diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py
index 67152b2bf49..b97ae87964c 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
 
+import hermes_state
 from hermes_cli import kanban_db as kb
 
 
@@ -886,6 +887,7 @@ def test_connect_falls_back_to_delete_on_locking_protocol(tmp_path, monkeypatch,
 
     # Clear module cache so a fresh connect() is attempted
     kb._INITIALIZED_PATHS.clear()
+    hermes_state._wal_fallback_warned_paths.clear()
 
     real_connect = _sqlite3.connect
 
@@ -921,6 +923,55 @@ def test_connect_falls_back_to_delete_on_locking_protocol(tmp_path, monkeypatch,
     conn.close()
 
 
+def test_connect_works_when_wal_is_silently_refused(tmp_path, monkeypatch, caplog):
+    """kanban_db.connect() must stay usable when WAL silently no-ops to DELETE."""
+    import sqlite3 as _sqlite3
+    from unittest.mock import patch as _patch
+
+    home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+    home.mkdir()
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(home))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "home", lambda: tmp_path)
+
+    kb._INITIALIZED_PATHS.clear()
+    hermes_state._wal_fallback_warned_paths.clear()
+
+    real_connect = _sqlite3.connect
+
+    class _WalSilentNoOpConnection(_sqlite3.Connection):
+        def execute(self, sql, *args, **kwargs):  # type: ignore[override]
+            if "journal_mode=wal" in sql.lower().replace(" ", ""):
+                return super().execute("PRAGMA journal_mode=delete", *args, **kwargs)
+            return super().execute(sql, *args, **kwargs)
+
+    def wal_silent_noop_connect(*args, **kwargs):
+        return real_connect(
+            *args, factory=_WalSilentNoOpConnection, **kwargs
+        )
+
+    with _patch(
+        "hermes_cli.kanban_db.sqlite3.connect",
+        side_effect=wal_silent_noop_connect,
+    ):
+        with caplog.at_level("ERROR", logger="hermes_state"):
+            conn = kb.connect()
+
+    assert conn.execute("PRAGMA journal_mode").fetchone()[0].lower() == "delete"
+    t = kb.create_task(conn, title="post-silent-fallback task")
+    tasks = kb.list_tasks(conn)
+    assert any(row.id == t for row in tasks)
+    conn.close()
+
+    errors = [
+        r
+        for r in caplog.records
+        if r.levelname == "ERROR" and "kanban.db" in r.getMessage()
+    ]
+    assert len(errors) >= 1, (
+        f"Expected a kanban.db ERROR, got: {[r.getMessage() for r in caplog.records]}"
+    )
+
+
 def test_unlink_tasks_triggers_recompute_ready(kanban_home):
     """Regression test for issue #22459.
 
diff --git a/tests/test_hermes_state_wal_fallback.py b/tests/test_hermes_state_wal_fallback.py
index 2f570b82eea..e0a5eda756f 100644
--- a/tests/test_hermes_state_wal_fallback.py
+++ b/tests/test_hermes_state_wal_fallback.py
@@ -438,3 +438,36 @@ class TestSessionDbUsesWalFallback:
             assert get_last_init_error() is None
         finally:
             db.close()
+
+    def test_sessiondb_works_when_wal_is_silently_refused(self, tmp_path, caplog):
+        """E2E: SessionDB stays usable when WAL silently no-ops to DELETE."""
+        target = tmp_path / "macnfs_style.db"
+
+        real_connect = sqlite3.connect
+        factory = _make_silent_noop_factory("delete")
+
+        def gated_connect(*args, **kwargs):
+            return real_connect(str(target), factory=factory, **kwargs)
+
+        with patch("hermes_state.sqlite3.connect", side_effect=gated_connect):
+            with caplog.at_level("ERROR", logger="hermes_state"):
+                db = SessionDB(db_path=target)
+
+        try:
+            assert db._conn.execute("PRAGMA journal_mode").fetchone()[0].lower() == "delete"
+            db.create_session(session_id="s2", source="cli", model="test")
+            sess = db.get_session("s2")
+            assert sess is not None
+            assert sess["source"] == "cli"
+            assert get_last_init_error() is None
+        finally:
+            db.close()
+
+        errors = [
+            r
+            for r in caplog.records
+            if r.levelname == "ERROR" and "state.db" in r.getMessage()
+        ]
+        assert len(errors) == 1, (
+            "silent WAL refusal should emit exactly one state.db error"
+        )