diff --git a/coderd/exp_chats_test.go b/coderd/exp_chats_test.go
index a804ea7031..69c29d71e7 100644
--- a/coderd/exp_chats_test.go
+++ b/coderd/exp_chats_test.go
@@ -6688,7 +6688,7 @@ func TestSendMessageQueuesEffectiveModelConfigID(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-	client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+	client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 	user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 	modelConfigA := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 	modelConfigB := createAdditionalChatModelConfig(t, client, coderdtest.TestChatProviderOpenAICompat, "gpt-4o-mini-queued-"+uuid.NewString())
@@ -6739,7 +6739,7 @@ func TestQueuedMessageWithoutOverrideCapturesEnqueueTimeModel(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-	client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+	client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 	user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 	modelConfigA := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 	modelConfigB := createAdditionalChatModelConfig(t, client, coderdtest.TestChatProviderOpenAICompat, "gpt-4o-mini-later-"+uuid.NewString())
@@ -6866,7 +6866,7 @@ func TestWatchChatsStatusChangeCarriesUpdatedLastModelConfigID(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfigA := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 		modelConfigB := createAdditionalChatModelConfig(t, client, coderdtest.TestChatProviderOpenAICompat, "gpt-4o-mini-watch-promote-"+uuid.NewString())
@@ -8421,7 +8421,7 @@ func TestInterruptChat(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -9674,7 +9674,7 @@ func TestPromoteChatQueuedMessage(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -9800,7 +9800,7 @@ func TestPromoteChatQueuedMessage(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -14207,6 +14207,11 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 	// inserts an assistant message containing tool-call parts for each
 	// given toolCallID, and sets the chat status to requires_action.
 	// It returns the chat row so callers can exercise the endpoint.
+	//
+	// Callers must build their coderd with withChatWorkerDisabled: an
+	// unowned requires_action chat is a worker acquisition candidate,
+	// and a takeover would synthesize tool cancellations and change the
+	// chat status underneath the test.
 	setupRequiresAction := func(
 		ctx context.Context,
 		t *testing.T,
@@ -14271,7 +14276,7 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -14288,10 +14293,9 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
-		// Verify status is no longer requires_action. The chatd
-		// loop may have already picked the chat up and
-		// transitioned it further (pending → running → …), so we
-		// accept any non-requires_action status.
+		// Verify status is no longer requires_action. The worker is
+		// disabled, so the transition comes from SubmitToolResults
+		// itself.
 		gotChat, err := client.GetChat(ctx, chat.ID)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		require.NotEqual(t, codersdk.ChatStatusRequiresAction, gotChat.Status,
@@ -14339,7 +14343,7 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -14361,7 +14365,7 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -14383,7 +14387,7 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -14413,7 +14417,7 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("DuplicateToolCallID", func(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -14436,7 +14440,7 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -14455,7 +14459,7 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -14484,7 +14488,7 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		firstUser := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
 
@@ -14512,7 +14516,7 @@ func TestSubmitToolResults(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
-		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t, withChatWorkerDisabled)
 		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client.Client)
 		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)