diff --git a/tests/test_core_sync.py b/tests/test_core_sync.py
index 1b09ba1..bca0d46 100644
--- a/tests/test_core_sync.py
+++ b/tests/test_core_sync.py
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
 class CoreSyncTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix='method-sync-');self.addCleanup(self.tmp.cleanup)
-        self.base = Path(self.tmp.name);self.source = self.base/'source';self.source.mkdir()
+        # macOS temp roots sit below the /var symlink; the lock check refuses symlinked ancestors.
+        self.base = Path(self.tmp.name).resolve();self.source = self.base/'source';self.source.mkdir()
         self.target = self.base/'target';self.target.mkdir()
         subprocess.run(['git','init','-q','-b','main',str(self.source)],check=True)
         for key,value in [('user.name','Sync Test'),('user.email','sync@example.invalid')]: self.git('config',key,value)
diff --git a/tests/test_method_identity.py b/tests/test_method_identity.py
index 9be5446..80d4fc1 100644
--- a/tests/test_method_identity.py
+++ b/tests/test_method_identity.py
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ def test_writing_archive_uses_committed_manifest_identity(self):
     def test_both_opencode_loaders_coexist_and_uninstall_is_scoped(self):
         # A fixed loader filename must not overwrite or block the second method.
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as directory:
-            base=Path(directory);config=base/'config'
+            # Resolve first: the installer refuses symlinked parents such as macOS /var.
+            base=Path(directory).resolve();config=base/'config'
             for name in ['engineering-method','writing-method']:
                 source=base/name
                 for folder in ['integrations/opencode','shared/platform','skills','.codex-plugin']: