diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/client_common_tests.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/client_common_tests.rs
index 1f489f8e41..03eafa87e1 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/client_common_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/client_common_tests.rs
@@ -104,11 +104,13 @@ fn responses_lite_request_copies_strip_image_details() {
 
 #[test]
 fn serializes_text_verbosity_when_set() {
+    let input: Vec<ResponseItem> = vec![];
+    let tools: Vec<serde_json::Value> = vec![];
     let req = ResponsesApiRequest {
         model: "gpt-5.4".to_string(),
         instructions: "i".to_string(),
-        input: vec![],
-        tools: Some(vec![]),
+        input,
+        tools: Some(tools),
         tool_choice: "auto".to_string(),
         parallel_tool_calls: true,
         reasoning: None,
@@ -135,6 +137,8 @@ fn serializes_text_verbosity_when_set() {
 
 #[test]
 fn serializes_text_schema_with_strict_format() {
+    let input: Vec<ResponseItem> = vec![];
+    let tools: Vec<serde_json::Value> = vec![];
     let schema = serde_json::json!({
         "type": "object",
         "properties": {
@@ -152,8 +156,8 @@ fn serializes_text_schema_with_strict_format() {
     let req = ResponsesApiRequest {
         model: "gpt-5.4".to_string(),
         instructions: "i".to_string(),
-        input: vec![],
-        tools: Some(vec![]),
+        input,
+        tools: Some(tools),
         tool_choice: "auto".to_string(),
         parallel_tool_calls: true,
         reasoning: None,
@@ -208,11 +212,13 @@ fn serializes_text_schema_with_non_strict_format() {
 
 #[test]
 fn omits_text_when_not_set() {
+    let input: Vec<ResponseItem> = vec![];
+    let tools: Vec<serde_json::Value> = vec![];
     let req = ResponsesApiRequest {
         model: "gpt-5.4".to_string(),
         instructions: "i".to_string(),
-        input: vec![],
-        tools: Some(vec![]),
+        input,
+        tools: Some(tools),
         tool_choice: "auto".to_string(),
         parallel_tool_calls: true,
         reasoning: None,
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/responses_lite.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/responses_lite.rs
index 0327f88658..43076c7bc6 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/responses_lite.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/responses_lite.rs
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ fn additional_tools(body: &Value) -> Result<&[Value]> {
     body["input"]
         .as_array()
         .context("Responses request input should be an array")?
-        .iter()
-        .find(|item| item.get("type").and_then(Value::as_str) == Some("additional_tools"))
-        .context("Responses request should contain additional_tools")?["tools"]
+        .first()
+        .filter(|item| item.get("type").and_then(Value::as_str) == Some("additional_tools"))
+        .context("Responses request should start with additional_tools")?["tools"]
         .as_array()
         .map(Vec::as_slice)
         .context("additional_tools tools should be an array")