diff --git a/.claude/skills/xce-test-ha/run-ha-soak.sh b/.claude/skills/xce-test-ha/run-ha-soak.sh
index fc5d768d..e127a195 100755
--- a/.claude/skills/xce-test-ha/run-ha-soak.sh
+++ b/.claude/skills/xce-test-ha/run-ha-soak.sh
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ trap cleanup EXIT INT TERM
 # heap leaks at exit (non-zero exit code) that would otherwise be misread as a
 # command failure. Job-loss is judged by the command OUTPUT (expect-job "not
 # found"), not the leak-polluted process exit code.
-xtest() { ASAN_OPTIONS=detect_leaks=0 timeout 60 "$XT" 2>&1; }
+xtest() { ASAN_OPTIONS=detect_leaks=0 timeout 60 "$XT" --norc 2>&1; }
 
 start_node() {
     # bug-1418: chaotic mode's DOWN bookkeeping restarts "the previously-downed
diff --git a/.claude/skills/xce-test-resources/run-resource-verify.sh b/.claude/skills/xce-test-resources/run-resource-verify.sh
index b46bec9e..5068cf00 100755
--- a/.claude/skills/xce-test-resources/run-resource-verify.sh
+++ b/.claude/skills/xce-test-resources/run-resource-verify.sh
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ declare -A INJECTED_RESULTS=()  # resource name -> "accepted" | "rejected: <reas
 #     devShell's library path -- wrap defensively, mirroring deploy()'s own
 #     "shell out to nix develop for the steps that need it" posture.
 xtest() {
-    nix develop "$REPO/src" --command env ASAN_OPTIONS=detect_leaks=0 timeout 60 "$XT" 2>&1
+    nix develop "$REPO/src" --command env ASAN_OPTIONS=detect_leaks=0 timeout 60 "$XT" --norc 2>&1
 }
 
 # inject_resources [resource=value ...]
diff --git a/src/controller/testsuite/clean_failover_preservation.sh b/src/controller/testsuite/clean_failover_preservation.sh
index 2e81c3c0..4e780c72 100755
--- a/src/controller/testsuite/clean_failover_preservation.sh
+++ b/src/controller/testsuite/clean_failover_preservation.sh
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ cleanup() {
 
 # Run a batch of xce_test commands against the live cluster; returns its exit.
 xtest() {
-    timeout 60 "$XCE_TEST" 2>&1
+    timeout 60 "$XCE_TEST" --norc 2>&1
 }
 
 # ── Preconditions ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────