diff --git a/features/acms_hot_storage_tier.feature b/features/acms_hot_storage_tier.feature
index 3a7aac988..b1849d075 100644
--- a/features/acms_hot_storage_tier.feature
+++ b/features/acms_hot_storage_tier.feature
@@ -191,10 +191,12 @@ Feature: ACMS Hot Storage Tier (in-memory LRU cache)
   Scenario: Remove returns the content of the removed entry
     Given a HotStorageTier with no capacity limits
     When I put entry "r2" with content "my-content"
+    And I remove "r2" from the hot tier
     Then removing "r2" from the hot tier should return "my-content"
 
   Scenario: Remove returns None for missing entry
     Given a HotStorageTier with no capacity limits
+    When I remove "nonexistent" from the hot tier
     Then removing "nonexistent" from the hot tier should return None
 
   Scenario: Remove updates size_bytes correctly
diff --git a/features/steps/acms_hot_storage_tier_steps.py b/features/steps/acms_hot_storage_tier_steps.py
index c16abae11..bf05bfc99 100644
--- a/features/steps/acms_hot_storage_tier_steps.py
+++ b/features/steps/acms_hot_storage_tier_steps.py
@@ -126,13 +126,13 @@ def step_when_remove_entry(context: Any, entry_id: str) -> None:
 
 @then('removing "{entry_id}" from the hot tier should return "{expected}"')
 def step_then_remove_returns(context: Any, entry_id: str, expected: str) -> None:
-    result = context.hot_tier.remove(entry_id)
+    result = context.last_remove_result
     assert result == expected, f"Expected {expected!r}, got {result!r}"
 
 
 @then('removing "{entry_id}" from the hot tier should return None')
 def step_then_remove_returns_none(context: Any, entry_id: str) -> None:
-    result = context.hot_tier.remove(entry_id)
+    result = context.last_remove_result
     assert result is None, f"Expected None, got {result!r}"