diff --git a/lint_test.go b/lint_test.go
index 3745bae..2056804 100644
--- a/lint_test.go
+++ b/lint_test.go
@@ -11,10 +11,7 @@ import (
 
 func TestCheckSafetySkipsRPCCheckForPluginWithoutRPCs(t *testing.T) {
 	pluginRoot := t.TempDir()
-	sdkVersion, err := currentCMSCoreSDKVersion()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("currentCMSCoreSDKVersion: %v", err)
-	}
+	sdkVersion := scaffoldPluginSDKVersion(t)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "plugin.mod"), "[plugin]\nname = \"example\"\nversion = \"1.0.0\"\n", 0644)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "go.mod"), "module example.com/plugin\n\ngo 1.26.2\n\nrequire git.dev.alexdunmow.com/block/pluginsdk "+sdkVersion+"\n", 0644)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "main.go"), "package example\n", 0644)
@@ -43,10 +40,7 @@ func TestCheckSafetySkipsRPCCheckForPluginWithoutRPCs(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCheckSafetyTypechecksExternalPluginFrontendWithWorkspaceDeps(t *testing.T) {
 	pluginRoot := t.TempDir()
 	pluginWebDir := filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "web")
-	sdkVersion, err := currentCMSCoreSDKVersion()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("currentCMSCoreSDKVersion: %v", err)
-	}
+	sdkVersion := scaffoldPluginSDKVersion(t)
 	realRepoRoot := blockNinjaRepoRoot()
 	relESLintConfig, err := filepath.Rel(pluginWebDir, filepath.Join(realRepoRoot, "web", "eslint.config.js"))
 	if err != nil {
@@ -117,10 +111,7 @@ func Example() string {
 
 func TestCheckSafetyFailsStandalonePluginReplaceDirective(t *testing.T) {
 	pluginRoot := t.TempDir()
-	sdkVersion, err := currentCMSCoreSDKVersion()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("currentCMSCoreSDKVersion: %v", err)
-	}
+	sdkVersion := scaffoldPluginSDKVersion(t)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "plugin.mod"), "[plugin]\nname = \"example\"\nversion = \"1.0.0\"\n", 0644)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "go.mod"), "module example.com/plugin\n\ngo 1.26.2\n\nrequire git.dev.alexdunmow.com/block/pluginsdk "+sdkVersion+"\n\nreplace git.dev.alexdunmow.com/block/pluginsdk => ../block-pluginsdk\n", 0644)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "main.go"), "package example\n", 0644)
@@ -145,10 +136,7 @@ func TestCheckSafetyFailsStandalonePluginReplaceDirective(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestCheckSafetyFailsStandalonePluginSQLCUUIDStringOverrides(t *testing.T) {
 	pluginRoot := t.TempDir()
-	sdkVersion, err := currentCMSCoreSDKVersion()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("currentCMSCoreSDKVersion: %v", err)
-	}
+	sdkVersion := scaffoldPluginSDKVersion(t)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "plugin.mod"), "[plugin]\nname = \"example\"\nversion = \"1.0.0\"\n", 0644)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "go.mod"), "module example.com/plugin\n\ngo 1.26.2\n\nrequire git.dev.alexdunmow.com/block/pluginsdk "+sdkVersion+"\n", 0644)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "main.go"), "package example\n", 0644)
@@ -193,10 +181,7 @@ sql:
 
 func TestCheckSafetyWarnsOnStandalonePluginGoAnyUsage(t *testing.T) {
 	pluginRoot := t.TempDir()
-	sdkVersion, err := currentCMSCoreSDKVersion()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("currentCMSCoreSDKVersion: %v", err)
-	}
+	sdkVersion := scaffoldPluginSDKVersion(t)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "plugin.mod"), "[plugin]\nname = \"example\"\nversion = \"1.0.0\"\n", 0644)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "go.mod"), "module example.com/plugin\n\ngo 1.26.2\n\nrequire git.dev.alexdunmow.com/block/pluginsdk "+sdkVersion+"\n", 0644)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "main.go"), `package example
@@ -231,10 +216,7 @@ type Payload struct {
 
 func TestCheckSafetyFailsStandalonePluginSQLCCompile(t *testing.T) {
 	pluginRoot := t.TempDir()
-	sdkVersion, err := currentCMSCoreSDKVersion()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("currentCMSCoreSDKVersion: %v", err)
-	}
+	sdkVersion := scaffoldPluginSDKVersion(t)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "plugin.mod"), "[plugin]\nname = \"example\"\nversion = \"1.0.0\"\n", 0644)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "go.mod"), "module example.com/plugin\n\ngo 1.26.2\n\nrequire git.dev.alexdunmow.com/block/pluginsdk "+sdkVersion+"\n", 0644)
 	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(pluginRoot, "main.go"), "package example\n", 0644)
@@ -695,6 +677,21 @@ func writeExecutableFile(t *testing.T, path string, content string) string {
 	return path
 }
 
+// scaffoldPluginSDKVersion resolves the pluginsdk pin the same way check 2c's
+// version anchor does (currentCMSPluginSDKVersion), so scaffolded go.mod fixtures
+// track the CMS backend's pin instead of drifting against a hardcoded number.
+func scaffoldPluginSDKVersion(t *testing.T) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	v, err := currentCMSPluginSDKVersion()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("currentCMSPluginSDKVersion: %v", err)
+	}
+	if v == "" {
+		return "v0.0.0"
+	}
+	return v
+}
+
 func writeTestFile(t *testing.T, path string, content string, mode os.FileMode) {
 	t.Helper()
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), 0755); err != nil {