diff --git a/tests/boundary/filesystem/jsonOutputOwnership.test.ts b/tests/boundary/filesystem/jsonOutputOwnership.test.ts
index 18928cf71a..9f25d9ef33 100644
--- a/tests/boundary/filesystem/jsonOutputOwnership.test.ts
+++ b/tests/boundary/filesystem/jsonOutputOwnership.test.ts
@@ -208,10 +208,13 @@ it("preserves cancellation when staging cleanup also fails", async () => {
     if (result.ok) throw new Error("Expected cancellation");
     expect(result.error).toBeInstanceOf(AnalysisCancelledError);
     expect(result.error.cleanupIncomplete).toBe(true);
-    expect(result.error.cause).toMatchObject({
-      cause: expect.any(AnalysisCancelledError),
-      owner: { directory: expect.stringContaining(".rea-write-") },
-    });
+    // The caller's exact abort reason stays the cause; the retained staging
+    // directory is reported as cleanup state, not as the cancellation cause.
+    expect(result.error.cause).toBe(controller.signal.reason);
+    expect(result.error.cleanupPrimary).toBeInstanceOf(AnalysisCancelledError);
+    expect(result.error.cleanupResources).toEqual([
+      expect.stringContaining(".rea-write-"),
+    ]);
     await expect(fs.access(join(root, "cancelled.json"))).rejects.toThrow();
     const stage = requireStages(root)[0];
     if (stage !== undefined) await fs.rm(join(root, stage, "unexpected"));