd772e21..f3b3cd3b49e 100644
--- a/src/agents/sessions-spawn-hooks.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/sessions-spawn-hooks.test.ts
@@ -55,8 +55,9 @@ function findGatewayRequest(method: string): GatewayRequest | undefined {
 }
 
 function requireRecord(value: unknown, label: string): Record<string, unknown> {
-  expect(value, label).toBeTypeOf("object");
-  expect(value, label).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!value || typeof value !== "object") {
+    throw new Error(`expected ${label}`);
+  }
   return value as Record<string, unknown>;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/agents/subagent-registry-lifecycle.test.ts b/src/agents/subagent-registry-lifecycle.test.ts
index e561abf4631..3bfe61458c0 100644
--- a/src/agents/subagent-registry-lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/subagent-registry-lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -105,8 +105,9 @@ function createRunEntry(overrides: Partial<SubagentRunRecord> = {}): SubagentRun
 }
 
 function expectFields(value: unknown, expected: Record<string, unknown>): void {
-  expect(value).toBeTypeOf("object");
-  expect(value).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!value || typeof value !== "object") {
+    throw new Error("expected fields object");
+  }
   const record = value as Record<string, unknown>;
   for (const [key, expectedValue] of Object.entries(expected)) {
     expect(record[key], key).toEqual(expectedValue);
@@ -115,8 +116,9 @@ function expectFields(value: unknown, expected: Record<string, unknown>): void {
 
 function firstCallArg(mock: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>): Record<string, unknown> {
   const [arg] = mock.mock.calls[0] ?? [];
-  expect(arg).toBeTypeOf("object");
-  expect(arg).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!arg || typeof arg !== "object") {
+    throw new Error("expected first call argument object");
+  }
   return arg as Record<string, unknown>;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/agents/subagent-registry.persistence.test.ts b/src/agents/subagent-registry.persistence.test.ts
index dc608bfb4d5..4a8df6a2a26 100644
--- a/src/agents/subagent-registry.persistence.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/subagent-registry.persistence.test.ts
@@ -47,8 +47,9 @@ vi.mock("./subagent-orphan-recovery.js", () => ({
 }));
 
 function expectFields(value: unknown, expected: Record<string, unknown>): void {
-  expect(value).toBeTypeOf("object");
-  expect(value).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!value || typeof value !== "object") {
+    throw new Error("expected fields object");
+  }
   const record = value as Record<string, unknown>;
   for (const [key, expectedValue] of Object.entries(expected)) {
     expect(record[key], key).toEqual(expectedValue);
diff --git a/src/agents/tools/image-generate-tool.test.ts b/src/agents/tools/image-generate-tool.test.ts
index 4e3190dd4e5..60d667cff85 100644
--- a/src/agents/tools/image-generate-tool.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tools/image-generate-tool.test.ts
@@ -962,8 +962,9 @@ describe("createImageGenerateTool", () => {
     expect(mockCallArg(webMedia.loadWebMedia, 0, "loadWebMedia", 0)).toBe(
       "media://inbound/reference.png",
     );
-    expect(loadArgs).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(typeof loadArgs).toBe("object");
+    if (!loadArgs || typeof loadArgs !== "object") {
+      throw new Error("expected loadWebMedia options");
+    }
   });
 
   it("passes web_fetch SSRF policy to remote reference images", async () => {
diff --git a/src/agents/tools/music-generate-background.test.ts b/src/agents/tools/music-generate-background.test.ts
index 54743e77bc3..76856cd245f 100644
--- a/src/agents/tools/music-generate-background.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tools/music-generate-background.test.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ describe("music generate background helpers", () => {
       providerId: "google",
     });
 
-    expect(handle).not.toBeNull();
     if (!handle) {
       throw new Error("Expected music generation task handle");
     }
diff --git a/src/agents/tools/music-generate-tool.test.ts b/src/agents/tools/music-generate-tool.test.ts
index 723bed88099..6d3e9d6fcd3 100644
--- a/src/agents/tools/music-generate-tool.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tools/music-generate-tool.test.ts
@@ -146,8 +146,9 @@ function resetMusicGenerateMocks() {
 }
 
 function detailsOf(result: { details?: unknown }): Record<string, unknown> {
-  expect(typeof result.details).toBe("object");
-  expect(result.details).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!result.details || typeof result.details !== "object") {
+    throw new Error("expected result details object");
+  }
   return result.details as Record<string, unknown>;
 }
 
@@ -155,30 +156,34 @@ function generateMusicOptions(
   callIndex = musicGenerationRuntimeMocks.generateMusic.mock.calls.length - 1,
 ): Record<string, unknown> {
   const options = musicGenerationRuntimeMocks.generateMusic.mock.calls[callIndex]?.[0];
-  expect(typeof options).toBe("object");
-  expect(options).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!options || typeof options !== "object") {
+    throw new Error(`expected generateMusic options ${callIndex}`);
+  }
   return options as Record<string, unknown>;
 }
 
 function taskProgressCall(callIndex = 0): Record<string, unknown> {
   const call = taskExecutorMocks.recordTaskRunProgressByRunId.mock.calls[callIndex]?.[0];
-  expect(typeof call).toBe("object");
-  expect(call).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!call || typeof call !== "object") {
+    throw new Error(`expected task progress call ${callIndex}`);
+  }
   return call as Record<string, unknown>;
 }
 
 function taskCompleteCall(callIndex = 0): Record<string, unknown> {
   const call = taskExecutorMocks.completeTaskRunByRunId.mock.calls[callIndex]?.[0];
-  expect(typeof call).toBe("object");
-  expect(call).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!call || typeof call !== "object") {
+    throw new Error(`expected task complete call ${callIndex}`);
+  }
   return call as Record<string, unknown>;
 }
 
 function wakeCompletionCall(callIndex = 0): Record<string, unknown> {
   const call =
     musicGenerateBackgroundMocks.wakeMusicGenerationTaskCompletion.mock.calls[callIndex]?.[0];
-  expect(typeof call).toBe("object");
-  expect(call).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!call || typeof call !== "object") {
+    throw new Error(`expected wake completion call ${callIndex}`);
+  }
   return call as Record<string, unknown>;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/agents/tools/pdf-tool.test.ts b/src/agents/tools/pdf-tool.test.ts
index 4dca5ff913c..7b337ec914e 100644
--- a/src/agents/tools/pdf-tool.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tools/pdf-tool.test.ts
@@ -82,8 +82,9 @@ function withDefaultModel(primary: string): OpenClawConfig {
 }
 
 function expectFields(value: unknown, expected: Record<string, unknown>): void {
-  expect(value).toBeTypeOf("object");
-  expect(value).not.toBeNull();
+  if (!value || typeof value !== "object") {
+    throw new Error("expected fields object");
+  }
   const record = value as Record<string, unknown>;
   for (const [key, expectedValue] of Object.entries(expected)) {
     expect(record[key], key).toEqual(expectedValue);