diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_commands.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_commands.py
index 2f92ecbb1a..49e114aeff 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_commands.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_commands.py
@@ -702,6 +702,10 @@ class TestTelegramMenuCommands:
             "def register(ctx):\n"
             "    ctx.register_command('lcm', lambda args: 'ok', description='LCM status and diagnostics')\n"
         )
+        # Opt-in: plugins are opt-in by default, so enable in config.yaml
+        (tmp_path / "config.yaml").write_text(
+            "plugins:\n  enabled:\n    - cmd-plugin\n"
+        )
         monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path))
 
         with patch.object(plugins_mod, "_plugin_manager", None):
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugins.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugins.py
index df7ba6555f..9433ecdca8 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugins.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_plugins.py
@@ -831,7 +831,8 @@ class TestPluginCommands:
 
     def test_get_plugin_context_engine_discovers_plugins_lazily(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         """Context engine lookup should work before any explicit discover_plugins() call."""
-        plugins_dir = tmp_path / "hermes_test" / "plugins"
+        hermes_home = tmp_path / "hermes_test"
+        plugins_dir = hermes_home / "plugins"
         plugin_dir = plugins_dir / "engine-plugin"
         plugin_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         (plugin_dir / "plugin.yaml").write_text(
@@ -856,7 +857,11 @@ class TestPluginCommands:
             "def register(ctx):\n"
             "    ctx.register_context_engine(StubEngine())\n"
         )
-        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path / "hermes_test"))
+        # Opt-in: plugins are opt-in by default, so enable in config.yaml
+        (hermes_home / "config.yaml").write_text(
+            yaml.safe_dump({"plugins": {"enabled": ["engine-plugin"]}})
+        )
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(hermes_home))
 
         import hermes_cli.plugins as plugins_mod