diff --git a/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-engine.test.ts b/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-engine.test.ts
index ffbba2099..7c55554d8 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-engine.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-engine.test.ts
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ describe('git-engine', () => {
       const aDir = join(temp.dir, 'a');
       const bDir = join(temp.dir, 'b');
 
-      await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', remoteDir]);
+      await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', '-b', 'main', remoteDir]);
       await execFileAsync('git', ['clone', remoteDir, aDir]);
       await execFileAsync('git', ['-C', aDir, 'checkout', '-b', 'main']);
       await fsp.writeFile(join(aDir, 'design.op'), '{"version":"1.0.0","children":[{"id":"r1"}]}');
@@ -1106,7 +1106,7 @@ describe('git-engine', () => {
         const remoteDir = join(temp.dir, 'remote.git');
         const cloneDir = join(temp.dir, 'clone');
 
-        await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', remoteDir]);
+        await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', '-b', 'main', remoteDir]);
         await execFileAsync('git', ['clone', remoteDir, cloneDir]);
         await execFileAsync('git', ['-C', cloneDir, 'checkout', '-b', 'main']);
         await fsp.writeFile(
@@ -1804,7 +1804,7 @@ describe('git-engine', () => {
     const aDir = join(temp.dir, 'a');
     const bDir = join(temp.dir, 'b');
 
-    await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', remoteDir]);
+    await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', '-b', 'main', remoteDir]);
     await execFileAsync('git', ['clone', remoteDir, aDir]);
     await execFileAsync('git', ['-C', aDir, 'checkout', '-b', 'main']);
     await fsp.writeFile(
diff --git a/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-ipc.test.ts b/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-ipc.test.ts
index 81466e4d4..798e608ac 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-ipc.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-ipc.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 // apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-ipc.test.ts
-import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+// The `electron` npm package's `index.js` resolves the binary path at import
+// time and throws when its postinstall didn't run (path.txt missing). This
+// file only exercises pure helpers, so we stub electron's ipc surface.
+vi.mock('electron', () => ({ ipcMain: { handle: () => undefined } }));
+
 import { GitError } from '../error';
 import { serializeGitError, GIT_ERROR_MARKER } from '../ipc-handlers';
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-sys-real.test.ts b/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-sys-real.test.ts
index ee9886032..587af8122 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-sys-real.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/git/__tests__/git-sys-real.test.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ describe('git-sys real (gated on system git)', () => {
     const cloneDir = join(temp.dir, 'clone');
 
     // Set up: bare remote, source repo with one commit, push source → remote.
-    await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', remoteDir]);
+    await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', '-b', 'main', remoteDir]);
     await fsp.mkdir(sourceDir, { recursive: true });
     await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '-b', 'main', sourceDir]);
     await fsp.writeFile(join(sourceDir, 'README.md'), '# test\n');
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ describe('git-sys real (gated on system git)', () => {
     const aDir = join(temp.dir, 'a');
     const bDir = join(temp.dir, 'b');
 
-    await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', remoteDir]);
+    await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', '-b', 'main', remoteDir]);
     // a: clone, commit, push
     await execFileAsync('git', ['clone', remoteDir, aDir]);
     await execFileAsync('git', ['-C', aDir, 'checkout', '-b', 'main']);
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ describe('git-sys real (gated on system git)', () => {
     const remoteDir = join(temp.dir, 'remote.git');
     const cloneDir = join(temp.dir, 'clone');
 
-    await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', remoteDir]);
+    await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', '-b', 'main', remoteDir]);
     await execFileAsync('git', ['clone', remoteDir, cloneDir]);
     await execFileAsync('git', ['-C', cloneDir, 'checkout', '-b', 'main']);
     await fsp.writeFile(join(cloneDir, 'a.txt'), 'a');
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ describe('git-sys real (gated on system git)', () => {
     const aDir = join(temp.dir, 'a');
     const bDir = join(temp.dir, 'b');
 
-    await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', remoteDir]);
+    await execFileAsync('git', ['init', '--bare', '-b', 'main', remoteDir]);
     // a: seed remote with one commit
     await execFileAsync('git', ['clone', remoteDir, aDir]);
     await execFileAsync('git', ['-C', aDir, 'checkout', '-b', 'main']);