diff --git a/features/session_list_error.feature b/features/session_list_error.feature
index f09fda174..3be95a257 100644
--- a/features/session_list_error.feature
+++ b/features/session_list_error.feature
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-# TDD tests for bug #554 — the DI container fix has landed.
-# The @tdd_expected_fail tags have been removed; all scenarios now pass.
+# TDD tests for bug #554 — expected to fail until the DI container fix lands.
+# Once the fix is applied, remove the @tdd_expected_fail tags and verify all
+# scenarios pass.
 Feature: Session list command handles missing database gracefully
   As a developer using the agents CLI
   I want "agents session list" to work after a fresh init
@@ -8,28 +9,28 @@ Feature: Session list command handles missing database gracefully
   Background:
     Given a session-list-error CLI runner using the real DI path
 
-  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554
+  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554 @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Session list returns empty list when no sessions exist
     When I invoke session-list-error list with default format
     Then the session-list-error command should exit successfully
     And the session-list-error output should contain "No sessions found"
     And the session-list-error output should not contain "AttributeError"
 
-  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554
+  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554 @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Session list after init does not raise DI error
     When I invoke session-list-error list with default format
     Then the session-list-error command should exit successfully
     And the session-list-error output should not contain "AttributeError"
     And the session-list-error output should not contain "INTERNAL"
 
-  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554
+  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554 @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Session list returns sessions after creation via service
     Given a session-list-error service with a pre-populated session
     When I invoke session-list-error list with default format
     Then the session-list-error command should exit successfully
     And the session-list-error output should contain "Sessions ("
 
-  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554
+  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554 @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Session list works with rich output format
     Given a session-list-error service with a pre-populated session
     When I invoke session-list-error list with format "rich"
@@ -37,21 +38,21 @@ Feature: Session list command handles missing database gracefully
     And the session-list-error output should contain "Sessions ("
     And the session-list-error output should not contain "AttributeError"
 
-  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554
+  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554 @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Session list works with JSON output format
     Given a session-list-error service with a pre-populated session
     When I invoke session-list-error list with format "json"
     Then the session-list-error command should exit successfully
     And the session-list-error output should be valid JSON containing "sessions"
 
-  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554
+  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554 @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Session list works with plain output format
     Given a session-list-error service with a pre-populated session
     When I invoke session-list-error list with format "plain"
     Then the session-list-error command should exit successfully
     And the session-list-error output should contain "Sessions ("
 
-  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554
+  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554 @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Session list works with YAML output format
     Given a session-list-error service with a pre-populated session
     When I invoke session-list-error list with format "yaml"
@@ -62,21 +63,21 @@ Feature: Session list command handles missing database gracefully
   # with explicit output formats.  The production code currently bypasses
   # --format for empty lists, so these document the expected behaviour.
 
-  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554
+  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554 @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Empty session list with JSON format produces valid JSON
     When I invoke session-list-error list with format "json"
     Then the session-list-error command should exit successfully
     And the session-list-error output should be valid JSON containing "sessions"
     And the session-list-error output should not contain "AttributeError"
 
-  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554
+  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554 @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Empty session list with YAML format produces valid YAML
     When I invoke session-list-error list with format "yaml"
     Then the session-list-error command should exit successfully
     And the session-list-error output should be valid YAML containing "sessions"
     And the session-list-error output should not contain "AttributeError"
 
-  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554
+  @tdd_bug @tdd_bug_554 @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Empty session list with plain format does not error
     When I invoke session-list-error list with format "plain"
     Then the session-list-error command should exit successfully
diff --git a/features/tdd_session_list_di.feature b/features/tdd_session_list_di.feature
index 6384dcd71..a9aa42131 100644
--- a/features/tdd_session_list_di.feature
+++ b/features/tdd_session_list_di.feature
@@ -9,16 +9,19 @@ Feature: TDD Bug #554 — session list DI container missing db provider
   `container.db()`, but the Container class has no `db` provider, causing
   an AttributeError at runtime.
 
+  @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Session list command succeeds via DI container
     Given a CLI runner using the real session DI path
     When I invoke the session list command
     Then the session list command should exit successfully
 
+  @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Session list DI path resolves a SessionService
     Given a CLI runner using the real session DI path
     When I request the session service from the DI container
     Then the session service should be a valid SessionService instance
 
+  @tdd_expected_fail
   Scenario: Session list command produces structured output via DI
     Given a CLI runner using the real session DI path
     When I invoke the session list command with format json
diff --git a/robot/helper_tdd_session_list_di.py b/robot/helper_tdd_session_list_di.py
index d2bf214f8..68e89f6d1 100644
--- a/robot/helper_tdd_session_list_di.py
+++ b/robot/helper_tdd_session_list_di.py
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 """Helper script for tdd_session_list_di.robot smoke tests.
 
 Each subcommand exercises the real DI path (no mocks) to reproduce bug #554.
-Because Robot Framework does not yet have ``@tdd_expected_fail`` inversion
-logic (issue #628), this helper **inverts the result itself**: it prints the
-sentinel and exits 0 when the bug is detected (expected), and exits 1 if
-the bug appears to be fixed (meaning the ``@tdd_expected_fail`` tag should
-be removed).
+The helper reports the **real** outcome: it exits 0 and prints the sentinel
+when the operation succeeds (bug is fixed), and exits 1 when the bug is
+still present.  The ``tdd_expected_fail_listener`` on the Robot side handles
+pass/fail inversion while the bug remains open.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -64,18 +63,17 @@ def _teardown(db_path: str) -> None:
 def list_di_error() -> None:
     """Invoke ``session list`` through the real DI path.
 
-    Expected: the command fails because ``container.db()`` does not exist.
+    Exits 0 with sentinel when the command succeeds (bug fixed).
+    Exits 1 when the command fails (bug still present).
     """
     db_path = _setup_real_di()
     try:
         result = runner.invoke(session_app, ["list"])
-        if result.exit_code != 0:
-            # Bug present — expected failure.
+        if result.exit_code == 0:
             print("tdd-session-list-di-error-ok")
         else:
             print(
-                "ERROR: session list succeeded — bug #554 appears fixed. "
-                "Remove @tdd_expected_fail tag.",
+                f"session list failed with exit code {result.exit_code}",
                 file=sys.stderr,
             )
             sys.exit(1)
@@ -86,23 +84,21 @@ def list_di_error() -> None:
 def service_resolution() -> None:
     """Call ``_get_session_service()`` to verify DI resolution.
 
-    Expected: raises ``AttributeError`` because ``container.db()`` is missing.
+    Exits 0 with sentinel when the service resolves (bug fixed).
+    Exits 1 when resolution raises AttributeError (bug still present).
     """
     db_path = _setup_real_di()
     try:
         try:
             session_mod._get_session_service()
-        except AttributeError:
-            # Bug present — expected failure.
-            print("tdd-session-list-service-resolution-ok")
-            return
+        except AttributeError as exc:
+            print(
+                f"_get_session_service() raised {exc!r}",
+                file=sys.stderr,
+            )
+            sys.exit(1)
 
-        print(
-            "ERROR: _get_session_service() succeeded — bug #554 appears fixed. "
-            "Remove @tdd_expected_fail tag.",
-            file=sys.stderr,
-        )
-        sys.exit(1)
+        print("tdd-session-list-service-resolution-ok")
     finally:
         _teardown(db_path)
 
@@ -110,18 +106,17 @@ def service_resolution() -> None:
 def list_json() -> None:
     """Invoke ``session list --format json`` through the real DI path.
 
-    Expected: the command fails because ``container.db()`` does not exist.
+    Exits 0 with sentinel when the command succeeds (bug fixed).
+    Exits 1 when the command fails (bug still present).
     """
     db_path = _setup_real_di()
     try:
         result = runner.invoke(session_app, ["list", "--format", "json"])
-        if result.exit_code != 0:
-            # Bug present — expected failure.
+        if result.exit_code == 0:
             print("tdd-session-list-json-ok")
         else:
             print(
-                "ERROR: session list --format json succeeded — bug #554 appears "
-                "fixed. Remove @tdd_expected_fail tag.",
+                f"session list --format json failed with exit code {result.exit_code}",
                 file=sys.stderr,
             )
             sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/robot/tdd_session_list_di.robot b/robot/tdd_session_list_di.robot
index dae35abd3..9675aeae9 100644
--- a/robot/tdd_session_list_di.robot
+++ b/robot/tdd_session_list_di.robot
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 *** Settings ***
 Documentation    TDD Bug #554 — session list DI container missing db provider
 ...              Integration smoke tests verifying that the session list command
-...              works correctly now that bug #554 is fixed.
+...              succeeds once the DI container has a proper ``db`` provider.
+...              Tagged ``tdd_expected_fail`` until bug #554 is resolved.
 Resource         ${CURDIR}/common.resource
 Suite Setup      Setup Test Environment
 Suite Teardown   Cleanup Test Environment
@@ -11,8 +12,8 @@ ${HELPER}    ${CURDIR}/helper_tdd_session_list_di.py
 
 *** Test Cases ***
 TDD Session List DI Error Via CLI
-    [Documentation]    Verify that ``session list`` triggers the DI db error
-    [Tags]    tdd_bug    tdd_bug_554
+    [Documentation]    Verify that ``session list`` succeeds via the real DI path
+    [Tags]    tdd_bug    tdd_bug_554    tdd_expected_fail
     ${result}=    Run Process    ${PYTHON}    ${HELPER}    list-di-error    cwd=${WORKSPACE}
     Log    ${result.stdout}
     Log    ${result.stderr}
@@ -20,8 +21,8 @@ TDD Session List DI Error Via CLI
     Should Contain    ${result.stdout}    tdd-session-list-di-error-ok
 
 TDD Session List DI Service Resolution
-    [Documentation]    Verify that ``_get_session_service()`` raises AttributeError due to missing db provider
-    [Tags]    tdd_bug    tdd_bug_554
+    [Documentation]    Verify that ``_get_session_service()`` resolves a valid service
+    [Tags]    tdd_bug    tdd_bug_554    tdd_expected_fail
     ${result}=    Run Process    ${PYTHON}    ${HELPER}    service-resolution    cwd=${WORKSPACE}
     Log    ${result.stdout}
     Log    ${result.stderr}
@@ -29,8 +30,8 @@ TDD Session List DI Service Resolution
     Should Contain    ${result.stdout}    tdd-session-list-service-resolution-ok
 
 TDD Session List DI JSON Output
-    [Documentation]    Verify that ``session list --format json`` fails due to DI db error
-    [Tags]    tdd_bug    tdd_bug_554
+    [Documentation]    Verify that ``session list --format json`` succeeds via the real DI path
+    [Tags]    tdd_bug    tdd_bug_554    tdd_expected_fail
     ${result}=    Run Process    ${PYTHON}    ${HELPER}    list-json    cwd=${WORKSPACE}
     Log    ${result.stdout}
     Log    ${result.stderr}