diff --git a/apps/broker/scripts/peer-a.ts b/apps/broker/scripts/peer-a.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5c00314
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/broker/scripts/peer-a.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bun
+/**
+ * Smoke-test peer A (sender).
+ *
+ * Reads the seed JSON from /tmp/smoke-seed.json, connects to the
+ * broker, sends hello, then sends one direct message to peer B.
+ * Exits after 5s whether or not it gets anything back.
+ */
+
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import WebSocket from "ws";
+
+const seed = JSON.parse(readFileSync("/tmp/smoke-seed.json", "utf-8")) as {
+  meshId: string;
+  peerA: { memberId: string; pubkey: string };
+  peerB: { memberId: string; pubkey: string };
+};
+
+const BROKER = process.env.BROKER_WS_URL ?? "ws://localhost:7900/ws";
+const ws = new WebSocket(BROKER);
+
+let helloAcked = false;
+
+ws.on("open", () => {
+  console.log("[peer-a] connected, sending hello");
+  ws.send(
+    JSON.stringify({
+      type: "hello",
+      meshId: seed.meshId,
+      memberId: seed.peerA.memberId,
+      pubkey: seed.peerA.pubkey,
+      sessionId: "peer-a-session",
+      pid: process.pid,
+      cwd: "/tmp/peer-a",
+      signature: "stub",
+      nonce: "stub",
+    }),
+  );
+});
+
+ws.on("message", (raw) => {
+  const msg = JSON.parse(raw.toString());
+  console.log("[peer-a] recv:", JSON.stringify(msg));
+  if (!helloAcked) {
+    // Broker doesn't currently ack hello explicitly; first message we
+    // get is a push OR error. Assume success and fire our send after
+    // a short delay.
+  }
+});
+
+ws.on("error", (e) => console.error("[peer-a] error:", e.message));
+ws.on("close", () => console.log("[peer-a] closed"));
+
+// After a short delay to let hello complete, send the test message.
+setTimeout(() => {
+  console.log("[peer-a] sending direct message to peer-b");
+  ws.send(
+    JSON.stringify({
+      type: "send",
+      targetSpec: seed.peerB.pubkey,
+      priority: "now",
+      nonce: "fake-nonce-aaa",
+      ciphertext: "hello-from-a",
+      id: "msg-1",
+    }),
+  );
+}, 500);
+
+setTimeout(() => {
+  console.log("[peer-a] done, closing");
+  ws.close();
+  process.exit(0);
+}, 5000);
diff --git a/apps/broker/scripts/peer-b.ts b/apps/broker/scripts/peer-b.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ede2018
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/broker/scripts/peer-b.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bun
+/**
+ * Smoke-test peer B (receiver).
+ *
+ * Connects, sends hello, then waits up to 5s for a push from peer A.
+ * Exits 0 on successful receive with matching senderPubkey, 1 on
+ * timeout or mismatch.
+ */
+
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import WebSocket from "ws";
+
+const seed = JSON.parse(readFileSync("/tmp/smoke-seed.json", "utf-8")) as {
+  meshId: string;
+  peerA: { memberId: string; pubkey: string };
+  peerB: { memberId: string; pubkey: string };
+};
+
+const BROKER = process.env.BROKER_WS_URL ?? "ws://localhost:7900/ws";
+const ws = new WebSocket(BROKER);
+
+let received = false;
+
+ws.on("open", () => {
+  console.log("[peer-b] connected, sending hello");
+  ws.send(
+    JSON.stringify({
+      type: "hello",
+      meshId: seed.meshId,
+      memberId: seed.peerB.memberId,
+      pubkey: seed.peerB.pubkey,
+      sessionId: "peer-b-session",
+      pid: process.pid,
+      cwd: "/tmp/peer-b",
+      signature: "stub",
+      nonce: "stub",
+    }),
+  );
+});
+
+ws.on("message", (raw) => {
+  const msg = JSON.parse(raw.toString()) as {
+    type: string;
+    senderPubkey?: string;
+    ciphertext?: string;
+    code?: string;
+    message?: string;
+  };
+  console.log("[peer-b] recv:", JSON.stringify(msg));
+  if (msg.type === "push") {
+    if (msg.senderPubkey === seed.peerA.pubkey) {
+      console.log("[peer-b] ✓ got expected push from peer-a");
+      received = true;
+      ws.close();
+      process.exit(0);
+    } else {
+      console.error(
+        `[peer-b] ✗ wrong senderPubkey: got ${msg.senderPubkey}, expected ${seed.peerA.pubkey}`,
+      );
+      ws.close();
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+  }
+  if (msg.type === "error") {
+    console.error(`[peer-b] ✗ broker error: ${msg.code} ${msg.message}`);
+    ws.close();
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+});
+
+ws.on("error", (e) => console.error("[peer-b] ws error:", e.message));
+ws.on("close", () => console.log("[peer-b] closed"));
+
+setTimeout(() => {
+  if (!received) {
+    console.error("[peer-b] ✗ timeout waiting for push (5s)");
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+}, 5000);
diff --git a/apps/broker/scripts/seed-test-mesh.ts b/apps/broker/scripts/seed-test-mesh.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a795bfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/broker/scripts/seed-test-mesh.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bun
+/**
+ * Seed a minimal "smoke-test" mesh with two members.
+ *
+ * Idempotent: safe to run repeatedly. Re-creates members by
+ * deleting any prior "smoke-test" mesh and its cascaded rows first.
+ *
+ * Outputs the meshId + both memberIds + both pubkeys as JSON (stdout)
+ * so peer-a.ts and peer-b.ts can read them before connecting.
+ */
+
+import { eq } from "drizzle-orm";
+import { db } from "../src/db";
+import { mesh, meshMember } from "@turbostarter/db/schema/mesh";
+import { user } from "@turbostarter/db/schema/auth";
+
+const USER_ID = "test-user-smoke";
+const MESH_SLUG = "smoke-test";
+const PEER_A_PUBKEY = "a".repeat(64);
+const PEER_B_PUBKEY = "b".repeat(64);
+
+async function main() {
+  // Ensure the test user exists (re-usable across runs).
+  const [existingUser] = await db
+    .select({ id: user.id })
+    .from(user)
+    .where(eq(user.id, USER_ID));
+  if (!existingUser) {
+    await db.insert(user).values({
+      id: USER_ID,
+      name: "Smoke Test User",
+      email: "smoke@claudemesh.test",
+      emailVerified: true,
+    });
+  }
+
+  // Drop any prior mesh with this slug (cascades to members).
+  await db.delete(mesh).where(eq(mesh.slug, MESH_SLUG));
+
+  // Fresh mesh + 2 members.
+  const [m] = await db
+    .insert(mesh)
+    .values({
+      name: "Smoke Test",
+      slug: MESH_SLUG,
+      ownerUserId: USER_ID,
+      visibility: "private",
+      transport: "managed",
+      tier: "free",
+    })
+    .returning({ id: mesh.id });
+  if (!m) throw new Error("mesh insert failed");
+
+  const [peerA] = await db
+    .insert(meshMember)
+    .values({
+      meshId: m.id,
+      userId: USER_ID,
+      peerPubkey: PEER_A_PUBKEY,
+      displayName: "peer-a",
+      role: "admin",
+    })
+    .returning({ id: meshMember.id });
+  const [peerB] = await db
+    .insert(meshMember)
+    .values({
+      meshId: m.id,
+      userId: USER_ID,
+      peerPubkey: PEER_B_PUBKEY,
+      displayName: "peer-b",
+      role: "member",
+    })
+    .returning({ id: meshMember.id });
+  if (!peerA || !peerB) throw new Error("member insert failed");
+
+  const seed = {
+    meshId: m.id,
+    peerA: { memberId: peerA.id, pubkey: PEER_A_PUBKEY },
+    peerB: { memberId: peerB.id, pubkey: PEER_B_PUBKEY },
+  };
+  console.log(JSON.stringify(seed, null, 2));
+  process.exit(0);
+}
+
+main().catch((e) => {
+  console.error("[seed] error:", e instanceof Error ? e.message : e);
+  process.exit(1);
+});
diff --git a/apps/broker/scripts/smoke-test.sh b/apps/broker/scripts/smoke-test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c9d8aa7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/broker/scripts/smoke-test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# End-to-end smoke test for the broker.
+#
+# Flow:
+#   1. Seed a test mesh with 2 members → writes /tmp/smoke-seed.json
+#   2. Start peer B (receiver) in background
+#   3. Start peer A (sender)
+#   4. Wait for B → exit code is the test result
+#
+# Assumes: broker is running on ws://localhost:7900/ws, DATABASE_URL
+# is in env. Run from the broker workspace:
+#   cd apps/broker && ./scripts/smoke-test.sh
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+
+echo "── seeding test mesh ──"
+bun "$DIR/seed-test-mesh.ts" > /tmp/smoke-seed.json
+cat /tmp/smoke-seed.json
+
+echo ""
+echo "── starting peer-b (receiver) ──"
+bun "$DIR/peer-b.ts" &
+B_PID=$!
+
+sleep 1
+
+echo ""
+echo "── starting peer-a (sender) ──"
+bun "$DIR/peer-a.ts"
+
+echo ""
+echo "── waiting for peer-b ──"
+if wait $B_PID; then
+  echo "✓ smoke test PASSED"
+  exit 0
+else
+  echo "✗ smoke test FAILED"
+  exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/apps/broker/src/broker.ts b/apps/broker/src/broker.ts
index d15da28..3c359fe 100644
--- a/apps/broker/src/broker.ts
+++ b/apps/broker/src/broker.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,18 @@
  *   - Message envelopes are opaque ciphertext (client-side crypto).
  */
 
-import { and, asc, eq, inArray, isNull, lt, or, sql } from "drizzle-orm";
+import {
+  and,
+  asc,
+  desc,
+  eq,
+  gte,
+  inArray,
+  isNotNull,
+  isNull,
+  lt,
+  or,
+} from "drizzle-orm";
 import { db } from "./db";
 import {
   meshMember as memberTable,
@@ -154,7 +165,7 @@ export async function handleHookSetStatus(
       .select({ id: presence.id, status: presence.status })
       .from(presence)
       .where(activeFilter)
-      .orderBy(sql`${presence.connectedAt} DESC`)
+      .orderBy(desc(presence.connectedAt))
       .limit(1);
     row = r as { id: string; status: PeerStatus } | undefined;
   }
@@ -197,10 +208,10 @@ export async function applyPendingHookStatus(
         eq(pendingStatus.pid, pid),
         eq(pendingStatus.cwd, cwd),
         isNull(pendingStatus.appliedAt),
-        sql`${pendingStatus.createdAt} >= ${cutoff}`,
+        gte(pendingStatus.createdAt, cutoff),
       ),
     )
-    .orderBy(sql`${pendingStatus.createdAt} DESC`)
+    .orderBy(desc(pendingStatus.createdAt))
     .limit(1);
   if (!row) return;
   await writeStatus(presenceId, row.status as PeerStatus, "hook", now);
@@ -241,10 +252,7 @@ export async function sweepPendingStatuses(): Promise<void> {
   await db
     .delete(pendingStatus)
     .where(
-      or(
-        lt(pendingStatus.createdAt, cutoff),
-        sql`${pendingStatus.appliedAt} IS NOT NULL`,
-      )!,
+      or(lt(pendingStatus.createdAt, cutoff), isNotNull(pendingStatus.appliedAt))!,
     );
 }