diff --git a/scripts/run-unit-parallel.sh b/scripts/run-unit-parallel.sh
index fb6deeade..007d5c9e1 100755
--- a/scripts/run-unit-parallel.sh
+++ b/scripts/run-unit-parallel.sh
@@ -133,7 +133,6 @@ for i in $(seq 1 "$N"); do
         env SHARD="$i/$N" \
         bash scripts/run-unit-shard.sh --max-concurrency="$INTRA_CONC" \
         > "$SHARD_LOG" 2>&1
-      rc=$?
     else
       env SHARD="$i/$N" \
         bash scripts/run-unit-shard.sh --max-concurrency="$INTRA_CONC" \
@@ -143,20 +142,10 @@ for i in $(seq 1 "$N"); do
         sleep 5 && kill -KILL "$pid" 2>/dev/null ) &
       cap_pid=$!
       wait "$pid" 2>/dev/null
-      # Capture the shard's exit code from ITS `wait`, before any watchdog
-      # teardown runs. The teardown commands below overwrite $? — the killed
-      # watchdog reports 143 — which used to get stamped into every shard's
-      # sentinel on machines with no gtimeout/timeout: every run "failed"
-      # with rc=143 summaries even when all tests passed.
-      rc=$?
-      # Reap the watchdog's `sleep` child too (pkill -P), then the watchdog.
-      # Killing only the subshell leaves the sleep orphaned until
-      # $SHARD_TIMEOUT elapses — same quirk the heartbeat cleanup below works
-      # around; CI's orphan-process sweep flags those.
-      pkill -P "$cap_pid" 2>/dev/null
       kill "$cap_pid" 2>/dev/null
       wait "$cap_pid" 2>/dev/null
     fi
+    rc=$?
     echo "$rc" > "$LOG_DIR/shard-$i.exit"
     [ "$rc" = "124" ] && echo "WEDGED" > "$LOG_DIR/shard-$i.wedged"
   ) &
diff --git a/scripts/run-verify-parallel.sh b/scripts/run-verify-parallel.sh
index 61392801f..f03c560b9 100755
--- a/scripts/run-verify-parallel.sh
+++ b/scripts/run-verify-parallel.sh
@@ -126,7 +126,6 @@ for c in "${CHECKS[@]}"; do
   (
     if [ -n "$TIMEOUT_BIN" ]; then
       "$TIMEOUT_BIN" "${TIMEOUT}s" bun run "$c" > "$LOG_FILE" 2>&1
-      rc=$?
     else
       bun run "$c" > "$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 &
       pid=$!
@@ -134,20 +133,10 @@ for c in "${CHECKS[@]}"; do
         sleep 5 && kill -KILL "$pid" 2>/dev/null ) &
       cap_pid=$!
       wait "$pid" 2>/dev/null
-      # Capture the check's exit code from ITS `wait`, before any watchdog
-      # teardown runs. The teardown commands below overwrite $? — the killed
-      # watchdog reports 143 — which used to get stamped into every sentinel
-      # on machines with no gtimeout/timeout: verify reported pass=0
-      # fail=<all> while every per-check log said OK.
-      rc=$?
-      # Reap the watchdog's `sleep` child too (pkill -P), then the watchdog.
-      # Killing only the subshell leaves the sleep orphaned until $TIMEOUT
-      # elapses — same quirk the heartbeat cleanup in run-unit-parallel.sh
-      # works around; CI's orphan-process sweep flags those.
-      pkill -P "$cap_pid" 2>/dev/null
       kill "$cap_pid" 2>/dev/null
       wait "$cap_pid" 2>/dev/null
     fi
+    rc=$?
     echo "$rc" > "$EXIT_FILE"
   ) &
   PIDS+=($!)
diff --git a/test/scripts/run-unit-parallel.test.ts b/test/scripts/run-unit-parallel.test.ts
index 4227ba655..e19925a2f 100644
--- a/test/scripts/run-unit-parallel.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/run-unit-parallel.test.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 import { describe, it, expect, beforeAll, afterAll } from 'bun:test';
 import { execFileSync, spawnSync } from 'child_process';
-import { mkdtempSync, mkdirSync, writeFileSync, readFileSync, existsSync, rmSync, copyFileSync, chmodSync, symlinkSync } from 'fs';
+import { mkdtempSync, mkdirSync, writeFileSync, readFileSync, existsSync, rmSync, copyFileSync, chmodSync } from 'fs';
 import { tmpdir } from 'os';
 import { join, resolve } from 'path';
 
@@ -154,93 +154,3 @@ describe('failing-on-purpose', () => {
     expect(summary).toMatch(/shard 2\/2: pass=\d+ fail=\d+ skip=\d+ rc=\d+/);
   });
 });
-
-describe('run-unit-parallel.sh no-timeout-binary fallback (rc from shard wait, not watchdog teardown)', () => {
-  // Forces the no-gtimeout/no-timeout branch by running the wrapper under a
-  // curated PATH that has every tool the scripts call EXCEPT timeout
-  // binaries (real `bun` symlinked in), so the fallback executes even on
-  // hosts with coreutils installed.
-  //
-  // Regression pinned here: the shard's sentinel .exit file must record the
-  // exit code read right after `wait $pid` (the shard's own rc). The
-  // watchdog subshell is killed with SIGTERM and reports 143; reading `$?`
-  // after that teardown stamped rc=143 into every shard's sentinel — the
-  // wrapper exited non-zero with rc=143 summaries even when every test
-  // passed.
-  let FROOT: string;
-  let FENV: Record<string, string>;
-
-  beforeAll(() => {
-    FROOT = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'gbrain-parallel-fallback-'));
-    mkdirSync(join(FROOT, 'scripts'), { recursive: true });
-    mkdirSync(join(FROOT, 'test'), { recursive: true });
-    for (const s of ['run-unit-parallel.sh', 'run-unit-shard.sh', 'run-serial-tests.sh']) {
-      copyFileSync(resolve(REPO_ROOT, 'scripts', s), join(FROOT, 'scripts', s));
-      chmodSync(join(FROOT, 'scripts', s), 0o755);
-    }
-    const passing = `import { describe, it, expect } from 'bun:test';
-describe('passing', () => {
-  it('arithmetic works', () => { expect(1 + 1).toBe(2); });
-});`;
-    writeFileSync(join(FROOT, 'test', 'a-pass.test.ts'), passing);
-    writeFileSync(join(FROOT, 'test', 'b-pass.test.ts'), passing);
-
-    const bin = join(FROOT, 'bin');
-    mkdirSync(bin);
-    for (const tool of ['bash', 'sh', 'env', 'dirname', 'basename', 'mktemp', 'date', 'sleep', 'cat', 'tail', 'head', 'rm', 'mkdir', 'pkill', 'grep', 'sed', 'awk', 'wc', 'tr', 'seq', 'find', 'sort', 'bun']) {
-      const p = Bun.which(tool);
-      if (p) symlinkSync(p, join(bin, tool));
-    }
-    FENV = {
-      PATH: bin,
-      HOME: process.env.HOME ?? FROOT,
-      TMPDIR: process.env.TMPDIR ?? '/tmp',
-      GBRAIN_TEST_SHARD_TIMEOUT: '300',
-    };
-  });
-
-  afterAll(() => {
-    if (FROOT) rmSync(FROOT, { recursive: true, force: true });
-  });
-
-  function runFallbackWrapper(): { code: number; stdout: string; stderr: string } {
-    const result = spawnSync(
-      'bash',
-      [join(FROOT, 'scripts', 'run-unit-parallel.sh'), '--shards', '2'],
-      { cwd: FROOT, encoding: 'utf-8', env: FENV },
-    );
-    return {
-      code: result.status ?? -1,
-      stdout: result.stdout || '',
-      stderr: result.stderr || '',
-    };
-  }
-
-  it('exits zero with rc=0 shard sentinels when all shards pass', () => {
-    const r = runFallbackWrapper();
-    const summary = readFileSync(join(FROOT, '.context', 'test-summary.txt'), 'utf-8');
-    expect(summary).toMatch(/shard 1\/2: pass=\d+ fail=0 skip=0 rc=0/);
-    expect(summary).toMatch(/shard 2\/2: pass=\d+ fail=0 skip=0 rc=0/);
-    expect(summary).not.toContain('rc=143');
-    expect(r.code).toBe(0);
-  });
-
-  it('propagates a failing shard rc as the test runner rc (1), not the watchdog 143', () => {
-    const failing = `import { describe, it, expect } from 'bun:test';
-describe('failing-on-purpose', () => {
-  it('expects 1 to equal 2', () => { expect(1).toBe(2); });
-});`;
-    writeFileSync(join(FROOT, 'test', 'z-fail.test.ts'), failing);
-    try {
-      const r = runFallbackWrapper();
-      expect(r.code).not.toBe(0);
-      const summary = readFileSync(join(FROOT, '.context', 'test-summary.txt'), 'utf-8');
-      expect(summary).toMatch(/shard \d\/2: pass=\d+ fail=1 skip=0 rc=1/);
-      expect(summary).not.toContain('rc=143');
-      const failureLog = readFileSync(join(FROOT, '.context', 'test-failures.log'), 'utf-8');
-      expect(failureLog).toContain('failing-on-purpose');
-    } finally {
-      rmSync(join(FROOT, 'test', 'z-fail.test.ts'), { force: true });
-    }
-  });
-});
diff --git a/test/scripts/run-verify-parallel.test.ts b/test/scripts/run-verify-parallel.test.ts
index 8b8e64ac3..949fc3d83 100644
--- a/test/scripts/run-verify-parallel.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/run-verify-parallel.test.ts
@@ -15,16 +15,7 @@
 
 import { describe, expect, it } from "bun:test";
 import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
-import {
-  copyFileSync,
-  mkdirSync,
-  mkdtempSync,
-  readFileSync,
-  readdirSync,
-  rmSync,
-  symlinkSync,
-  writeFileSync,
-} from "node:fs";
+import { writeFileSync, mkdtempSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 
@@ -182,95 +173,3 @@ exit 0
     }
   });
 });
-
-describe("run-verify-parallel.sh — no-timeout-binary fallback rc capture (regression)", () => {
-  // macOS ships no `timeout`; without brew coreutils (`gtimeout`) — stock
-  // machines, minimal containers, restricted/sandboxed PATHs — the dispatcher
-  // degrades to the bg-pid + sleep-watchdog branch.
-  //
-  // Regression pinned here: each check's sentinel .exit file must record the
-  // exit code of the CHECK (read right after `wait $pid`), not of the
-  // watchdog teardown. The watchdog subshell is killed with SIGTERM and so
-  // reports 143; reading `$?` after the teardown stamped 143 into every
-  // sentinel — verify reported pass=0 fail=<all> while every per-check log
-  // said OK.
-  //
-  // Hermetic on any host: the script runs from a tempdir copy with `bun`
-  // stubbed (checks complete instantly, no repo needed) and PATH set to a
-  // curated symlink dir containing everything the script calls EXCEPT
-  // gtimeout/timeout — forcing the fallback branch even where coreutils is
-  // installed.
-
-  function makeFallbackHarness(): { root: string; env: Record<string, string> } {
-    const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "verify-fallback-"));
-    mkdirSync(join(root, "scripts"), { recursive: true });
-    copyFileSync(SCRIPT, join(root, "scripts", "run-verify-parallel.sh"));
-
-    const bin = join(root, "bin");
-    mkdirSync(bin);
-    // Everything the dispatcher and its subshells invoke, minus timeout bins.
-    for (const tool of ["bash", "sh", "env", "dirname", "mktemp", "date", "sleep", "cat", "tail", "head", "rm", "mkdir", "pkill", "grep", "sed", "awk"]) {
-      const p = Bun.which(tool);
-      if (p) symlinkSync(p, join(bin, tool));
-    }
-    // `bun run <name>` stand-in: instant, prints OK, exits 7 for the check
-    // named in $STUB_FAIL_CHECK (if any).
-    writeFileSync(
-      join(bin, "bun"),
-      `#!/usr/bin/env bash
-name="\${2:-}"
-echo "stub check OK: $name"
-if [ -n "\${STUB_FAIL_CHECK:-}" ] && [ "$name" = "\${STUB_FAIL_CHECK}" ]; then
-  echo "stub check failing: $name" >&2
-  exit 7
-fi
-exit 0
-`,
-      { mode: 0o755 },
-    );
-
-    return {
-      root,
-      env: {
-        PATH: bin,
-        HOME: process.env.HOME ?? root,
-        TMPDIR: process.env.TMPDIR ?? "/tmp",
-        GBRAIN_VERIFY_TIMEOUT: "30",
-        GBRAIN_VERIFY_LOG_DIR: join(root, "logs"),
-      },
-    };
-  }
-
-  it("all checks passing → exit 0, every sentinel records 0 (not the watchdog's 143)", () => {
-    const { root, env } = makeFallbackHarness();
-    try {
-      const r = spawnSync("bash", [join(root, "scripts", "run-verify-parallel.sh")], { encoding: "utf8", env });
-      expect(r.stderr).toMatch(/pass=\d+ fail=0/);
-      expect(r.status).toBe(0);
-      const exits = readdirSync(join(root, "logs")).filter((f) => f.endsWith(".exit"));
-      expect(exits.length).toBeGreaterThan(10);
-      for (const f of exits) {
-        expect(readFileSync(join(root, "logs", f), "utf8").trim()).toBe("0");
-      }
-    } finally {
-      rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
-    }
-  });
-
-  it("one check failing → exit 1, sentinel records the check's own rc (7), not 143", () => {
-    const { root, env } = makeFallbackHarness();
-    try {
-      const r = spawnSync("bash", [join(root, "scripts", "run-verify-parallel.sh")], {
-        encoding: "utf8",
-        env: { ...env, STUB_FAIL_CHECK: "check:jsonb" },
-      });
-      expect(r.status).toBe(1);
-      expect(r.stderr).toContain("--- check:jsonb (rc=7)");
-      expect(r.stderr).toContain("stub check failing: check:jsonb");
-      expect(r.stderr).toMatch(/fail=1\b/);
-      expect(readFileSync(join(root, "logs", "check_jsonb.exit"), "utf8").trim()).toBe("7");
-    } finally {
-      rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true });
-    }
-  });
-});