diff --git a/scripts/qa-firms.mjs b/scripts/qa-firms.mjs
index d32ede533..27c8663bf 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-firms.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-firms.mjs
@@ -230,16 +230,20 @@ async function main() {
 
   try {
     const res = await fetch(APP_URL);
+    // Only the status matters; an unread body can hold the socket open.
+    await res.body?.cancel();
     if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
   } catch (e) {
     console.error(`\x1b[31mDev server not reachable at ${APP_URL} (${e.message}).\x1b[0m`);
-    process.exit(2);
+    process.exitCode = 2;
+    return;
   }
 
   const status = await fetch(`${APP_URL}/api/firms/status`).then((r) => r.json()).catch(() => null);
   if (!FIXTURES && !status?.hasKey) {
     console.error('\x1b[31mServer has no FIRMS key — run against the keyed dev server (:4420).\x1b[0m');
-    process.exit(2);
+    process.exitCode = 2;
+    return;
   }
 
   fs.mkdirSync(SHOTS_DIR, { recursive: true });
diff --git a/scripts/qa-traffic-jamviz-ab.mjs b/scripts/qa-traffic-jamviz-ab.mjs
index 73d28ca60..b236ab0b1 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-traffic-jamviz-ab.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-traffic-jamviz-ab.mjs
@@ -139,15 +139,19 @@ async function main() {
 
   try {
     const res = await fetch(APP_URL);
+    // Only the status matters; an unread body can hold the socket open.
+    await res.body?.cancel();
     if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
   } catch (e) {
     console.error(`Dev server not reachable at ${APP_URL} (${e.message}).`);
-    process.exit(2);
+    process.exitCode = 2;
+    return;
   }
   const status = await fetch(`${APP_URL}/api/tomtom/status`).then((r) => r.json()).catch(() => null);
   if (!status?.hasKey) {
     console.error('Server has no TomTom key — the A/B needs live flow.');
-    process.exit(2);
+    process.exitCode = 2;
+    return;
   }
 
   fs.mkdirSync(OUT_DIR, { recursive: true });
diff --git a/scripts/qa-traffic-preset-ab.mjs b/scripts/qa-traffic-preset-ab.mjs
index 44319af0d..d1b4950fd 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-traffic-preset-ab.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-traffic-preset-ab.mjs
@@ -145,15 +145,19 @@ async function main() {
 
   try {
     const res = await fetch(APP_URL);
+    // Only the status matters; an unread body can hold the socket open.
+    await res.body?.cancel();
     if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
   } catch (e) {
     console.error(`Dev server not reachable at ${APP_URL} (${e.message}).`);
-    process.exit(2);
+    process.exitCode = 2;
+    return;
   }
   const status = await fetch(`${APP_URL}/api/tomtom/status`).then((r) => r.json()).catch(() => null);
   if (!status?.hasKey) {
     console.error('Server has no TomTom key — the A/B needs live flow.');
-    process.exit(2);
+    process.exitCode = 2;
+    return;
   }
 
   fs.mkdirSync(OUT_DIR, { recursive: true });
diff --git a/scripts/qa-traffic.mjs b/scripts/qa-traffic.mjs
index 2a04d5595..424f3486e 100644
--- a/scripts/qa-traffic.mjs
+++ b/scripts/qa-traffic.mjs
@@ -113,17 +113,21 @@ async function main() {
 
   try {
     const res = await fetch(APP_URL);
+    // Only the status matters; an unread body can hold the socket open.
+    await res.body?.cancel();
     if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}`);
   } catch (e) {
     console.error(`\x1b[31mDev server not reachable at ${APP_URL} (${e.message}).\x1b[0m`);
-    process.exit(2);
+    process.exitCode = 2;
+    return;
   }
 
   const statusBefore = FIXTURES ? {hasKey:true,dailyCount:0} : await fetch(`${APP_URL}/api/tomtom/status`).then((r) => r.json()).catch(() => null);
   if (FIXTURES) console.log('Source mode: synthetic roads and recorded flow tiles; live quota is not qualified.');
   if (!statusBefore?.hasKey) {
     console.error('\x1b[31mServer has no TomTom key — run against the keyed dev server (:4410).\x1b[0m');
-    process.exit(2);
+    process.exitCode = 2;
+    return;
   }
 
   fs.mkdirSync(SHOTS_DIR, { recursive: true });