diff --git a/knot2/crates/knot-xrpc/tests/ref_records.rs b/knot2/crates/knot-xrpc/tests/ref_records.rs
index 13b3ed5a8..c2cc7f512 100644
--- a/knot2/crates/knot-xrpc/tests/ref_records.rs
+++ b/knot2/crates/knot-xrpc/tests/ref_records.rs
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ fn record_of<'r>(items: &'r [Value], rkey: &str) -> &'r Value {
         .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("no record for rkey {rkey} in {items:?}"))
 }
 
-#[derive(Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 struct OpProbe {
     action: String,
     path: String,
@@ -258,13 +258,22 @@ async fn a_mirror_sized_first_push_chunks_at_two_hundred_ops() {
             assert!(
                 payload.ops.iter().all(|op| {
                     op.action == "create"
-                        && op
+                        && (op
                             .path
                             .starts_with(&format!("{COLLECTION}/refs~2fheads~2f"))
+                            || op.path == "org.tangled.git.refs/self")
                 }),
-                "every op names a head ref record"
+                "every op names a head ref record or the summary seeded at birth: {:?}",
+                payload.ops
             );
-            creates += payload.ops.len();
+            creates += payload
+                .ops
+                .iter()
+                .filter(|op| {
+                    op.path
+                        .starts_with(&format!("{COLLECTION}/refs~2fheads~2f"))
+                })
+                .count();
             *seq
         })
         .collect::<Vec<_>>();
@@ -275,7 +284,7 @@ async fn a_mirror_sized_first_push_chunks_at_two_hundred_ops() {
     );
 }
 
-#[tokio::test]
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
 async fn the_boot_pass_catches_up_a_ref_that_moved_without_a_record() {
     let world = World::new();
     let (did, _bare, work) = empty_repo(&world, "coral");
@@ -293,8 +302,10 @@ async fn the_boot_pass_catches_up_a_ref_that_moved_without_a_record() {
         new: main,
     })
     .unwrap();
-
-    knot_xrpc::materialize::enable_surfaces(&world.state);
+    let state = std::sync::Arc::clone(&world.state);
+    tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || knot_xrpc::materialize::enable_surfaces(&state))
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
 
     let items = records(&world, &did).await;
     assert_eq!(items.len(), 2, "the boot pass materialized the drift");
@@ -317,7 +328,10 @@ async fn the_boot_pass_catches_up_a_ref_that_moved_without_a_record() {
     let settled = chain::tip(&world.layout.open(&did).unwrap())
         .unwrap()
         .unwrap();
-    knot_xrpc::materialize::enable_surfaces(&world.state);
+    let state = std::sync::Arc::clone(&world.state);
+    tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || knot_xrpc::materialize::enable_surfaces(&state))
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
     assert_eq!(
         chain::tip(&world.layout.open(&did).unwrap())
             .unwrap()