diff --git a/fireflyframework_agentic/pipeline/engine.py b/fireflyframework_agentic/pipeline/engine.py
index cea10b14..8317e5b1 100644
--- a/fireflyframework_agentic/pipeline/engine.py
+++ b/fireflyframework_agentic/pipeline/engine.py
@@ -193,9 +193,7 @@ def _is_send_payload(value: Any) -> bool:
     """
     if isinstance(value, Send):
         return True
-    if isinstance(value, list) and value and all(isinstance(s, Send) for s in value):
-        return True
-    return False
+    return isinstance(value, list) and bool(value) and all(isinstance(s, Send) for s in value)
 
 
 def _serialize_value(value: Any) -> Any:
diff --git a/tests/unit/pipeline/test_pipeline_engine_pause_send.py b/tests/unit/pipeline/test_pipeline_engine_pause_send.py
index f4526e15..32e56c85 100644
--- a/tests/unit/pipeline/test_pipeline_engine_pause_send.py
+++ b/tests/unit/pipeline/test_pipeline_engine_pause_send.py
@@ -161,9 +161,7 @@ async def test_send_dispatches_workers_concurrently():
 
 
 async def test_single_send_is_treated_as_list_of_one():
-    planner = _step_emit_sends(["a"])
-    # Override to emit a single Send (not a list).
-
+    # A planner step that emits one Send directly (not wrapped in a list).
     class _Solo:
         async def execute(self, ctx, inputs):
             return Send(target="a", payload={"items": ["just-a"]})
@@ -196,8 +194,8 @@ async def execute(self, ctx, inputs):
 
 
 def test_pause_and_send_reexported_from_pipeline_package():
-    from fireflyframework_agentic.pipeline import Pause as P
-    from fireflyframework_agentic.pipeline import Send as S
+    from fireflyframework_agentic.pipeline import Pause as PausePkg
+    from fireflyframework_agentic.pipeline import Send as SendPkg
 
-    assert P is Pause
-    assert S is Send
+    assert PausePkg is Pause
+    assert SendPkg is Send