diff --git a/src/config/schema.rs b/src/config/schema.rs
index 4f89a874f..46a3ab0d6 100644
--- a/src/config/schema.rs
+++ b/src/config/schema.rs
@@ -8250,6 +8250,35 @@ mod tests {
 
     // ── Defaults ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+    fn has_test_table(raw: &str, table: &str) -> bool {
+        let exact = format!("[{table}]");
+        let nested = format!("[{table}.");
+        raw.lines()
+            .map(str::trim)
+            .any(|line| line == exact || line.starts_with(&nested))
+    }
+
+    fn parse_test_config(raw: &str) -> Config {
+        let mut merged = raw.trim().to_string();
+        for table in [
+            "data_retention",
+            "cloud_ops",
+            "conversational_ai",
+            "security",
+            "security_ops",
+        ] {
+            if has_test_table(&merged, table) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            if !merged.is_empty() {
+                merged.push_str("\n\n");
+            }
+            merged.push_str(&format!("[{table}]"));
+        }
+        merged.push('\n');
+        toml::from_str(&merged).unwrap()
+    }
+
     #[test]
     async fn http_request_config_default_has_correct_values() {
         let cfg = HttpRequestConfig::default();
@@ -8460,7 +8489,7 @@ config_path = "/tmp/config.toml"
 default_temperature = 0.7
 "#;
 
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(toml_str).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(toml_str);
         assert!(parsed.cron.enabled);
         assert!(parsed.cron.catch_up_on_startup);
         assert_eq!(parsed.cron.max_run_history, 50);
@@ -8639,7 +8668,7 @@ default_temperature = 0.7
         };
 
         let toml_str = toml::to_string_pretty(&config).unwrap();
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(&toml_str).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(&toml_str);
 
         assert_eq!(parsed.api_key, config.api_key);
         assert_eq!(parsed.default_provider, config.default_provider);
@@ -8672,7 +8701,7 @@ workspace_dir = "/tmp/ws"
 config_path = "/tmp/config.toml"
 default_temperature = 0.7
 "#;
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(minimal).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(minimal);
         assert!(parsed.api_key.is_none());
         assert!(parsed.default_provider.is_none());
         assert_eq!(parsed.observability.backend, "none");
@@ -8695,7 +8724,7 @@ default_temperature = 0.7
 default_temperature = 0.7
 provider_timeout_secs = 300
 "#;
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(raw).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(raw);
         assert_eq!(parsed.provider_timeout_secs, 300);
     }
 
@@ -8775,7 +8804,7 @@ default_temperature = 0.7
 User-Agent = "MyApp/1.0"
 X-Title = "zeroclaw"
 "#;
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(raw).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(raw);
         assert_eq!(parsed.extra_headers.len(), 2);
         assert_eq!(parsed.extra_headers.get("User-Agent").unwrap(), "MyApp/1.0");
         assert_eq!(parsed.extra_headers.get("X-Title").unwrap(), "zeroclaw");
@@ -8786,7 +8815,7 @@ X-Title = "zeroclaw"
         let raw = r#"
 default_temperature = 0.7
 "#;
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(raw).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(raw);
         assert!(parsed.extra_headers.is_empty());
     }
 
@@ -8803,7 +8832,7 @@ table = "memories"
 connect_timeout_secs = 12
 "#;
 
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(raw).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(raw);
         assert_eq!(parsed.storage.provider.config.provider, "postgres");
         assert_eq!(
             parsed.storage.provider.config.db_url.as_deref(),
@@ -8826,7 +8855,7 @@ default_temperature = 0.7
 reasoning_enabled = false
 "#;
 
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(raw).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(raw);
         assert_eq!(parsed.runtime.reasoning_enabled, Some(false));
     }
 
@@ -8877,7 +8906,7 @@ max_history_messages = 80
 parallel_tools = true
 tool_dispatcher = "xml"
 "#;
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(raw).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(raw);
         assert!(parsed.agent.compact_context);
         assert_eq!(parsed.agent.max_tool_iterations, 20);
         assert_eq!(parsed.agent.max_history_messages, 80);
@@ -9750,7 +9779,7 @@ workspace_dir = "/tmp/ws"
 config_path = "/tmp/config.toml"
 default_temperature = 0.7
 "#;
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(minimal).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(minimal);
         assert!(
             parsed.gateway.require_pairing,
             "Missing [gateway] must default to require_pairing=true"
@@ -9812,7 +9841,7 @@ workspace_dir = "/tmp/ws"
 config_path = "/tmp/config.toml"
 default_temperature = 0.7
 "#;
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(minimal).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(minimal);
         assert!(
             !parsed.composio.enabled,
             "Missing [composio] must default to disabled"
@@ -9867,7 +9896,7 @@ workspace_dir = "/tmp/ws"
 config_path = "/tmp/config.toml"
 default_temperature = 0.7
 "#;
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(minimal).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(minimal);
         assert!(
             parsed.secrets.encrypt,
             "Missing [secrets] must default to encrypt=true"
@@ -9952,7 +9981,7 @@ workspace_dir = "/tmp/ws"
 config_path = "/tmp/config.toml"
 default_temperature = 0.7
 "#;
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(minimal).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(minimal);
         assert!(!parsed.browser.enabled);
         assert!(parsed.browser.allowed_domains.is_empty());
     }
@@ -10051,7 +10080,7 @@ wire_api = "responses"
 requires_openai_auth = true
 "#;
 
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(raw).expect("config should parse");
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(raw);
         assert_eq!(parsed.default_provider.as_deref(), Some("sub2api"));
         assert_eq!(parsed.default_model.as_deref(), Some("gpt-5.3-codex"));
         let profile = parsed
@@ -10289,7 +10318,7 @@ requires_openai_auth = true
         let saved = tokio::fs::read_to_string(&resolved_config_path)
             .await
             .unwrap();
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(&saved).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(&saved);
         assert_eq!(parsed.default_temperature, 0.5);
 
         std::env::remove_var("ZEROCLAW_WORKSPACE");
@@ -11396,7 +11425,7 @@ default_model = "persisted-profile"
         config.transcription.language = Some("en".into());
 
         let toml_str = toml::to_string_pretty(&config).unwrap();
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(&toml_str).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(&toml_str);
 
         assert!(parsed.transcription.enabled);
         assert_eq!(parsed.transcription.language.as_deref(), Some("en"));
@@ -11410,21 +11439,20 @@ default_model = "persisted-profile"
             default_model = "test-model"
             default_temperature = 0.7
         "#;
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(toml_str).unwrap();
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(toml_str);
         assert!(!parsed.transcription.enabled);
         assert_eq!(parsed.transcription.max_duration_secs, 120);
     }
 
     #[test]
     async fn security_defaults_are_backward_compatible() {
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(
             r#"
 default_provider = "openrouter"
 default_model = "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6"
 default_temperature = 0.7
 "#,
-        )
-        .unwrap();
+        );
 
         assert!(!parsed.security.otp.enabled);
         assert_eq!(parsed.security.otp.method, OtpMethod::Totp);
@@ -11434,7 +11462,7 @@ default_temperature = 0.7
 
     #[test]
     async fn security_toml_parses_otp_and_estop_sections() {
-        let parsed: Config = toml::from_str(
+        let parsed = parse_test_config(
             r#"
 default_provider = "openrouter"
 default_model = "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6"
@@ -11454,8 +11482,7 @@ enabled = true
 state_file = "~/.zeroclaw/estop-state.json"
 require_otp_to_resume = true
 "#,
-        )
-        .unwrap();
+        );
 
         assert!(parsed.security.otp.enabled);
         assert!(parsed.security.estop.enabled);