diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e57c7b4b1..4667e60d5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ Status: unreleased.
 
 ### Fixes
 - Security: pin npm overrides to keep tar@7.5.4 for install toolchains.
+- Security: properly test Windows ACL audit for config includes. (#2403) Thanks @dominicnunez.
 - BlueBubbles: coalesce inbound URL link preview messages. (#1981) Thanks @tyler6204.
 - Cron: allow payloads containing "heartbeat" in event filter. (#2219) Thanks @dwfinkelstein.
 - Agents: include memory.md when bootstrapping memory context. (#2318) Thanks @czekaj.
diff --git a/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.returns-default-unset.test.ts b/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.returns-default-unset.test.ts
index 621f895fa..595cbaed7 100644
--- a/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.returns-default-unset.test.ts
+++ b/src/infra/heartbeat-runner.returns-default-unset.test.ts
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
       const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {
         agents: {
           defaults: {
+            workspace: tmpDir,
             heartbeat: { every: "5m", target: "whatsapp" },
           },
         },
@@ -461,6 +462,7 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
       const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {
         agents: {
           defaults: {
+            workspace: tmpDir,
             heartbeat: {
               every: "5m",
               target: "last",
@@ -542,6 +544,7 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
       const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {
         agents: {
           defaults: {
+            workspace: tmpDir,
             heartbeat: { every: "5m", target: "whatsapp" },
           },
         },
@@ -597,6 +600,7 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
       const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {
         agents: {
           defaults: {
+            workspace: tmpDir,
             heartbeat: {
               every: "5m",
               target: "whatsapp",
@@ -668,6 +672,7 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
       const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {
         agents: {
           defaults: {
+            workspace: tmpDir,
             heartbeat: {
               every: "5m",
               target: "whatsapp",
@@ -737,7 +742,7 @@ describe("runHeartbeatOnce", () => {
     try {
       const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {
         agents: {
-          defaults: { heartbeat: { every: "5m" } },
+          defaults: { workspace: tmpDir, heartbeat: { every: "5m" } },
           list: [{ id: "work", default: true }],
         },
         channels: { whatsapp: { allowFrom: ["*"] } },
diff --git a/src/security/audit.test.ts b/src/security/audit.test.ts
index deebf7c70..3a43ff4cc 100644
--- a/src/security/audit.test.ts
+++ b/src/security/audit.test.ts
@@ -857,51 +857,62 @@ describe("security audit", () => {
 
     const includePath = path.join(stateDir, "extra.json5");
     await fs.writeFile(includePath, "{ logging: { redactSensitive: 'off' } }\n", "utf-8");
-    await fs.chmod(includePath, 0o644);
+    if (isWindows) {
+      // Grant "Everyone" write access to trigger the perms_writable check on Windows
+      const { execSync } = await import("node:child_process");
+      execSync(`icacls "${includePath}" /grant Everyone:W`, { stdio: "ignore" });
+    } else {
+      await fs.chmod(includePath, 0o644);
+    }
 
     const configPath = path.join(stateDir, "clawdbot.json");
     await fs.writeFile(configPath, `{ "$include": "./extra.json5" }\n`, "utf-8");
     await fs.chmod(configPath, 0o600);
 
-    const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = { logging: { redactSensitive: "off" } };
-    const user = "DESKTOP-TEST\\Tester";
-    const execIcacls = isWindows
-      ? async (_cmd: string, args: string[]) => {
-          const target = args[0];
-          if (target === includePath) {
+    try {
+      const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = { logging: { redactSensitive: "off" } };
+      const user = "DESKTOP-TEST\\Tester";
+      const execIcacls = isWindows
+        ? async (_cmd: string, args: string[]) => {
+            const target = args[0];
+            if (target === includePath) {
+              return {
+                stdout: `${target} NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM:(F)\n BUILTIN\\Users:(W)\n ${user}:(F)\n`,
+                stderr: "",
+              };
+            }
             return {
-              stdout: `${target} NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM:(F)\n BUILTIN\\Users:(W)\n ${user}:(F)\n`,
+              stdout: `${target} NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM:(F)\n ${user}:(F)\n`,
               stderr: "",
             };
           }
-          return {
-            stdout: `${target} NT AUTHORITY\\SYSTEM:(F)\n ${user}:(F)\n`,
-            stderr: "",
-          };
-        }
-      : undefined;
-    const res = await runSecurityAudit({
-      config: cfg,
-      includeFilesystem: true,
-      includeChannelSecurity: false,
-      stateDir,
-      configPath,
-      platform: isWindows ? "win32" : undefined,
-      env: isWindows
-        ? { ...process.env, USERNAME: "Tester", USERDOMAIN: "DESKTOP-TEST" }
-        : undefined,
-      execIcacls,
-    });
+        : undefined;
+      const res = await runSecurityAudit({
+        config: cfg,
+        includeFilesystem: true,
+        includeChannelSecurity: false,
+        stateDir,
+        configPath,
+        platform: isWindows ? "win32" : undefined,
+        env: isWindows
+          ? { ...process.env, USERNAME: "Tester", USERDOMAIN: "DESKTOP-TEST" }
+          : undefined,
+        execIcacls,
+      });
 
-    const expectedCheckId = isWindows
-      ? "fs.config_include.perms_writable"
-      : "fs.config_include.perms_world_readable";
+      const expectedCheckId = isWindows
+        ? "fs.config_include.perms_writable"
+        : "fs.config_include.perms_world_readable";
 
-    expect(res.findings).toEqual(
-      expect.arrayContaining([
-        expect.objectContaining({ checkId: expectedCheckId, severity: "critical" }),
-      ]),
-    );
+      expect(res.findings).toEqual(
+        expect.arrayContaining([
+          expect.objectContaining({ checkId: expectedCheckId, severity: "critical" }),
+        ]),
+      );
+    } finally {
+      // Clean up temp directory with world-writable file
+      await fs.rm(tmp, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
   });
 
   it("flags extensions without plugins.allow", async () => {