diff --git a/tests/awards-timeline.test.mjs b/tests/awards-timeline.test.mjs
index df7b30af..b5705e0c 100644
--- a/tests/awards-timeline.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/awards-timeline.test.mjs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // calling the unexported WinnerCard with a synthetic entry.
 
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
-import test from 'node:test';
+import test, { before } from 'node:test';
 
 import { importSource } from './helpers-jsx.mjs';
 import {
@@ -27,7 +27,18 @@ const { default: AwardsTimeline } = await importSource(
 );
 const { default: awardsData } = await importSource('data/awards.json');
 
-const timeline = AwardsTimeline();
+// Rendering at module scope would let a change that breaks the render throw
+// before node:test starts, so the process dies with an uncaught exception
+// instead of a failing test. A root `before` hook runs the same code inside
+// the runner, so the failure is reported as a test failure and is attributed
+// to whatever caused it.
+let timeline;
+let WinnerCard;
+
+before(() => {
+  timeline = AwardsTimeline();
+  WinnerCard = componentNamed(timeline, 'WinnerCard');
+});
 
 /** @returns {any[]} every element in the tree, in document order */
 function elements(tree) {
@@ -50,8 +61,6 @@ function componentNamed(tree, name) {
   return element.type;
 }
 
-const WinnerCard = componentNamed(timeline, 'WinnerCard');
-
 function cardElements(tree = timeline) {
   return elements(tree).filter((element) => element.type === WinnerCard);
 }
diff --git a/tests/community-people.test.mjs b/tests/community-people.test.mjs
index 799fe98a..74769c4c 100644
--- a/tests/community-people.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/community-people.test.mjs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // That hook's effect is already covered at 100% by tests/use-focus-trap.test.mjs.
 
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
-import test from 'node:test';
+import test, { before } from 'node:test';
 
 import React from 'react';
 
@@ -118,10 +118,16 @@ function findByClass(tree, className) {
 
 // `PersonCard` and `PersonDialog` are private, so they are taken from the tree
 // the exported component produces rather than imported.
+//
+// Rendering at module scope would let a change that breaks the render throw
+// before node:test starts, so the process dies with an uncaught exception
+// instead of a failing test. A root `before` hook runs the same code inside
+// the runner, so the failure is reported as a test failure and is attributed
+// to whatever caused it.
 const SECTIONS = Object.keys(peopleData.people);
 const SAMPLE_SECTION = SECTIONS[0];
-const PersonCard = CommunityPeople({ section: SAMPLE_SECTION }).props
-  .children[0].type;
+let PersonCard;
+let PersonDialog;
 
 const FULL_PERSON = {
   name: 'Ada Lovelace',
@@ -143,8 +149,11 @@ function openDialog(person) {
   return { card, dialogElement };
 }
 
-const { dialogElement: SAMPLE_DIALOG } = openDialog(FULL_PERSON);
-const PersonDialog = SAMPLE_DIALOG.type;
+before(() => {
+  PersonCard = CommunityPeople({ section: SAMPLE_SECTION }).props.children[0]
+    .type;
+  PersonDialog = openDialog(FULL_PERSON).dialogElement.type;
+});
 
 function renderDialog(person, onClose = () => {}) {
   return render(PersonDialog, {
diff --git a/tests/metrics-dashboard.test.mjs b/tests/metrics-dashboard.test.mjs
index 0dc63323..b3a37a45 100644
--- a/tests/metrics-dashboard.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/metrics-dashboard.test.mjs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 // than as snapshots of today's numbers.
 
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
-import test from 'node:test';
+import test, { before } from 'node:test';
 
 import { formatDate } from '../src/components/shared/formatDate.js';
 import { importWithData } from './helpers-component-data.mjs';
@@ -29,7 +29,20 @@ const { default: MetricsDashboard } = await importSource(
 );
 const { default: metricsData } = await importSource('data/metrics.json');
 
-const dashboard = MetricsDashboard();
+// Rendering at module scope would let a change that breaks the render throw
+// before node:test starts, so the process dies with an uncaught exception
+// instead of a failing test. A root `before` hook runs the same code inside
+// the runner, so the failure is reported as a test failure and is attributed
+// to whatever caused it.
+let dashboard;
+let lifecycle;
+let Sparkline;
+
+before(() => {
+  dashboard = MetricsDashboard();
+  lifecycle = renderNested(dashboard, 'LifecycleSection');
+  Sparkline = componentNamed(lifecycle, 'Sparkline');
+});
 
 /** @returns {any[]} every element in the tree, in document order */
 function elements(tree) {
@@ -75,9 +88,6 @@ function parsePoints(value) {
   });
 }
 
-const lifecycle = renderNested(dashboard, 'LifecycleSection');
-const Sparkline = componentNamed(lifecycle, 'Sparkline');
-
 test('the freshness line states when the data was collected', () => {
   const meta = elements(dashboard).find((element) =>
     textOf(element).startsWith('Last updated'),