diff --git a/internal/beads/beads_redirect.go b/internal/beads/beads_redirect.go
index 5246a008..51112a7c 100644
--- a/internal/beads/beads_redirect.go
+++ b/internal/beads/beads_redirect.go
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ import (
 // this indicates an errant redirect file that should be removed. The function logs a
 // warning and returns the original beads directory.
 func ResolveBeadsDir(workDir string) string {
+	if filepath.Base(workDir) == ".beads" {
+		workDir = filepath.Dir(workDir)
+	}
 	beadsDir := filepath.Join(workDir, ".beads")
 	redirectPath := filepath.Join(beadsDir, "redirect")
 
diff --git a/internal/beads/beads_test.go b/internal/beads/beads_test.go
index 32bcf74a..30cdfb03 100644
--- a/internal/beads/beads_test.go
+++ b/internal/beads/beads_test.go
@@ -1804,7 +1804,6 @@ func TestSetupRedirect(t *testing.T) {
 // TestAgentBeadTombstoneBug demonstrates the bd bug where `bd delete --hard --force`
 // creates tombstones instead of truly deleting records.
 //
-//
 // This test documents the bug behavior:
 // 1. Create agent bead
 // 2. Delete with --hard --force (supposed to permanently delete)
@@ -2134,7 +2133,7 @@ func TestCloseAndClearAgentBead_FieldClearing(t *testing.T) {
 	for i, tc := range tests {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			// Create unique agent ID for each test case
-			agentID := fmt.Sprintf("test-testrig-%s-%d", tc.fields.RoleType, i)
+			agentID := fmt.Sprintf("test-testrig-%s-case-%c", tc.fields.RoleType, 'a'+i)
 
 			// Step 1: Create agent bead with specified fields
 			_, err := bd.CreateAgentBead(agentID, "Test agent", tc.fields)
@@ -2371,7 +2370,7 @@ func TestCloseAndClearAgentBead_ReasonVariations(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for i, tc := range tests {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			agentID := fmt.Sprintf("test-testrig-polecat-reason%d", i)
+			agentID := fmt.Sprintf("test-testrig-polecat-reason-%c", 'a'+i)
 
 			// Create agent bead
 			_, err := bd.CreateAgentBead(agentID, "Test agent", &AgentFields{
diff --git a/internal/config/loader_test.go b/internal/config/loader_test.go
index a9628bc6..06f86759 100644
--- a/internal/config/loader_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/loader_test.go
@@ -1212,11 +1212,18 @@ func TestBuildStartupCommand_UsesRigAgentWhenRigPathProvided(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestBuildStartupCommand_UsesRoleAgentsFromTownSettings(t *testing.T) {
-	skipIfAgentBinaryMissing(t, "gemini", "codex")
-	t.Parallel()
 	townRoot := t.TempDir()
 	rigPath := filepath.Join(townRoot, "testrig")
 
+	binDir := t.TempDir()
+	for _, name := range []string{"gemini", "codex"} {
+		path := filepath.Join(binDir, name)
+		if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte("#!/bin/sh\nexit 0\n"), 0755); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("write %s stub: %v", name, err)
+		}
+	}
+	t.Setenv("PATH", binDir+string(os.PathListSeparator)+os.Getenv("PATH"))
+
 	// Configure town settings with role_agents
 	townSettings := NewTownSettings()
 	townSettings.DefaultAgent = "claude"
diff --git a/internal/config/test_main_test.go b/internal/config/test_main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..07161b9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/test_main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+package config
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	stubDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "gt-agent-bin-*")
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "create stub dir: %v\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	stub := []byte("#!/bin/sh\nexit 0\n")
+	binaries := []string{
+		"claude",
+		"gemini",
+		"codex",
+		"cursor-agent",
+		"auggie",
+		"amp",
+	}
+	for _, name := range binaries {
+		path := filepath.Join(stubDir, name)
+		if err := os.WriteFile(path, stub, 0755); err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "write stub %s: %v\n", name, err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+	}
+
+	originalPath := os.Getenv("PATH")
+	_ = os.Setenv("PATH", stubDir+string(os.PathListSeparator)+originalPath)
+
+	code := m.Run()
+
+	_ = os.Setenv("PATH", originalPath)
+	_ = os.RemoveAll(stubDir)
+	os.Exit(code)
+}