diff --git a/tests/lifecycle/bats/backend-survives-archipelago-restart.bats b/tests/lifecycle/bats/backend-survives-archipelago-restart.bats
index bb962eaa..4a1c82f8 100644
--- a/tests/lifecycle/bats/backend-survives-archipelago-restart.bats
+++ b/tests/lifecycle/bats/backend-survives-archipelago-restart.bats
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@
 #
 # Gated by ARCHY_ALLOW_DESTRUCTIVE=1 because it bounces archipelago.
 
+# bats-core ships no `fail`; bats-assert isn't installed on the alpha fleet.
+# Define the same minimal helper the other suites use (see mempool.bats) so a
+# tripped assertion reports as a real test failure, not a status-127 crash.
+fail() { echo "$@" >&2; return 1; }
+
 backend_units=(
   "bitcoin-knots"
   "bitcoin-core"
diff --git a/tests/lifecycle/bats/use-quadlet-backends-install.bats b/tests/lifecycle/bats/use-quadlet-backends-install.bats
index 02b3abab..cbb23298 100644
--- a/tests/lifecycle/bats/use-quadlet-backends-install.bats
+++ b/tests/lifecycle/bats/use-quadlet-backends-install.bats
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@
 # box). No env vars required for the read-only checks. The cleanup
 # section at the bottom is gated by ARCHY_ALLOW_DESTRUCTIVE=1.
 
+# bats-core ships no `fail`; bats-assert isn't installed on the alpha fleet.
+# Define the same minimal helper the other suites use (see mempool.bats) so a
+# tripped assertion reports as a real test failure, not a status-127 crash.
+fail() { echo "$@" >&2; return 1; }
+
 quadlet_dir() {
   echo "${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/containers/systemd"
 }
@@ -97,18 +102,24 @@ require_quadlet_backends() {
   done < <(backend_quadlet_units)
 }
 
-@test "Phase 3.4: any unit emitting HealthCmd= also emits Notify=healthy" {
+@test "health is app-level state, NOT a systemd start gate (no Notify=healthy)" {
   require_quadlet_backends
+  # Phase 3.4 originally emitted Notify=healthy so `systemctl start` blocked
+  # until the healthcheck passed. That was deliberately reverted: gating start
+  # on health hung boot reconciliation for dependency-waiting apps (fedimint
+  # idles its entrypoint until Bitcoin IBD finishes; lnd until the macaroon
+  # unlocks), leaving units stuck in "deactivating". The renderer now emits
+  # HealthCmd= for Podman's health state but TimeoutStartSec=0 and NO
+  # Notify=healthy (see quadlet.rs render() + contains_stale_health_gate()).
+  # This asserts the current invariant: no backend unit gates start on health.
   local d
   d="$(quadlet_dir)"
   while read -r name; do
     [[ -z "$name" ]] && continue
     local body
     body="$(<"$d/$name.container")"
-    if [[ "$body" == *"HealthCmd="* ]]; then
-      [[ "$body" == *"Notify=healthy"* ]] \
-        || fail "$name: HealthCmd= present but Notify=healthy missing — systemctl start won't gate on health"
-    fi
+    [[ "$body" != *"Notify=healthy"* ]] \
+      || fail "$name: emits Notify=healthy — stale health gate; start would block on health and can hang boot reconcile"
   done < <(backend_quadlet_units)
 }