[RCK]

### Apache Iceberg version

1.11.0 (latest release)

### Query engine

Other

### Please describe the bug 🐞

I am running the Apache Iceberg 1.11.0 REST Compatibility Kit (RCK) released 2026 May 20 against my own Iceberg-compatible S3 storage implementation.

Most of the test cases pass successfully. However, two test cases fail because they use hard-coded local absolute paths.

I started the RESTCompatibilityKitSuite with the following system properties:

-Drck.local=false
-Drck.uri=http://192.168.2.106:7946/api/iceberg/default

I expected these settings to make the RCK use the remote REST endpoint instead of local storage. However, the two failing test cases still use local absolute paths.

Is this expected behavior, or is there an additional configuration required to disable local path usage when running RCK against a remote REST endpoint?

> Task :iceberg-open-api:test

Iceberg REST Compatibility Kit > JUnit Jupiter > RESTCompatibilityKitCatalogTests > testLoadTableWithMissingMetadataFile(Path) FAILED
java.nio.file.NoSuchFileException: /var/folders/6l/2yjdpgdd3b9f_06xm3k82w780000gn/T/junit-9961300198311444979/tmp.json -> s3:/lakehouse/metadata/1d10344e-9c80-4000-a472-529a58fda944/1d10344e-9c80-4001-8230-36d70b83f719.metadata.json
at java.base/sun.nio.fs.UnixException.translateToIOException(UnixException.java:92)
at java.base/sun.nio.fs.UnixException.rethrowAsIOException(UnixException.java:106)
at java.base/sun.nio.fs.UnixCopyFile.move(UnixCopyFile.java:477)
at java.base/sun.nio.fs.UnixFileSystemProvider.move(UnixFileSystemProvider.java:266)
at java.base/java.nio.file.Files.move(Files.java:1432)
at org.apache.iceberg.catalog.CatalogTests.testLoadTableWithMissingMetadataFile(CatalogTests.java:1038)
at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:568)
at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.forEach(ArrayList.java:1511)
at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.forEach(ArrayList.java:1511)

Iceberg REST Compatibility Kit > JUnit Jupiter > RESTCompatibilityKitViewCatalogTests > createViewWithCustomMetadataLocation() FAILED
java.lang.AssertionError:
Expecting actual:
"s3://lakehouse/metadata/1d103704-ef00-4001-b7c9-de2572f4b6c7/1d103704-ef00-4002-9d74-b676a37d68cd.metadata.json"
to start with:
"file:/var/folders/6l/2yjdpgdd3b9f_06xm3k82w780000gn/T/junit-16014049195541541327/custom-location"
at org.apache.iceberg.view.ViewCatalogTests.createViewWithCustomMetadataLocation(ViewCatalogTests.java:375)
at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:568)
at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.forEach(ArrayList.java:1511)
at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.forEach(ArrayList.java:1511)

157 tests completed, 2 failed, 19 skipped

> Task :iceberg-open-api:test FAILED

### Willingness to contribute

- [ ] I can contribute a fix for this bug independently
- [ ] I would be willing to contribute a fix for this bug with guidance from the Iceberg community
- [ ] I cannot contribute a fix for this bug at this time

Start with RESTCompatibilityKitSuite and its rck.local and rck.uri system properties, then inspect CatalogTests.java around testLoadTableWithMissingMetadataFile and ViewCatalogTests.java around createViewWithCustomMetadataLocation. Reproduce the two failures against the remote endpoint and determine whether configuration or test behavior is responsible; done means the expected remote-mode behavior is established and both tests pass.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.