diff --git a/tests/BackWave.Hosting.Tests/FaultableStore.cs b/tests/BackWave.Hosting.Tests/FaultableStore.cs
index 03b3949..273a8ee 100644
--- a/tests/BackWave.Hosting.Tests/FaultableStore.cs
+++ b/tests/BackWave.Hosting.Tests/FaultableStore.cs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ public sealed class TransientStoreException() : DbException("forced transient st
 /// <summary>Wraps the In-Memory Store to force invariant violations on demand.</summary>
 public sealed class FaultableStore(IJobStore inner) : IJobStore, IWakeUpHintSource
 {
+    private readonly TaskCompletionSource _subscribed = new(TaskCreationOptions.RunContinuationsAsynchronously);
     private Action<string>? _onHint;
     private int _transientClaimFaults;
     private int _relinquishCalls;
@@ -103,17 +104,23 @@ public int TransientClaimFaults
     /// <summary>
     /// Wakes the subscribed pump for this Queue, as an adapter's Wake-Up Hint would. A test that must keep
     /// every poll tick out of the window it exercises sets a long poll interval and claims through this.
+    /// <para>
+    /// The host starts the pump on a thread-pool thread, so the pump can subscribe after the host's
+    /// StartAsync returns. This waits for that subscription before it sends the hint.
+    /// </para>
     /// </summary>
-    public void Wake(string queue)
+    public async Task WakeAsync(string queue)
     {
+        await _subscribed.Task.WaitAsync(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10)).ConfigureAwait(false);
         var onHint = Volatile.Read(ref _onHint)
-            ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("No pump has subscribed to this store's Wake-Up Hints.");
+            ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("The pump's Wake-Up Hint subscription is already disposed.");
         onHint(queue);
     }
 
     public Task<IAsyncDisposable> SubscribeAsync(Action<string> onHint, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
     {
         Volatile.Write(ref _onHint, onHint);
+        _subscribed.TrySetResult();
         return Task.FromResult<IAsyncDisposable>(new HintSubscription(this));
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/BackWave.Hosting.Tests/JobOutputTooLargeTests.cs b/tests/BackWave.Hosting.Tests/JobOutputTooLargeTests.cs
index 112f257..579ba6f 100644
--- a/tests/BackWave.Hosting.Tests/JobOutputTooLargeTests.cs
+++ b/tests/BackWave.Hosting.Tests/JobOutputTooLargeTests.cs
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ public async Task OversizedOutput_OnARowByRowStore_ReAppliesTheBatchOnceAndCount
         var healthy = await client.EnqueueAsync(new OutputJob("small-1"), dueTime: DateTimeOffset.UtcNow);
         var oversized = await client.EnqueueAsync(new OutputJob("big-1"), dueTime: DateTimeOffset.UtcNow);
         // The one claim pass this test needs: both jobs are due, so they land in the same batch.
-        store.Wake("default");
+        await store.WakeAsync("default");
 
         await AwaitTerminalAsync(monitor, oversized, healthy);
 
@@ -204,6 +204,10 @@ public async Task OversizedOutput_OnARowByRowStore_ReAppliesTheBatchOnceAndCount
         Assert.Contains("Job Output", dead.TerminalCause);
 
         // The settled row fences out on the second pass. Benign, so: Debug, no counter, group untouched.
+        // The pump logs only after the store write that made both jobs terminal, so wait for the log itself.
+        await WaitForAsync(
+            () => logs.Entries.Any(entry => entry.EventId == FencedOutEventId),
+            "the fenced-out outcome to be logged at Debug");
         var debug = Assert.Single(logs.Entries, entry => entry.EventId == FencedOutEventId);
         Assert.Contains(healthy.ToString(), debug.Message);
         Assert.Empty(violations.Measurements);
@@ -302,4 +306,18 @@ private static async Task AwaitTerminalAsync(BackWaveMonitor monitor, params Gui
             await Task.Delay(25);
         }
     }
+
+    private static async Task WaitForAsync(Func<bool> condition, string description)
+    {
+        var deadline = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow + TestTimeout;
+        while (DateTimeOffset.UtcNow < deadline)
+        {
+            if (condition())
+            {
+                return;
+            }
+            await Task.Delay(25);
+        }
+        Assert.Fail($"Timed out waiting for: {description}");
+    }
 }