diff --git a/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/functional_test.go b/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/functional_test.go
index e95a65589..1ee6572d7 100644
--- a/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/functional_test.go
+++ b/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/functional_test.go
@@ -1569,7 +1569,7 @@ func TestSuspendActor(t *testing.T) {
 		LatestSnapshotInfo: &ateapipb.SnapshotInfo{
 			Data: &ateapipb.SnapshotInfo_External{
 				External: &ateapipb.ExternalSnapshotInfo{
-					SnapshotUriPrefix: fmt.Sprintf("gs://fake-fake-fake/%s/", name),
+					SnapshotUriPrefix: "gs://fake-fake-fake/snapshots/",
 				},
 			},
 		},
diff --git a/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_suspend.go b/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_suspend.go
index 706c97891..1bc9b0151 100644
--- a/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_suspend.go
+++ b/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_suspend.go
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func (s *MarkSuspendingStep) CheckPrerequisite(ctx context.Context, input *Suspe
 func (s *MarkSuspendingStep) Execute(ctx context.Context, input *SuspendInput, state *SuspendState) error {
 	state.Actor.Status = ateapipb.Actor_STATUS_SUSPENDING
 	snapshotID := time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339) + "-" + rand.Text()
-	state.Actor.InProgressSnapshot = strings.TrimSuffix(state.ActorTemplate.Spec.SnapshotsConfig.Location, "/") + "/" + input.ActorName + "/" + snapshotID
+	state.Actor.InProgressSnapshot = strings.TrimSuffix(state.ActorTemplate.Spec.SnapshotsConfig.Location, "/") + "/snapshots/" + snapshotID
 	updatedActor, err := s.store.UpdateActor(ctx, state.Actor, state.Actor.GetMetadata().GetVersion())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_suspend_test.go b/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_suspend_test.go
index 387087d83..64d9f3681 100644
--- a/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_suspend_test.go
+++ b/cmd/ateapi/internal/controlapi/workflow_suspend_test.go
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@ package controlapi
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/agent-substrate/substrate/cmd/ateapi/internal/store"
 	"github.com/agent-substrate/substrate/cmd/ateapi/internal/store/ateredis"
 	"github.com/agent-substrate/substrate/cmd/ateapi/internal/store/storetest"
+	atev1alpha1 "github.com/agent-substrate/substrate/pkg/api/v1alpha1"
 	"github.com/agent-substrate/substrate/pkg/proto/ateapipb"
 	"github.com/alicebob/miniredis/v2"
 	"github.com/redis/go-redis/v9"
@@ -29,6 +31,36 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
 )
 
+func TestMarkSuspendingStep_SnapshotLocation(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	persistence := newTestPersistence(t)
+	actor, err := persistence.CreateActor(ctx, &ateapipb.Actor{
+		Metadata: &ateapipb.ResourceMetadata{Atespace: "team-a", Name: "actor-1"},
+		Status:   ateapipb.Actor_STATUS_RUNNING,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("CreateActor: %v", err)
+	}
+	state := &SuspendState{
+		Actor: actor,
+		ActorTemplate: &atev1alpha1.ActorTemplate{Spec: atev1alpha1.ActorTemplateSpec{
+			SnapshotsConfig: atev1alpha1.SnapshotsConfig{Location: "gs://bucket/root/"},
+		}},
+	}
+	if err := (&MarkSuspendingStep{store: persistence}).Execute(ctx, &SuspendInput{Atespace: "team-a", ActorName: "actor-1"}, state); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Execute: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	const prefix = "gs://bucket/root/snapshots/"
+	snapshotID, ok := strings.CutPrefix(state.Actor.GetInProgressSnapshot(), prefix)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("snapshot location = %q, want prefix %q", state.Actor.GetInProgressSnapshot(), prefix)
+	}
+	if snapshotID == "" {
+		t.Fatal("snapshot ID is empty")
+	}
+}
+
 // TestSuspendActorWorkflow_RejectedAndIdempotentPaths covers the two
 // short-circuit paths of the suspend workflow: rejection by
 // MarkSuspendingStep's CheckPrerequisite and the IsComplete idempotent