diff --git a/nox/virtualenv.py b/nox/virtualenv.py
index 7bd468b4..a11fcb1c 100644
--- a/nox/virtualenv.py
+++ b/nox/virtualenv.py
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ def create(self) -> bool:
             cmd = [sys.executable, "-m", "virtualenv", self.location]
             if self.interpreter:
                 cmd.extend(["-p", self._resolved_interpreter])
-        elif self.venv_backend == "uv":
+        elif self.venv_backend == "uv":  # pragma: >=3.8 cover
             cmd = [
                 "uv",
                 "virtualenv",
diff --git a/noxfile.py b/noxfile.py
index 3ebed4b6..33e91878 100644
--- a/noxfile.py
+++ b/noxfile.py
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ def tests(session: nox.Session) -> None:
         "--cov=nox",
         "--cov-config",
         "pyproject.toml",
-        "--cov-report=",
         *session.posargs,
         env={"COVERAGE_FILE": f".coverage.{session.python}"},
     )
@@ -66,7 +65,7 @@ def cover(session: nox.Session) -> None:
     if ON_WINDOWS_CI:
         return
 
-    session.install("coverage[toml]")
+    session.install("coverage[toml]", "covdefaults")
     session.run("coverage", "combine")
     session.run("coverage", "report", "--fail-under=100", "--show-missing")
     session.run("coverage", "erase")
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 2903e4f9..a0fcacb4 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -97,11 +97,8 @@ log_cli_level = "info"
 testpaths = [ "tests" ]
 
 [tool.coverage.run]
-branch = true
 omit = [ "nox/_typing.py" ]
-
-[tool.coverage.report]
-exclude_lines = [ "pragma: no cover", "if TYPE_CHECKING:", "@overload" ]
+plugins = [ "covdefaults" ]
 
 [tool.mypy]
 files = [ "nox/**/*.py", "noxfile.py" ]
diff --git a/requirements-test.txt b/requirements-test.txt
index f1771d2d..323561f2 100644
--- a/requirements-test.txt
+++ b/requirements-test.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
+covdefaults
 flask
 myst-parser
-pytest-cov
 pytest>=6.0
+pytest-cov
+sphinx>=3.0
 sphinx-autobuild
 sphinx-tabs
-sphinx>=3.0
 uv; python_version>='3.8'
 witchhazel