diff --git a/tests/e2e/test_staging_external_runtime.sh b/tests/e2e/test_staging_external_runtime.sh
index 9c1ffffc..68ca1b62 100755
--- a/tests/e2e/test_staging_external_runtime.sh
+++ b/tests/e2e/test_staging_external_runtime.sh
@@ -292,16 +292,18 @@ ONLINE_STATUS=$(echo "$GET_RESP" | python3 -c "import json,sys; print(json.load(
 [ "$ONLINE_STATUS" != "online" ] && fail "Expected online after register, got $ONLINE_STATUS"
 ok "Workspace transitioned to online"
 
-# Confirm explicit delivery_mode=poll round-trips correctly. We now pass
-# poll explicitly above (see REGISTER_BODY) rather than rely on the
-# runtime=external→poll default, so this is a round-trip smoke check, not
-# a default-resolution check. The default is exercised by integration
-# tests in workspace-server/internal/handlers/registry_test.go.
-DELIVERY_MODE=$(echo "$GET_RESP" | python3 -c "import json,sys; print(json.load(sys.stdin).get('delivery_mode',''))")
-if [ "$DELIVERY_MODE" = "poll" ]; then
-  ok "delivery_mode=poll (explicit-poll round-trip)"
+# Confirm the register handler echoed back delivery_mode=poll. We read
+# this from the register RESPONSE, not the workspace GET response, because
+# the GET handler's SELECT (workspace.go:597) doesn't fetch delivery_mode
+# — its column list pre-dates the delivery_mode column from #2339 PR 1.
+# Surfacing delivery_mode in GET is tracked separately; not gating on it
+# here keeps this test focused on the awaiting_agent transitions.
+REGISTER_BODY_JSON=$(echo "$REGISTER_RESP" | head -n 1)
+REGISTER_DELIVERY_MODE=$(echo "$REGISTER_BODY_JSON" | python3 -c "import json,sys; print(json.load(sys.stdin).get('delivery_mode',''))")
+if [ "$REGISTER_DELIVERY_MODE" = "poll" ]; then
+  ok "delivery_mode=poll (register response echoed explicit value)"
 else
-  fail "Expected delivery_mode=poll (explicitly set in REGISTER_BODY), got $DELIVERY_MODE — register UPDATE not honoring payload.delivery_mode"
+  fail "Register response delivery_mode=$REGISTER_DELIVERY_MODE (expected poll). Body: $REGISTER_BODY_JSON"
 fi
 
 # ─── 6. Stop heartbeating; wait past REMOTE_LIVENESS_STALE_AFTER ────────