diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependency-review.yml b/.github/workflows/dependency-review.yml
index b544f1bce..c6db9b723 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dependency-review.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependency-review.yml
@@ -22,25 +22,12 @@ on:
       - '.github/dependabot.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/dependency-review.yml'
   pull_request:
+    # No `paths:` filter here on purpose. `dependency-review` is a required
+    # status check on protected branches; gating it by `paths:` blocks merges
+    # of PRs that don't touch dep files (GitHub waits forever for a check
+    # that doesn't fire). `actions/dependency-review-action` is cheap and
+    # idempotent on no-diff PRs.
     branches: [ "main", "master", "development", "dev" ]
-    paths:
-      - 'Cargo.toml'
-      - 'Cargo.lock'
-      - 'scripts/native_bench/bench_pecos/Cargo.toml'
-      - 'scripts/native_bench/bench_pecos/Cargo.lock'
-      - 'pyproject.toml'
-      - 'python/**/pyproject.toml'
-      - 'uv.lock'
-      - 'requirements*.txt'
-      - '**/requirements*.txt'
-      - 'package.json'
-      - 'package-lock.json'
-      - 'pnpm-lock.yaml'
-      - 'yarn.lock'
-      - 'bun.lock'
-      - 'bun.lockb'
-      - '.github/dependabot.yml'
-      - '.github/workflows/dependency-review.yml'
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
diff --git a/crates/pecos-qis-ffi/src/ffi.rs b/crates/pecos-qis-ffi/src/ffi.rs
index b78cfb42c..9a2f3bfd4 100644
--- a/crates/pecos-qis-ffi/src/ffi.rs
+++ b/crates/pecos-qis-ffi/src/ffi.rs
@@ -1567,18 +1567,16 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn test_heap_alloc_and_free() {
-        let ptr = unsafe { heap_alloc(100) };
-        assert!(!ptr.is_null());
+        let ptr = std::ptr::NonNull::new(unsafe { heap_alloc(100) })
+            .expect("heap_alloc(100) should return non-null");
 
-        // SAFETY: `ptr` was just allocated by `heap_alloc(100)` and asserted non-null
-        // above; the test scope owns it exclusively until `heap_free` below.
+        // SAFETY: `ptr` owns this allocation exclusively for the test scope;
+        // `heap_alloc` returns a properly-aligned `u8` allocation.
         unsafe {
-            std::ptr::write(ptr, 42u8);
-            assert_eq!(std::ptr::read(ptr), 42u8);
+            std::ptr::write(ptr.as_ptr(), 42u8);
+            assert_eq!(std::ptr::read(ptr.as_ptr()), 42u8);
+            heap_free(ptr.as_ptr());
         }
-
-        // Free should not crash
-        unsafe { heap_free(ptr) };
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/crates/pecos-qis-ffi/src/lib.rs b/crates/pecos-qis-ffi/src/lib.rs
index 2f7c986c5..b772a8749 100644
--- a/crates/pecos-qis-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/pecos-qis-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -1046,11 +1046,11 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Get pending operations
         let ptr = pecos_get_pending_operations();
-        assert!(!ptr.is_null());
-
-        // SAFETY: `pecos_get_pending_operations` returns a fresh leaked Box;
-        // non-null asserted above; the test scope owns it until `pecos_free_operations`.
-        let collector = unsafe { &*ptr };
+        // SAFETY: `pecos_get_pending_operations` returns null or a leaked
+        // `Box<OperationCollector>` (properly initialised + aligned);
+        // ownership stays here until `pecos_free_operations` below.
+        let collector =
+            unsafe { ptr.as_ref() }.expect("pecos_get_pending_operations returned null");
         assert_eq!(collector.operations.len(), 2);
 
         // Free the collector
@@ -1341,10 +1341,8 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Verify operations were exported
         let ops_ptr = pecos_get_pending_operations();
-        assert!(!ops_ptr.is_null());
-        // SAFETY: `pecos_get_pending_operations` returns a fresh leaked Box;
-        // non-null asserted above; freed below via `pecos_free_operations`.
-        let ops = unsafe { &*ops_ptr };
+        // SAFETY: see `pecos_get_pending_operations` -- null-or-leaked-Box invariant.
+        let ops = unsafe { ops_ptr.as_ref() }.expect("pecos_get_pending_operations returned null");
         assert_eq!(ops.operations.len(), 2);
         unsafe { pecos_free_operations(ops_ptr) };
 
@@ -1409,10 +1407,8 @@ mod tests {
         let needed_id = pecos_wait_for_need_result(500);
         assert_eq!(needed_id, 0);
         let ops_ptr = pecos_get_pending_operations();
-        assert!(!ops_ptr.is_null());
-        // SAFETY: `pecos_get_pending_operations` returns a fresh leaked Box;
-        // non-null asserted above; freed below via `pecos_free_operations`.
-        let ops = unsafe { &*ops_ptr };
+        // SAFETY: see `pecos_get_pending_operations` -- null-or-leaked-Box invariant.
+        let ops = unsafe { ops_ptr.as_ref() }.expect("pecos_get_pending_operations returned null");
         assert_eq!(ops.operations, vec![Operation::AllocateQubit { id: 0 }]);
         unsafe { pecos_free_operations(ops_ptr) };
         pecos_signal_result_ready();
@@ -1420,10 +1416,8 @@ mod tests {
         let needed_id = pecos_wait_for_need_result(500);
         assert_eq!(needed_id, 1);
         let ops_ptr = pecos_get_pending_operations();
-        assert!(!ops_ptr.is_null());
-        // SAFETY: `pecos_get_pending_operations` returns a fresh leaked Box;
-        // non-null asserted above; freed below via `pecos_free_operations`.
-        let ops = unsafe { &*ops_ptr };
+        // SAFETY: see `pecos_get_pending_operations` -- null-or-leaked-Box invariant.
+        let ops = unsafe { ops_ptr.as_ref() }.expect("pecos_get_pending_operations returned null");
         assert_eq!(ops.operations, vec![Operation::Quantum(QuantumOp::H(0))]);
         unsafe { pecos_free_operations(ops_ptr) };
         pecos_signal_result_ready();