diff --git a/cmd/server/distance_lazy_index_test.go b/cmd/server/distance_lazy_index_test.go
index 072b6cd3..f4c2b043 100644
--- a/cmd/server/distance_lazy_index_test.go
+++ b/cmd/server/distance_lazy_index_test.go
@@ -88,6 +88,14 @@ func TestDistanceConcurrentRequestsDuringBuildReturn202(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := store.Load(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Load(): %v", err)
 	}
+	// Hold the lazy build open until every concurrent request has been served,
+	// so the "requests during the build window -> 202" guarantee is exercised
+	// deterministically. Without this the build of the tiny test DB finishes
+	// almost instantly, so on a fast/idle machine some requests race past it and
+	// get 200 — a flake, not a regression (the code only ever promised 202 for
+	// requests that arrive WHILE the build is in flight).
+	release := make(chan struct{})
+	store.distanceBuildHook = func() { <-release }
 	srv.store = store
 	r := mux.NewRouter()
 	srv.RegisterRoutes(r)
@@ -108,6 +116,7 @@ func TestDistanceConcurrentRequestsDuringBuildReturn202(t *testing.T) {
 		}()
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
+	close(release) // let the gated build finish
 	if got202.Load() != N {
 		t.Fatalf("expected all %d concurrent first-window requests to get 202; only %d did", N, got202.Load())
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/server/paths_anchor_bias_test.go b/cmd/server/paths_anchor_bias_test.go
index e1313f35..5678c404 100644
--- a/cmd/server/paths_anchor_bias_test.go
+++ b/cmd/server/paths_anchor_bias_test.go
@@ -78,6 +78,18 @@ func TestHandleNodePaths_AnchorBiasInconsistency_Issue1278(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := store.Load(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("store.Load: %v", err)
 	}
+	// The path-hop index that /paths reads is built in a background goroutine
+	// (#1008); querying before it is ready races the build and yields a
+	// non-deterministic membership/canonical result (the flake). Wait for
+	// readiness so the test asserts against the fully-built index.
+	pathHopDeadline := time.After(5 * time.Second)
+	for !store.PathHopIndexReady() {
+		select {
+		case <-pathHopDeadline:
+			t.Fatal("path-hop index not ready within 5s")
+		case <-time.After(10 * time.Millisecond):
+		}
+	}
 	srv.store = store
 	router := mux.NewRouter()
 	srv.RegisterRoutes(router)
diff --git a/cmd/server/store.go b/cmd/server/store.go
index 4151ed94..4b4322e9 100644
--- a/cmd/server/store.go
+++ b/cmd/server/store.go
@@ -287,6 +287,11 @@ type PacketStore struct {
 	distLazyBuilding  bool
 	distLazyLastBuilt time.Time
 	distLazyLastObs   int // totalObs at last build, for Δobs debounce
+	// distanceBuildHook, if non-nil, runs at the start of the lazy build
+	// goroutine (after distLazyBuilding is set, before any lock is held). Tests
+	// use it to hold the build open so concurrent requests deterministically
+	// observe the "building" window; nil (and zero overhead) in production.
+	distanceBuildHook func()
 
 	// Cached GetNodeHashSizeInfo result — recomputed at most once every 15s
 	hashSizeInfoMu    sync.Mutex
@@ -4278,6 +4283,10 @@ func (s *PacketStore) TriggerDistanceIndexBuild() {
 		s.distLazyBuilding = true
 		s.distLazyMu.Unlock()
 
+		if s.distanceBuildHook != nil {
+			s.distanceBuildHook() // test seam: hold the build window open
+		}
+
 		s.mu.Lock()
 		s.buildDistanceIndex()
 		obsAtBuild := s.totalObs