diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 98512c544..61ab2477a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "validmind"
-version = "2.9.5"
+version = "2.9.6"
 description = "ValidMind Library"
 readme = "README.pypi.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.9,<3.13"
diff --git a/validmind/__version__.py b/validmind/__version__.py
index 933fa29c8..c1467c659 100644
--- a/validmind/__version__.py
+++ b/validmind/__version__.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = "2.9.5"
+__version__ = "2.9.6"
diff --git a/validmind/tests/load.py b/validmind/tests/load.py
index 04e7088e0..1392ab062 100644
--- a/validmind/tests/load.py
+++ b/validmind/tests/load.py
@@ -180,6 +180,12 @@ def load_test(
         # add inputs and params as attributes to the test function
         test_func.inputs, test_func.params = _inspect_signature(test_func)
 
+        # ensure tags and tasks attributes exist, default to empty list if not present
+        if not hasattr(test_func, "__tags__"):
+            test_func.__tags__ = []
+        if not hasattr(test_func, "__tasks__"):
+            test_func.__tasks__ = []
+
         test_store.register_test(test_id, test_func)
 
     return test_store.get_test(test_id)