diff --git a/tests/check-pack.ts b/tests/check-pack.ts
index e20d1d0..7808106 100644
--- a/tests/check-pack.ts
+++ b/tests/check-pack.ts
@@ -10,12 +10,9 @@ const result = spawnSync("npm", ["pack", "--dry-run", "--json"], { cwd: packageR
 if (result.stderr.length > 0) process.stderr.write(result.stderr);
 assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.error?.message ?? result.stderr);
 
-const firstJson = result.stdout.indexOf("[");
-const lastJson = result.stdout.lastIndexOf("]");
-assert.equal(firstJson >= 0 && lastJson >= firstJson, true, "npm pack did not emit JSON");
-const parsed: unknown = JSON.parse(result.stdout.slice(firstJson, lastJson + 1));
-assert.equal(Array.isArray(parsed), true, "npm pack JSON should be an array");
-const manifest = parsed[0];
+const parsed: unknown = JSON.parse(result.stdout.trim());
+assert.equal(typeof parsed === "object" && parsed !== null, true, "npm pack did not emit JSON");
+const manifest = Array.isArray(parsed) ? parsed[0] : Object.values(parsed as Record<string, unknown>)[0];
 assert.equal(typeof manifest === "object" && manifest !== null && "files" in manifest, true, "npm pack JSON should include files");
 const rawFiles = manifest.files;
 assert.equal(Array.isArray(rawFiles), true, "npm pack files should be an array");
diff --git a/tests/check-package-load.ts b/tests/check-package-load.ts
index 2139241..6b12552 100644
--- a/tests/check-package-load.ts
+++ b/tests/check-package-load.ts
@@ -121,12 +121,9 @@ async function assertSkillManifest(root: string, label: string, skills: unknown)
 }
 
 function parsePackTarballPath(stdout: string, destination: string): string {
-	const firstJson = stdout.indexOf("[");
-	const lastJson = stdout.lastIndexOf("]");
-	assert.equal(firstJson >= 0 && lastJson >= firstJson, true, "npm pack did not emit JSON");
-	const parsed: unknown = JSON.parse(stdout.slice(firstJson, lastJson + 1));
-	assert.equal(Array.isArray(parsed), true, "npm pack JSON should be an array");
-	const manifest: unknown = parsed[0];
+	const parsed: unknown = JSON.parse(stdout.trim());
+	assert.equal(typeof parsed === "object" && parsed !== null, true, "npm pack did not emit JSON");
+	const manifest: unknown = Array.isArray(parsed) ? parsed[0] : Object.values(parsed as Record<string, unknown>)[0];
 	if (!isRecord(manifest)) throw new Error("npm pack entry should be an object");
 	assert.equal(typeof manifest.filename, "string", "npm pack entry should include filename");
 	return join(destination, manifest.filename);