diff --git a/.github/workflows/smoke-codex.md b/.github/workflows/smoke-codex.md
index 641d109b..b09e819c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/smoke-codex.md
+++ b/.github/workflows/smoke-codex.md
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ post-steps:
    - Use the `github-discussion-query` safe-input tool with params: `limit=1, jq=".[0]"` to get the latest discussion from ${{ github.repository }}
    - Extract the discussion number from the result (e.g., if the result is `{"number": 123, "title": "...", ...}`, extract 123)
    - Use the `add_comment` tool with `discussion_number: <extracted_number>` to add a mystical, oracle-themed comment stating that the smoke test agent was here
-8. **Build AWF**: Run `npm ci && npm run build` to verify the agent can successfully build the AWF project. If the command fails, mark this test as ❌ and report the failure.
+8. **Build AWF**: Run `npm run build` to verify the agent can successfully build the AWF project (node_modules is already installed). If the command fails, mark this test as ❌ and report the failure.
 
 ## Output
 
diff --git a/src/docker-manager.test.ts b/src/docker-manager.test.ts
index 02fb6fcb..64db4937 100644
--- a/src/docker-manager.test.ts
+++ b/src/docker-manager.test.ts
@@ -1485,10 +1485,11 @@ describe('docker-manager', () => {
         expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[0]).toBe('CMD-SHELL');
         // Check that the healthcheck verifies base paths (mcp-logs and workDir) are empty
         expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).toContain('/tmp/gh-aw/mcp-logs');
-        expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).toContain('/host/tmp/gh-aw/mcp-logs');
         expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).toContain(mockConfig.workDir);
-        expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).toContain(`/host${mockConfig.workDir}`);
         expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).toContain('ls -A');
+        // Should NOT include host paths since they contain files at startup time
+        expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).not.toContain('/host/tmp/gh-aw/mcp-logs');
+        expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).not.toContain(`/host${mockConfig.workDir}`);
       });
 
       it('should include ghAwSetupDir paths in healthcheck when specified', () => {
@@ -1502,7 +1503,8 @@ describe('docker-manager', () => {
         // Agent should have healthcheck with all paths
         expect(agent.healthcheck).toBeDefined();
         expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).toContain('/home/runner/setup-gh-aw');
-        expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).toContain('/host/home/runner/setup-gh-aw');
+        // Should NOT include host path since it may contain files at startup time
+        expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).not.toContain('/host/home/runner/setup-gh-aw');
         // Should also contain base paths
         expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).toContain('/tmp/gh-aw/mcp-logs');
         expect(agent.healthcheck?.test[1]).toContain(mockConfig.workDir);
diff --git a/src/docker-manager.ts b/src/docker-manager.ts
index a76272aa..52d5d0f0 100644
--- a/src/docker-manager.ts
+++ b/src/docker-manager.ts
@@ -909,17 +909,16 @@ export function generateDockerCompose(
 
   // Add healthcheck to verify all tmpfs mounts that should be empty are working correctly
   // This validates the tmpfs overlays are functioning properly as a security measure
+  // Only check container-visible paths (not host paths via /host) since the workDir
+  // and mcp-logs directories on the host contain files before the container starts.
   const pathsToCheck: string[] = [
     '/tmp/gh-aw/mcp-logs',
-    '/host/tmp/gh-aw/mcp-logs',
     config.workDir,
-    `/host${config.workDir}`,
   ];
 
-  // Add GH_AW_SETUP_DIR paths if configured
+  // Add GH_AW_SETUP_DIR path if configured
   if (config.ghAwSetupDir) {
     pathsToCheck.push(config.ghAwSetupDir);
-    pathsToCheck.push(`/host${config.ghAwSetupDir}`);
   }
 
   // Build healthcheck command to verify all paths are empty
diff --git a/src/pid-tracker.test.ts b/src/pid-tracker.test.ts
index 25a6c188..f2f01c9b 100644
--- a/src/pid-tracker.test.ts
+++ b/src/pid-tracker.test.ts
@@ -538,7 +538,9 @@ describe('pid-tracker', () => {
         const pid = process.pid;
         const info = getProcessInfo(pid);
         expect(info).not.toBeNull();
-        expect(info!.comm).toContain('node');
+        // comm should be a non-empty string; may vary by environment
+        // (e.g., 'node' on standard Linux, 'MainThread' in some containers)
+        expect(info!.comm.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
       });
     }
   });