diff --git a/crates/ecstore/src/set_disk/mod.rs b/crates/ecstore/src/set_disk/mod.rs
index 269d32b7d..d6c2a0aac 100644
--- a/crates/ecstore/src/set_disk/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/ecstore/src/set_disk/mod.rs
@@ -10048,6 +10048,10 @@ mod tests {
         let set_disks = make_local_bucket_test_set_disks().await;
         let bucket = "free-version-decommission";
         let object = "object.txt";
+        set_disks
+            .make_bucket(bucket, &MakeBucketOptions::default())
+            .await
+            .expect("target bucket should exist before free-version migration");
         let version_id = Uuid::new_v4();
         let mut free_version = FileInfo {
             name: object.to_string(),
@@ -10060,6 +10064,14 @@ mod tests {
             ..Default::default()
         };
         free_version.set_tier_free_version();
+        // Decoded free versions always carry the on-disk free-version
+        // suffix alongside the in-memory tier marker; mirror that here so
+        // the record satisfies delete-marker metadata validation.
+        rustfs_utils::http::metadata_compat::insert_str(
+            &mut free_version.metadata,
+            rustfs_utils::http::metadata_compat::SUFFIX_FREE_VERSION,
+            String::new(),
+        );
 
         set_disks
             .decommission_tier_free_version(bucket, object, &free_version, &ObjectOptions::default())
@@ -10099,6 +10111,10 @@ mod tests {
         let set_disks = make_local_bucket_test_set_disks_with_drive_count(4).await;
         let bucket = "free-version-decommission-resume";
         let object = "object.txt";
+        set_disks
+            .make_bucket(bucket, &MakeBucketOptions::default())
+            .await
+            .expect("target bucket should exist before free-version migration");
         let mut free_version = FileInfo {
             name: object.to_string(),
             volume: bucket.to_string(),
@@ -10110,6 +10126,14 @@ mod tests {
             ..Default::default()
         };
         free_version.set_tier_free_version();
+        // Decoded free versions always carry the on-disk free-version
+        // suffix alongside the in-memory tier marker; mirror that here so
+        // the record satisfies delete-marker metadata validation.
+        rustfs_utils::http::metadata_compat::insert_str(
+            &mut free_version.metadata,
+            rustfs_utils::http::metadata_compat::SUFFIX_FREE_VERSION,
+            String::new(),
+        );
         let opts = ObjectOptions::default();
 
         let disks = set_disks.get_disks_internal().await;