diff --git a/dashcaddy-api/__tests__/e2e-node/composition-root.e2e.test.js b/dashcaddy-api/__tests__/e2e-node/composition-root.e2e.test.js
index 9e8f759..7a45345 100644
--- a/dashcaddy-api/__tests__/e2e-node/composition-root.e2e.test.js
+++ b/dashcaddy-api/__tests__/e2e-node/composition-root.e2e.test.js
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
  * assertion compares against that live 404 baseline on the same instance.
  */
 const { spawn } = require('child_process');
-const net = require('net');
 const path = require('path');
 const os = require('os');
 const fs = require('fs');
@@ -30,21 +29,9 @@ let child;
 let PORT;
 let JWT;
 
-// OS-assigned ephemeral port (judge polish: not a random 30000-49999 guess).
-function freePort() {
-  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    const s = net.createServer();
-    s.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', () => {
-      const p = s.address().port;
-      s.close(() => resolve(p));
-    });
-    s.on('error', reject);
-  });
-}
-
 // Boot the REAL app via its REAL entry contract (createApp + listen). The
 // child mints a JWT through the same authManager singleton the app wires.
-function boot(port) {
+function boot() {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     const child = spawn(process.execPath, ['-e', `
       process.env.DATA_DIR = ${JSON.stringify(DATA_DIR)};
@@ -60,8 +47,9 @@ function boot(port) {
         } catch (e) {
           jwt = '';
         }
-        const server = app.listen(${port}, '127.0.0.1', () => {
+        const server = app.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', () => {
           console.log('JWT:' + jwt);
+          console.log('PORT:' + server.address().port);
           console.log('READY');
         });
         process.on('SIGTERM', () => server.close(() => process.exit(0)));
@@ -80,11 +68,13 @@ function boot(port) {
     }, 30000);
     child.stdout.on('data', (d) => {
       buf += String(d);
-      const m = buf.match(/JWT:(\S*)/);
-      if (!settled && m && buf.includes('READY')) {
+      const mj = buf.match(/JWT:(\S*)/);
+      const mp = buf.match(/PORT:(\d+)/);
+      if (!settled && mj && mp && buf.includes('READY')) {
         settled = true;
         clearTimeout(to);
-        child.jwt = m[1];
+        child.jwt = mj[1];
+        child.port = Number(mp[1]);
         resolve(child);
       }
     });
@@ -117,9 +107,10 @@ async function expectMounted(p, allowed) {
 
 describe('composition-root e2e (real createApp on ephemeral port)', () => {
   beforeAll(async () => {
-    PORT = await freePort();
-    child = await boot(PORT);
+    child = await boot();          // child calls listen(0); no probe/rebind race
+    PORT = child.port;
     JWT = child.jwt || '';
+    if (!Number.isInteger(PORT) || PORT <= 0) throw new Error('child did not report a bound port');
     const u = await get('/api/v1/__definitely_not_mounted__');
     unknownStatus = u.status;
   }, 45000);