diff --git a/tests/test_advanced_streaming.py b/tests/test_advanced_streaming.py
index 64f24167..907a2196 100644
--- a/tests/test_advanced_streaming.py
+++ b/tests/test_advanced_streaming.py
@@ -313,9 +313,8 @@ async def inf_streamer(
         # `trio.EndOfChannel` doesn't propagate directly to the above
         # .open_stream() parent, resulting in it also raising instead
         # of gracefully absorbing as normal.. so how to handle?
-        trio.open_nursery(
-            strict_exception_groups=False,
-        ) as tn,
+        tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
+        trio.open_nursery() as tn,
     ):
         async def close_stream_on_sentinel():
             async for msg in stream:
diff --git a/tests/test_cancellation.py b/tests/test_cancellation.py
index a970c83c..06c6dc8d 100644
--- a/tests/test_cancellation.py
+++ b/tests/test_cancellation.py
@@ -532,10 +532,15 @@ def test_cancel_via_SIGINT_other_task(
     async def main():
         # should never timeout since SIGINT should cancel the current program
         with trio.fail_after(timeout):
-            async with trio.open_nursery(
-                strict_exception_groups=False,
-            ) as n:
-                await n.start(spawn_and_sleep_forever)
+            async with (
+
+                # XXX ?TODO? why no work!?
+                # tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
+                trio.open_nursery(
+                    strict_exception_groups=False,
+                ) as tn,
+            ):
+                await tn.start(spawn_and_sleep_forever)
                 if 'mp' in spawn_backend:
                     time.sleep(0.1)
                 os.kill(pid, signal.SIGINT)
diff --git a/tests/test_child_manages_service_nursery.py b/tests/test_child_manages_service_nursery.py
index 540e9b2e..6379afc6 100644
--- a/tests/test_child_manages_service_nursery.py
+++ b/tests/test_child_manages_service_nursery.py
@@ -117,9 +117,10 @@ async def open_actor_local_nursery(
     ctx: tractor.Context,
 ):
     global _nursery
-    async with trio.open_nursery(
-        strict_exception_groups=False,
-    ) as tn:
+    async with (
+        tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
+        trio.open_nursery() as tn
+    ):
         _nursery = tn
         await ctx.started()
         await trio.sleep(10)
diff --git a/tests/test_discovery.py b/tests/test_discovery.py
index 65a76d08..453b1aa3 100644
--- a/tests/test_discovery.py
+++ b/tests/test_discovery.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import psutil
 import pytest
 import subprocess
 import tractor
+from tractor.trionics import collapse_eg
 from tractor._testing import tractor_test
 import trio
 
@@ -193,10 +194,10 @@ async def spawn_and_check_registry(
 
             try:
                 async with tractor.open_nursery() as an:
-                    async with trio.open_nursery(
-                        strict_exception_groups=False,
-                    ) as trion:
-
+                    async with (
+                        collapse_eg(),
+                        trio.open_nursery() as trion,
+                    ):
                         portals = {}
                         for i in range(3):
                             name = f'a{i}'
@@ -338,11 +339,12 @@ async def close_chans_before_nursery(
                         async with portal2.open_stream_from(
                             stream_forever
                         ) as agen2:
-                            async with trio.open_nursery(
-                                strict_exception_groups=False,
-                            ) as n:
-                                n.start_soon(streamer, agen1)
-                                n.start_soon(cancel, use_signal, .5)
+                            async with (
+                                collapse_eg(),
+                                trio.open_nursery() as tn,
+                            ):
+                                tn.start_soon(streamer, agen1)
+                                tn.start_soon(cancel, use_signal, .5)
                                 try:
                                     await streamer(agen2)
                                 finally:
diff --git a/tests/test_infected_asyncio.py b/tests/test_infected_asyncio.py
index 195ed4cd..edd7ee47 100644
--- a/tests/test_infected_asyncio.py
+++ b/tests/test_infected_asyncio.py
@@ -234,10 +234,8 @@ async def trio_ctx(
     with trio.fail_after(1 + delay):
         try:
             async with (
-                trio.open_nursery(
-                    # TODO, for new `trio` / py3.13
-                    # strict_exception_groups=False,
-                ) as tn,
+                tractor.trionics.collapse_eg(),
+                trio.open_nursery() as tn,
                 tractor.to_asyncio.open_channel_from(
                     sleep_and_err,
                 ) as (first, chan),
diff --git a/tests/test_trioisms.py b/tests/test_trioisms.py
index c68d75c1..ca1e6d55 100644
--- a/tests/test_trioisms.py
+++ b/tests/test_trioisms.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from contextlib import (
 )
 
 import pytest
+from tractor.trionics import collapse_eg
 import trio
 from trio import TaskStatus
 
@@ -64,9 +65,8 @@ def test_stashed_child_nursery(use_start_soon):
     async def main():
 
         async with (
-            trio.open_nursery(
-                strict_exception_groups=False,
-            ) as pn,
+            collapse_eg(),
+            trio.open_nursery() as pn,
         ):
             cn = await pn.start(mk_child_nursery)
             assert cn
@@ -197,10 +197,8 @@ def test_gatherctxs_with_memchan_breaks_multicancelled(
         async with (
             # XXX should ensure ONLY the KBI
             # is relayed upward
-            trionics.collapse_eg(),
-            trio.open_nursery(
-                # strict_exception_groups=False,
-            ), # as tn,
+            collapse_eg(),
+            trio.open_nursery(), # as tn,
 
             trionics.gather_contexts([
                 open_memchan(),