diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.test.ts
index 1fbd284d93..92d1723677 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.test.ts
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ const {
   $backendUpdateStatus,
   applyBackendUpdate,
   $backendUpdateApply,
+  REQUIRED_BACKEND_CONTRACT,
   reportBackendContract,
   applyUpdates,
   applyEverythingUpdate,
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@ describe('reportBackendContract', () => {
   })
 
   it('dismisses the toast when the backend meets the contract', () => {
-    reportBackendContract(6)
+    reportBackendContract(REQUIRED_BACKEND_CONTRACT)
     expect(dismissSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('backend-contract-skew')
     expect(notifySpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
@@ -234,7 +235,7 @@ describe('reportBackendContract', () => {
     lastToast().onDismiss()
     notifySpy.mockClear()
 
-    reportBackendContract(6) // backend updated → satisfied, snooze cleared
+    reportBackendContract(REQUIRED_BACKEND_CONTRACT) // backend updated → satisfied, snooze cleared
     reportBackendContract(5) // a later regression must warn immediately
     expect(notifySpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
   })
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.ts
index e2ff292f72..06fedccfe7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/updates.ts
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ function isUpdateToastSnoozed(): boolean {
 // v7: requires JSON-RPC server->client requests for every blocking prompt
 //     (approval/clarify/sudo/secret/vault/MCP setup); a v6 backend's
 //     `<kind>.request` notifications would never render a card.
-const REQUIRED_BACKEND_CONTRACT = 7
+export const REQUIRED_BACKEND_CONTRACT = 7
 const SKEW_TOAST_ID = 'backend-contract-skew'
 // The contract check runs on every session.resume (applyRuntimeInfo), so
 // without a snooze the warning re-popped on every thread the user opened, even