diff --git a/crates/spt/tests/twohost_cli.rs b/crates/spt/tests/twohost_cli.rs
index 9d3bb07..520878d 100644
--- a/crates/spt/tests/twohost_cli.rs
+++ b/crates/spt/tests/twohost_cli.rs
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 use std::io::Read;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
-use std::process::{Child, Command, Output, Stdio};
+use std::process::{Child, Command, Stdio};
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 use std::thread;
 use std::time::{Duration, Instant, SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};
@@ -210,15 +210,7 @@ fn rig_wait(what: &str, deadline: Duration, mut probe: impl FnMut() -> bool) {
     panic!("never converged on the rig: {what}");
 }
 
-fn output_bounded(mut cmd: Command, deadline: Duration) -> Output {
-    let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
-    thread::spawn(move || {
-        let _ = tx.send(cmd.output());
-    });
-    rx.recv_timeout(deadline)
-        .expect("captured spt call must complete within its deadline")
-        .expect("run spt")
-}
+
 
 fn ready_pid(path: &Path) -> Option<u32> {
     let s = std::fs::read_to_string(path).ok()?;
@@ -250,10 +242,7 @@ fn kill_pid(pid: u32) {
     let _ = Command::new("kill").args(["-9", &pid.to_string()]).output();
 }
 
-fn sibling_bin(name: &str) -> PathBuf {
-    PathBuf::from(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_spt"))
-        .with_file_name(format!("{name}{}", std::env::consts::EXE_SUFFIX))
-}
+
 
 /// One REAL `spt daemon run` under `home`, readiness-gated on `brain.ready`,
 /// reaped SCOPED on drop (stop verb first, then pid kills) — a rung-assert
@@ -308,7 +297,7 @@ impl DaemonGuard {
         cmd.no_window()
             .args(["daemon", "stop"])
             .env("SPT_HOME", &self.home);
-        let out = output_bounded(cmd, Duration::from_secs(30));
+        let out = common::output_bounded(cmd, Duration::from_secs(30));
         println!(
             "GATED: daemon stop rc={:?} out={} err={}",
             out.status.code(),
@@ -344,7 +333,7 @@ impl Drop for DaemonGuard {
             cmd.no_window()
                 .args(["daemon", "stop"])
                 .env("SPT_HOME", &self.home);
-            let _ = output_bounded(cmd, Duration::from_secs(20));
+            let _ = common::output_bounded(cmd, Duration::from_secs(20));
             self.reap_pids();
         }
     }
@@ -541,7 +530,7 @@ fn gated_cli_role_b() {
     let home = TempDir::new().expect("temp home");
     std::env::set_var("SPT_HOME", home.path());
     let spt = PathBuf::from(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_spt"));
-    let mock_session = sibling_bin("mock-session");
+    let mock_session = common::sibling_bin("mock-session");
     assert!(
         mock_session.exists(),
         "the dummy-harness program must be built: {} \
@@ -904,7 +893,7 @@ fn gated_cli_role_b() {
     list.no_window()
         .args(["knock", "list", "--for", ID_FORKGAP])
         .env("SPT_HOME", home.path());
-    let out = output_bounded(list, Duration::from_secs(60));
+    let out = common::output_bounded(list, Duration::from_secs(60));
     let listing = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).to_string();
     assert!(
         listing.contains("unable to RESOLVE"),
@@ -943,7 +932,7 @@ fn gated_cli_role_b() {
             "--admit-node",
         ])
         .env("SPT_HOME", home.path());
-    let out = output_bounded(grant, Duration::from_secs(60));
+    let out = common::output_bounded(grant, Duration::from_secs(60));
     let echo = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).to_string();
     assert!(
         out.status.success(),
@@ -978,7 +967,7 @@ fn gated_cli_role_b() {
             "--admit-node",
         ])
         .env("SPT_HOME", home.path());
-    let out = output_bounded(quiet, Duration::from_secs(60));
+    let out = common::output_bounded(quiet, Duration::from_secs(60));
     let quiet_echo = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).to_string();
     let quiet_err = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr).to_string();
     // [int->REQ-ACL-GRANT-NODES-POLICY]
@@ -1129,7 +1118,7 @@ fn gated_cli_role_a() {
     wake.no_window()
         .args(["endpoint", "wake", &wake_target])
         .env("SPT_HOME", home.path());
-    let out = output_bounded(wake, Duration::from_secs(120));
+    let out = common::output_bounded(wake, Duration::from_secs(120));
     // TAG:value tokens paint on STDERR across the ecosystem (cmd_rest's
     // eprintln! arms) — stdout stays reserved for payload surfaces.
     let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr);
@@ -1200,7 +1189,7 @@ fn gated_cli_role_a() {
             &rig.subnet,
         ])
         .env("SPT_HOME", home.path());
-    let out = output_bounded(fork, Duration::from_secs(180));
+    let out = common::output_bounded(fork, Duration::from_secs(180));
     let fork_err = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr).to_string();
     assert!(
         fork_err.contains("FORKED:"),
@@ -1262,7 +1251,7 @@ fn gated_cli_role_a() {
             "--send-only",
         ])
         .env("SPT_HOME", home.path());
-    let out = output_bounded(knock, Duration::from_secs(120));
+    let out = common::output_bounded(knock, Duration::from_secs(120));
     let knock_out = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).to_string();
     let knock_err = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr).to_string();
     assert!(