diff --git a/tests/e2e/budgets/test_model_max_budget_e2e.py b/tests/e2e/budgets/test_model_max_budget_e2e.py
index c11e50f679c..44e6a333ef0 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/budgets/test_model_max_budget_e2e.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/budgets/test_model_max_budget_e2e.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def test_model_max_budget_isolates_per_model(
 
     # The other model shares the key but has its own (large) cap -> still works.
     other = _call(client, key, FREE_MODEL)
-    require_successful_call(other)  # its own large cap -> must succeed, never a budget block
     assert not is_budget_block(other), (
         f"{FREE_MODEL} was blocked by {CAPPED_MODEL}'s budget; per-model caps not isolated"
     )
+    require_successful_call(other)
diff --git a/tests/e2e/budgets/test_tag_budget_e2e.py b/tests/e2e/budgets/test_tag_budget_e2e.py
index 492aa89b528..7cec5bc96c1 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/budgets/test_tag_budget_e2e.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/budgets/test_tag_budget_e2e.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def test_tag_budget_blocks_tagged_requests(
     # A request with an unbudgeted tag on the same key is unaffected.
     free_tag = f"e2e-free-tag-{unique_marker()}"
     other = _tagged_call(client, scoped_key, free_tag)
-    require_successful_call(other)
     assert not is_budget_block(other), (
         f"unbudgeted tag {free_tag!r} was blocked by {budgeted_tag!r}'s budget"
     )
+    require_successful_call(other)