diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_service.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_service.py
index 7041ab9aee4a..32a98372b216 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_service.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_service.py
@@ -1493,6 +1493,9 @@ class TestGatewayServiceDetection:
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "is_linux", lambda: True)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "is_termux", lambda: False)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "is_wsl", lambda: False)
+        # This test covers a normal Linux host. A container also needs a
+        # reachable manager even when the systemctl binary is installed.
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "is_container", lambda: False)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli.shutil, "which", lambda name: "/usr/bin/systemctl")
 
         assert gateway_cli.supports_systemd_services() is True
@@ -1544,6 +1547,7 @@ class TestGatewaySystemServiceRouting:
 
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_select_systemd_scope", lambda system=False: False)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_require_service_installed", lambda action, system=False: None)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_preflight_user_systemd", lambda: None)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "refresh_systemd_unit_if_needed", lambda system=False: calls.append(("refresh", system)))
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_get_restart_drain_timeout", lambda: 12.0)
         monkeypatch.setattr(
@@ -1589,6 +1593,7 @@ class TestGatewaySystemServiceRouting:
 
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_select_systemd_scope", lambda system=False: False)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_require_service_installed", lambda action, system=False: None)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_preflight_user_systemd", lambda: None)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "refresh_systemd_unit_if_needed", lambda system=False: None)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_get_restart_drain_timeout", lambda: 10.0)
         monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.get_running_pid", lambda: None)
@@ -1648,6 +1653,7 @@ class TestGatewaySystemServiceRouting:
 
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_select_systemd_scope", lambda system=False: False)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_require_service_installed", lambda action, system=False: None)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_preflight_user_systemd", lambda: None)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "refresh_systemd_unit_if_needed", lambda system=False: None)
         monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.get_running_pid", lambda: None)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_recover_pending_systemd_restart", lambda system=False, previous_pid=None: False)
@@ -1678,6 +1684,7 @@ class TestGatewaySystemServiceRouting:
     def test_systemd_restart_recovers_failed_planned_restart(self, monkeypatch, capsys):
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_select_systemd_scope", lambda system=False: False)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_require_service_installed", lambda action, system=False: None)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "_preflight_user_systemd", lambda: None)
         monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_cli, "refresh_systemd_unit_if_needed", lambda system=False: None)
         monkeypatch.setattr(
             "gateway.status.read_runtime_status",