diff --git a/packages/inter-protocol/test/provisionPool.test.js b/packages/inter-protocol/test/provisionPool.test.js
index 7f2d3798609..48ea08f7312 100644
--- a/packages/inter-protocol/test/provisionPool.test.js
+++ b/packages/inter-protocol/test/provisionPool.test.js
@@ -571,11 +571,15 @@ test('provisionPool publishes metricsOverride promptly', async t => {
     },
   );
 
+  // FIXME: remove the 'await null',
+  // https://github.com/Agoric/agoric-sdk/issues/9598
+  await null;
   const metrics = E(facets.publicFacet).getMetrics();
 
   const {
     head: { value: initialMetrics },
   } = await E(metrics).subscribeAfter();
+  // FIXME fails when fakeVatAdmin.js fixed for non-promise root. Why?
   t.deepEqual(initialMetrics, {
     totalMintedConverted: minted.make(20_000_000n),
     totalMintedProvided: minted.make(750_000n),
diff --git a/packages/inter-protocol/test/smartWallet/boot-test-utils.js b/packages/inter-protocol/test/smartWallet/boot-test-utils.js
index c4674281b69..ae1231d5781 100644
--- a/packages/inter-protocol/test/smartWallet/boot-test-utils.js
+++ b/packages/inter-protocol/test/smartWallet/boot-test-utils.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  */
 // @ts-check
 import { Fail } from '@endo/errors';
+import { E } from '@endo/eventual-send';
 import {
   makeFakeVatAdmin,
   zcfBundleCap,
@@ -109,7 +110,8 @@ export const makePopulatedFakeVatAdmin = () => {
     const baggage = makeScalarBigMapStore('baggage');
     const adminNode =
       /** @type {import('@agoric/swingset-vat').VatAdminFacet} */ ({});
-    return { root: buildRoot({}, vatParameters, baggage), adminNode };
+    const rootP = buildRoot({}, vatParameters, baggage);
+    return E.when(rootP, root => harden({ root, adminNode }));
   };
   const createVatByName = async name => {
     return createVat(fakeNameToCap.get(name) || Fail`unknown vat ${name}`);
diff --git a/packages/inter-protocol/test/smartWallet/contexts.js b/packages/inter-protocol/test/smartWallet/contexts.js
index fb0872219f0..7f6bca7ed05 100644
--- a/packages/inter-protocol/test/smartWallet/contexts.js
+++ b/packages/inter-protocol/test/smartWallet/contexts.js
@@ -111,14 +111,19 @@ export const makeDefaultTestContext = async (t, makeSpace) => {
    */
   const walletBridgeManager = await (bridgeManager &&
     makeScopedBridge(bridgeManager, BridgeId.WALLET));
+
+  const customTerms = await deeplyFulfilledObject(
+    harden({
+      agoricNames, // may be a promise
+      board: consume.board, // may be a promise
+      assetPublisher,
+    }),
+  );
+
   const walletFactory = await E(zoe).startInstance(
     installation,
     {},
-    {
-      agoricNames,
-      board: consume.board,
-      assetPublisher,
-    },
+    customTerms,
     { storageNode, walletBridgeManager },
   );
 
diff --git a/packages/pegasus/test/fakeVatAdmin.js b/packages/pegasus/test/fakeVatAdmin.js
index 5c483621338..80996bdfb55 100644
--- a/packages/pegasus/test/fakeVatAdmin.js
+++ b/packages/pegasus/test/fakeVatAdmin.js
@@ -7,15 +7,18 @@ export default harden({
   createMeter: () => {},
   createUnlimitedMeter: () => {},
   createVat: bundle => {
-    return harden({
-      root: E(evalContractBundle(bundle)).buildRootObject(),
-      adminNode: {
-        done: () => {
-          return makePromiseKit().promise;
+    const rootP = E(evalContractBundle(bundle)).buildRootObject();
+    return E.when(rootP, root =>
+      harden({
+        root,
+        adminNode: {
+          done: () => {
+            return makePromiseKit().promise;
+          },
+          terminate: () => {},
         },
-        terminate: () => {},
-      },
-    });
+      }),
+    );
   },
   createVatByName: _name => {
     throw Error(`createVatByName not supported in fake mode`);
diff --git a/packages/smart-wallet/test/contexts.js b/packages/smart-wallet/test/contexts.js
index 0afb7e22b49..4034e4c2f42 100644
--- a/packages/smart-wallet/test/contexts.js
+++ b/packages/smart-wallet/test/contexts.js
@@ -41,14 +41,19 @@ export const makeDefaultTestContext = async (t, makeSpace) => {
   const bridgeManager = await consume.bridgeManager;
   const walletBridgeManager = await (bridgeManager &&
     makeScopedBridge(bridgeManager, BridgeId.WALLET));
-  const walletFactory = await E(zoe).startInstance(
-    installation,
-    {},
-    {
+
+  const customTerms = await deeplyFulfilledObject(
+    harden({
       agoricNames,
       board: consume.board,
       assetPublisher,
-    },
+    }),
+  );
+
+  const walletFactory = await E(zoe).startInstance(
+    installation,
+    {},
+    customTerms,
     { storageNode, walletBridgeManager },
   );
 
diff --git a/packages/smart-wallet/test/startWalletFactory.test.js b/packages/smart-wallet/test/startWalletFactory.test.js
index b427a7c31cb..528b70655fb 100644
--- a/packages/smart-wallet/test/startWalletFactory.test.js
+++ b/packages/smart-wallet/test/startWalletFactory.test.js
@@ -54,9 +54,12 @@ test.before(async t => {
 
 test('customTermsShape', async t => {
   const { consume, bridgeManager, installation, storageNode } = t.context;
-  const { agoricNames, board, zoe } = consume;
+  const { zoe } = consume;
   const privateArgs = { bridgeManager, storageNode };
 
+  const agoricNames = await consume.agoricNames;
+  const board = await consume.board;
+
   // extra term
   await t.throwsAsync(
     E(zoe).startInstance(
@@ -73,7 +76,7 @@ test('customTermsShape', async t => {
     ),
     {
       message:
-        'customTerms: {"agoricNames":"[Promise]","assetPublisher":{},"board":"[Promise]","extra":"[Seen]"} - Must not have unexpected properties: ["extra"]',
+        'customTerms: {"agoricNames":"[Alleged: NameHubKit nameHub]","assetPublisher":{},"board":"[Alleged: Board board]","extra":"[Seen]"} - Must not have unexpected properties: ["extra"]',
     },
   );
 
@@ -90,14 +93,16 @@ test('customTermsShape', async t => {
     ),
     {
       message:
-        'customTerms: {"agoricNames":"[Promise]"} - Must have missing properties ["board","assetPublisher"]',
+        'customTerms: {"agoricNames":"[Alleged: NameHubKit nameHub]"} - Must have missing properties ["board","assetPublisher"]',
     },
   );
 });
 
 test('privateArgsShape', async t => {
   const { consume, bridgeManager, installation } = t.context;
-  const { agoricNames, board, zoe } = consume;
+  const { zoe } = consume;
+  const agoricNames = await consume.agoricNames;
+  const board = await consume.board;
   const terms = {
     agoricNames,
     board,
diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js
index 10ed3785140..09f78ff2ac9 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js
@@ -290,7 +290,10 @@ export function makeVirtualReferenceManager(
    */
   function isDurable(vref) {
     const { type, id, virtual, durable, allocatedByVat } = parseVatSlot(vref);
-    if (relaxDurabilityRules) {
+    if (type === 'promise') {
+      // promises are not durable even if `relaxDurabilityRules === true`
+      return false;
+    } else if (relaxDurabilityRules) {
       // we'll pretend an object is durable if running with relaxed rules
       return true;
     } else if (type === 'device') {
diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/durabilityChecks.test.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/durabilityChecks.test.js
index a939a681213..dafb3408598 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/durabilityChecks.test.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/test/durabilityChecks.test.js
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ async function runDurabilityCheckTest(t, relaxDurabilityRules) {
     passVal(() => virtualMap.init('non-scalar key', aNonScalarKey));
     passVal(() => virtualMap.init('non-scalar non-key', aNonScalarNonKey));
 
-    condVal(() => durableMap.init('promise', aPassablePromise));
+    failVal(() => durableMap.init('promise', aPassablePromise));
     passVal(() => durableMap.init('error', aPassableError));
     passVal(() => durableMap.init('non-scalar key', aNonScalarKey));
     passVal(() => durableMap.init('non-scalar non-key', aNonScalarNonKey));
diff --git a/packages/vats/tools/boot-test-utils.js b/packages/vats/tools/boot-test-utils.js
index cb8fc7b9cf6..f43f6e15552 100644
--- a/packages/vats/tools/boot-test-utils.js
+++ b/packages/vats/tools/boot-test-utils.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { Fail } from '@endo/errors';
+import { E } from '@endo/far';
 import { Far } from '@endo/marshal';
 
 import {
@@ -126,7 +127,8 @@ export const makePopulatedFakeVatAdmin = () => {
     const baggage = makeScalarBigMapStore('baggage');
     const adminNode =
       /** @type {import('@agoric/swingset-vat').VatAdminFacet} */ ({});
-    return { root: buildRoot({}, vatParameters, baggage), adminNode };
+    const rootP = buildRoot({}, vatParameters, baggage);
+    return E.when(rootP, root => harden({ root, adminNode }));
   };
   const createVatByName = async name => {
     return createVat(fakeNameToCap.get(name) || Fail`unknown vat ${name}`);
diff --git a/packages/zoe/tools/fakeVatAdmin.js b/packages/zoe/tools/fakeVatAdmin.js
index d56565079b5..b174a067309 100644
--- a/packages/zoe/tools/fakeVatAdmin.js
+++ b/packages/zoe/tools/fakeVatAdmin.js
@@ -103,15 +103,16 @@ function makeFakeVatAdmin(testContextSetter = undefined, makeRemote = x => x) {
       //     buildRootObject: vp => ns.buildRootObject(vpow, vp, vatBaggage),
       //   }),
       // );
-      return Promise.resolve(
+      const rootP = makeRemote(
+        E(evalContractBundle(zcfBundle)).buildRootObject(
+          vpow,
+          vatParameters,
+          vatBaggage,
+        ),
+      );
+      return E.when(rootP, root =>
         harden({
-          root: makeRemote(
-            E(evalContractBundle(zcfBundle)).buildRootObject(
-              vpow,
-              vatParameters,
-              vatBaggage,
-            ),
-          ),
+          root,
           adminNode: Far('adminNode', {
             done: () => {
               return exitKit.promise;