diff --git a/.github/workflows/rust-ci-full.yml b/.github/workflows/rust-ci-full.yml
index a39c38857..7cda68295 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rust-ci-full.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust-ci-full.yml
@@ -664,6 +664,7 @@ jobs:
           export CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_ENV_CONTAINER_NAME=codex-remote-test-env
           source "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/scripts/test-remote-env.sh"
           echo "CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_ENV=${CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_ENV}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+          echo "CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL=${CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
       - name: tests
         id: test
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/common/test_codex.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/common/test_codex.rs
index b1274d5a9..92176c338 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/common/test_codex.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/common/test_codex.rs
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ use std::process::Command;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::sync::atomic::AtomicU64;
 use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
-use std::time::Duration;
-use std::time::Instant;
 
 use anyhow::Context;
 use anyhow::Result;
@@ -44,7 +42,6 @@ use tempfile::TempDir;
 use wiremock::MockServer;
 
 use crate::PathBufExt;
-use crate::RemoteEnvConfig;
 use crate::TempDirExt;
 use crate::get_remote_test_env;
 use crate::load_default_config_for_test;
@@ -62,50 +59,15 @@ type PreBuildHook = dyn FnOnce(&Path) + Send + 'static;
 type WorkspaceSetup = dyn FnOnce(AbsolutePathBuf, Arc<dyn ExecutorFileSystem>) -> BoxFuture<'static, Result<()>>
     + Send;
 const TEST_MODEL_WITH_EXPERIMENTAL_TOOLS: &str = "test-gpt-5.1-codex";
-const REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_START_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(5);
-const REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_POLL_INTERVAL: Duration = Duration::from_millis(25);
-static REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_INSTANCE_COUNTER: AtomicU64 = AtomicU64::new(0);
-
-#[derive(Debug)]
-struct RemoteExecServerProcess {
-    container_name: String,
-    pid: u32,
-    remote_exec_server_path: String,
-    stdout_path: String,
-    cleanup_paths: Vec<String>,
-}
-
-impl Drop for RemoteExecServerProcess {
-    fn drop(&mut self) {
-        let cleanup_paths = self.cleanup_paths.join(" ");
-        let cleanup_paths_script = if cleanup_paths.is_empty() {
-            String::new()
-        } else {
-            format!("rm -rf {cleanup_paths}; ")
-        };
-        let script = format!(
-            "if kill -0 {pid} 2>/dev/null; then kill {pid}; fi; {cleanup_paths_script}rm -f {remote_exec_server_path} {stdout_path}",
-            pid = self.pid,
-            cleanup_paths_script = cleanup_paths_script,
-            remote_exec_server_path = self.remote_exec_server_path,
-            stdout_path = self.stdout_path
-        );
-        let _ = docker_command_capture_stdout(["exec", &self.container_name, "sh", "-lc", &script]);
-    }
-}
-
-impl RemoteExecServerProcess {
-    fn register_cleanup_path(&mut self, path: &Path) {
-        self.cleanup_paths.push(path.display().to_string());
-    }
-}
+const REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL_ENV_VAR: &str = "CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL";
+static REMOTE_TEST_INSTANCE_COUNTER: AtomicU64 = AtomicU64::new(0);
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct TestEnv {
     environment: codex_exec_server::Environment,
     cwd: AbsolutePathBuf,
     local_cwd_temp_dir: Option<Arc<TempDir>>,
-    _remote_exec_server_process: Option<RemoteExecServerProcess>,
+    remote_container_name: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl TestEnv {
@@ -117,7 +79,7 @@ impl TestEnv {
             environment,
             cwd,
             local_cwd_temp_dir: Some(local_cwd_temp_dir),
-            _remote_exec_server_process: None,
+            remote_container_name: None,
         })
     }
 
@@ -138,12 +100,19 @@ impl TestEnv {
     }
 }
 
+impl Drop for TestEnv {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        if let Some(container_name) = &self.remote_container_name {
+            let script = format!("rm -rf {}", self.cwd.as_path().display());
+            let _ = docker_command_capture_stdout(["exec", container_name, "sh", "-lc", &script]);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 pub async fn test_env() -> Result<TestEnv> {
     match get_remote_test_env() {
         Some(remote_env) => {
-            let mut remote_process = start_remote_exec_server(&remote_env)?;
-            let remote_ip = remote_container_ip(&remote_env.container_name)?;
-            let websocket_url = rewrite_websocket_host(&remote_process.listen_url, &remote_ip)?;
+            let websocket_url = remote_exec_server_url()?;
             let environment = codex_exec_server::Environment::create(Some(websocket_url)).await?;
             let cwd = remote_aware_cwd_path();
             environment
@@ -154,184 +123,43 @@ pub async fn test_env() -> Result<TestEnv> {
                     /*sandbox*/ None,
                 )
                 .await?;
-            remote_process.process.register_cleanup_path(cwd.as_path());
             Ok(TestEnv {
                 environment,
                 cwd,
                 local_cwd_temp_dir: None,
-                _remote_exec_server_process: Some(remote_process.process),
+                remote_container_name: Some(remote_env.container_name),
             })
         }
         None => TestEnv::local().await,
     }
 }
 
-struct RemoteExecServerStart {
-    process: RemoteExecServerProcess,
-    listen_url: String,
-}
-
-fn start_remote_exec_server(remote_env: &RemoteEnvConfig) -> Result<RemoteExecServerStart> {
-    let container_name = remote_env.container_name.as_str();
-    let instance_id = remote_exec_server_instance_id();
-    let remote_exec_server_path = format!("/tmp/codex-{instance_id}");
-    let remote_linux_sandbox_path = format!("/tmp/codex-linux-sandbox-{instance_id}");
-    let stdout_path = format!("/tmp/codex-exec-server-{instance_id}.stdout");
-    let local_binary = codex_utils_cargo_bin::cargo_bin("codex").context("resolve codex binary")?;
-    let local_linux_sandbox = codex_utils_cargo_bin::cargo_bin("codex-linux-sandbox")
-        .context("resolve codex-linux-sandbox binary")?;
-    let local_binary = local_binary.to_string_lossy().to_string();
-    let local_linux_sandbox = local_linux_sandbox.to_string_lossy().to_string();
-    let remote_binary = format!("{container_name}:{remote_exec_server_path}");
-    let remote_linux_sandbox = format!("{container_name}:{remote_linux_sandbox_path}");
-
-    docker_command_success(["cp", &local_binary, &remote_binary])?;
-    docker_command_success(["cp", &local_linux_sandbox, &remote_linux_sandbox])?;
-    docker_command_success([
-        "exec",
-        container_name,
-        "chmod",
-        "+x",
-        &remote_exec_server_path,
-    ])?;
-    docker_command_success([
-        "exec",
-        container_name,
-        "chmod",
-        "+x",
-        &remote_linux_sandbox_path,
-    ])?;
-    probe_remote_linux_sandbox(container_name, &remote_linux_sandbox_path)?;
-
-    let start_script = format!(
-        "rm -f {stdout_path}; \
-nohup {remote_exec_server_path} exec-server --listen ws://0.0.0.0:0 > {stdout_path} 2>&1 & \
-echo $!"
-    );
-    let pid_output =
-        docker_command_capture_stdout(["exec", container_name, "sh", "-lc", &start_script])?;
-    let pid = pid_output
-        .trim()
-        .parse::<u32>()
-        .with_context(|| format!("parse remote exec-server PID from {pid_output:?}"))?;
-
-    let listen_url = wait_for_remote_listen_url(container_name, &stdout_path)?;
-
-    Ok(RemoteExecServerStart {
-        process: RemoteExecServerProcess {
-            container_name: container_name.to_string(),
-            pid,
-            remote_exec_server_path,
-            stdout_path,
-            cleanup_paths: vec![remote_linux_sandbox_path],
-        },
-        listen_url,
-    })
-}
-
-fn probe_remote_linux_sandbox(container_name: &str, remote_linux_sandbox_path: &str) -> Result<()> {
-    let policy = serde_json::to_string(&SandboxPolicy::new_read_only_policy())
-        .context("serialize remote sandbox probe policy")?;
-    let probe_script = format!(
-        "{remote_linux_sandbox_path} --sandbox-policy-cwd /tmp --sandbox-policy '{policy}' -- /bin/true"
-    );
-    let output = Command::new("docker")
-        .args(["exec", container_name, "sh", "-lc", &probe_script])
-        .output()
-        .with_context(|| format!("probe remote linux sandbox in container `{container_name}`"))?;
-    if !output.status.success() {
-        return Err(anyhow!(
-            "remote linux sandbox probe failed in container `{container_name}`: stdout={} stderr={}",
-            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout).trim(),
-            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr).trim()
-        ));
-    }
-    Ok(())
-}
-
 fn remote_aware_cwd_path() -> AbsolutePathBuf {
     PathBuf::from(format!(
         "/tmp/codex-core-test-cwd-{}",
-        remote_exec_server_instance_id()
+        remote_test_instance_id()
     ))
     .abs()
 }
 
-fn wait_for_remote_listen_url(container_name: &str, stdout_path: &str) -> Result<String> {
-    let deadline = Instant::now() + REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_START_TIMEOUT;
-    loop {
-        let line = docker_command_capture_stdout([
-            "exec",
-            container_name,
-            "sh",
-            "-lc",
-            &format!("head -n 1 {stdout_path} 2>/dev/null || true"),
-        ])?;
-        let listen_url = line.trim();
-        if listen_url.starts_with("ws://") {
-            return Ok(listen_url.to_string());
-        }
-
-        if Instant::now() >= deadline {
-            return Err(anyhow!(
-                "timed out waiting for remote exec-server listen URL in container `{container_name}` after {REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_START_TIMEOUT:?}"
-            ));
-        }
-        std::thread::sleep(REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_POLL_INTERVAL);
+fn remote_exec_server_url() -> Result<String> {
+    let listen_url = std::env::var(REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL_ENV_VAR).with_context(|| {
+        format!("{REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL_ENV_VAR} must be set for remote tests")
+    })?;
+    let listen_url = listen_url.trim();
+    if listen_url.is_empty() {
+        return Err(anyhow!(
+            "{REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL_ENV_VAR} must not be empty"
+        ));
     }
+    Ok(listen_url.to_string())
 }
 
-fn remote_exec_server_instance_id() -> String {
-    let instance = REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_INSTANCE_COUNTER.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+fn remote_test_instance_id() -> String {
+    let instance = REMOTE_TEST_INSTANCE_COUNTER.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
     format!("{}-{instance}", std::process::id())
 }
 
-fn remote_container_ip(container_name: &str) -> Result<String> {
-    let ip = docker_command_capture_stdout([
-        "inspect",
-        "-f",
-        "{{range .NetworkSettings.Networks}}{{.IPAddress}}{{end}}",
-        container_name,
-    ])?;
-    let ip = ip.trim();
-    if ip.is_empty() {
-        return Err(anyhow!(
-            "container `{container_name}` has no IP address; cannot connect to remote exec-server"
-        ));
-    }
-    Ok(ip.to_string())
-}
-
-fn rewrite_websocket_host(listen_url: &str, host: &str) -> Result<String> {
-    let Some(address) = listen_url.strip_prefix("ws://") else {
-        return Err(anyhow!(
-            "unexpected websocket listen URL `{listen_url}`; expected ws://IP:PORT"
-        ));
-    };
-    let Some((_, port)) = address.rsplit_once(':') else {
-        return Err(anyhow!(
-            "unexpected websocket listen URL `{listen_url}`; expected ws://IP:PORT"
-        ));
-    };
-    Ok(format!("ws://{host}:{port}"))
-}
-
-fn docker_command_success<const N: usize>(args: [&str; N]) -> Result<()> {
-    let output = Command::new("docker")
-        .args(args)
-        .output()
-        .with_context(|| format!("run docker {args:?}"))?;
-    if !output.status.success() {
-        return Err(anyhow!(
-            "docker {:?} failed: stdout={} stderr={}",
-            args,
-            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout).trim(),
-            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr).trim()
-        ));
-    }
-    Ok(())
-}
-
 fn docker_command_capture_stdout<const N: usize>(args: [&str; N]) -> Result<String> {
     let output = Command::new("docker")
         .args(args)
diff --git a/scripts/test-remote-env.sh b/scripts/test-remote-env.sh
index 329fa8a7f..ba4d35f23 100755
--- a/scripts/test-remote-env.sh
+++ b/scripts/test-remote-env.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ is_sourced() {
 setup_remote_env() {
   local container_name
   local codex_binary_path
+  local container_ip
+  local remote_codex_path
+  local remote_exec_server_pid
+  local remote_exec_server_port
+  local remote_exec_server_stdout_path
 
   container_name="${CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_ENV_CONTAINER_NAME:-codex-remote-test-env-local-$(date +%s)-${RANDOM}}"
   codex_binary_path="${REPO_ROOT}/codex-rs/target/debug/codex"
@@ -59,14 +64,58 @@ setup_remote_env() {
     return 1
   fi
 
+  if [[ -z "${CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL:-}" ]]; then
+    remote_codex_path="/tmp/codex-remote-env/codex"
+    remote_exec_server_port="31987"
+    remote_exec_server_stdout_path="/tmp/codex-remote-env/exec-server.stdout"
+    docker exec "${container_name}" sh -lc "mkdir -p /tmp/codex-remote-env"
+    docker cp "${codex_binary_path}" "${container_name}:${remote_codex_path}"
+    docker exec "${container_name}" chmod +x "${remote_codex_path}"
+    remote_exec_server_pid="$(
+      docker exec "${container_name}" sh -lc \
+        "rm -f ${remote_exec_server_stdout_path}; nohup ${remote_codex_path} exec-server --listen ws://0.0.0.0:${remote_exec_server_port} > ${remote_exec_server_stdout_path} 2>&1 & echo \$!"
+    )"
+    wait_for_remote_exec_server_port "${container_name}" "${remote_exec_server_port}" "${remote_exec_server_stdout_path}"
+    container_ip="$(
+      docker inspect -f '{{range .NetworkSettings.Networks}}{{.IPAddress}}{{end}}' "${container_name}"
+    )"
+    if [[ -z "${container_ip}" ]]; then
+      echo "container ${container_name} has no IP address" >&2
+      docker rm -f "${container_name}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+      return 1
+    fi
+    export CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_PID="${remote_exec_server_pid}"
+    export CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL="ws://${container_ip}:${remote_exec_server_port}"
+  fi
+
   export CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_ENV="${container_name}"
 }
 
+wait_for_remote_exec_server_port() {
+  local container_name="$1"
+  local port="$2"
+  local stdout_path="$3"
+  local deadline=$((SECONDS + 5))
+
+  while (( SECONDS < deadline )); do
+    if docker exec "${container_name}" python3 -c "import socket; socket.create_connection(('127.0.0.1', ${port}), timeout=0.2).close()" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+      return 0
+    fi
+    sleep 0.025
+  done
+
+  echo "timed out waiting for remote exec-server on ${container_name}:${port}" >&2
+  docker exec "${container_name}" sh -lc "cat ${stdout_path} 2>/dev/null || true" >&2 || true
+  return 1
+}
+
 codex_remote_env_cleanup() {
   if [[ -n "${CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_ENV:-}" ]]; then
     docker rm -f "${CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_ENV}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
     unset CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_ENV
   fi
+  unset CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_PID
+  unset CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL
 }
 
 if ! is_sourced; then
@@ -79,6 +128,7 @@ set -euo pipefail
 if setup_remote_env; then
   status=0
   echo "CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_ENV=${CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_ENV}"
+  echo "CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL=${CODEX_TEST_REMOTE_EXEC_SERVER_URL}"
   echo "Remote env ready. Run your command, then call: codex_remote_env_cleanup"
 else
   status=$?