diff --git a/cuda_bindings/tests/cufile.json b/cuda_bindings/tests/cufile.json
index 36b3b9bd72..21ab1f3b6b 100644
--- a/cuda_bindings/tests/cufile.json
+++ b/cuda_bindings/tests/cufile.json
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
     // e.g : export CUFILE_ENV_PATH_JSON="/home/<xxx>/cufile.json"
 
 
+            "properties" : {
+                    "allow_compat_mode" : true
+            },
+
             "execution" : {
                     // max number of workitems in the queue;
                     "max_io_queue_depth": 128,
diff --git a/cuda_bindings/tests/test_cufile.py b/cuda_bindings/tests/test_cufile.py
index a4400f637a..64b4b8539a 100644
--- a/cuda_bindings/tests/test_cufile.py
+++ b/cuda_bindings/tests/test_cufile.py
@@ -1394,8 +1394,16 @@ def test_set_get_parameter_size_t():
         (cufile.SizeTConfigParameter.EXECUTION_MAX_REQUEST_PARALLELISM, 4),  # Max 4 parallel requests
     )
 
+    # Snapshot baselines after driver_open so getters reflect merged config (defaults + JSON),
+    # not pre-open pending state that could restore invalid values (e.g. 0 for per-buffer cache).
+    cufile.driver_open()
+    try:
+        originals = {param: cufile.get_parameter_size_t(param) for param, _ in param_val_pairs}
+    finally:
+        cufile.driver_close()
+
     def test_param(param, val):
-        orig_val = cufile.get_parameter_size_t(param)
+        orig_val = originals[param]
         cufile.set_parameter_size_t(param, val)
         retrieved_val = cufile.get_parameter_size_t(param)
         assert retrieved_val == val
@@ -1412,6 +1420,14 @@ def test_param(param, val):
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures("ctx")
 def test_set_get_parameter_bool():
     """Test setting and getting boolean parameters with cuFile validation."""
+    # Do not exercise allow/force compat via set_parameter_bool before any driver_open:
+    # pending API values are applied after JSON load on first open and can overwrite
+    # cufile.json (e.g. allow_compat_mode: true), causing DRIVER_NOT_INITIALIZED when
+    # nvidia-fs is not loaded. Other tests cover compat behavior where appropriate.
+    _COMPAT_PARAMS = (
+        cufile.BoolConfigParameter.PROPERTIES_ALLOW_COMPAT_MODE,
+        cufile.BoolConfigParameter.FORCE_COMPAT_MODE,
+    )
     param_val_pairs = (
         (cufile.BoolConfigParameter.PROPERTIES_USE_POLL_MODE, True),
         (cufile.BoolConfigParameter.PROPERTIES_ALLOW_COMPAT_MODE, False),
@@ -1426,9 +1442,16 @@ def test_set_get_parameter_bool():
         (cufile.BoolConfigParameter.SKIP_TOPOLOGY_DETECTION, False),
         (cufile.BoolConfigParameter.STREAM_MEMOPS_BYPASS, True),
     )
+    param_val_pairs = tuple((p, v) for p, v in param_val_pairs if p not in _COMPAT_PARAMS)
+
+    cufile.driver_open()
+    try:
+        originals = {param: cufile.get_parameter_bool(param) for param, _ in param_val_pairs}
+    finally:
+        cufile.driver_close()
 
     def test_param(param, val):
-        orig_val = cufile.get_parameter_bool(param)
+        orig_val = originals[param]
         cufile.set_parameter_bool(param, val)
         retrieved_val = cufile.get_parameter_bool(param)
         assert retrieved_val is val
@@ -1468,8 +1491,14 @@ def test_set_get_parameter_string(tmp_path):
         ),  # Test log directory
     )
 
+    cufile.driver_open()
+    try:
+        originals = {param: cufile.get_parameter_string(param, 256) for param, _, _ in param_val_pairs}
+    finally:
+        cufile.driver_close()
+
     def test_param(param, val, default_val):
-        orig_val = cufile.get_parameter_string(param, 256)
+        orig_val = originals[param]
 
         val_b = val.encode("utf-8")
         val_buf = ctypes.create_string_buffer(val_b)