diff --git a/tests/windows/windows-atomic-write-acl-rearm.test.ts b/tests/windows/windows-atomic-write-acl-rearm.test.ts
index 4775e99a43b..258a4425c20 100644
--- a/tests/windows/windows-atomic-write-acl-rearm.test.ts
+++ b/tests/windows/windows-atomic-write-acl-rearm.test.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,9 @@ function runAcl(args: string[]): IcaclsResult {
 }
 
 beforeEach(() => {
-  root = native.mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "ocx-atomic-acl-rearm-"));
+  // The writer resolves the destination's real parent, and macOS tmpdir() is a symlink
+  // (/var -> /private/var); the unlink fixture must match the path the writer actually uses.
+  root = native.realpathSync(native.mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "ocx-atomic-acl-rearm-")));
   native.writeFileSync(join(root, "secret.json"), "previous", "utf8");
   previousTimeout = process.env.OPENCODEX_ACL_TIMEOUT_MS;
   previousVerify = process.env.OPENCODEX_ACL_VERIFY_EXISTING;