diff --git a/solstone/think/callosum.py b/solstone/think/callosum.py
index b413950bf..901956ca8 100644
--- a/solstone/think/callosum.py
+++ b/solstone/think/callosum.py
@@ -49,6 +49,23 @@ class CallosumServer:
         with self.lock:
             return len(self.clients)
 
+    def _close_server_socket(self) -> None:
+        with self.lock:
+            server_socket = self.server_socket
+            self.server_socket = None
+
+        if server_socket is None:
+            return
+
+        try:
+            server_socket.shutdown(socket.SHUT_RDWR)
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+        try:
+            server_socket.close()
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+
     def start(self) -> None:
         """Start the broadcast server."""
         # Ensure health directory exists
@@ -75,7 +92,11 @@ class CallosumServer:
         try:
             while not self.stop_event.is_set():
                 try:
-                    conn, _ = self.server_socket.accept()
+                    with self.lock:
+                        server_socket = self.server_socket
+                    if server_socket is None:
+                        break
+                    conn, _ = server_socket.accept()
                     # Handle client in background thread
                     threading.Thread(
                         target=self._handle_client, args=(conn,), daemon=True
@@ -86,7 +107,7 @@ class CallosumServer:
                     if not self.stop_event.is_set():
                         logger.error(f"Accept error: {e}")
         finally:
-            self.server_socket.close()
+            self._close_server_socket()
             if self.socket_path.exists():
                 self.socket_path.unlink()
 
@@ -218,6 +239,7 @@ class CallosumServer:
     def stop(self) -> None:
         """Stop the server and writer thread."""
         self.stop_event.set()
+        self._close_server_socket()
 
         # Wait for writer thread to finish
         if self.writer_thread and self.writer_thread.is_alive():
diff --git a/tests/test_api_baselines.py b/tests/test_api_baselines.py
index 81b0fdfc3..ef46aa2f6 100644
--- a/tests/test_api_baselines.py
+++ b/tests/test_api_baselines.py
@@ -26,10 +26,12 @@ from tests.verify_api import (
 )
 
 FREEZEGUN_IGNORE = [
+    "_pytest",
     "librosa",
     "numba",
     "pandas",
     "pyarrow",
+    "pytest",
     "scipy",
     "sentencepiece",
     "sklearn",
diff --git a/tests/test_cortex_client.py b/tests/test_cortex_client.py
index 181087bcf..62ac0337b 100644
--- a/tests/test_cortex_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_cortex_client.py
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ def test_wait_for_agents_partial(callosum_server):
 
     def wait_thread():
         result["completed"], result["timed_out"] = wait_for_uses(
-            [completing_agent, timeout_agent], timeout=2
+            [completing_agent, timeout_agent], timeout=1
         )
 
     waiter = threading.Thread(target=wait_thread)
diff --git a/tests/test_deferred_deletes.py b/tests/test_deferred_deletes.py
index 63a95a925..d5be4441c 100644
--- a/tests/test_deferred_deletes.py
+++ b/tests/test_deferred_deletes.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ def test_cancel_commit_race_runs_at_most_once():
     for _ in range(iterations):
         commit_count = 0
         commit_lock = threading.Lock()
+        commit_event = threading.Event()
         start = threading.Event()
         cancel_results = []
 
@@ -69,8 +70,11 @@ def test_cancel_commit_race_runs_at_most_once():
             nonlocal commit_count
             with commit_lock:
                 commit_count += 1
+            commit_event.set()
 
         deferred_id = deferred_deletes.schedule(commit, ttl_seconds=0.05)
+        with deferred_deletes._LOCK:
+            timer = deferred_deletes._TIMERS[deferred_id]
 
         def attempt_cancel():
             start.wait()
@@ -81,11 +85,16 @@ def test_cancel_commit_race_runs_at_most_once():
             thread.start()
 
         start.set()
-        time.sleep(0.15)
         for thread in threads:
             thread.join()
 
         true_cancels = sum(cancel_results)
+        if true_cancels:
+            timer.join(timeout=0.1)
+            assert not timer.is_alive()
+            assert not commit_event.is_set()
+        else:
+            assert commit_event.wait(0.1)
         assert commit_count in (0, 1)
         assert not (true_cancels and commit_count)
         assert (true_cancels == 1 and commit_count == 0) or (
diff --git a/tests/test_importer_stall_timeout.py b/tests/test_importer_stall_timeout.py
index 2258f86b1..3212b8092 100644
--- a/tests/test_importer_stall_timeout.py
+++ b/tests/test_importer_stall_timeout.py
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ def test_status_only_stream_stalls(caplog):
     failed_segments, completed_count = _wait_for_segments(
         message_queue,
         pending,
-        segment_timeout=1.0,
-        poll_timeout=0.05,
+        segment_timeout=0.15,
+        poll_timeout=0.02,
     )
     elapsed = time.monotonic() - started_at
 
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ def test_mixed_observed_and_status_stalls_remaining_segments(caplog):
     failed_segments, completed_count = _wait_for_segments(
         message_queue,
         pending,
-        segment_timeout=1.0,
-        poll_timeout=0.05,
+        segment_timeout=0.15,
+        poll_timeout=0.02,
     )
     elapsed = time.monotonic() - started_at
 
diff --git a/tests/test_readiness.py b/tests/test_readiness.py
index 5fe6f4af3..ceec95584 100644
--- a/tests/test_readiness.py
+++ b/tests/test_readiness.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def test_wait_ready_times_out_without_marker(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setenv("SOLSTONE_JOURNAL", str(tmp_path))
     _write_identity(tmp_path)
 
-    assert readiness.wait_ready(timeout=1.0) is None
+    assert readiness.wait_ready(timeout=0.1) is None
 
 
 def test_wait_ready_ignores_malformed_marker(tmp_path, monkeypatch, caplog):
@@ -136,9 +136,10 @@ def test_wait_ready_rejects_reused_pid(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
 
 def test_wait_ready_observes_marker_written_mid_flight(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setenv("SOLSTONE_JOURNAL", str(tmp_path))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(readiness, "_POLL_INTERVAL_S", 0.02)
     _write_identity(tmp_path)
     timer = threading.Timer(
-        0.1, readiness.signal_ready, kwargs={"payload": {"stage": "ready"}}
+        0.02, readiness.signal_ready, kwargs={"payload": {"stage": "ready"}}
     )
 
     try: