diff --git a/modules/gitea/test/check-owed.test.ts b/modules/gitea/test/check-owed.test.ts
index afd43584..d3184a14 100644
--- a/modules/gitea/test/check-owed.test.ts
+++ b/modules/gitea/test/check-owed.test.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ test("the checker's owed is what this module reads, and it consumes no check.sta
   assert.equal(CHECKER_OWED, "mesh-delivery-checker.owed");
   const manifest = JSON.parse(readFileSync(new URL("../module.json", import.meta.url), "utf8"));
   assert.ok(manifest.reads.includes(CHECKER_OWED), "gitea's manifest reads the checker's owed");
-  assert.ok(!manifest.consumes.some((c: string) => c.includes("check.status")), "no check.status is consumed");
+  assert.ok(!(manifest.consumes ?? []).some((c: string) => c.includes("check.status")), "no check.status is consumed");
 });
 
 test("an owed mesh/check writes the status on its head: its state, its line cut and its link", async () => {