diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 34a7a7f0..1477199a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -137,9 +137,15 @@ jobs:
         # Migrations auto-run at platform boot. Fail fast if they silently
         # didn't — catches future migration-author mistakes (e.g. a new
         # privileged op Postgres "dev" can't execute) before the E2E run.
+        # Uses docker exec into the service container's own psql — avoids
+        # a 10-20s apt-install step in the runner.
         run: |
-          sudo apt-get install -y -qq postgresql-client > /dev/null
-          tables=$(PGPASSWORD=dev psql -h localhost -U dev -d molecule -tAc "SELECT count(*) FROM information_schema.tables WHERE table_schema='public' AND table_name='workspaces'")
+          pg_container=$(docker ps --filter "ancestor=postgres:16" --format "{{.ID}}" | head -1)
+          if [ -z "$pg_container" ]; then
+            echo "::error::Could not find postgres service container"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          tables=$(docker exec "$pg_container" psql -U dev -d molecule -tAc "SELECT count(*) FROM information_schema.tables WHERE table_schema='public' AND table_name='workspaces'")
           if [ "$tables" != "1" ]; then
             echo "::error::Migrations did not apply — 'workspaces' table missing"
             cat platform/platform.log || true
@@ -158,6 +164,16 @@ jobs:
             kill "$(cat platform/platform.pid)" 2>/dev/null || true
           fi
 
+  shellcheck:
+    name: Shellcheck (E2E scripts)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Run shellcheck on tests/e2e/*.sh
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get update -qq && sudo apt-get install -y -qq shellcheck
+          shellcheck --severity=warning tests/e2e/*.sh
+
   python-lint:
     name: Python Lint & Test
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/tests/e2e/_extract_token.py b/tests/e2e/_extract_token.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..83941cf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/_extract_token.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Stdin: JSON response from POST /registry/register.
+Stdout: the auth_token value, or empty string.
+Stderr: diagnostic when the response is unparseable or missing a token.
+
+Exit code is always 0 — the empty string on stdout is how callers
+distinguish "no token issued" (legitimate on re-registration) from
+success. The warning on stderr surfaces the no-token case so it
+stops masking downstream "missing workspace auth token" 401s.
+"""
+import json
+import sys
+
+try:
+    data = json.load(sys.stdin)
+except Exception as e:
+    sys.stderr.write(f"e2e_extract_token: invalid JSON response ({e})\n")
+    print("")
+    raise SystemExit(0)
+
+token = data.get("auth_token", "")
+if not token:
+    sys.stderr.write("e2e_extract_token: response contained no auth_token field\n")
+print(token)
diff --git a/tests/e2e/_lib.sh b/tests/e2e/_lib.sh
index 4efd2da9..ff3bf996 100755
--- a/tests/e2e/_lib.sh
+++ b/tests/e2e/_lib.sh
@@ -12,24 +12,9 @@
 export BASE
 
 # Emit the auth_token from a /registry/register response on stdout.
-# Logs a warning to stderr when the JSON parse fails or the token is
-# missing — silent empty strings masked real failures as the
-# downstream "missing workspace auth token" 401. Return value is
-# still empty-string-on-failure so grandfather-path callers work.
+# See _extract_token.py for the exact semantics.
 e2e_extract_token() {
-  python3 -c "
-import sys, json
-try:
-  data = json.load(sys.stdin)
-except Exception as e:
-  sys.stderr.write(f'e2e_extract_token: invalid JSON response ({e})\n')
-  print('')
-  sys.exit(0)
-tok = data.get('auth_token', '')
-if not tok:
-  sys.stderr.write('e2e_extract_token: response contained no auth_token field\n')
-print(tok)
-"
+  python3 "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/_extract_token.py"
 }
 
 # Delete every workspace currently on the platform. Use at the top of a
diff --git a/tests/e2e/test_activity_e2e.sh b/tests/e2e/test_activity_e2e.sh
index 30f4fc01..12c673aa 100755
--- a/tests/e2e/test_activity_e2e.sh
+++ b/tests/e2e/test_activity_e2e.sh
@@ -76,9 +76,6 @@ AGENT_TOKEN=$(echo "$RREG" | e2e_extract_token)
 # ---------- A2A Communication Logging ----------
 echo "--- A2A Communication Logging ---"
 
-# Clear any existing activity by noting the count
-BEFORE_COUNT=$(curl -s "$BASE/workspaces/$AGENT_ID/activity" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(len(json.load(sys.stdin)))")
-
 # Test 1: Send A2A message and verify activity is logged
 R=$(curl -s --max-time "$TIMEOUT" -X POST "$BASE/workspaces/$AGENT_ID/a2a" \
   -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
@@ -96,7 +93,7 @@ check "A2A message/send returns response" 'result' "$R"
 # Test 2: Activity log should have a new a2a_receive entry
 # Retry up to 3s for the async LogActivity goroutine to complete
 AFTER_COUNT=0
-for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do
+for _ in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do
   R=$(curl -s "$BASE/workspaces/$AGENT_ID/activity?type=a2a_receive")
   AFTER_COUNT=$(echo "$R" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(len(json.load(sys.stdin)))")
   [ "$AFTER_COUNT" -gt "0" ] && break
diff --git a/tests/e2e/test_api.sh b/tests/e2e/test_api.sh
index 00ba6bd1..dd02fc1b 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/test_api.sh
+++ b/tests/e2e/test_api.sh
@@ -259,7 +259,6 @@ check "GET /bundles/export/:id" '"name":"Summarizer Agent"' "$BUNDLE"
 # Capture original config for comparison
 ORIG_NAME=$(echo "$BUNDLE" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin)['name'])")
 ORIG_TIER=$(echo "$BUNDLE" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin)['tier'])")
-ORIG_SKILLS=$(echo "$BUNDLE" | python3 -c "import sys,json; b=json.load(sys.stdin); card=b.get('agent_card') or {}; skills=card.get('skills',[]); print(','.join(s.get('name','') for s in skills))")
 
 # Delete the workspace
 R=$(curl -s -X DELETE "$BASE/workspaces/$SUM_ID")
@@ -311,9 +310,8 @@ R=$(curl -s -X POST "$BASE/registry/register" -H "Content-Type: application/json
   -d "{\"id\":\"$NEW_ID\",\"url\":\"http://localhost:8002\",\"agent_card\":{\"name\":\"Summarizer\",\"skills\":[{\"id\":\"summarize\",\"name\":\"Summarize\"}]}}")
 check "Register re-imported workspace" '"status":"registered"' "$R"
 
-# Re-export and compare skills survived the round-trip
+# Re-export and verify agent_card survives the round-trip
 REBUNDLE=$(curl -s "$BASE/bundles/export/$NEW_ID")
-REIMPORT_SKILLS=$(echo "$REBUNDLE" | python3 -c "import sys,json; b=json.load(sys.stdin); card=b.get('agent_card') or {}; skills=card.get('skills',[]); print(','.join(s.get('name','') for s in skills))")
 check "Re-exported bundle has agent_card" '"agent_card"' "$REBUNDLE"
 
 # Clean up
diff --git a/tests/e2e/test_claude_code_e2e.sh b/tests/e2e/test_claude_code_e2e.sh
index d52fd7cb..6ed6a061 100755
--- a/tests/e2e/test_claude_code_e2e.sh
+++ b/tests/e2e/test_claude_code_e2e.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ fi
 for id in $(curl -s $PLATFORM/workspaces | python3 -c "import sys,json; [print(w['id']) for w in json.load(sys.stdin)]" 2>/dev/null); do
   curl -s -X DELETE "$PLATFORM/workspaces/$id" > /dev/null
 done
+# shellcheck disable=SC2046  # Intentional word-split over container IDs
 docker stop $(docker ps -q --filter "name=ws-") 2>/dev/null || true
+# shellcheck disable=SC2046
 docker rm $(docker ps -aq --filter "name=ws-") 2>/dev/null || true
 
 # --- Create Org Chart ---
diff --git a/tests/e2e/test_comprehensive_e2e.sh b/tests/e2e/test_comprehensive_e2e.sh
index bef9f704..66390194 100755
--- a/tests/e2e/test_comprehensive_e2e.sh
+++ b/tests/e2e/test_comprehensive_e2e.sh
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ SKIP=0
 # heartbeat, update-card, discover, and peers calls.
 PM_TOKEN=""
 DEV_TOKEN=""
-QA_TOKEN=""
 
 e2e_cleanup_all_workspaces
 
@@ -99,9 +98,8 @@ R=$(curl -s -X POST "$BASE/workspaces" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
   -d "{\"name\":\"Test QA\",\"role\":\"QA\",\"tier\":1,\"parent_id\":\"$PM_ID\"}")
 check "Create QA (sibling of Dev)" '"status":"provisioning"' "$R"
 QA_ID=$(echo "$R" | jq_extract "['id']")
-RR=$(curl -s -X POST "$BASE/registry/register" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-  -d "{\"id\":\"$QA_ID\",\"url\":\"http://localhost:9002\",\"agent_card\":{\"name\":\"QA\",\"skills\":[]}}")
-QA_TOKEN=$(echo "$RR" | e2e_extract_token)
+curl -s -X POST "$BASE/registry/register" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d "{\"id\":\"$QA_ID\",\"url\":\"http://localhost:9002\",\"agent_card\":{\"name\":\"QA\",\"skills\":[]}}" > /dev/null
 
 # Create unrelated workspace
 R=$(curl -s -X POST "$BASE/workspaces" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
@@ -151,7 +149,7 @@ RT_CR_ID=$(echo "$R" | jq_extract "['id']")
 # Wait for containers to start (poll up to 30s for first one to appear)
 if command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
   short_cc="${RT_CC_ID:0:12}"
-  for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do
+  for _ in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do
     sleep 5
     if docker inspect "ws-${short_cc}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then break; fi
   done
@@ -161,7 +159,7 @@ if command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
     local short_id="${ws_id:0:12}"
     # Poll up to 30s for image to appear
     local actual_image="NOT_FOUND"
-    for j in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do
+    for _ in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do
       actual_image=$(docker inspect "ws-${short_id}" --format '{{.Config.Image}}' 2>/dev/null || echo "NOT_FOUND")
       if echo "$actual_image" | grep -qF "$expected_tag"; then break; fi
       sleep 5
@@ -214,7 +212,7 @@ if echo "$R" | grep -qF "saved"; then
   # Poll up to 30s for the new container image to appear (restart can take a while)
   if command -v docker &>/dev/null; then
     short_id="${RT_LG_ID:0:12}"
-    for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do
+    for _ in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do
       sleep 5
       actual=$(docker inspect "ws-${short_id}" --format '{{.Config.Image}}' 2>/dev/null || echo "")
       if echo "$actual" | grep -qF "deepagents"; then break; fi
@@ -293,9 +291,6 @@ R=$(curl -s -H "X-Workspace-ID: $PM_ID" -H "Authorization: Bearer $PM_TOKEN" "$B
 check "PM discovers Dev (parent→child)" "$DEV_ID" "$R"
 
 # Dev discovers QA (siblings: allowed) — QA was registered in Section 2
-RQA=$(curl -s -X POST "$BASE/registry/register" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-  -d "{\"id\":\"$QA_ID\",\"url\":\"http://localhost:9002\",\"agent_card\":{\"name\":\"QA\",\"skills\":[]}}")
-QA_TOKEN=$(echo "$RQA" | e2e_extract_token)
 R=$(curl -s -H "X-Workspace-ID: $DEV_ID" -H "Authorization: Bearer $DEV_TOKEN" "$BASE/registry/discover/$QA_ID")
 check "Dev discovers QA (siblings)" "$QA_ID" "$R"
 
@@ -573,7 +568,7 @@ for w in ws:
 " 2>/dev/null
 
 # Poll for clean state up to 30s — DB cascade + container stop is async on busy systems
-for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do
+for _ in 1 2 3 4 5 6; do
   sleep 5
   R=$(curl -s "$BASE/workspaces")
   if [ "$R" = "[]" ]; then break; fi