diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts
index c3d17eae425..d870f42b295 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts
@@ -7974,22 +7974,11 @@ describeEmbeddedPostgres("workspace runtime startup reconciliation", () => {
 
     const reservePort = async () => {
       for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 100; attempt += 1) {
-        const probe = net.createServer();
-        // macOS can allocate an entire ephemeral range above 55535. Pick a
-        // bounded candidate so the test's HMR companion remains a valid port.
-        await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
-          probe.once("error", () => resolve());
-          probe.listen(20_000 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 20_000), "127.0.0.1", resolve);
-        });
-        if (!probe.listening) continue;
-        const address = probe.address();
-        const port = typeof address === "object" && address ? address.port : null;
-        await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
-          probe.close((error) => error ? reject(error) : resolve());
-        });
-        if (port && port <= 55_535 && (port < 42_000 || port > 42_999)) return port;
+        // Keep both listeners below ephemeral client ports and outside the broker range.
+        const port = 12_000 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 6_000);
+        if (await isLoopbackPortFree(port) && await isLoopbackPortFree(port + 10_000)) return port;
       }
-      throw new Error("Failed to reserve an HTTPS backfill test port outside the broker range");
+      throw new Error("Failed to reserve app and HMR ports for the HTTPS backfill test");
     };
     const isLoopbackPortFree = async (port: number) => {
       const probe = net.createServer();
diff --git a/tests/e2e/agent-configuration.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/agent-configuration.spec.ts
index 10a43c88b2f..f0ce7810e32 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/agent-configuration.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/agent-configuration.spec.ts
@@ -218,8 +218,9 @@ test("a lost creation response requires reload and cannot blindly replay command
   }, { capture: true, once: true }));
   expect((await document(page)).spec.apiKeys!.create).toHaveLength(2);
   await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Reload saved", exact: true }).click();
-  await expect.poll(async () => (await document(page)).spec.apiKeys!.create).toEqual([]);
   await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/agents\/partially-renamed-yaml-engineer\/advanced$/);
+  await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Reload saved", exact: true })).toBeEnabled();
+  expect((await document(page)).spec.apiKeys!.create).toEqual([]);
   await expect(page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "API key: First key token" })).toBeVisible();
   await edit(page, value => { value.spec.title = "Recovered save"; });
   await save(page);
diff --git a/tests/e2e/signoff-policy.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/signoff-policy.spec.ts
index 31276258904..a9483e31bb8 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/signoff-policy.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/signoff-policy.spec.ts
@@ -589,12 +589,12 @@ test("a deferred signoff wake ignores cancelled history from an earlier stage",
 test.describe("Signoff execution policy", () => {
   let ctx: TestContext;
 
-  test.beforeAll(async () => {
+  test.beforeEach(async () => {
     const boardRequest = await pwRequest.newContext({ baseURL: BASE_URL });
     ctx = await setupCompany(boardRequest);
   });
 
-  test.afterAll(async () => {
+  test.afterEach(async () => {
     if (!ctx) return;
     const board = ctx.boardRequest;