diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/live/runnerd-codex-transport.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/live/runnerd-codex-transport.test.ts
index 9d8a8586de..60df48f8ee 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/live/runnerd-codex-transport.test.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/live/runnerd-codex-transport.test.ts
@@ -2050,6 +2050,12 @@ it("restores provider identity and streamed text from a canonical delta", () =>
     .toMatchObject({ threadId: "root-thread", turnId: "provider-turn", delta: "Reading Gmail", itemId: "message-1" });
 });
 
+it("keeps a flat steering acknowledgement recognizable for deduplication", () => {
+  const receipt = { kind: "steering_acknowledgement", correlationId: "steer-1", status: "accepted" };
+  expect(rehydrateRunnerdItemNotification(receipt, "opened-thread", "provider-turn"))
+    .toEqual({ ...receipt, threadId: "opened-thread", turnId: "provider-turn" });
+});
+
 it("rehydrates a canonical agent item for the strict Codex facade", () => {
   expect(
     rehydrateRunnerdItemNotification(
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/issue-feedback-routes.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/issue-feedback-routes.test.ts
index e59fe6d1e9..2260676d6f 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/issue-feedback-routes.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/issue-feedback-routes.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import express from "express";
 import request from "supertest";
-import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 const mockFeedbackService = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   getFeedbackTraceById: vi.fn(),
@@ -127,11 +127,19 @@ vi.mock("../services/instance-settings.js", () => ({
   instanceSettingsService: () => mockInstanceSettingsService,
 }));
 
-async function createApp(actor: Record<string, unknown>) {
-  const [{ issueRoutes }, { errorHandler }] = await Promise.all([
+let issueRoutes: typeof import("../routes/issues.js")["issueRoutes"];
+let errorHandler: typeof import("../middleware/index.js")["errorHandler"];
+
+beforeAll(async () => {
+  // Route initialization belongs to the suite's setup deadline. The vote and
+  // flush assertions retain the ordinary per-test request deadline on CI.
+  [{ issueRoutes }, { errorHandler }] = await Promise.all([
     import("../routes/issues.js"),
     import("../middleware/index.js"),
   ]);
+});
+
+async function createApp(actor: Record<string, unknown>) {
   const app = express();
   app.use(express.json());
   app.use((req, _res, next) => {