diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 776d9f8..b90fd6b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com), and this
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- The integration test helper now canonicalizes its temporary repository path. On macOS `mktemp -d` returns a `/var` path while git records the resolved `/private/var` one, so `cmd_clean --merged uses nested registered worktree path` compared two spellings of the same directory and failed locally while passing in CI.
+
 ## [2.11.1] - 2026-09-14
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/tests/test_helper.bash b/tests/test_helper.bash
index 1a5c2ae..6e4ada1 100644
--- a/tests/test_helper.bash
+++ b/tests/test_helper.bash
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ export -f cfg_default cfg_get_all
 # Set up a disposable git repo for integration tests
 # Sets: TEST_REPO, TEST_WORKTREES_DIR
 setup_integration_repo() {
-  TEST_REPO=$(mktemp -d)
+  # Canonicalize: on macOS mktemp -d returns a /var path while git records the
+  # resolved /private/var one, so uncanonicalized paths never compare equal.
+  TEST_REPO=$(cd -P "$(mktemp -d)" && pwd)
   TEST_WORKTREES_DIR="${TEST_REPO}-worktrees"
   git -C "$TEST_REPO" init --quiet
   git -C "$TEST_REPO" config user.name "Test User"