diff --git a/work-items/open/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/artifacts/.gitkeep b/work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/artifacts/.gitkeep
similarity index 100%
rename from work-items/open/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/artifacts/.gitkeep
rename to work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/artifacts/.gitkeep
diff --git a/work-items/open/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/item.md b/work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/item.md
similarity index 98%
rename from work-items/open/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/item.md
rename to work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/item.md
index 92d7899c..df162000 100644
--- a/work-items/open/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/item.md
+++ b/work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/item.md
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 id: 20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests
 slug: pure-path-fallback-tests
 title: Tests: make path fallback tests independent from process env
-status: open
+status: closed
 kind: task
 priority: P2
 labels: [test, env, manifest, cleanup]
 created_at: 2026-05-31T10:46:14Z
-updated_at: 2026-05-31T10:54:18Z
+updated_at: 2026-05-31T10:54:49Z
 assignee: null
 legacy_ticket: null
 ---
diff --git a/work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/resolution.md b/work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/resolution.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c1a463e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/resolution.md
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+Made `manifest::paths` fallback tests independent from process-global environment mutation.
+
+Implementation:
+- Added narrow private per-key fallback helpers for config/data/runtime path resolution.
+- Public path functions still read the same env vars and pass them in the same precedence order.
+- Empty path env values still resolve as unset.
+- Fallback-order tests now pass direct `Option<PathBuf>` inputs instead of using `std::env::set_var` / `remove_var`.
+- No `PathEnv`, `EnvSnapshot`, env trait, test-support crate, or new env var surface was introduced.
+- Credential env behavior and Pod runtime/process behavior were not changed.
+
+Review:
+- External reviewer `pure-path-fallback-reviewer-20260531` approved implementation commit `e232f54`.
+
+Validation after merge:
+- `cargo fmt --check`
+- `cargo test -p manifest paths`
+- `cargo test -p manifest`
+- `cargo check -p manifest` (passed with unrelated existing `llm-worker` dead_code warning)
+- `./tickets.sh doctor`
+- `git diff --check`
+- `git grep -n -E 'set_var\(|remove_var\(' -- crates/manifest/src/paths.rs || true` produced no matches.
diff --git a/work-items/open/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/thread.md b/work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/thread.md
similarity index 78%
rename from work-items/open/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/thread.md
rename to work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/thread.md
index fad86e35..de57a1a1 100644
--- a/work-items/open/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/thread.md
+++ b/work-items/closed/20260531-104614-pure-path-fallback-tests/thread.md
@@ -99,4 +99,33 @@ Validation adequacy:
 - Reviewer performed read-only diff/source/docs consistency review and grep/diff-check spot checks; no additional Cargo tests were rerun by reviewer.
 
 
+---
+
+<!-- event: close author: hare at: 2026-05-31T10:54:49Z status: closed -->
+
+## Closed
+
+Made `manifest::paths` fallback tests independent from process-global environment mutation.
+
+Implementation:
+- Added narrow private per-key fallback helpers for config/data/runtime path resolution.
+- Public path functions still read the same env vars and pass them in the same precedence order.
+- Empty path env values still resolve as unset.
+- Fallback-order tests now pass direct `Option<PathBuf>` inputs instead of using `std::env::set_var` / `remove_var`.
+- No `PathEnv`, `EnvSnapshot`, env trait, test-support crate, or new env var surface was introduced.
+- Credential env behavior and Pod runtime/process behavior were not changed.
+
+Review:
+- External reviewer `pure-path-fallback-reviewer-20260531` approved implementation commit `e232f54`.
+
+Validation after merge:
+- `cargo fmt --check`
+- `cargo test -p manifest paths`
+- `cargo test -p manifest`
+- `cargo check -p manifest` (passed with unrelated existing `llm-worker` dead_code warning)
+- `./tickets.sh doctor`
+- `git diff --check`
+- `git grep -n -E 'set_var\(|remove_var\(' -- crates/manifest/src/paths.rs || true` produced no matches.
+
+
 ---