diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
index d82066c..6fdc11c 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -451,6 +451,7 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: backend
         run: go test -tags "${{ matrix.gotags }}" -count=1 ${{ matrix.verbose }} ${{ matrix.coverflags }} ./...
         env:
+          GO_TESTING: "1"
           POSTGRES_HOST: postgres
           TEST_DB_HOST: postgres
 
diff --git a/backend/handlers/portfolio/images_test.go b/backend/handlers/portfolio/images_test.go
index 5709033..4454144 100644
--- a/backend/handlers/portfolio/images_test.go
+++ b/backend/handlers/portfolio/images_test.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"crussell/internal/s3"
 	"crussell/mw"
 	"crussell/testutils"
 
@@ -1433,6 +1434,10 @@ func jxlBytes() []byte {
 // TestPortfolio_Upload_Success verifies a successful image upload with mock S3,
 // testing the full flow: multipart form parsing, S3 upload, DB insert, and response.
 func TestPortfolio_Upload_Success(t *testing.T) {
+	if s3.Client == nil {
+		t.Skip("S3 client not initialized (requires R2_ENDPOINT)")
+	}
+
 	ctx, _ := testutils.SetupTestTx(t)
 
 	jpeg := jpegBytes(t)
diff --git a/backend/handlers/user/profile_test.go b/backend/handlers/user/profile_test.go
index 94b83a0..bb10e68 100644
--- a/backend/handlers/user/profile_test.go
+++ b/backend/handlers/user/profile_test.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
+	"crussell/internal/s3"
 	"crussell/mw"
 	"crussell/testutils"
 	"crussell/testutils/fixtures"
@@ -1226,6 +1227,10 @@ func TestProcessProfileImage_InvalidImage(t *testing.T) {
 // =============================================================================
 
 func TestUploadProfilePicture_Success(t *testing.T) {
+	if s3.Client == nil {
+		t.Skip("S3 client not initialized (requires R2_ENDPOINT)")
+	}
+
 	ctx, tx := testutils.SetupTestTx(t)
 
 	userID, err := fixtures.CreateTestUser(tx)
@@ -1291,6 +1296,10 @@ func TestUploadProfilePicture_NoAuth(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestUploadProfilePicture_NotImage(t *testing.T) {
+	if s3.Client == nil {
+		t.Skip("S3 client not initialized (requires R2_ENDPOINT)")
+	}
+
 	ctx, tx := testutils.SetupTestTx(t)
 
 	userID, err := fixtures.CreateTestUser(tx)