diff --git a/tests/utils/test_compute_node.py b/tests/utils/test_compute_node.py
index 28a0d988..05b29e5d 100644
--- a/tests/utils/test_compute_node.py
+++ b/tests/utils/test_compute_node.py
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@
 import re
 import subprocess
 from logging import getLogger as get_logger
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Callable
-from unittest.mock import ANY, AsyncMock, Mock
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, Mock
 
 import pytest
 import pytest_asyncio
@@ -298,16 +299,19 @@ async def test_del_computenode(
         await login_node_v2.run_async(f"scancel {job_id}")
 
 
-@pytest.mark.asyncio
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("close_async", [False, True], ids=["sync", "async"])
-async def test_using_closed_compute_node_raises_error(
-    login_node_v2: RemoteV2, close_async: bool
+@pytest_asyncio.fixture(params=[False, True], ids=["sync", "async"])
+async def mock_closed_compute_node(
+    request: pytest.FixtureRequest,
+    ssh_config_file: Path,
 ):
+    """Cheaply constructs a *closed* ComputeNode, without launching any jobs."""
+    close_async: bool = request.param
+
     fake_job_id = 1234
 
     def _mock_run(command: str, *args, input: str | None = None, **kwargs):
         if input == "echo $SLURMD_NODENAME\n":
-            return subprocess.CompletedProcess(command, 0, "bobobo", "")
+            return subprocess.CompletedProcess(command, 0, "cn-a001", "")
         if command == f"scancel {fake_job_id}":
             return subprocess.CompletedProcess(command, 0, "", "")
         # Unexpected command.
@@ -319,14 +323,12 @@ async def _mock_run_async(command: str, *args, input: str | None = None, **kwarg
         # Unexpected command.
         assert False, (command, input)
 
-    mock_run = Mock(spec=login_node_v2.run, side_effect=_mock_run)
-    mock_run_async = AsyncMock(
-        spec=login_node_v2.run_async, side_effect=_mock_run_async
-    )
+    mock_run = Mock(spec=RemoteV2.run, side_effect=_mock_run)
+    mock_run_async = AsyncMock(spec=RemoteV2.run_async, side_effect=_mock_run_async)
     mock_login_node = Mock(
-        wraps=login_node_v2,
-        hostname=login_node_v2.hostname,
-        ssh_config_path=login_node_v2.ssh_config_path,
+        spec=RemoteV2,
+        hostname="mila",
+        ssh_config_path=ssh_config_file,
     )
     mock_login_node.configure_mock(
         run=mock_run,
@@ -339,16 +341,27 @@ async def _mock_run_async(command: str, *args, input: str | None = None, **kwarg
 
     if close_async:
         await compute_node.close_async()
-        _other_kwargs = dict(display=ANY, hide=ANY, warn=ANY)
-        mock_run_async.assert_called_once_with(
-            command=f"scancel {fake_job_id}", **_other_kwargs
-        )
+        mock_run_async.assert_called_once()
+        assert mock_run_async.mock_calls[0].args[0] == f"scancel {fake_job_id}"
     else:
         compute_node.close()
-        mock_run.assert_called_once_with(command=f"scancel {fake_job_id}")
+        # bug? this doesn't work but the output is identical?
+        # mock_run.assert_called_once_with(f"scancel {fake_job_id}")
+        mock_run.assert_called_once()
+        assert mock_run.mock_calls[0].args[0] == f"scancel {fake_job_id}"
     mock_run.reset_mock()
     mock_run_async.reset_mock()
+    return compute_node
 
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_using_closed_compute_node_raises_error(
+    mock_closed_compute_node: ComputeNode,
+):
+    compute_node = mock_closed_compute_node
+    assert isinstance(compute_node.login_node, Mock)
+    mock_run: Mock = mock_closed_compute_node.login_node.run  # type: ignore
+    mock_run_async: Mock = compute_node.login_node.run_async  # type: ignore
     for method in ["run", "run_async", "get_output", "get_output_async"]:
         with pytest.raises(JobNotRunningError):
             output_or_coroutine = getattr(compute_node, method)("echo OK")