diff --git a/tests/unit/plugin-version-coupling.test.ts b/tests/unit/plugin-version-coupling.test.ts
index 00b236aa..ffcc2a88 100644
--- a/tests/unit/plugin-version-coupling.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/plugin-version-coupling.test.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ describe('getBrainyVersion() — synchronously correct on first call', () => {
     expect(v).toBe(PACKAGE_VERSION)
     expect(v).not.toBe('3.14.0')
     expect(v).not.toBe('0.0.0') // the unknown-read sentinel must not surface in a real install
-    expect(v.startsWith('8.')).toBe(true)
+    // Deliberately major-agnostic: the equality with PACKAGE_VERSION above already
+    // proves the sync read; this shape pin only guards against sentinel garbage.
+    expect(v).toMatch(/^\d+\.\d+\.\d+/)
   })
 })
 
@@ -95,13 +97,16 @@ describe('version coupling at init() — no silent fallback', () => {
     await brain.close()
   })
 
-  it('does NOT throw for a realistic cor 3.x range (^8.0.0) on a COLD init', async () => {
+  it('does NOT throw for a realistic version-matched caret range on a COLD init', async () => {
     // The actual regression: loadPlugins() is the first init step and makes the
-    // first getBrainyVersion() call, so a stale sync default would reject a
-    // correctly-matched native provider declaring the real 8.x range. A fresh
-    // brain registering a `^8.0.0` plugin must init cleanly.
+    // first getBrainyVersion() call, so a stale sync default ('3.14.0') would
+    // reject a correctly-matched native provider declaring the real caret range —
+    // it fails ^<current-major> just as it failed ^8, so the regression intent is
+    // preserved while the range stays major-agnostic. A fresh brain registering a
+    // `^<current-major>.0.0` plugin must init cleanly.
+    const major = PACKAGE_VERSION.split('.')[0]
     const brain = memBrain()
-    brain.use(fakePlugin('@fake/cor-3x', { brainyRange: '^8.0.0' }))
+    brain.use(fakePlugin('@fake/cor-3x', { brainyRange: `^${major}.0.0` }))
     await expect(brain.init()).resolves.toBeUndefined()
     await brain.close()
   })