diff --git a/backend/tests/AGENTS.md b/backend/tests/AGENTS.md
index fa3975c415..3b7d5721e9 100644
--- a/backend/tests/AGENTS.md
+++ b/backend/tests/AGENTS.md
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ ownership and capture cleanup. Retain the real XLSX conversion coverage.
 
 Backend tests must preserve the runtime invariants they exercise without changing production execution topology.
 
+`test_bench_sandbox_prewarm.py` controls observation timestamps through the
+benchmark module's clock binding. Keep asyncio's clock real, initialize
+`Trace.started` from the controlled clock, and advance ticks at event gates.
+
 `test_doctor_script.py` runs a copied doctor from a temporary checkout with an
 empty-model config. Drop inherited `DEER_FLOW_*`, `PYTHONPATH` and `PYTHONHOME`
 from child processes; cover help, invalid flags, normal reporting and an
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_bench_sandbox_prewarm.py b/backend/tests/test_bench_sandbox_prewarm.py
index 7258bb907e..bb0565b510 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_bench_sandbox_prewarm.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_bench_sandbox_prewarm.py
@@ -4,9 +4,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import asyncio
 import json
-import math
 import threading
-import time
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 
 import pytest
@@ -141,43 +139,33 @@ async def test_real_graph_prewarm_starts_during_model_and_is_claimed_once(observ
 
 
 @pytest.mark.anyio
-async def test_prewarm_reused_survives_a_coarse_clock_tie(observed, monkeypatch):
-    """Pin #7044: a same-tick acquire/tool timestamp must not unclassify a reused lease.
-
-    Coarse monotonic clocks (Windows, ~15.6 ms granularity) can quantize the
-    prewarm acquire and the tool request into the same tick; the former strict
-    `<` classification then dropped the genuine prewarm from the speculative
-    set. Event-state capture must keep it classified as speculative.
-    """
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("tool_tick_offset", [0.0, 0.015], ids=["same-tick", "next-tick"])
+async def test_prewarm_reused_uses_event_order_with_coarse_clock(observed, monkeypatch, tool_tick_offset: float):
+    """Pin #7044: prewarm classification follows event order, even when timestamps tie."""
     provider, config = observed
-    coarse_s = 0.015
-    real_monotonic = time.monotonic
-
-    def coarse_monotonic():
-        return math.floor(real_monotonic() / coarse_s) * coarse_s
-
-    monkeypatch.setattr(bench.time, "monotonic", coarse_monotonic)
-    # Spin until a fresh quantized bucket starts, so the whole overlap scenario
-    # lands inside the same tick deterministically.
-    current_bucket = coarse_monotonic()
-    while coarse_monotonic() == current_bucket:
-        await asyncio.sleep(0.001)
+    tick = 100.0
+    # Isolate the benchmark's observation clock; asyncio timeouts keep real time.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(bench, "time", SimpleNamespace(monotonic=lambda: tick))
 
     model_gate = asyncio.Event()
-    trace = bench.Trace()
+    trace = bench.Trace(started=tick)
     task = asyncio.create_task(bench.run_case(provider, config, case="tool", prewarm=True, model_delay=0, thread_id="coarse-tick", user_id="alice", trace=trace, model_gate=model_gate))
     try:
         await asyncio.wait_for(trace.model_started.wait(), 2)
         await asyncio.wait_for(provider.started.wait(), 2)
         provider.finish.set()
         await asyncio.wait_for(trace.acquire_ready.wait(), 2)
+        # Advance only at this event boundary, independently of scheduler delays.
+        tick += tool_tick_offset
         model_gate.set()
         row = await asyncio.wait_for(task, 3)
     finally:
         provider.finish.set()
         model_gate.set()
         await asyncio.gather(task, return_exceptions=True)
-    assert trace.acquisitions[0]["started"] == trace.timestamps["tool_requested"], "precondition: the acquire and the tool request must share one quantized tick"
+    assert trace.acquisitions[0]["started"] == trace.started
+    assert trace.timestamps["tool_requested"] == trace.started + tool_tick_offset
+    assert trace.acquisitions[0]["precedes_tool_request"] is True
     assert row["success"], json.dumps(row)
     assert row["acquire_calls"] == 1
     assert row["prewarm_reused"] is True