diff --git a/tests/ginkgo/README.md b/tests/ginkgo/README.md
index 4280c2efc..ee22f7ad4 100644
--- a/tests/ginkgo/README.md
+++ b/tests/ginkgo/README.md
@@ -52,16 +52,15 @@ the backend. For example, `local && io && fileio` needs no physical disk.
 ```sh
 # List every spec and its labels without accessing either host:
 make ginkgo-list GINKGO_LABEL=''
-# All except the known-crash case; prepare both hosts and a block device first:
-make ginkgo-test-build GINKGO_CONFIG=tests/ginkgo/config.local.json GINKGO_LABEL='!known-crash'
+# All specs; prepare both hosts and a block device first:
+make ginkgo-test-build GINKGO_CONFIG=tests/ginkgo/config.local.json GINKGO_LABEL=''
 ```
 
-An empty label filter selects all specs. The `known-crash` case (sync on
-inactive fileio) also requires `allow_known_crash=true` and can crash affected
-kernels. `clear-config` tests invoke global `scstadmin -clear_config -force`.
-Only selected transport groups access hosts. Local teardown finishes before
-iSCSI setup; an empty selection or suite failure stops the run. Parallel runs
-are unsupported: use the same `lock_file` and runner user on each host.
+An empty label filter selects all specs. `clear-config` tests invoke global
+`scstadmin -clear_config -force`. Only selected transport groups access hosts.
+Local teardown finishes before iSCSI setup; an empty selection or suite
+failure stops the run. Parallel runs are unsupported: use the same
+`lock_file` and runner user on each host.
 
 ## Configuration
 
diff --git a/tests/ginkgo/config.example.json b/tests/ginkgo/config.example.json
index 9864a18f9..cf78d6bbe 100644
--- a/tests/ginkgo/config.example.json
+++ b/tests/ginkgo/config.example.json
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
   "fileio_thin_provisioning": true,
   "stress_iterations": 8,
   "scale_luns": 256,
-  "allow_known_crash": false,
   "io": {
     "block_device": "",
     "region_mb": 64,
diff --git a/tests/ginkgo/internal/testcfg/config.go b/tests/ginkgo/internal/testcfg/config.go
index 306e2a56e..a93871b32 100644
--- a/tests/ginkgo/internal/testcfg/config.go
+++ b/tests/ginkgo/internal/testcfg/config.go
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ type Config struct {
 	FileioThinProvisioning bool     `json:"fileio_thin_provisioning"`
 	StressIterations       int      `json:"stress_iterations"`
 	ScaleLUNs              int      `json:"scale_luns"`
-	AllowKnownCrash        bool     `json:"allow_known_crash"`
 	IO                     IO       `json:"io"`
 	ISCSI                  *ISCSI   `json:"iscsi,omitempty"`
 }
diff --git a/tests/ginkgo/internal/testcfg/config_test.go b/tests/ginkgo/internal/testcfg/config_test.go
index 40ffdab38..18448b833 100644
--- a/tests/ginkgo/internal/testcfg/config_test.go
+++ b/tests/ginkgo/internal/testcfg/config_test.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func TestLoadDefaultsAndPaths(t *testing.T) {
 	if cfg.DisposableHost || cfg.CommandTimeout != "30s" || cfg.BuildJobs != 2 || cfg.BuildTimeout != "10m" {
 		t.Fatalf("unsafe or missing defaults: %+v", cfg)
 	}
-	if cfg.AllowKnownCrash || !cfg.FileioThinProvisioning || cfg.StressIterations != 8 || cfg.ScaleLUNs != 256 || cfg.BackingDir != filepath.Join(base, "scratch") {
+	if !cfg.FileioThinProvisioning || cfg.StressIterations != 8 || cfg.ScaleLUNs != 256 || cfg.BackingDir != filepath.Join(base, "scratch") {
 		t.Fatalf("unsafe or missing scenario defaults: %+v", cfg)
 	}
 }
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ func TestRejectMalformedConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestScenarioOverrides(t *testing.T) {
-	c, err := Load(configFile(t, `{"stress_iterations":12,"scale_luns":1000,"allow_known_crash":true,"fileio_thin_provisioning":false}`))
+	c, err := Load(configFile(t, `{"stress_iterations":12,"scale_luns":1000,"fileio_thin_provisioning":false}`))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	if c.StressIterations != 12 || c.ScaleLUNs != 1000 || !c.AllowKnownCrash || c.FileioThinProvisioning || c.BackingDir != "" {
+	if c.StressIterations != 12 || c.ScaleLUNs != 1000 || c.FileioThinProvisioning || c.BackingDir != "" {
 		t.Fatalf("scenario overrides lost: %+v", c)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tests/ginkgo/suite/alua_state_test.go b/tests/ginkgo/suite/alua_state_test.go
index ca768b421..f7dec9067 100644
--- a/tests/ginkgo/suite/alua_state_test.go
+++ b/tests/ginkgo/suite/alua_state_test.go
@@ -31,9 +31,14 @@ var _ = Describe("ALUA device activation", Label("basic", "alua", "fileio", "iss
 		func(ctx SpecContext, mapped bool) {
 			d := f.fileDevice(ctx, "disk", f.backingFile("disk"), "bind_alua_state=1")
 			neighbor := f.fileDevice(ctx, "neighbor", f.backingFile("neighbor"), "bind_alua_state=1")
-			t, dg := f.target(ctx, "target"), f.deviceGroup(ctx, "devices")
+			session := f.name("session")
+			t, dg := f.target(ctx, "target", "session_name="+session), f.deviceGroup(ctx, "devices")
+			f.detachCopyManager(ctx, d)
 			if mapped {
-				f.at(ctx, t, "", "-add_lun", "0", "-device", d)
+				f.at(ctx, t, "", "-add_group", "access")
+				f.at(ctx, t, "access", "-add_lun", "0", "-device", d)
+				f.at(ctx, t, "access", "-add_init", session)
+				f.sessionLUNs(ctx, t, session, map[int]string{0: d})
 			}
 			f.do(ctx, "-add_dgrp_dev", d, "-dev_group", dg)
 			tg := f.targetGroup(ctx, dg, "local", t, "11")
@@ -41,15 +46,21 @@ var _ = Describe("ALUA device activation", Label("basic", "alua", "fileio", "iss
 			Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
 			f.aluaState(ctx, dg, tg, "transitioning")
 			Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("0"))
+			f.reject(ctx, "-set_dev_attr", d, "-attributes", "sync=1")
 			Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, neighbor, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
 			path := f.backingFile("replacement")
 			f.setDevice(ctx, d, "filename="+path)
 			Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "filename")).To(Equal(path))
 			f.aluaState(ctx, dg, tg, "nonoptimized")
 			Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
-			f.setDevice(ctx, d, "sync=1")
+			if mapped {
+				f.setDevice(ctx, d, "sync=1")
+			} else {
+				f.reject(ctx, "-set_dev_attr", d, "-attributes", "sync=1")
+			}
 			f.aluaState(ctx, dg, tg, "standby")
 			Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("0"))
+			f.reject(ctx, "-set_dev_attr", d, "-attributes", "sync=1")
 			f.aluaState(ctx, dg, tg, "active")
 			Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
 			f.reject(ctx, "-set_tgrp_attr", tg, "-dev_group", dg, "-attributes", "state=invalid_state")
@@ -57,13 +68,14 @@ var _ = Describe("ALUA device activation", Label("basic", "alua", "fileio", "iss
 			Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
 			Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, neighbor, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
 			if mapped {
-				Expect(f.luns(ctx, t, "")).To(Equal(map[int]string{0: d}))
+				Expect(f.luns(ctx, t, "access")).To(Equal(map[int]string{0: d}))
 			}
 		}, Entry("with a LUN mapping", true), Entry("without a LUN mapping", false))
 
 	It("keeps local devices active when only a remote group changes", func(ctx SpecContext) {
 		d := f.fileDevice(ctx, "disk", f.backingFile("disk"), "bind_alua_state=1")
-		t, dg := f.target(ctx, "target"), f.deviceGroup(ctx, "devices")
+		t, _ := f.attachFileio(ctx, d)
+		dg := f.deviceGroup(ctx, "devices")
 		f.do(ctx, "-add_dgrp_dev", d, "-dev_group", dg)
 		local := f.targetGroup(ctx, dg, "local", t, "11")
 		remote := f.targetGroup(ctx, dg, "remote", f.name("remote_target"), "12")
@@ -78,7 +90,8 @@ var _ = Describe("ALUA device activation", Label("basic", "alua", "fileio", "iss
 
 	It("leaves unbound fileio active during a local ALUA transition", func(ctx SpecContext) {
 		d := f.fileDevice(ctx, "disk", f.backingFile("disk"), "bind_alua_state=0")
-		t, dg := f.target(ctx, "target"), f.deviceGroup(ctx, "devices")
+		t, _ := f.attachFileio(ctx, d)
+		dg := f.deviceGroup(ctx, "devices")
 		f.do(ctx, "-add_dgrp_dev", d, "-dev_group", dg)
 		tg := f.targetGroup(ctx, dg, "local", t, "11")
 		f.aluaState(ctx, dg, tg, "active")
diff --git a/tests/ginkgo/suite/fileio_test.go b/tests/ginkgo/suite/fileio_test.go
index 360491606..f66f3c89d 100644
--- a/tests/ginkgo/suite/fileio_test.go
+++ b/tests/ginkgo/suite/fileio_test.go
@@ -2,10 +2,37 @@
 package suite
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"strconv"
+
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 )
 
+// Drop only this fixture's copy-manager mappings. Without this, a device can
+// retain an open backend after the last external LUN has been removed.
+func (f *fixture) detachCopyManager(ctx context.Context, device string) {
+	GinkgoHelper()
+	for lun, d := range copyManagerLUNs(ctx) {
+		if d == device {
+			f.do(ctx, "-rem_lun", strconv.Itoa(lun), "-driver", "copy_manager", "-target", "copy_manager_tgt")
+		}
+	}
+	Expect(copyManagerLUNs(ctx)).NotTo(ContainElement(device))
+}
+
+func (f *fixture) attachFileio(ctx context.Context, device string) (string, string) {
+	GinkgoHelper()
+	session := f.name("session")
+	target := f.target(ctx, "target", "session_name="+session)
+	// scstadmin reports session LUNs only for explicit initiator groups.
+	f.at(ctx, target, "", "-add_group", "access")
+	f.at(ctx, target, "access", "-add_lun", "0", "-device", device)
+	f.at(ctx, target, "access", "-add_init", session)
+	f.sessionLUNs(ctx, target, session, map[int]string{0: device})
+	return target, session
+}
+
 var _ = Describe("File-backed devices", Label("basic", "fileio"), func() {
 	var f *fixture
 	BeforeEach(func() { f = newFixture() })
@@ -13,6 +40,7 @@ var _ = Describe("File-backed devices", Label("basic", "fileio"), func() {
 	It("syncs an active device and keeps its configuration across reactivation", func(ctx SpecContext) {
 		path := f.backingFile("disk")
 		d := f.fileDevice(ctx, "disk", path)
+		f.attachFileio(ctx, d)
 		Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
 		f.setDevice(ctx, d, "sync=1")
 		f.setDevice(ctx, d, "active=0")
@@ -27,6 +55,7 @@ var _ = Describe("File-backed devices", Label("basic", "fileio"), func() {
 	It("rejects an active backing change and recovers from a failed activation", Label("negative"), func(ctx SpecContext) {
 		first, second := f.backingFile("first"), f.backingFile("second")
 		d := f.fileDevice(ctx, "disk", first, "thin_provisioned=0")
+		f.attachFileio(ctx, d)
 		f.reject(ctx, "-set_dev_attr", d, "-attributes", "filename="+second)
 		Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "filename")).To(Equal(first))
 		Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
@@ -91,23 +120,42 @@ var _ = Describe("File-backed devices", Label("basic", "fileio"), func() {
 		}, Entry("disabled", "0"), Entry("enabled on a capable filesystem", "1"))
 })
 
-var _ = It("handles sync on an inactive fileio device without losing manageability", Label("fileio", "known-crash", "issue-394"), func(ctx SpecContext) {
-	if !cfg.AllowKnownCrash {
-		Skip("issue #394 can crash the kernel; requires allow_known_crash=true and an explicit label selection")
-	}
+var _ = It("handles sync on an inactive fileio device without losing manageability", Label("basic", "fileio", "negative", "issue-394"), func(ctx SpecContext) {
 	f := newFixture()
 	path := f.backingFile("disk")
 	d := f.fileDevice(ctx, "disk", path)
+	f.attachFileio(ctx, d)
 	f.setDevice(ctx, d, "active=0")
 	Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("0"))
-	// The public contract does not specify rejection versus a no-op. Either
-	// completed CLI outcome is acceptable; an execution failure is not.
-	r, err := cli.Execute(ctx, "-set_dev_attr", d, "-attributes", "sync=1")
-	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred(), r.String())
-	AddReportEntry("inactive sync result", r.String())
+	f.reject(ctx, "-set_dev_attr", d, "-attributes", "sync=1")
 	Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("0"))
 	Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "filename")).To(Equal(path))
+	Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "size_mb")).To(Equal("16"))
 	f.setDevice(ctx, d, "active=1")
 	Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
 	f.setDevice(ctx, d, "sync=1")
 })
+
+var _ = It("rejects sync after the last attachment and reopens on a new attachment", Label("basic", "fileio", "negative", "issue-394"), func(ctx SpecContext) {
+	f := newFixture()
+	path := f.backingFile("disk")
+	d := f.fileDevice(ctx, "disk", path)
+	f.detachCopyManager(ctx, d)
+	Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
+	f.reject(ctx, "-set_dev_attr", d, "-attributes", "sync=1")
+	// Reactivation alone must not invent a backend attachment.
+	f.setDevice(ctx, d, "active=0")
+	f.setDevice(ctx, d, "active=1")
+	f.reject(ctx, "-set_dev_attr", d, "-attributes", "sync=1")
+	target, session := f.attachFileio(ctx, d)
+	f.setDevice(ctx, d, "sync=1")
+	f.at(ctx, target, "access", "-rem_lun", "0")
+	f.sessionLUNs(ctx, target, session, map[int]string{})
+	f.reject(ctx, "-set_dev_attr", d, "-attributes", "sync=1")
+	Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "active")).To(Equal("1"))
+	Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "filename")).To(Equal(path))
+	Expect(f.deviceAttr(ctx, d, "size_mb")).To(Equal("16"))
+	f.at(ctx, target, "access", "-add_lun", "0", "-device", d)
+	f.sessionLUNs(ctx, target, session, map[int]string{0: d})
+	f.setDevice(ctx, d, "sync=1")
+})