diff --git a/template/tests/test_examples.py.jinja b/template/tests/test_examples.py.jinja
deleted file mode 100644
index 9fb18f1..0000000
--- a/template/tests/test_examples.py.jinja
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-{% if include_examples %}"""Tests for marimo notebook examples.
-
-This module validates that all notebook examples in the examples/ directory
-can be executed successfully as Python scripts.
-
-Marimo notebooks can be run directly with Python:
-https://docs.marimo.io/getting_started/quickstart/#run-as-scripts
-"""
-
-import pathlib
-import subprocess
-
-import pytest
-
-# Discover all example notebooks
-EXAMPLES_DIR = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.parent / "examples"
-
-
-@pytest.mark.example
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("notebook_file", sorted(EXAMPLES_DIR.glob("*.py")))
-def test_notebook_runs_without_error(notebook_file: pathlib.Path) -> None:
-    """Test that a notebook example runs successfully as a script.
-
-    Marimo notebooks can be run directly as Python scripts.
-    See: https://docs.marimo.io/getting_started/quickstart/#run-as-scripts
-
-    Args:
-        notebook_file: Path to the notebook file to test.
-    """
-    # stdin is closed and the run is bounded: a notebook that blocks on input --
-    # a stray breakpoint(), an input() -- otherwise inherits the terminal's stdin
-    # and hangs here forever with no output instead of failing.
-    result = subprocess.run(
-        ["python", str(notebook_file)],
-        capture_output=True,
-        text=True,
-        check=False,
-        stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL,
-        timeout=300,
-    )
-    assert result.returncode == 0, (
-        f"Notebook {notebook_file.name} failed with:\\nSTDOUT:\\n{result.stdout}\\nSTDERR:\\n{result.stderr}"
-    )
-{%- endif %}
diff --git a/template/tests/{% if include_examples %}test_examples.py{% endif %}.jinja b/template/tests/{% if include_examples %}test_examples.py{% endif %}.jinja
index 4f2c58b..6e8175d 100644
--- a/template/tests/{% if include_examples %}test_examples.py{% endif %}.jinja	
+++ b/template/tests/{% if include_examples %}test_examples.py{% endif %}.jinja	
@@ -39,6 +39,6 @@ def test_notebook_runs_without_error(notebook_file: pathlib.Path) -> None:
         timeout=300,
     )
     assert result.returncode == 0, (
-        f"Notebook {notebook_file.name} failed with:\\nSTDOUT:\\n{result.stdout}\\nSTDERR:\\n{result.stderr}"
+        f"Notebook {notebook_file.name} failed with:\nSTDOUT:\n{result.stdout}\nSTDERR:\n{result.stderr}"
     )
 {% endif -%}
diff --git a/tests/test_template.py b/tests/test_template.py
index c712546..c76f628 100644
--- a/tests/test_template.py
+++ b/tests/test_template.py
@@ -564,6 +564,16 @@ def test_examples_directory_when_enabled(copie):
     assert "subprocess.run" in test_examples_content
     assert '["python", str(notebook_file)]' in test_examples_content
     assert "https://docs.marimo.io/getting_started/quickstart/#run-as-scripts" in test_examples_content
+    # The failure message must use a real newline escape (single backslash). A doubled
+    # backslash in the .jinja source renders as a literal two-character \n, printing the
+    # diagnostic on one line with a visible \n instead of breaking it.
+    assert r"failed with:\nSTDOUT" in test_examples_content, "assert message lost its newline escape"
+    assert r"failed with:\\nSTDOUT" not in test_examples_content, (
+        "assert message double-escapes the newline; use a single backslash in the .jinja source"
+    )
+    # The bounded-run guards from v0.27.0 must survive here too.
+    assert "stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL" in test_examples_content
+    assert "timeout=" in test_examples_content
 
     # Check docs/examples/ directory exists for exports
     docs_examples_dir = result.project_dir / "docs" / "examples"
@@ -641,6 +651,14 @@ def test_examples_directory_when_disabled(copie):
     noxfile_content = (result.project_dir / "noxfile.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
     assert "def test_examples(session:" not in noxfile_content
 
+    # The example test itself must not exist at all. A previous template shipped two
+    # near-duplicate .jinja sources for it -- one filename-gated, one not -- and the
+    # ungated one rendered a stray 1-byte tests/test_examples.py here, invisible because
+    # an empty file breaks nothing.
+    assert not (result.project_dir / "tests" / "test_examples.py").exists(), (
+        "tests/test_examples.py should not exist when include_examples=False"
+    )
+
     # Check justfile doesn't have example command
     justfile_content = (result.project_dir / "justfile").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
     # Should not have the example command, but might have other content