diff --git a/tests/scripts/install-readme-clarity.test.js b/tests/scripts/install-readme-clarity.test.js
index a52ae8ccd..12e2d511f 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/install-readme-clarity.test.js
+++ b/tests/scripts/install-readme-clarity.test.js
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ const assert = require('assert');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 
+const { version } = require('../../package.json');
+
 const README = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'README.md');
 const RULES_README = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'rules', 'README.md');
 const CODEX_AGENTS = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', '.codex', 'AGENTS.md');
@@ -53,10 +55,10 @@ function runTests() {
 
   if (test('README leads with the idempotent guided plugin setup path', () => {
     const topClaudeSectionIndex = readme.indexOf('## Install with Claude Code');
-    const topGuidedCommandIndex = readme.indexOf('npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 setup', topClaudeSectionIndex);
+    const topGuidedCommandIndex = readme.indexOf(`npx ecc-universal@${version} setup`, topClaudeSectionIndex);
     const nativePluginCommandIndex = readme.indexOf('/plugin marketplace add', topClaudeSectionIndex);
     const installSectionIndex = readme.indexOf('## Install ECC');
-    const guidedCommandIndex = readme.indexOf('npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 setup', installSectionIndex);
+    const guidedCommandIndex = readme.indexOf(`npx ecc-universal@${version} setup`, installSectionIndex);
     const claudeDetailsIndex = readme.indexOf('### Claude Code details', installSectionIndex);
 
     assert.ok(
@@ -95,9 +97,9 @@ function runTests() {
   })) passed++; else failed++;
 
   if (test('README documents modern package-runner alternatives', () => {
-    assert.ok(readme.includes('pnpm dlx ecc-universal@2.2.1 setup'));
-    assert.ok(readme.includes('yarn dlx ecc-universal@2.2.1 setup'));
-    assert.ok(readme.includes('bunx ecc-universal@2.2.1 setup'));
+    assert.ok(readme.includes(`pnpm dlx ecc-universal@${version} setup`));
+    assert.ok(readme.includes(`yarn dlx ecc-universal@${version} setup`));
+    assert.ok(readme.includes(`bunx ecc-universal@${version} setup`));
     assert.ok(
       readme.includes('Yarn Classic 1 does not provide `yarn dlx`'),
       'README should not advertise the modern Yarn command to Yarn Classic users'
@@ -122,10 +124,10 @@ function runTests() {
       'README should document doctor before reinstalling'
     );
     for (const command of [
-      'npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 list-installed',
-      'npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 doctor',
-      'npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 repair',
-      'npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 uninstall --dry-run',
+      `npx ecc-universal@${version} list-installed`,
+      `npx ecc-universal@${version} doctor`,
+      `npx ecc-universal@${version} repair`,
+      `npx ecc-universal@${version} uninstall --dry-run`,
     ]) {
       assert.ok(
         readme.includes(command),
@@ -148,7 +150,7 @@ function runTests() {
       'README should document the shell minimal profile command'
     );
     assert.ok(
-      readme.includes('npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 install --profile minimal --target claude'),
+      readme.includes(`npx ecc-universal@${version} install --profile minimal --target claude`),
       'README should document the published universal-package minimal profile command'
     );
     assert.ok(
@@ -175,7 +177,7 @@ function runTests() {
       'README should surface component discovery before install steps'
     );
     assert.ok(
-      readme.includes('npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 consult "security reviews" --target claude'),
+      readme.includes(`npx ecc-universal@${version} consult "security reviews" --target claude`),
       'README should document the packaged consult command'
     );
     assert.ok(
@@ -193,15 +195,15 @@ function runTests() {
 
   if (test('README gives the native guided Codex and managed Kimi dry-run paths', () => {
     assert.ok(
-      readme.includes('npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 install --guided --harness codex --dry-run'),
+      readme.includes(`npx ecc-universal@${version} install --guided --harness codex --dry-run`),
       'README should verify Codex through the native guided reconciler'
     );
     assert.ok(
-      !readme.includes('npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 install --profile core --target codex --dry-run'),
+      !readme.includes(`npx ecc-universal@${version} install --profile core --target codex --dry-run`),
       'README should not present the legacy managed Codex adapter as the native lifecycle'
     );
     assert.ok(
-      readme.includes('npx ecc-universal@2.2.1 install --profile core --target kimi --dry-run')
+      readme.includes(`npx ecc-universal@${version} install --profile core --target kimi --dry-run`)
     );
     for (const target of ['cursor', 'gemini', 'opencode', 'codebuddy', 'joycode', 'qwen', 'zed', 'hermes', 'openclaw']) {
       assert.ok(readme.includes(`\`${target}\``), `README should name the ${target} target`);
@@ -313,7 +315,6 @@ function runTests() {
   })) passed++; else failed++;
 
   if (test('README binds package runners to the release and avoids unaudited bootstraps', () => {
-    const version = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'package.json'))).version;
     const runners = [...readme.matchAll(/(?:npx |pnpm dlx |yarn dlx |bunx )(ecc-universal[^\s`]+)/g)];
     assert.ok(runners.length >= 15);
     for (const match of runners) assert.strictEqual(match[1], `ecc-universal@${version}`);
@@ -321,7 +322,7 @@ function runTests() {
     assert.ok(!/npm install -g opencode(?:\s|$)/m.test(readme));
     assert.match(readme, /version pin is not a security audit/i);
     assert.match(readme, /already installed.*reviewed.*AgentShield/i);
-    assert.ok(readme.includes('https://www.npmjs.com/package/ecc-universal/v/2.2.1'));
+    assert.ok(readme.includes(`https://www.npmjs.com/package/ecc-universal/v/${version}`));
   })) passed++; else failed++;
 
   console.log(`\nResults: Passed: ${passed}, Failed: ${failed}`);
diff --git a/tests/scripts/npm-publish-surface.test.js b/tests/scripts/npm-publish-surface.test.js
index 0ca2fc05f..bec9096d4 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/npm-publish-surface.test.js
+++ b/tests/scripts/npm-publish-surface.test.js
@@ -122,8 +122,12 @@ function buildExpectedPublishPaths(repoRoot) {
     [...modules.flatMap((module) => module.paths || []), ...extraPaths, ...exclusionPaths].map(normalizePublishPath)
   )
 
+  // npm needs an explicit entry to include this gitignored build output.
+  const requiredBuildPaths = [".opencode/dist"]
+
   return [...combined]
     .filter((publishPath) => !isCoveredByAncestor(publishPath, combined))
+    .concat(requiredBuildPaths)
     .sort()
 }