diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-backend-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-backend-ci.yml
index ae91e99b70..dd5efbb299 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-backend-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-backend-ci.yml
@@ -231,8 +231,6 @@ jobs:
         # Own step, not folded into the tests/ discovery above: pyproject's
         # testpaths is tests/, and this suite needs no PYTHONPATH or CUDA spoof
         # (it self-bootstraps sys.path and imports neither unsloth nor torch).
-        # Run the whole directory in one invocation; some files in it are
-        # order-dependent and only pass in a full-directory run.
         run: python -m pytest unsloth_cli/tests -q --tb=short
 
       - name: Shell installer tests
diff --git a/unsloth_cli/tests/conftest.py b/unsloth_cli/tests/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bb42914e69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unsloth_cli/tests/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+# Copyright 2026-present the Unsloth AI Inc. team. All rights reserved. See /studio/LICENSE.AGPL-3.0
+
+"""Shared fixtures for the unsloth_cli tests."""
+
+import sys
+import types
+
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def stub_tool_policy_state(monkeypatch):
+    """Stub the backend's `state.tool_policy`, which run() imports in-venv.
+
+    It lives under studio/backend, so it only imports once something has put
+    that directory on sys.path. Tests that reach the in-venv branch of run()
+    used to get that for free from whichever file ran earlier and did it as a
+    side effect, which made them pass only in a full-directory run.
+    """
+    state_mod = types.ModuleType("state")
+    tp_mod = types.ModuleType("state.tool_policy")
+    tp_mod.set_tool_policy = lambda *a, **k: None
+    state_mod.tool_policy = tp_mod
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "state", state_mod)
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "state.tool_policy", tp_mod)
diff --git a/unsloth_cli/tests/test_studio_run_parallel_flag.py b/unsloth_cli/tests/test_studio_run_parallel_flag.py
index 813a251caa..9a3260d699 100644
--- a/unsloth_cli/tests/test_studio_run_parallel_flag.py
+++ b/unsloth_cli/tests/test_studio_run_parallel_flag.py
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ def test_studio_default_exposes_parallel_option():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("value", [1, 4, 8, 64])
-def test_in_venv_path_passes_parallel_to_run_server(monkeypatch, value):
+def test_in_venv_path_passes_parallel_to_run_server(monkeypatch, value, stub_tool_policy_state):
     """In-venv path must forward --parallel to
     run_server(llama_parallel_slots=N), not the old hardcoded 4."""
     studio_mod = _load_run_command()
@@ -706,7 +706,9 @@ def test_secure_api_only_is_refused_before_any_reexec(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("extra,expected", [(["--api-only"], True), ([], False)])
-def test_in_venv_path_passes_api_only_to_run_server(monkeypatch, extra, expected):
+def test_in_venv_path_passes_api_only_to_run_server(
+    monkeypatch, extra, expected, stub_tool_policy_state
+):
     """In-venv path must forward --api-only to run_server(api_only=...)."""
     studio_mod = _load_run_command()
 
diff --git a/unsloth_cli/tests/test_studio_secure_flag.py b/unsloth_cli/tests/test_studio_secure_flag.py
index 5e60d1c40c..118f227949 100644
--- a/unsloth_cli/tests/test_studio_secure_flag.py
+++ b/unsloth_cli/tests/test_studio_secure_flag.py
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ class _RunServerCaptured(SystemExit):
         self.kwargs = dict(kwargs)
 
 
-def test_run_in_venv_passes_secure_and_forces_host(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+def test_run_in_venv_passes_secure_and_forces_host(monkeypatch, tmp_path, stub_tool_policy_state):
     import types
 
     studio_mod = _studio()