diff --git a/packages/mosaic/src/lease-broker/promotion_binding_unittest.py b/packages/mosaic/src/lease-broker/promotion_binding_unittest.py
index e55c517a..e19e7e8d 100644
--- a/packages/mosaic/src/lease-broker/promotion_binding_unittest.py
+++ b/packages/mosaic/src/lease-broker/promotion_binding_unittest.py
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ collapsing the two is what let a permission change quietly shrink the law.
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import contextlib
+import io
 import os
 import sys
 import tempfile
@@ -45,6 +47,12 @@ REQUIRED = frozenset(lease_promote.REQUIRED_SOURCES) | {RUNTIME_CONTRACT}
 # exists to catch.
 OPTIONAL = tuple(s for s in ALL_SOURCES if s not in REQUIRED)
 
+# chmod 0o000 does not deny root (CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE), so the unreadable
+# simulations would fail spuriously in a root container.
+runs_unprivileged = unittest.skipIf(
+    os.geteuid() == 0, "chmod 0o000 cannot make a file unreadable to root"
+)
+
 
 class PromotionBindingTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self) -> None:
@@ -106,13 +114,19 @@ class PromotionBindingTest(unittest.TestCase):
             with self.subTest(source=source_id):
                 self.reset_home()
                 (self.root / source_id).unlink()
-                bound = self.source_ids()
+                notice = io.StringIO()
+                with contextlib.redirect_stderr(notice):
+                    bound = self.source_ids()
                 self.assertNotIn(source_id, bound)
                 for required in lease_promote.REQUIRED_SOURCES:
                     self.assertIn(required, bound)
+                # A silent omission is the original defect in miniature: the
+                # narrower binding must announce itself.
+                self.assertIn(source_id, notice.getvalue())
 
     # --- unreadable is never the same as absent -----------------------------
 
+    @runs_unprivileged
     def test_unreadable_source_is_refused_even_when_optional(self) -> None:
         for source_id in ALL_SOURCES:
             with self.subTest(source=source_id):
@@ -124,6 +138,7 @@ class PromotionBindingTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     # --- the exact measured regression --------------------------------------
 
+    @runs_unprivileged
     def test_single_readable_source_cannot_promote(self) -> None:
         """The observed failure: only USER.md readable produced a valid binding."""
         for source_id in ALL_SOURCES:
@@ -132,6 +147,7 @@ class PromotionBindingTest(unittest.TestCase):
         with self.assertRaises(lease_promote.IncompleteBinding):
             self.build()
 
+    @runs_unprivileged
     def test_no_source_readable_cannot_promote(self) -> None:
         for source_id in ALL_SOURCES:
             (self.root / source_id).chmod(0o000)