diff --git a/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/owner_test.go b/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/owner_test.go
index dc17a37b0..09ace7043 100644
--- a/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/owner_test.go
+++ b/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/owner_test.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func TestSessionOwnerLeaseLostClosesStaleConnection(t *testing.T) {
 	conn := newFakeConn()
 	owners := &fakeOwnerStore{renewOK: false, releaseCh: make(chan struct{})}
 	lease := &ownerLease{store: owners, deviceID: "dev-1", ownerPodID: "pod-a", generation: 7, ttl: time.Minute}
-	sess := NewSessionWithOwner(conn, "dev-1", "wks-1", proto.Version, reg, nil, lease)
+	sess := NewSessionWithOwner(conn, "dev-1", "wks-1", proto.Version, reg, func(string, ...any) {}, lease)
 	reg.Register(sess)
 	sess.Start()
 
diff --git a/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/session.go b/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/session.go
index 4643526a9..9032c2f48 100644
--- a/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/session.go
+++ b/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/session.go
@@ -146,12 +146,6 @@ type Session struct {
 // connections. The session does NOT start its goroutines automatically — Start
 // runs once the handler is ready so the session can't race with response writes.
 func NewSessionWithOwner(conn WSConn, deviceID, workspaceID, daemonVersion string, reg *Registry, log SessionLogger, owner *ownerLease) *Session {
-	if log == nil {
-		log = func(string, ...any) {}
-	}
-	if reg == nil {
-		reg = NewRegistry()
-	}
 	now := time.Now()
 	return &Session{
 		DeviceID:      deviceID,
diff --git a/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/session_test.go b/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/session_test.go
index e32150e4b..c4e27e0f3 100644
--- a/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/session_test.go
+++ b/services/core/internal/runtimegateway/session_test.go
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ import (
 
 // NewSession builds an unowned Session over a test connection.
 func NewSession(conn WSConn, deviceID, workspaceID, daemonVersion string, reg *Registry, log SessionLogger) *Session {
+	if log == nil {
+		log = func(string, ...any) {}
+	}
+	if reg == nil {
+		reg = NewRegistry()
+	}
 	return NewSessionWithOwner(conn, deviceID, workspaceID, daemonVersion, reg, log, nil)
 }