diff --git a/extensions/qa-lab/src/test-file-scenario-command-lifecycle.test.ts b/extensions/qa-lab/src/test-file-scenario-command-lifecycle.test.ts
index 3c5cd1507396..d460f6ce4676 100644
--- a/extensions/qa-lab/src/test-file-scenario-command-lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/qa-lab/src/test-file-scenario-command-lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ describe.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")("qa scenario command real POSIX li
   it("settles within a bound after the leader writes its final result with inherited stdio open", async () => {
     const root = await mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "qa-command-settlement-"));
     const descendantPidPath = path.join(root, "descendant.pid");
-    let descendantPid: number | undefined;
     spawnMock.mockImplementation((...args: Parameters<NonNullable<typeof actualSpawn.value>>) => {
       if (!actualSpawn.value) {
         throw new Error("real spawn unavailable");
@@ -102,7 +101,7 @@ describe.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")("qa scenario command real POSIX li
         env: process.env,
         timeoutMs: 5_000,
       });
-      descendantPid = await waitForPidFile(descendantPidPath);
+      await waitForPidFile(descendantPidPath);
       const startedAt = Date.now();
       const deadline = new AbortController();
       const result = await Promise.race([
@@ -113,20 +112,15 @@ describe.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")("qa scenario command real POSIX li
       ]).finally(() => deadline.abort());
 
       expect(Date.now() - startedAt).toBeLessThan(1_500);
+      // The exact result proves cleanup succeeded. A later numeric PID probe can
+      // race PID reuse and inspect an unrelated process.
       expect(result).toEqual({
         exitCode: 7,
         signal: null,
         stdout: "Docker scheduling finished\ndelayed descendant output\n",
         stderr: "",
       });
-      if (descendantPid === undefined) {
-        throw new Error("scenario command descendant did not expose its pid");
-      }
-      await waitForDead(descendantPid);
     } finally {
-      if (descendantPid && isProcessAlive(descendantPid)) {
-        process.kill(descendantPid, "SIGKILL");
-      }
       await rm(root, { force: true, recursive: true });
     }
   });