diff --git a/tests/test_component_alarm.py b/tests/test_component_alarm.py
index 1e9c7ba9a..d701d74a7 100644
--- a/tests/test_component_alarm.py
+++ b/tests/test_component_alarm.py
@@ -371,13 +371,22 @@ def test_handle_event(self, alarm_central):
         assert alarm_central.extra_state_attributes["raw_state"] == "deactivation"
         assert alarm_central.extra_state_attributes["state_code"] == 2
 
-        # Armed away event (*5*1*0## - activation)
-        msg_away = OWNEvent.parse("*5*1*0##")
-        alarm_central.handle_event(msg_away)
-        assert alarm_central.alarm_state == STATE_ARMED_AWAY
+        # Activation (*5*1*0##) is "system operational", not armed: the F454
+        # trace (#311) sends it on every disarm (*5*2*0## -> *5*1*0## -> *5*9*0##).
+        # OWNd <= 2.0.0b9 still reads it as armed_away; OWNd#66 does not.
+        msg_activation = OWNEvent.parse("*5*1*0##")
+        alarm_central.handle_event(msg_activation)
+        assert alarm_central.alarm_state == (STATE_ARMED_AWAY if msg_activation.is_armed_away else STATE_DISARMED)
         assert alarm_central.extra_state_attributes["raw_state"] == "activation"
         assert alarm_central.extra_state_attributes["state_code"] == 1
 
+        # Armed away event (*5*8*0## - engage)
+        msg_away = OWNEvent.parse("*5*8*0##")
+        alarm_central.handle_event(msg_away)
+        assert alarm_central.alarm_state == STATE_ARMED_AWAY
+        assert alarm_central.extra_state_attributes["raw_state"] == "engage"
+        assert alarm_central.extra_state_attributes["state_code"] == 8
+
         # Armed home event (*5*11*0## - active zone)
         msg_home = OWNEvent.parse("*5*11*0##")
         alarm_central.handle_event(msg_home)
diff --git a/tests/test_issue_311.py b/tests/test_issue_311.py
index fc64f32d6..f843c9acf 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue_311.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue_311.py
@@ -104,8 +104,9 @@ async def test_real_world_trace_replay_issue_311(hass: HomeAssistant) -> None:
     # In the end of the trace, the alarm is disarmed (*5*2*0## and *5*9*0##)
     assert alarm_0.state == AlarmControlPanelState.DISARMED
 
-    # 2. Test arming away event explicitly on the entity
-    arm_msg = OWNMessage.parse("*5*1*0##")
+    # 2. Test arming away event explicitly on the entity. The trace arms with
+    # *5*1*0## -> *5*8*0##: WHAT 8 (engage) is the armed state, WHAT 1 is not.
+    arm_msg = OWNMessage.parse("*5*8*0##")
     assert isinstance(arm_msg, OWNAlarmEvent)
     async_dispatcher_send(hass, f"myhome_message_{mac}", arm_msg)
     await hass.async_block_till_done()
diff --git a/tests/test_issue_466_h4890_trace.py b/tests/test_issue_466_h4890_trace.py
index bb4d717de..1aeed0284 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue_466_h4890_trace.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue_466_h4890_trace.py
@@ -140,8 +140,9 @@ async def test_h4890_alarm_trace_replay_and_state_transitions(hass: HomeAssistan
             alarm_frames.append(raw)
 
     # Authentic alarm frames present in trace
-    assert "*5*9*0##" in alarm_frames  # Disarm
-    assert "*5*1*0##" in alarm_frames  # Arm away
+    # A disarmed panel's status dump: activation + disengaged, then zone states
+    assert "*5*9*0##" in alarm_frames  # Disengaged
+    assert "*5*1*0##" in alarm_frames  # Activation (system operational, not armed)
     assert "*5*11*#1##" in alarm_frames
     assert "*5*11*#5##" in alarm_frames
     assert "*5*18*#7##" in alarm_frames
@@ -171,8 +172,8 @@ async def test_h4890_alarm_trace_replay_and_state_transitions(hass: HomeAssistan
         alarm.handle_event(OWNAlarmEvent.parse("*5*9*0##"))
         assert alarm.alarm_state == AlarmControlPanelState.DISARMED
 
-        # Feed arm away frame *5*1*0##
-        alarm.handle_event(OWNAlarmEvent.parse("*5*1*0##"))
+        # Feed arm away frame *5*8*0## (engage; the trace has no arm transition)
+        alarm.handle_event(OWNAlarmEvent.parse("*5*8*0##"))
         assert alarm.alarm_state == AlarmControlPanelState.ARMED_AWAY
 
         # Disarm again
diff --git a/tests/test_issue_564_mh202_alarm_trace.py b/tests/test_issue_564_mh202_alarm_trace.py
index 8d5ffb3f1..950e3b471 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue_564_mh202_alarm_trace.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue_564_mh202_alarm_trace.py
@@ -148,8 +148,9 @@ async def test_mh202_alarm_entity_state_transitions(hass: HomeAssistant) -> None
         alarm.hass = hass
         alarm.async_schedule_update_ha_state = MagicMock()
 
-        # Feed arm away frame *5*1*0##
-        arm_event = OWNAlarmEvent.parse("*5*1*0##")
+        # Feed arm away frame *5*8*0## (engage). The trace's *5*1*0## sits 3 ms
+        # before *5*9*0## in one status dump: activation, not armed.
+        arm_event = OWNAlarmEvent.parse("*5*8*0##")
         assert arm_event is not None
         assert arm_event.is_armed_away is True
         alarm.handle_event(arm_event)