diff --git a/tests/test_wal.py b/tests/test_wal.py
index 69a263a..a0c848b 100644
--- a/tests/test_wal.py
+++ b/tests/test_wal.py
@@ -40,3 +40,131 @@ def test_wal_log_redacts_and_writes(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     assert entry["operation"] == "op"
     assert entry["params"]["entry"].startswith("[REDACTED")
     assert entry["params"]["safe"] == "ok"
+
+
+def test_wal_ensure_is_idempotent_and_cached(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """_ensure_wal hardens the dir once, then short-circuits on the cached path.
+
+    Covers the cache-hit early return (wal.py:58): once _WAL_INITIALIZED_DIR
+    matches the WAL dir, a second call must not touch the filesystem again. This
+    is what stops a persistent chmod failure on a restricted FS from being
+    retried on every single write.
+    """
+    from pathlib import Path
+
+    from mempalace import wal
+
+    wal_dir = tmp_path / "wal"
+    wal_dir.mkdir()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal, "_WAL_FILE", wal_dir / "write_log.jsonl")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal, "_WAL_INITIALIZED_DIR", None)
+
+    wal._ensure_wal()
+    assert wal._WAL_INITIALIZED_DIR == wal_dir
+
+    # After caching, a second call must return before reaching any chmod/mkdir.
+    def _boom(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise AssertionError("filesystem touched again after dir was cached")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "chmod", _boom)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "mkdir", _boom)
+    wal._ensure_wal()  # must hit the cached early-return, not raise
+
+
+def test_wal_log_never_raises_when_write_fails(tmp_path, monkeypatch, caplog):
+    """A WAL write failure is logged and swallowed, never crashing the caller.
+
+    Covers wal.py:96-97 — the module docstring and _wal_log both promise that
+    any WAL failure is non-fatal, so a tool call is never broken by audit-log
+    I/O (e.g. a full disk or a read-only filesystem).
+    """
+    import logging
+
+    from mempalace import wal
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal, "_WAL_FILE", tmp_path / "wal" / "write_log.jsonl")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal, "_WAL_INITIALIZED_DIR", None)
+
+    def _boom(*args, **kwargs):
+        raise OSError("no space left on device")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal.os, "open", _boom)
+
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.ERROR, logger="mempalace.wal"):
+        wal._wal_log("add_drawer", {"safe": "ok"})  # must not raise
+
+    assert any("WAL write failed" in r.getMessage() for r in caplog.records)
+
+
+def test_wal_ensure_swallows_chmod_failure_on_existing_dir(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A denied chmod on an existing dir is swallowed and the dir still caches.
+
+    Covers wal.py:67-68 — the WAL dir already exists (so no FileNotFoundError),
+    but chmod is denied (restricted FS). _ensure_wal must not raise and must
+    cache the dir so the failing chmod is not retried on every write.
+    """
+    from pathlib import Path
+
+    from mempalace import wal
+
+    wal_dir = tmp_path / "wal"
+    wal_dir.mkdir()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal, "_WAL_FILE", wal_dir / "write_log.jsonl")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal, "_WAL_INITIALIZED_DIR", None)
+
+    def _denied(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise OSError("operation not permitted")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "chmod", _denied)
+
+    wal._ensure_wal()  # must not raise
+    assert wal._WAL_INITIALIZED_DIR == wal_dir
+
+
+def test_wal_ensure_swallows_mkdir_failure(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A failed fallback mkdir is swallowed and the dir still caches.
+
+    Covers wal.py:65-66 — chmod raises FileNotFoundError (dir absent), the
+    fallback mkdir then fails too (read-only parent). _ensure_wal must not raise.
+    """
+    from pathlib import Path
+
+    from mempalace import wal
+
+    wal_dir = tmp_path / "missing" / "wal"
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal, "_WAL_FILE", wal_dir / "write_log.jsonl")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal, "_WAL_INITIALIZED_DIR", None)
+
+    def _not_found(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise FileNotFoundError
+
+    def _mkdir_denied(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise OSError("read-only file system")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "chmod", _not_found)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "mkdir", _mkdir_denied)
+
+    wal._ensure_wal()  # must not raise
+    assert wal._WAL_INITIALIZED_DIR == wal_dir
+
+
+def test_wal_log_redacts_non_string_values(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Non-string values under a redact key use the plain [REDACTED] marker.
+
+    Covers the else-branch of the redaction ternary (wal.py:80): only str values
+    get the "[REDACTED N chars]" form; any other type is fully redacted without
+    calling len() on it.
+    """
+    import json
+
+    from mempalace import wal
+
+    wal_file = tmp_path / "wal" / "write_log.jsonl"
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal, "_WAL_FILE", wal_file)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(wal, "_WAL_INITIALIZED_DIR", None)
+
+    wal._wal_log("kg_add", {"document": [1, 2, 3], "safe": "ok"})
+
+    entry = json.loads(wal_file.read_text().strip())
+    assert entry["params"]["document"] == "[REDACTED]"
+    assert entry["params"]["safe"] == "ok"