diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index 10145d7..4bc502a 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -27,4 +27,15 @@ jobs:
         run: uv run pytest -m "not integration"
 
       - name: Integration tests
-        run: uv run pytest -m integration
+        # Live-path credentials come from repo Actions secrets; the tests
+        # skip-guard on these, so a missing secret or unreachable service
+        # degrades to "skipped", never a failure on unrelated work.
+        env:
+          NISSE_LLM_BASE_URL: ${{ secrets.NISSE_LLM_BASE_URL }}
+          NISSE_LLM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NISSE_LLM_TOKEN }}
+          NISSE_ROLE_EXECUTOR: ${{ secrets.NISSE_ROLE_EXECUTOR }}
+          NISSE_MATRIX_HOMESERVER: ${{ secrets.NISSE_MATRIX_HOMESERVER }}
+          NISSE_MATRIX_USER_ID: ${{ secrets.NISSE_MATRIX_USER_ID }}
+          NISSE_MATRIX_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NISSE_MATRIX_TOKEN }}
+          NISSE_MATRIX_TEST_ROOM_ID: ${{ secrets.NISSE_MATRIX_TEST_ROOM_ID }}
+        run: uv run pytest -m integration -rs
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_llm_live.py b/tests/integration/test_llm_live.py
index 86d5707..196487e 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_llm_live.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_llm_live.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 """Live smoke test against the real LiteLLM proxy.
 
-Skips unless NISSE_LLM_BASE_URL, NISSE_LLM_TOKEN, and NISSE_ROLE_EXECUTOR are
-present (from the environment or the repo-root .env) — CI stays credential-free
-by choice; this runs from the operator's machine.
+NISSE_LLM_BASE_URL alone decides whether this runs: if it is set, the live
+path is expected to work, and anything else missing is a *failure*, not a
+skip. A half-configured environment must not pass quietly as a skip — that is
+how a broken CI credential hides.
 """
 
 import os
@@ -16,18 +17,24 @@ from nisse_dev.llm import LiteLLMClient
 
 load_env_file(Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / ".env")
 
-REQUIRED = ("NISSE_LLM_BASE_URL", "NISSE_LLM_TOKEN", "NISSE_ROLE_EXECUTOR")
+SENTINEL = "NISSE_LLM_BASE_URL"
+ALSO_REQUIRED = ("NISSE_LLM_TOKEN", "NISSE_ROLE_EXECUTOR")
 
 pytestmark = [
     pytest.mark.integration,
     pytest.mark.skipif(
-        not all(os.environ.get(var) for var in REQUIRED),
-        reason=f"live LLM config absent; set {', '.join(REQUIRED)}",
+        not os.environ.get(SENTINEL),
+        reason=f"no live LLM configured ({SENTINEL} unset)",
     ),
 ]
 
 
 def test_executor_model_completes_via_litellm() -> None:
+    missing = [var for var in ALSO_REQUIRED if not os.environ.get(var)]
+    assert not missing, (
+        f"{SENTINEL} is set, so the live LLM path is expected to work, "
+        f"but these are missing: {', '.join(missing)}"
+    )
     client = LiteLLMClient.from_env()
     events = [
         StoredEvent(
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_matrix_live.py b/tests/integration/test_matrix_live.py
index 26c5b52..e835d4b 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_matrix_live.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_matrix_live.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 """Live smoke test against the real homeserver, bound strictly to the
-dedicated test room (never the production room). Skips unless the Matrix env
-vars, including NISSE_MATRIX_TEST_ROOM_ID, are present."""
+dedicated test room (never the production room).
+
+NISSE_MATRIX_HOMESERVER alone decides whether this runs: if it is set, the
+live path is expected to work, and anything else missing is a *failure*, not
+a skip. A half-configured environment must not pass quietly as a skip — that
+is how a broken CI credential hides."""
 
 import os
 import uuid
@@ -13,8 +17,8 @@ from nisse_dev.matrix import MatrixConfig, MatrixTransport
 
 load_env_file(Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / ".env")
 
-REQUIRED = (
-    "NISSE_MATRIX_HOMESERVER",
+SENTINEL = "NISSE_MATRIX_HOMESERVER"
+ALSO_REQUIRED = (
     "NISSE_MATRIX_USER_ID",
     "NISSE_MATRIX_TOKEN",
     "NISSE_MATRIX_TEST_ROOM_ID",
@@ -23,13 +27,18 @@ REQUIRED = (
 pytestmark = [
     pytest.mark.integration,
     pytest.mark.skipif(
-        not all(os.environ.get(var) for var in REQUIRED),
-        reason=f"live matrix config absent; set {', '.join(REQUIRED)}",
+        not os.environ.get(SENTINEL),
+        reason=f"no live homeserver configured ({SENTINEL} unset)",
     ),
 ]
 
 
 def test_send_lands_in_test_room() -> None:
+    missing = [var for var in ALSO_REQUIRED if not os.environ.get(var)]
+    assert not missing, (
+        f"{SENTINEL} is set, so the live Matrix path is expected to work, "
+        f"but these are missing: {', '.join(missing)}"
+    )
     config = MatrixConfig.from_env(room_var="NISSE_MATRIX_TEST_ROOM_ID")
     marker = f"transport smoke test {uuid.uuid4().hex}"
     transport = MatrixTransport(config)