diff --git a/crates/db/tests/ai_credits_reaper.rs b/crates/db/tests/ai_credits_reaper.rs
index 4afdcd4..406e2b3 100644
--- a/crates/db/tests/ai_credits_reaper.rs
+++ b/crates/db/tests/ai_credits_reaper.rs
@@ -21,12 +21,15 @@ async fn pool() -> PgPool {
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn expired_hold_is_swept_and_credits_return_to_available() {
     let pool = pool().await;
-    let user_id = Uuid::parse_str("33333333-3333-3333-3333-333333333333").unwrap();
+    // A fresh random user/wallet every run (matching ai_credits.rs's
+    // make_user() pattern) rather than the fixed UUID this test used to
+    // hardcode - against a persistent test database re-run many times over
+    // a session, reusing one fixed user let earlier partial runs' stuck
+    // reserved_credits (left over whenever the test panicked before its own
+    // capture/release step) silently accumulate onto every subsequent run.
+    let user_id = Uuid::new_v4();
 
-    // user_ai_subscriptions.user_id has a FK to users(id) - this fixed UUID
-    // isn't a real seeded user in every environment this test might run
-    // against (e.g. a fresh CI database), so provision it here rather than
-    // assuming it pre-exists. Matches ai_credits.rs's make_user() pattern.
+    // user_ai_subscriptions.user_id has a FK to users(id).
     sqlx::query("INSERT INTO users (id, email, password_hash) VALUES ($1, $2, 'x') ON CONFLICT (id) DO NOTHING")
         .bind(user_id)
         .bind(format!("{user_id}@test.local"))