diff --git a/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/ftltest.go b/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/ftltest.go
index 748890830d..0a0993ed2b 100644
--- a/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/ftltest.go
+++ b/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/ftltest.go
@@ -523,8 +523,13 @@ func CallEmpty[VerbClient any](ctx context.Context) error {
 
 func call[VerbClient, Req, Resp any](ctx context.Context, req Req) (resp Resp, err error) {
 	ref := reflection.ClientRef[VerbClient]()
+	// always allow direct behavior for the verb triggered by this call
+	moduleCtx := modulecontext.NewBuilderFromContext(
+		modulecontext.FromContext(ctx).CurrentContext(),
+	).AddAllowedDirectVerb(ref).Build()
+	ctx = mcu.MakeDynamic(ctx, moduleCtx).ApplyToContext(ctx)
+
 	inline := server.Call[Req, Resp](ref)
-	moduleCtx := modulecontext.FromContext(ctx).CurrentContext()
 	override, err := moduleCtx.BehaviorForVerb(schema.Ref{Module: ref.Module, Name: ref.Name})
 	if err != nil {
 		return resp, fmt.Errorf("test harness failed to retrieve behavior for verb %s: %w", ref, err)
diff --git a/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/testdata/go/verbtypes/verbtypes_test.go b/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/testdata/go/verbtypes/verbtypes_test.go
index 2644622546..dc7a7e717d 100644
--- a/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/testdata/go/verbtypes/verbtypes_test.go
+++ b/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/testdata/go/verbtypes/verbtypes_test.go
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ func TestVerbErrors(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestTransitiveVerbMock(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := ftltest.Context(
-		ftltest.WithCallsAllowedWithinModule(),
 		ftltest.WhenVerb[CalleeVerbClient](func(ctx context.Context, req Request) (Response, error) {
 			return Response{Output: fmt.Sprintf("mocked: %s", req.Input)}, nil
 		}),
diff --git a/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/testdata/go/wrapped/wrapped_test.go b/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/testdata/go/wrapped/wrapped_test.go
index f3687aea94..39b0b55781 100644
--- a/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/testdata/go/wrapped/wrapped_test.go
+++ b/go-runtime/ftl/ftltest/testdata/go/wrapped/wrapped_test.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func TestWrapped(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			configValue:   "helloworld",
 			secretValue:   "shhhhh",
-			expectedError: ftl.Some("test harness failed to retrieve behavior for verb wrapped.outer: no mock found: provide a mock with ftltest.WhenVerb(Outer, ...) or enable all calls within the module with ftltest.WithCallsAllowedWithinModule()"),
+			expectedError: ftl.Some("test harness failed to call verb wrapped.outer: wrapped.inner: no mock found: provide a mock with ftltest.WhenVerb(Inner, ...) or enable all calls within the module with ftltest.WithCallsAllowedWithinModule()"),
 		},
 		{
 			name: "AllowCallsWithinModule",
diff --git a/internal/modulecontext/module_context.go b/internal/modulecontext/module_context.go
index 55cf425442..d946df1867 100644
--- a/internal/modulecontext/module_context.go
+++ b/internal/modulecontext/module_context.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"connectrpc.com/connect"
+	"github.com/TBD54566975/ftl/go-runtime/ftl/reflection"
 	"github.com/alecthomas/atomic"
 	"github.com/alecthomas/types/optional"
 	_ "github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/stdlib" // SQL driver
@@ -37,10 +38,11 @@ type ModuleContext struct {
 	secrets   map[string][]byte
 	databases map[string]Database
 
-	isTesting               bool
-	mockVerbs               map[schema.RefKey]Verb
-	allowDirectVerbBehavior bool
-	leaseClient             optional.Option[LeaseClient]
+	isTesting                     bool
+	mockVerbs                     map[schema.RefKey]Verb
+	allowDirectVerbBehaviorGlobal bool
+	allowDirectVerb               schema.RefKey
+	leaseClient                   optional.Option[LeaseClient]
 }
 
 // DynamicModuleContext provides up-to-date ModuleContext instances supplied by the controller
@@ -68,6 +70,20 @@ func NewBuilder(module string) *Builder {
 	}
 }
 
+func NewBuilderFromContext(ctx ModuleContext) *Builder {
+	return &Builder{
+		module:                        ctx.module,
+		configs:                       ctx.configs,
+		secrets:                       ctx.secrets,
+		databases:                     ctx.databases,
+		isTesting:                     ctx.isTesting,
+		mockVerbs:                     ctx.mockVerbs,
+		allowDirectVerbBehaviorGlobal: ctx.allowDirectVerbBehaviorGlobal,
+		allowDirectVerb:               ctx.allowDirectVerb,
+		leaseClient:                   ctx.leaseClient,
+	}
+}
+
 // AddConfigs adds configuration values (as bytes) to the builder
 func (b *Builder) AddConfigs(configs map[string][]byte) *Builder {
 	for name, data := range configs {
@@ -92,13 +108,19 @@ func (b *Builder) AddDatabases(databases map[string]Database) *Builder {
 	return b
 }
 
+// AddAllowedDirectVerb adds a verb that can be called directly within the current context
+func (b *Builder) AddAllowedDirectVerb(ref reflection.Ref) *Builder {
+	b.allowDirectVerb = schema.RefKey(ref)
+	return b
+}
+
 // UpdateForTesting marks the builder as part of a test environment and adds mock verbs and flags for other test features.
 func (b *Builder) UpdateForTesting(mockVerbs map[schema.RefKey]Verb, allowDirectVerbBehavior bool, leaseClient LeaseClient) *Builder {
 	b.isTesting = true
 	for name, verb := range mockVerbs {
 		b.mockVerbs[name] = verb
 	}
-	b.allowDirectVerbBehavior = allowDirectVerbBehavior
+	b.allowDirectVerbBehaviorGlobal = allowDirectVerbBehavior
 	b.leaseClient = optional.Some[LeaseClient](leaseClient)
 	return b
 }
@@ -168,7 +190,7 @@ func (m ModuleContext) MockLeaseClient() optional.Option[LeaseClient] {
 func (m ModuleContext) BehaviorForVerb(ref schema.Ref) (optional.Option[VerbBehavior], error) {
 	if mock, ok := m.mockVerbs[ref.ToRefKey()]; ok {
 		return optional.Some(VerbBehavior(MockBehavior{Mock: mock})), nil
-	} else if m.allowDirectVerbBehavior && ref.Module == m.module {
+	} else if (m.allowDirectVerbBehaviorGlobal || m.allowDirectVerb == ref.ToRefKey()) && ref.Module == m.module {
 		return optional.Some(VerbBehavior(DirectBehavior{})), nil
 	} else if m.isTesting {
 		if ref.Module == m.module {