diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 7e70688..c07f08e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -51,5 +51,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Outfit lab tests
         working-directory: games/ultima-online/outfit-lab
         run: python -m unittest -q
+      # Blender matrix: neither job installs Blender and SPRITEMOTION_BLENDER is unset, so the tests marked
+      # `requires_blender` (tests/integration/test_blender_loop.py) report as skipped here. They run on a
+      # machine with Blender 4.2 or newer: local gates, or a runner that sets SPRITEMOTION_BLENDER.
       # Hosted runners do not prove proprietary-model renders or in-game fit.
       # Those require local acceptance evidence in the PR.
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 646cbb4..d47238f 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -19,6 +19,20 @@
     _spec.loader.exec_module(sys.modules["spritemotion"])
 
 
+def blender_exe() -> str | None:
+    """The Blender executable (SPRITEMOTION_BLENDER first, see spritemotion.blender), or None when there is none."""
+    from spritemotion.blender import find_blender
+    try:
+        exe = find_blender()
+    except RuntimeError:
+        return None
+    return exe if Path(exe).exists() else None
+
+
+# Every test that starts Blender carries this mark; the CI jobs that have no Blender report them as skipped.
+requires_blender = pytest.mark.skipif(blender_exe() is None, reason="Blender not found (set SPRITEMOTION_BLENDER)")
+
+
 def load_module(path: Path, name: str):
     """Import a script that lives outside the package (game adapters, examples, migrations)."""
     spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(name, path)
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_blender_loop.py b/tests/integration/test_blender_loop.py
index b873d77..6ffb6ea 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_blender_loop.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_blender_loop.py
@@ -10,23 +10,13 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from spritemotion.blender import find_blender
 from spritemotion.jsonio import read_json
 from spritemotion.pipeline.cli import main as cli
 
-from conftest import REPO, SAMPLE
+from conftest import REPO, SAMPLE, blender_exe, requires_blender
 
 
-def locate_blender() -> str | None:
-    try:
-        exe = find_blender()
-    except RuntimeError:
-        return None
-    return exe if Path(exe).exists() else None
-
-
-BLENDER = locate_blender()
-pytestmark = pytest.mark.skipif(BLENDER is None, reason="Blender not found (set SPRITEMOTION_BLENDER)")
+BLENDER = blender_exe()
 
 
 def blender(*args, blend: Path | None = None) -> str:
@@ -36,11 +26,13 @@ def blender(*args, blend: Path | None = None) -> str:
     return done.stdout
 
 
+@requires_blender
 def test_blender_smoke(tmp_path):
     out = blender(REPO / "tools" / "blender" / "tests" / "smoke_test.py", "--", "--out", tmp_path)
     assert "6/6 Blender checks passed" in out, out[-2000:]
 
 
+@requires_blender
 def test_sample_loop(tmp_path):
     mapping = SAMPLE / "rig" / "sample-mapping.json"
     blend, rig, fit = tmp_path / "sample.blend", tmp_path / "rig.json", tmp_path / "fit.json"
@@ -63,6 +55,7 @@ def test_sample_loop(tmp_path):
     assert min(summary["by_direction"].values()) > 0.85
 
 
+@requires_blender
 def test_rekeying_keeps_earlier_passes(tmp_path):
     """A second pass saved over the same scene keeps the first as a file version and as an action."""
     from spritemotion.pipeline import versions
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_repository.py b/tests/integration/test_repository.py
index 41ef104..131fd57 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_repository.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_repository.py
@@ -207,3 +207,14 @@ def test_code_has_no_hardcoded_windows_font_or_blender_paths():
             if HARDCODED_TOOL_PATH.search(line):
                 offenders.append(f"{rel}:{number}: {line.strip()[:100]}")
     assert offenders == []
+
+
+def test_every_test_that_starts_blender_is_marked_requires_blender():
+    """A machine without Blender must skip those tests with a reason, not fail them (see the CI note in ci.yml)."""
+    for path in sorted((REPO / "tests").rglob("test_*.py")):
+        text = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8").replace("\r\n", "\n")
+        if path.name == Path(__file__).name or "--factory-startup" not in text:
+            continue
+        tests = len(re.findall(r"^def test_", text, re.MULTILINE))
+        marked = len(re.findall(r"^@requires_blender\ndef test_", text, re.MULTILINE))
+        assert tests == marked, f"{path.name}: {tests - marked} test(s) start Blender without @requires_blender"