diff --git a/tests/baselines/api/settings/transcribe.json b/tests/baselines/api/settings/transcribe.json
index 79abbe3da..9e90f2b95 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/api/settings/transcribe.json
+++ b/tests/baselines/api/settings/transcribe.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "api_keys": {
     "gemini": false,
     "revai": false,
-    "whisper": true
+    "whisper": false
   },
   "backends": [
     {
diff --git a/tests/verify_api.py b/tests/verify_api.py
index c07c9464d..48c282612 100644
--- a/tests/verify_api.py
+++ b/tests/verify_api.py
@@ -438,15 +438,36 @@ def normalize(data: Any, journal_path: str) -> Any:
                     if isinstance(status, dict) and "cogitate_cli" in status:
                         status["cogitate_cli_found"] = False
                         status["cogitate_ready"] = False
+                        status["configured"] = False
+                        status["generate_ready"] = False
                         cli = status.get("cogitate_cli", "")
                         issues = [
                             i
                             for i in status.get("issues", [])
                             if "CLI not found" not in i
+                            and "not set" not in i
+                            and "not reachable" not in i
                         ]
                         if cli:
                             issues.append(f"{cli} CLI not found on PATH")
+                        # Re-add generic key-not-set issues per provider
+                        env_keys = {
+                            "anthropic": "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY",
+                            "google": "GOOGLE_API_KEY",
+                            "openai": "OPENAI_API_KEY",
+                        }
+                        if _name in env_keys:
+                            issues.append(f"{env_keys[_name]} not set")
+                        if _name == "ollama":
+                            issues.append(
+                                "Ollama not reachable at http://localhost:11434"
+                            )
                         status["issues"] = sorted(issues)
+            # Normalize env-dependent API key presence
+            if key in ("api_keys", "runtime_env"):
+                for k in result:
+                    if isinstance(result[k], bool):
+                        result[k] = False
             return result
 
         if isinstance(value, list):