diff --git a/tests/run_agent/test_api_max_retries_config.py b/tests/run_agent/test_api_max_retries_config.py
index 5ef7ee4b044..e82d912896e 100644
--- a/tests/run_agent/test_api_max_retries_config.py
+++ b/tests/run_agent/test_api_max_retries_config.py
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ def _make_agent(api_max_retries=None):
         cfg["agent"]["api_max_retries"] = api_max_retries
 
     with patch("run_agent.OpenAI"), \
-         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg):
+         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg), \
+         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg):
         return AIAgent(
             api_key="test-key",
             base_url="https://openrouter.ai/api/v1",
diff --git a/tests/run_agent/test_invalid_context_length_warning.py b/tests/run_agent/test_invalid_context_length_warning.py
index 4c771949010..3a4da880252 100644
--- a/tests/run_agent/test_invalid_context_length_warning.py
+++ b/tests/run_agent/test_invalid_context_length_warning.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ def _build_agent(model_cfg, custom_providers=None, model=None):
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("agent.model_metadata.get_model_context_length", return_value=128_000),
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=[]),
         patch("run_agent.check_toolset_requirements", return_value={}),
diff --git a/tests/run_agent/test_memory_provider_init.py b/tests/run_agent/test_memory_provider_init.py
index 5c659598612..13dd366608d 100644
--- a/tests/run_agent/test_memory_provider_init.py
+++ b/tests/run_agent/test_memory_provider_init.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ def test_blank_memory_provider_does_not_auto_enable_honcho():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("hermes_cli.config.save_config") as save_config,
         patch(
             "plugins.memory.honcho.client.HonchoClientConfig.from_global_config",
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ def test_aiagent_forwards_user_id_alt_to_memory_provider():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("plugins.memory.load_memory_provider", return_value=provider),
         patch("agent.model_metadata.get_model_context_length", return_value=204_800),
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=[]),
@@ -142,6 +144,7 @@ def test_aiagent_forwards_warning_callback_to_cli_memory_provider():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("plugins.memory.load_memory_provider", return_value=provider),
         patch("agent.model_metadata.get_model_context_length", return_value=204_800),
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=[]),
diff --git a/tests/run_agent/test_per_model_threshold_init_ordering.py b/tests/run_agent/test_per_model_threshold_init_ordering.py
index fa01a62c3c9..67a482311bf 100644
--- a/tests/run_agent/test_per_model_threshold_init_ordering.py
+++ b/tests/run_agent/test_per_model_threshold_init_ordering.py
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ def test_plugin_engine_gets_model_thresholds_before_initial_update_model():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("plugins.context_engine.load_context_engine", return_value=engine),
         patch("agent.model_metadata.get_model_context_length", return_value=1_000_000),
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=[]),
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ def test_plugin_engine_without_overrides_keeps_global_threshold():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("plugins.context_engine.load_context_engine", return_value=engine),
         patch("agent.model_metadata.get_model_context_length", return_value=1_000_000),
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=[]),
diff --git a/tests/run_agent/test_plugin_context_engine_init.py b/tests/run_agent/test_plugin_context_engine_init.py
index 2c7e53e1349..3eeca020268 100644
--- a/tests/run_agent/test_plugin_context_engine_init.py
+++ b/tests/run_agent/test_plugin_context_engine_init.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ def test_plugin_engine_gets_context_length_on_init():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("plugins.context_engine.load_context_engine", return_value=engine),
         patch("agent.model_metadata.get_model_context_length", return_value=204_800),
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=[]),
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ def test_active_context_engine_tools_survive_explicit_platform_toolsets():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("plugins.context_engine.load_context_engine", return_value=engine),
         patch("agent.model_metadata.get_model_context_length", return_value=204_800),
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=[]),
@@ -116,6 +118,7 @@ def test_plugin_engine_update_model_args():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("plugins.context_engine.load_context_engine", return_value=engine),
         patch("agent.model_metadata.get_model_context_length", return_value=131_072),
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=[]),
@@ -169,6 +172,7 @@ def test_codex_gpt55_autoraise_suppressed_for_plugin_engine():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("plugins.context_engine.load_context_engine", return_value=engine),
         patch("agent.model_metadata.get_model_context_length", return_value=272_000),
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=[]),
@@ -195,6 +199,7 @@ def test_codex_gpt55_autoraise_still_applies_to_builtin_compressor():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch("agent.context_compressor.get_model_context_length", return_value=272_000),
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=[]),
         patch("run_agent.check_toolset_requirements", return_value={}),
@@ -221,6 +226,7 @@ def test_codex_gpt55_autoraise_applies_when_plugin_engine_missing():
 
     with (
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=cfg),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=cfg),
         patch(
             "plugins.context_engine.load_context_engine",
             side_effect=ValueError("not found"),
diff --git a/tests/run_agent/test_tool_call_guardrail_runtime.py b/tests/run_agent/test_tool_call_guardrail_runtime.py
index 95033831517..dcc1806ec2a 100644
--- a/tests/run_agent/test_tool_call_guardrail_runtime.py
+++ b/tests/run_agent/test_tool_call_guardrail_runtime.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ def _make_agent(*tool_names: str, max_iterations: int = 10, config: dict | None
         patch("run_agent.get_tool_definitions", return_value=_make_tool_defs(*tool_names)),
         patch("run_agent.check_toolset_requirements", return_value={}),
         patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value=config or {}),
+        patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config_readonly", return_value=config or {}),
         patch("run_agent.OpenAI"),
     ):
         agent = AIAgent(