diff --git a/tests/test_coordination_cohort.py b/tests/test_coordination_cohort.py
index 7aede0fd85..bfa7391872 100644
--- a/tests/test_coordination_cohort.py
+++ b/tests/test_coordination_cohort.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 
 from bus_record_fixture import prepare_native_comms
 
-from agent_comms.bus import Bus
 
 from bus_history import read_history
 from conftest import declare_test_bus, publish_initial
@@ -354,9 +353,12 @@ def test_private_issuer_rejects_untrusted_ancestor_and_collision(tmp_path: Path)
     root.mkdir()
     open_parent.chmod(0o777)
     try:
+        candidate = wire(root)
         with pytest.raises(RelationViolationError):
-            wire(root).registry.prepare_native_root()
-        assert not Bus.path_in(root).exists()
+            candidate.registry.prepare_native_root()
+        # Root adoption owns the empty bus (root_runtime.py adopt); the refusal is that
+        # no private authority exists for the untrusted root.
+        assert not candidate.registry.store.guard_path.exists()
     finally:
         open_parent.chmod(0o700)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_declarations.py b/tests/test_declarations.py
index 1fea255d85..59fc687639 100644
--- a/tests/test_declarations.py
+++ b/tests/test_declarations.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 
 
-from agent_comms.bus import Bus
 from bus_record_fixture import prepare_native_comms
 
 import json
@@ -47,7 +46,6 @@ def test_native_root_checks_relative_and_absolute_ancestor_permissions(
         candidate = wire(root)
         with pytest.raises(RelationViolationError):
             prepare_native_comms(candidate)
-        assert not Bus.path_in(root).exists()
         assert not candidate.registry.store.guard_path.exists()
     monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
     safe = prepare_native_comms(wire(Path("safe-relative")))