diff --git a/pytest.ini b/pytest.ini
index be6979d4..646964c6 100644
--- a/pytest.ini
+++ b/pytest.ini
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ addopts =
     -ra
 testpaths = tests
 norecursedirs = .markitect_workspace .git __pycache__ .pytest_cache
+asyncio_mode = auto
 python_files = test_*.py *_test.py
 python_classes = Test*
 python_functions = test_*
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 4d68778d..c3f3230c 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -14,13 +14,12 @@ from typing import Generator, Dict, Any
 import sqlite3
 import os
 
+# Import async test utilities
+from tests.utils.assertions import cleanup_async_mocks, create_async_mock_that_returns
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def event_loop():
-    """Create an instance of the default event loop for the test session."""
-    loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
-    yield loop
-    loop.close()
+
+# Note: event_loop fixture is now handled by pytest-asyncio with asyncio_mode=auto
+# This replaces the manual event loop management for better async test support
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
@@ -261,6 +260,44 @@ def async_test_timeout():
     return 30.0  # 30 seconds
 
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def async_cleanup():
+    """Fixture to help with async test cleanup and prevent coroutine warnings."""
+    mocks_to_cleanup = []
+
+    def register_mock(mock):
+        """Register a mock for cleanup."""
+        mocks_to_cleanup.append(mock)
+        return mock
+
+    yield register_mock
+
+    # Cleanup all registered mocks
+    cleanup_async_mocks(*mocks_to_cleanup)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def async_mock_client(async_cleanup):
+    """Provide a properly configured async HTTP client mock."""
+    mock_client = AsyncMock()
+    mock_response = AsyncMock()
+    mock_response.status = 200
+    mock_response.json = create_async_mock_that_returns({"status": "success"})
+    mock_response.text = create_async_mock_that_returns('{"status": "success"}')
+
+    # Configure the mock client methods
+    mock_client.get = create_async_mock_that_returns(mock_response)
+    mock_client.post = create_async_mock_that_returns(mock_response)
+    mock_client.put = create_async_mock_that_returns(mock_response)
+    mock_client.delete = create_async_mock_that_returns(mock_response)
+
+    # Register for cleanup
+    async_cleanup(mock_client)
+    async_cleanup(mock_response)
+
+    return mock_client
+
+
 # Test markers configuration
 def pytest_configure(config):
     """Configure pytest markers."""
diff --git a/tests/test_issue_59_gitea_plugin.py b/tests/test_issue_59_gitea_plugin.py
index 5ec37d93..826a7855 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue_59_gitea_plugin.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue_59_gitea_plugin.py
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ import pytest
 from unittest.mock import Mock, patch, AsyncMock
 from typing import List, Dict, Any
 
+# Import async test utilities
+from tests.utils.assertions import AsyncTestCase, create_async_mock_that_returns, create_async_mock_that_raises
+
 # Import classes we'll implement
 # Note: These imports will fail initially (RED phase)
 from markitect.issues.plugins.gitea import GiteaPlugin
@@ -63,11 +66,12 @@ class TestGiteaPluginInitialization:
         pass
 
 
-class TestGiteaPluginListIssues:
+class TestGiteaPluginListIssues(AsyncTestCase):
     """Test suite for listing issues through Gitea plugin."""
 
     def setup_method(self):
         """Set up test fixtures."""
+        super().setup_method()
         self.config = {'url': 'http://test.com', 'repo': 'test/repo'}
 
     @patch('markitect.issues.plugins.gitea.GiteaIssueRepository')
@@ -75,28 +79,26 @@ class TestGiteaPluginListIssues:
         """Test listing all issues regardless of state."""
         mock_repo = Mock()
         mock_repo_class.return_value = mock_repo
-        mock_repo.get_issues = AsyncMock()
 
         # Mock issues data
         mock_issues = [Mock(spec=Issue), Mock(spec=Issue)]
-        mock_repo.get_issues.return_value = mock_issues
 
         plugin = GiteaPlugin(self.config)
 
-        # Use asyncio.run in actual implementation
-        with patch('asyncio.run') as mock_run:
-            mock_run.return_value = mock_issues
-            issues = plugin.list_issues(state='all')
+        # Mock the async method directly to avoid creating real coroutines
+        plugin._list_issues_async = self.create_async_mock(return_value=mock_issues)
 
-            assert len(issues) == 2
-            assert all(isinstance(issue, Mock) for issue in issues)
+        issues = plugin.list_issues(state='all')
+
+        assert len(issues) == 2
+        assert all(isinstance(issue, Mock) for issue in issues)
 
     @patch('markitect.issues.plugins.gitea.GiteaIssueRepository')
     def test_list_open_issues_only(self, mock_repo_class):
         """Test listing only open issues."""
         mock_repo = Mock()
         mock_repo_class.return_value = mock_repo
-        mock_repo.get_issues = AsyncMock()
+        mock_repo.get_issues = self.create_async_mock(return_value=[])
 
         plugin = GiteaPlugin(self.config)
 
@@ -112,7 +114,7 @@ class TestGiteaPluginListIssues:
         """Test listing only closed issues."""
         mock_repo = Mock()
         mock_repo_class.return_value = mock_repo
-        mock_repo.get_issues = AsyncMock()
+        mock_repo.get_issues = self.create_async_mock(return_value=[])
 
         plugin = GiteaPlugin(self.config)
 
@@ -136,11 +138,12 @@ class TestGiteaPluginListIssues:
                 plugin.list_issues()
 
 
-class TestGiteaPluginGetIssue:
+class TestGiteaPluginGetIssue(AsyncTestCase):
     """Test suite for getting individual issues through Gitea plugin."""
 
     def setup_method(self):
         """Set up test fixtures."""
+        super().setup_method()
         self.config = {'url': 'http://test.com', 'repo': 'test/repo'}
 
     @patch('markitect.issues.plugins.gitea.GiteaIssueRepository')
diff --git a/tests/utils/assertions.py b/tests/utils/assertions.py
index 6d54fce1..ed10ebf8 100644
--- a/tests/utils/assertions.py
+++ b/tests/utils/assertions.py
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ Custom assertions and test utilities for MarkiTect tests.
 """
 
 import json
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Union, Callable
+import asyncio
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Union, Callable, Awaitable
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock
 import pytest
 
 
@@ -229,6 +231,80 @@ def mark_integration_test(external_service: str = None):
     return markers
 
 
+# Async testing utilities
+def create_async_mock_that_returns(return_value: Any) -> AsyncMock:
+    """Create an AsyncMock that returns a specific value."""
+    mock = AsyncMock()
+    mock.return_value = return_value
+    return mock
+
+
+def create_async_mock_that_raises(exception: Exception) -> AsyncMock:
+    """Create an AsyncMock that raises a specific exception."""
+    mock = AsyncMock()
+    mock.side_effect = exception
+    return mock
+
+
+def await_safely(coro: Awaitable[Any]) -> Any:
+    """Safely await a coroutine in a test context.
+
+    This function properly handles the async context and ensures
+    no coroutine warnings are generated.
+    """
+    try:
+        loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+    except RuntimeError:
+        loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
+        asyncio.set_event_loop(loop)
+
+    try:
+        return loop.run_until_complete(coro)
+    finally:
+        # Clean up any pending tasks to avoid warnings
+        pending = asyncio.all_tasks(loop)
+        if pending:
+            loop.run_until_complete(asyncio.gather(*pending, return_exceptions=True))
+
+
+def cleanup_async_mocks(*mocks):
+    """Cleanup async mocks to prevent coroutine warnings.
+
+    This should be called in test teardown to properly cleanup
+    any async mocks that might have created unawaited coroutines.
+    """
+    for mock in mocks:
+        if hasattr(mock, '_mock_children'):
+            for child in mock._mock_children.values():
+                if asyncio.iscoroutine(child):
+                    child.close()
+        if hasattr(mock, 'return_value') and asyncio.iscoroutine(mock.return_value):
+            mock.return_value.close()
+
+
+class AsyncTestCase:
+    """Base class for async test cases with proper cleanup."""
+
+    def setup_method(self):
+        """Setup for each test method."""
+        self.async_mocks = []
+
+    def teardown_method(self):
+        """Cleanup after each test method."""
+        cleanup_async_mocks(*self.async_mocks)
+        self.async_mocks.clear()
+
+    def create_async_mock(self, return_value: Any = None, side_effect: Any = None) -> AsyncMock:
+        """Create an async mock and track it for cleanup."""
+        mock = AsyncMock()
+        if return_value is not None:
+            mock.return_value = return_value
+        if side_effect is not None:
+            mock.side_effect = side_effect
+        self.async_mocks.append(mock)
+        return mock
+
+
 # Test data validation helpers
 def validate_issue_data(data: Dict[str, Any]) -> bool:
     """Validate that data represents a valid issue."""