diff --git a/test_clustering_debug.py b/test_clustering_debug.py
index 4b635cf6..63ee67f6 100644
--- a/test_clustering_debug.py
+++ b/test_clustering_debug.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def print_summary(self):
 )
 
 # Create config via factory (not direct construction) to satisfy validation/env-resolution
-config = Config(
+config = Config.from_args(
     repo_path=test_repo,
     output_dir="/tmp/codewiki_test",
     dependency_graph_dir="/tmp/codewiki_test/deps",
diff --git a/test_clustering_local.py b/test_clustering_local.py
index c59e8e31..4e4dfadf 100644
--- a/test_clustering_local.py
+++ b/test_clustering_local.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def test_clustering(results):
     print(f"\n📂 Test repository: {test_repo}")
 
     # Create minimal config via the required factory method
-    config = Config(
+    config = Config.from_args(
         repo_path=test_repo,
         output_dir="/tmp/codewiki_test_output",
         dependency_graph_dir="/tmp/codewiki_test_output/deps",
diff --git a/test_subdirectory_fix.py b/test_subdirectory_fix.py
index dfd22961..0cbc9dc8 100644
--- a/test_subdirectory_fix.py
+++ b/test_subdirectory_fix.py
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@
 from codewiki.src.be.documentation_generator import DocumentationGenerator
 from codewiki.src.config import Config
 
-# Create minimal config
-config = Config(
+# Create minimal config via the from_args factory to preserve env-var
+# resolution, defaulting, and validation guarantees (CODEWIKI-007).
+config = Config.from_args(
     cluster_api_key=os.getenv("CLUSTER_API_KEY", os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY", "")),
     main_api_key=os.getenv("MAIN_API_KEY", os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY", "")),
     fallback_api_key=os.getenv("FALLBACK_API_KEY", os.getenv("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", "")),