diff --git a/tests/test_cortex_client.py b/tests/test_cortex_client.py
index 34b228c0d..975f61b36 100644
--- a/tests/test_cortex_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_cortex_client.py
@@ -602,8 +602,8 @@ def test_wait_for_agents_missed_event_recovery(tmp_path, monkeypatch, caplog):
     def wait_and_complete():
         # Wait a bit then "complete" the agent by renaming file
         time.sleep(0.3)
-        (unified_dir / f"{use_id}_active.jsonl").unlink()
         (unified_dir / f"{use_id}.jsonl").write_text('{"event": "finish"}\n')
+        (unified_dir / f"{use_id}_active.jsonl").unlink()
 
     completer = threading.Thread(target=wait_and_complete)
     completer.start()
diff --git a/tests/test_entity_intelligence.py b/tests/test_entity_intelligence.py
index 93eaf53dc..ff6cb88c8 100644
--- a/tests/test_entity_intelligence.py
+++ b/tests/test_entity_intelligence.py
@@ -1,21 +1,19 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
 # Copyright (c) 2026 sol pbc
 
-import os
-
 import pytest
 
 from think.indexer.journal import (
     get_entity_intelligence,
     get_entity_strength,
+    scan_journal,
     search_entities,
 )
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
-def fixture_journal():
-    os.environ["_SOLSTONE_JOURNAL_OVERRIDE"] = "tests/fixtures/journal"
-    yield
+def indexed_journal(journal_copy):
+    scan_journal(str(journal_copy), full=True)
 
 
 class TestEntityStrength: