diff --git a/server/tests/test_sigterm_integration.py b/server/tests/test_sigterm_integration.py
index bb6688e..74c2265 100644
--- a/server/tests/test_sigterm_integration.py
+++ b/server/tests/test_sigterm_integration.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
 
+from admin_server import send_admin_command
+
 pytestmark = pytest.mark.skipif(os.name == "nt", reason="SIGTERM integration is POSIX-only")
 
 SERVER_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
@@ -78,11 +80,16 @@ def test_sigterm_exits_cleanly(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
                 time.sleep(0.1)
         assert connected, "server did not accept a test client in time"
 
-        # Admin probe over localhost only.
-        with socket.create_connection(("127.0.0.1", admin_port), timeout=2.0) as admin:
-            admin.sendall(b'{"cmd":"ping"}\n')
-            response = admin.recv(4096)
-            assert b'"ok":true' in response.replace(b" ", b"")
+        admin_deadline = time.time() + 5.0
+        response: dict[str, object] | None = None
+        while time.time() < admin_deadline:
+            try:
+                response = send_admin_command({"cmd": "ping"}, port=admin_port, timeout_seconds=0.5)
+                break
+            except (OSError, RuntimeError, ConnectionError):
+                time.sleep(0.05)
+        assert response is not None
+        assert response.get("ok") is True
 
         process.send_signal(signal.SIGTERM)
         try: