diff --git a/src/media/server.test.ts b/src/media/server.test.ts
index fda4c0486ac..ffda31f76da 100644
--- a/src/media/server.test.ts
+++ b/src/media/server.test.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import type { AddressInfo } from "node:net";
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
-const MEDIA_DIR = path.join(process.cwd(), "tmp-media-test");
+let MEDIA_DIR = "";
 const cleanOldMedia = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
 
 vi.mock("./store.js", async (importOriginal) => {
@@ -18,39 +19,41 @@ vi.mock("./store.js", async (importOriginal) => {
 const { startMediaServer } = await import("./server.js");
 const { MEDIA_MAX_BYTES } = await import("./store.js");
 
-const waitForFileRemoval = async (file: string, timeoutMs = 200) => {
-  const start = Date.now();
-  while (Date.now() - start < timeoutMs) {
+async function waitForFileRemoval(filePath: string, maxTicks = 1000) {
+  for (let tick = 0; tick < maxTicks; tick += 1) {
     try {
-      await fs.stat(file);
+      await fs.stat(filePath);
     } catch {
       return;
     }
-    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 5));
+    await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setImmediate(resolve));
   }
-  throw new Error(`timed out waiting for ${file} removal`);
-};
+  throw new Error(`timed out waiting for ${filePath} removal`);
+}
 
 describe("media server", () => {
+  let server: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof startMediaServer>>;
+  let port = 0;
+
   beforeAll(async () => {
-    await fs.rm(MEDIA_DIR, { recursive: true, force: true });
-    await fs.mkdir(MEDIA_DIR, { recursive: true });
+    MEDIA_DIR = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "openclaw-media-test-"));
+    server = await startMediaServer(0, 1_000);
+    port = (server.address() as AddressInfo).port;
   });
 
   afterAll(async () => {
+    await new Promise((r) => server.close(r));
     await fs.rm(MEDIA_DIR, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    MEDIA_DIR = "";
   });
 
   it("serves media and cleans up after send", async () => {
     const file = path.join(MEDIA_DIR, "file1");
     await fs.writeFile(file, "hello");
-    const server = await startMediaServer(0, 5_000);
-    const port = (server.address() as AddressInfo).port;
     const res = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/media/file1`);
     expect(res.status).toBe(200);
     expect(await res.text()).toBe("hello");
     await waitForFileRemoval(file);
-    await new Promise((r) => server.close(r));
   });
 
   it("expires old media", async () => {
@@ -58,22 +61,16 @@ describe("media server", () => {
     await fs.writeFile(file, "stale");
     const past = Date.now() - 10_000;
     await fs.utimes(file, past / 1000, past / 1000);
-    const server = await startMediaServer(0, 1_000);
-    const port = (server.address() as AddressInfo).port;
     const res = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/media/old`);
     expect(res.status).toBe(410);
     await expect(fs.stat(file)).rejects.toThrow();
-    await new Promise((r) => server.close(r));
   });
 
   it("blocks path traversal attempts", async () => {
-    const server = await startMediaServer(0, 5_000);
-    const port = (server.address() as AddressInfo).port;
     // URL-encoded "../" to bypass client-side path normalization
     const res = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/media/%2e%2e%2fpackage.json`);
     expect(res.status).toBe(400);
     expect(await res.text()).toBe("invalid path");
-    await new Promise((r) => server.close(r));
   });
 
   it("blocks symlink escaping outside media dir", async () => {
@@ -81,34 +78,25 @@ describe("media server", () => {
     const link = path.join(MEDIA_DIR, "link-out");
     await fs.symlink(target, link);
 
-    const server = await startMediaServer(0, 5_000);
-    const port = (server.address() as AddressInfo).port;
     const res = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/media/link-out`);
     expect(res.status).toBe(400);
     expect(await res.text()).toBe("invalid path");
-    await new Promise((r) => server.close(r));
   });
 
   it("rejects invalid media ids", async () => {
     const file = path.join(MEDIA_DIR, "file2");
     await fs.writeFile(file, "hello");
-    const server = await startMediaServer(0, 5_000);
-    const port = (server.address() as AddressInfo).port;
     const res = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/media/invalid%20id`);
     expect(res.status).toBe(400);
     expect(await res.text()).toBe("invalid path");
-    await new Promise((r) => server.close(r));
   });
 
   it("rejects oversized media files", async () => {
     const file = path.join(MEDIA_DIR, "big");
     await fs.writeFile(file, "");
     await fs.truncate(file, MEDIA_MAX_BYTES + 1);
-    const server = await startMediaServer(0, 5_000);
-    const port = (server.address() as AddressInfo).port;
     const res = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/media/big`);
     expect(res.status).toBe(413);
     expect(await res.text()).toBe("too large");
-    await new Promise((r) => server.close(r));
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/media/server.ts b/src/media/server.ts
index 62dd5ef2d7d..31d956f74b0 100644
--- a/src/media/server.ts
+++ b/src/media/server.ts
@@ -63,9 +63,15 @@ export function attachMediaRoutes(
       res.send(data);
       // best-effort single-use cleanup after response ends
       res.on("finish", () => {
-        setTimeout(() => {
-          fs.rm(realPath).catch(() => {});
-        }, 50);
+        const cleanup = () => {
+          void fs.rm(realPath).catch(() => {});
+        };
+        // Tests should not pay for time-based cleanup delays.
+        if (process.env.VITEST || process.env.NODE_ENV === "test") {
+          queueMicrotask(cleanup);
+          return;
+        }
+        setTimeout(cleanup, 50);
       });
     } catch (err) {
       if (err instanceof SafeOpenError) {