diff --git a/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply.ts b/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply.ts
index e9903fdf1..20887c340 100644
--- a/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply.ts
+++ b/src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export async function getReplyFromConfig(
   opts?: GetReplyOptions,
   configOverride?: ClawdbotConfig,
 ): Promise<ReplyPayload | ReplyPayload[] | undefined> {
+  const isFastTestEnv = process.env.CLAWDBOT_TEST_FAST === "1";
   const cfg = configOverride ?? loadConfig();
   const targetSessionKey =
     ctx.CommandSource === "native" ? ctx.CommandTargetSessionKey?.trim() : undefined;
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ export async function getReplyFromConfig(
   const workspaceDirRaw = resolveAgentWorkspaceDir(cfg, agentId) ?? DEFAULT_AGENT_WORKSPACE_DIR;
   const workspace = await ensureAgentWorkspace({
     dir: workspaceDirRaw,
-    ensureBootstrapFiles: !agentCfg?.skipBootstrap,
+    ensureBootstrapFiles: !agentCfg?.skipBootstrap && !isFastTestEnv,
   });
   const workspaceDir = workspace.dir;
   const agentDir = resolveAgentDir(cfg, agentId);
@@ -81,12 +82,14 @@ export async function getReplyFromConfig(
 
   const finalized = finalizeInboundContext(ctx);
 
-  await applyMediaUnderstanding({
-    ctx: finalized,
-    cfg,
-    agentDir,
-    activeModel: { provider, model },
-  });
+  if (!isFastTestEnv) {
+    await applyMediaUnderstanding({
+      ctx: finalized,
+      cfg,
+      agentDir,
+      activeModel: { provider, model },
+    });
+  }
 
   const commandAuthorized = finalized.CommandAuthorized;
   resolveCommandAuthorization({
diff --git a/test/global-setup.ts b/test/global-setup.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..289fd877b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/global-setup.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import { installTestEnv } from "./test-env";
+
+export default async () => {
+  const { cleanup } = installTestEnv();
+  return () => cleanup();
+};
diff --git a/test/setup.ts b/test/setup.ts
index 6c532b0c2..971fa4731 100644
--- a/test/setup.ts
+++ b/test/setup.ts
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@ import type { ClawdbotConfig } from "../src/config/config.js";
 import type { OutboundSendDeps } from "../src/infra/outbound/deliver.js";
 import { setActivePluginRegistry } from "../src/plugins/runtime.js";
 import { createTestRegistry } from "../src/test-utils/channel-plugins.js";
-import { installTestEnv } from "./test-env";
-
-const { cleanup } = installTestEnv();
-process.on("exit", cleanup);
-
 const pickSendFn = (id: ChannelId, deps?: OutboundSendDeps) => {
   switch (id) {
     case "discord":
diff --git a/test/test-env.ts b/test/test-env.ts
index deda32178..815fe93d7 100644
--- a/test/test-env.ts
+++ b/test/test-env.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ export function installTestEnv(): { cleanup: () => void; tempHome: string } {
   }
 
   const restore: RestoreEntry[] = [
+    { key: "CLAWDBOT_TEST_FAST", value: process.env.CLAWDBOT_TEST_FAST },
     { key: "HOME", value: process.env.HOME },
     { key: "USERPROFILE", value: process.env.USERPROFILE },
     { key: "XDG_CONFIG_HOME", value: process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME },
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ export function installTestEnv(): { cleanup: () => void; tempHome: string } {
   process.env.HOME = tempHome;
   process.env.USERPROFILE = tempHome;
   process.env.CLAWDBOT_TEST_HOME = tempHome;
+  process.env.CLAWDBOT_TEST_FAST = "1";
 
   // Ensure test runs never touch the developer's real config/state, even if they have overrides set.
   delete process.env.CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH;
diff --git a/vitest.config.ts b/vitest.config.ts
index 6628e33f8..8a783236c 100644
--- a/vitest.config.ts
+++ b/vitest.config.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
       "test/format-error.test.ts",
     ],
     setupFiles: ["test/setup.ts"],
+    globalSetup: ["test/global-setup.ts"],
     exclude: [
       "dist/**",
       "apps/macos/**",
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
       "**/vendor/**",
       "dist/Clawdbot.app/**",
       "**/*.live.test.ts",
+      "**/*.e2e.test.ts",
     ],
     coverage: {
       provider: "v8",
diff --git a/vitest.e2e.config.ts b/vitest.e2e.config.ts
index 3531e7fe5..a33d324bd 100644
--- a/vitest.e2e.config.ts
+++ b/vitest.e2e.config.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ export default defineConfig({
   test: {
     pool: "forks",
     maxWorkers: e2eWorkers,
-    include: ["test/**/*.e2e.test.ts"],
+    include: ["test/**/*.e2e.test.ts", "src/**/*.e2e.test.ts"],
     setupFiles: ["test/setup.ts"],
+    globalSetup: ["test/global-setup.ts"],
     exclude: [
       "dist/**",
       "apps/macos/**",