diff --git a/test/shell.d/audio-test.sh b/test/shell.d/audio-test.sh
index 8157f5fb..c0c962cb 100644
--- a/test/shell.d/audio-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/audio-test.sh
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ assert(audio.isAudioSource({ audio: {} }), 'audio detects nodes with audio as so
 assert(audio.isAudioSource({ type: 'Audio/Source' }), 'audio detects typed source nodes')
 
 // A destroyed PwNode stays truthy but reads back no id, which is the shape the
-// third entry stands in for: it must not reach a Repeater row.
+// third entry stands in for: it must not reach a Repeater row. The first carries
+// an object like a live node's audio, so a row that is the node itself fails here.
 assertDeepEqual(
-  audio.rowSnapshot([{ id: 0, name: 'alsa_output' }, { id: 42 }, {}, null]),
+  audio.rowSnapshot([{ id: 0, name: 'alsa_output', audio: { volume: 1 } }, { id: 42 }, {}, null]),
   [{ id: 0, name: 'alsa_output' }, { id: 42, name: '' }],
   'audio projects nodes to primitive rows and drops nodes without an id'
 )