diff --git a/docs/ntlm-auditing.md b/docs/ntlm-auditing.md
index 68ca59e1..af0c7273 100644
--- a/docs/ntlm-auditing.md
+++ b/docs/ntlm-auditing.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Scoped incoming and domain NTLM auditing
 
-`ntlm-auditing` reads or configures two distinct audit values without invoking the broad `configure` workflow. It never writes an NTLM restriction or exception. Configure requires an explicit selection and elevated native 64-bit PowerShell on reviewed Windows 11 builds 22000/22621/22631/26100/26200 or Server 2022/2025 builds 20348/26100. Product type, domain role and join state must agree; role/build overrides are refused.
+`ntlm-auditing` reads or configures two distinct audit values without invoking the broad `configure` workflow. It never writes an NTLM restriction or exception. Configure requires an explicit selection and elevated native 64-bit PowerShell on reviewed Windows 11 builds 22000/22621/22631/26100/26200 or Server 2022/2025 builds 20348/26100. Product type, domain role and join state must agree; role/build overrides are refused. Winmgmt must already be running before any CIM observation.
 
 | Selection | Exact value | Requested setting | Applicability |
 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
diff --git a/scripts/NtlmAudit.ps1 b/scripts/NtlmAudit.ps1
index 10eadea9..c7279d55 100644
--- a/scripts/NtlmAudit.ps1
+++ b/scripts/NtlmAudit.ps1
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Explicit incoming/domain audit values. Authentication restrictions are separate controls.
 function Get-WelaNtlmAuditHost {
     if($env:OS -ne 'Windows_NT' -or -not [Environment]::Is64BitProcess){throw 'Use native64-bit PowerShell on Windows.'}
+    if((Get-Service -Name Winmgmt -ErrorAction Stop).Status -ne 'Running'){throw 'Winmgmt must already be running; this command never starts services.'}
     $os=Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem -Property BuildNumber,ProductType -ErrorAction Stop
     $computer=Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystem -Property Name,Domain,DomainRole,PartOfDomain -ErrorAction Stop
     if([string]$os.BuildNumber -notmatch '^\d+$' -or $os.ProductType -notin @(1,2,3) -or $computer.PartOfDomain -isnot [bool] -or $computer.DomainRole -notin @(0,1,2,3,4,5) -or [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($computer.Name)){throw 'Incomplete Windows role/build identity.'}
diff --git a/tests/NtlmAudit.Tests.ps1 b/tests/NtlmAudit.Tests.ps1
index 2f66238b..9adc90fd 100644
--- a/tests/NtlmAudit.Tests.ps1
+++ b/tests/NtlmAudit.Tests.ps1
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ try{
  }}
  # Exercise actual CIM role validation independently of the policy fixture.
  $savedOs=$env:OS;$env:OS='Windows_NT'
- function Get-CimInstance {param($ClassName,$Property,$ErrorAction)if($ClassName -eq 'Win32_OperatingSystem'){$script:osFixture}else{$script:computerFixture}}
+ $script:wmiStatus='Running';$script:cimReads=0
+ function Get-Service {param($Name,$ErrorAction)if($Name -cne 'Winmgmt'){throw 'Unexpected service'};[pscustomobject]@{Status=$script:wmiStatus}}
+ function Get-CimInstance {param($ClassName,$Property,$ErrorAction)$script:cimReads++;if($ClassName -eq 'Win32_OperatingSystem'){$script:osFixture}else{$script:computerFixture}}
  try{
   foreach($case in @(@(1,0,$false,26100),@(1,1,$true,26200),@(3,2,$false,20348),@(3,3,$true,26100),@(2,4,$true,20348),@(2,5,$true,26100))){
    $script:osFixture=[pscustomobject]@{ProductType=$case[0];BuildNumber=[string]$case[3]};$script:computerFixture=[pscustomobject]@{Name='fixture';Domain='fixture';DomainRole=$case[1];PartOfDomain=$case[2]};$h=&$hostValidator;Assert ($h.ProductType -eq $case[0]) 'Coherent native role/build accepted.'
@@ -91,6 +93,7 @@ try{
   foreach($case in @(@(2,2,$false,26100),@(3,4,$true,26100),@(1,1,$false,26100),@(3,3,$false,26100),@(2,5,$true,99999))){
    $script:osFixture=[pscustomobject]@{ProductType=$case[0];BuildNumber=[string]$case[3]};$script:computerFixture=[pscustomobject]@{Name='fixture';Domain='fixture';DomainRole=$case[1];PartOfDomain=$case[2]};$refused=$false;try{&$hostValidator}catch{$refused=$true};Assert $refused 'Conflicting or unsupported observed host is refused.'
   }
+  $script:wmiStatus='Stopped';$script:cimReads=0;$refused=$false;try{&$hostValidator}catch{$refused=$_.Exception.Message -match 'must already be running'};Assert ($refused -and $script:cimReads -eq 0) 'Stopped WMI is refused before a CIM observation can start its service.'
  }finally{$env:OS=$savedOs}
 }finally{Remove-Item -LiteralPath $root -Recurse -Force}
 Write-Host "PASS: $count scoped incoming/domain NTLM assertions."
diff --git a/tests/NtlmAudit.Windows.Tests.ps1 b/tests/NtlmAudit.Windows.Tests.ps1
index 2d5bba86..620b3f3e 100644
--- a/tests/NtlmAudit.Windows.Tests.ps1
+++ b/tests/NtlmAudit.Windows.Tests.ps1
@@ -24,12 +24,30 @@ function Other {
     }finally{if($k){$k.Dispose()};$base.Dispose()}
     [pscustomobject][ordered]@{Values=$values;Children=$children;Access=$acl;DomainPolicy=Get-WelaRegistryState 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netlogon\Parameters' AuditNTLMInDomain;NtlmChannel=Get-WelaNativeChannel 'Microsoft-Windows-NTLM/Operational';SecurityChannel=Get-WelaNativeChannel Security;NetlogonService=[string](Get-Service Netlogon).Status}
 }
+Add-Type -TypeDefinition @'
+using System;using System.IO;using System.Text;using System.Threading.Tasks;
+public static class WelaNtlmFixturePipe {
+ public static async Task<string> Read(TextReader reader){var text=new StringBuilder();var buffer=new char[1024];while(true){int n=await reader.ReadAsync(buffer,0,buffer.Length).ConfigureAwait(false);if(n==0)return text.ToString();if(n>1048576-text.Length)throw new InvalidDataException("Fixture output exceeds one Mi character bound.");text.Append(buffer,0,n);}}
+}
+'@
 function Public([string]$Label,[string[]]$Arguments){
-    $prior=$ErrorActionPreference
-    try{$ErrorActionPreference='Continue';$output=& $engine -NoLogo -NoProfile -NonInteractive -File (Join-Path $repo 'WELA.ps1') ntlm-auditing @Arguments 2>&1|Out-String;$code=$LASTEXITCODE}finally{$ErrorActionPreference=$prior}
-    $output|Set-Content -LiteralPath (Join-Path $root ($Label+'.txt')) -Encoding UTF8
-    Assert ($code -eq 0) "Public $Label exited $code : $output"
-    Get-Content -Raw -LiteralPath (Join-Path $root ($Label+'.json'))|ConvertFrom-Json
+    $all=@('-NoLogo','-NoProfile','-NonInteractive','-File',(Join-Path $repo 'WELA.ps1'),'ntlm-auditing')+$Arguments
+    foreach($a in $all){if($a.Contains('"') -or $a.EndsWith('\') -or $a -match '[\x00-\x1f]'){throw 'Ambiguous fixture argument.'}}
+    $info=[Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo]::new();$info.FileName=$engine;$info.Arguments=(@($all|ForEach-Object {'"'+$_+'"'}) -join ' ');$info.UseShellExecute=$false;$info.CreateNoWindow=$true;$info.RedirectStandardOutput=$true;$info.RedirectStandardError=$true
+    $process=[Diagnostics.Process]::new();$process.StartInfo=$info;$started=$false
+    try{
+        if(-not $process.Start()){throw 'Public process did not start.'};$started=$true
+        $stdout=[WelaNtlmFixturePipe]::Read($process.StandardOutput);$stderr=[WelaNtlmFixturePipe]::Read($process.StandardError)
+        if(-not $process.WaitForExit(180000)){throw 'Public command exceeded three minutes.'}
+        if(-not [Threading.Tasks.Task]::WaitAll([Threading.Tasks.Task[]]@($stdout,$stderr),5000)){throw 'Public output drain timed out.'}
+        $output=$stdout.Result+"`n"+$stderr.Result
+        $output|Set-Content -LiteralPath (Join-Path $root ($Label+'.txt')) -Encoding UTF8
+        Assert ($process.ExitCode -eq 0) "Public $Label exited $($process.ExitCode) : $output"
+        Get-Content -Raw -LiteralPath (Join-Path $root ($Label+'.json'))|ConvertFrom-Json
+    }finally{
+        if($started){$exited=$false;try{$exited=$process.HasExited}catch{$script:errors+=$_.Exception.Message};if(-not $exited){try{$process.Kill()}catch{$script:errors+=$_.Exception.Message};try{$exited=$process.WaitForExit(5000)}catch{$script:errors+=$_.Exception.Message}};if(-not $exited){$script:errors+='Owned public process termination unconfirmed.'}}
+        $process.Dispose()
+    }
 }
 $original=Get-WelaNtlmAuditSnapshot Incoming
 Assert ($original.Host.ProductType -eq 3 -and $original.Host.DomainRole -eq 2 -and -not $original.Host.PartOfDomain) 'Actual unjoined disposable Server is required.'