diff --git a/tests/test_issue18_liveness_contract.py b/tests/test_issue18_liveness_contract.py
index e0d4033..db95f29 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue18_liveness_contract.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue18_liveness_contract.py
@@ -1220,9 +1220,16 @@ def test_acceptance5_remote_runner_completes_a_job_over_the_broker_only(tmp_path
         stdout, stderr = proc.communicate(timeout=180)
         jid = _wait_job_id(reg)
         if proc.returncode != 0:
+            if ("no CONNACK from broker" in stderr
+                    and "published started" not in runner_log.read_text(errors="replace")):
+                pytest.skip("broker unreachable when publishing the dispatch (no CONNACK); the runner never saw the job")
             _skip_if_broker_did_not_deliver(reg, runner_log)
         assert proc.returncode == 0, f"rc={proc.returncode}\n{stdout}\n{stderr}\nrunner:\n{runner_log.read_text()}"
-        assert "subscriber received started" in stderr or "advanced to 'running'" in stderr
+        # delivery is confirmed by the protocol: the subscriber saw `started`, or
+        # the registry left pending - to running, or straight to completed when
+        # the broker delivered only the retained terminal event
+        assert ("subscriber received started" in stderr or "advanced to 'running'" in stderr
+                or "advanced to 'completed'" in stderr), stderr
         assert _job(reg, jid)["status"] == "completed", \
             f"the subscriber mirrors the remote terminal into the registry\n{stdout}\n{stderr}\nrunner:\n{runner_log.read_text()}"
         assert _job(reg, jid)["transport"] == "remote"