diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index fa08802..eb2b432 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -37,14 +37,19 @@ from mempalace.knowledge_graph import KnowledgeGraph  # noqa: E402
 @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
 def _reset_mcp_cache():
     """Reset the MCP server's cached ChromaDB client/collection between tests."""
-    yield
-    try:
-        from mempalace import mcp_server
 
-        mcp_server._client_cache = None
-        mcp_server._collection_cache = None
-    except (ImportError, AttributeError):
-        pass
+    def _clear_cache():
+        try:
+            from mempalace import mcp_server
+
+            mcp_server._client_cache = None
+            mcp_server._collection_cache = None
+        except (ImportError, AttributeError):
+            pass
+
+    _clear_cache()
+    yield
+    _clear_cache()
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session", autouse=True)
diff --git a/tests/test_mcp_server.py b/tests/test_mcp_server.py
index cf37a27..09a3c46 100644
--- a/tests/test_mcp_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_mcp_server.py
@@ -151,9 +151,10 @@ class TestReadTools:
         assert result["taxonomy"]["project"]["frontend"] == 1
         assert result["taxonomy"]["notes"]["planning"] == 1
 
-    def test_no_palace_returns_error(self, monkeypatch, config, kg):
-        config._file_config["palace_path"] = "/nonexistent/path"
-        _patch_mcp_server(monkeypatch, config, "/nonexistent/path", kg)
+    def test_no_palace_returns_error(self, monkeypatch, config, kg, tmp_path):
+        missing = str(tmp_path / "missing")
+        config._file_config["palace_path"] = missing
+        _patch_mcp_server(monkeypatch, config, missing, kg)
         from mempalace.mcp_server import tool_status
 
         result = tool_status()
diff --git a/tests/test_searcher.py b/tests/test_searcher.py
index 44a05aa..1c2687d 100644
--- a/tests/test_searcher.py
+++ b/tests/test_searcher.py
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ class TestSearchMemories:
         result = search_memories("code", palace_path, n_results=2)
         assert len(result["results"]) <= 2
 
-    def test_no_palace_returns_error(self):
-        result = search_memories("anything", "/nonexistent/path")
+    def test_no_palace_returns_error(self, tmp_path):
+        result = search_memories("anything", str(tmp_path / "missing"))
         assert "error" in result
 
     def test_result_fields(self, palace_path, seeded_collection):