diff --git a/tests/README.md b/tests/README.md
index ad75fff..e7e80ab 100644
--- a/tests/README.md
+++ b/tests/README.md
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ tests/
       expected/<slug>.json                  #   blessed exported response
       output/                               #   generated TSVs (gitignored)
     qwacback/
-      docker-compose.yml                    #   qwacback alone (QWACBACK_IMAGE; the ghcr image is private)
+      docker-compose.yml                    #   qwacback alone (public ghcr image; QWACBACK_IMAGE overrides)
       test_qwacback_equivalence.py          #   same XLSForm → buildDdiXml vs. qwacback, DDI shape compared
       build_ddi.mjs                         #   buildDdiXml from dist/ over stdin/stdout
   fixtures/surveys/<name>/                  # one folder per whole survey, like a registry entity
@@ -192,8 +192,8 @@ so the test wraps it in a `<dataDscr>`. `note` is a strict xfail, by design:
 formtransform emits no `<var>` for a note.
 
 The fixture starts qwacback from its own compose file, or uses `QWACBACK_URL`.
-`ghcr.io/correlaid/qwacback` is private: log in to ghcr.io, or build it
-(`docker build -t qwacback:local ../qwacback`) and set
+It pulls the public `ghcr.io/correlaid/qwacback:latest`. To test an unreleased
+qwacback, build it (`docker build -t qwacback:local ../qwacback`) and set
 `QWACBACK_IMAGE=qwacback:local`. If the image can't be pulled, the tests skip
 with that reason.
 
diff --git a/tests/live/qwacback/conftest.py b/tests/live/qwacback/conftest.py
index 7c96d3d..e70eb38 100644
--- a/tests/live/qwacback/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/live/qwacback/conftest.py
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 `QWACBACK_URL` reuses a running qwacback. Otherwise the fixture starts the
 container from docker-compose.yml and removes it afterwards. The tests are
-skipped when the qwacback image can't be pulled (it is private; see
-docker-compose.yml).
+skipped when the qwacback image can't be pulled (offline, or a
+`QWACBACK_IMAGE` that doesn't exist; see docker-compose.yml).
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
diff --git a/tests/live/qwacback/docker-compose.yml b/tests/live/qwacback/docker-compose.yml
index f1f2825..0873376 100644
--- a/tests/live/qwacback/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/tests/live/qwacback/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # qwacback alone, for the DDI equivalence test (test_qwacback_equivalence.py).
 # Conversion runs in qwacback's Go code, so the schematron-worker isn't needed.
 #
-# ghcr.io/correlaid/qwacback is private. Log in to ghcr.io, or build it from a
-# qwacback checkout and point QWACBACK_IMAGE at it:
+# ghcr.io/correlaid/qwacback is public. To test an unreleased qwacback, build
+# it from a checkout and point QWACBACK_IMAGE at it:
 #   docker build -t qwacback:local ../qwacback
 #   QWACBACK_IMAGE=qwacback:local npm run test:live -- -k qwacback
 services: