diff --git a/packages/boot/plugin-manager/tests/github-connection.spec.ts b/packages/boot/plugin-manager/tests/github-connection.spec.ts
index 1d76e1eaf1..d1d292fc2c 100644
--- a/packages/boot/plugin-manager/tests/github-connection.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/boot/plugin-manager/tests/github-connection.spec.ts
@@ -118,8 +118,14 @@ it('ends a silent proxy connection and its Git child at the connection deadline'
   await transport.connected
   const result = await running
   expect(result?.kind).toBe('timeout')
-  // The result records the status the terminated Git is read as; only the streamed run reports no exit code.
-  expect(result).toMatchObject({ exitCode: 1, timedOut: true, argv: checkArgv('https://github.com/acme/plugin.git') })
+  // Git's termination status varies by platform; preserve the observed status, or the fallback when absent.
+  const childRun = vi.mocked(subprocess.execa).mock.results.at(-1)
+  if (childRun?.type !== 'return') throw new Error('Git probe did not return a child process')
+  const childResult = await childRun.value
+  expect(childResult.timedOut).toBe(true)
+  expect(result).toMatchObject({
+    exitCode: childResult.exitCode ?? 1, timedOut: true, argv: checkArgv('https://github.com/acme/plugin.git'),
+  })
   expect(result!.output).toContain('connection to github.com timed out after 3000ms')
   await transport.disconnected
   expect(transport.sockets.size).toBe(0)
@@ -137,6 +143,18 @@ it('cancels a connected Git probe and closes its transport before the deadline',
   expect(transport.sockets.size).toBe(0)
 })
 
+it.each([128, undefined])('reports a timeout while retaining Git exit status %s', async (exitCode) => {
+  const { check } = await fixture()
+  const run = vi.spyOn(subprocess, 'execa').mockResolvedValue({
+    failed: true, timedOut: true, exitCode,
+  } as Awaited<ReturnType<typeof subprocess.execa>>)
+  onTestFinished(() => { run.mockRestore() })
+  const result = await check('github:acme/plugin')
+  expect(result).toMatchObject({ exitCode: exitCode ?? 1, timedOut: true, kind: 'timeout' })
+  expect(result!.output).toContain('connection to github.com timed out after 3000ms')
+  expect(await readFile(result!.logPath, 'utf8')).toBe(result!.output)
+})
+
 it.each([undefined, 'Git could not start'])('retains a diagnostic when Git writes no stderr (%s)', async (shortMessage) => {
   const { check } = await fixture()
   const run = vi.spyOn(subprocess, 'execa').mockResolvedValue({ failed: true, shortMessage } as Awaited<ReturnType<typeof subprocess.execa>>)