diff --git a/internal/core/posts/queue_test.go b/internal/core/posts/queue_test.go
index 0315873..f32f4c5 100644
--- a/internal/core/posts/queue_test.go
+++ b/internal/core/posts/queue_test.go
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ func (e *fakeEngine) communityOrder() []string {
 // queueClock is a mutable instant the driver reads through Clock.
 type queueClock struct{ at time.Time }
 
-func (c *queueClock) now() Clock                   { return func() time.Time { return c.at } }
-func (c *queueClock) advance(d time.Duration)      { c.at = c.at.Add(d) }
-func newQueueClock() *queueClock                   { return &queueClock{at: time.Date(2026, 8, 8, 9, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)} }
+func (c *queueClock) now() Clock              { return func() time.Time { return c.at } }
+func (c *queueClock) advance(d time.Duration) { c.at = c.at.Add(d) }
+func newQueueClock() *queueClock              { return &queueClock{at: time.Date(2026, 8, 8, 9, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)} }
 func subject(community, rkey string) PendingSubject {
 	return PendingSubject{
 		CommunityDID: community,
diff --git a/tests/e2e/author_post_contract_test.go b/tests/e2e/author_post_contract_test.go
index 645a935..a634e81 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/author_post_contract_test.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/author_post_contract_test.go
@@ -148,8 +148,15 @@ func awaitStatus(t *testing.T, p *pipeline, postURI, communityDID, want, descrip
 	var observed postStatusView
 	p.Await(t, description, func() (bool, error) {
 		view, err := p.PostStatus(context.Background(), postURI, communityDID)
-		if pending, wrapped := testkit.PendingIfNotFound(err); wrapped != nil || pending {
-			return false, wrapped
+		// NOT testkit.PendingIfNotFound: it is for probes where a successful read
+		// IS the answer, so its nil case reports DONE — which here would end the
+		// wait before the status was compared. This wait needs the opposite: a
+		// successful read is where the question starts.
+		if err != nil {
+			if testkit.IsNotFound(err) {
+				return false, nil
+			}
+			return false, err
 		}
 		observed = view
 		return view.Status == want, nil