diff --git a/tests/environment_contract.py b/tests/environment_contract.py
index d94566d..10639dc 100644
--- a/tests/environment_contract.py
+++ b/tests/environment_contract.py
@@ -109,8 +109,14 @@ def wait_ready(process: subprocess.Popen[str], port: int) -> None:
         if process.poll() is not None:
             raise AssertionError(process.stderr.read() if process.stderr else "stream exited")
         try:
-            urllib.request.urlopen(f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/", timeout=0.2).read()
-            return
+            # listener-first startup: wait past the startup gate, not just
+            # for an answering socket — xrpc paths 503 as "starting" until
+            # storage is published, and this contract asserts on the auth
+            # layer behind that gate
+            body = urllib.request.urlopen(f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/status", timeout=0.2).read()
+            if b"state            starting" not in body:
+                return
+            time.sleep(0.025)
         except OSError:
             time.sleep(0.025)
     raise AssertionError(f"listener {port} did not become ready")