diff --git a/src/hello.test.ts b/src/hello.test.ts
index 9e1eaae..b03ce4d 100644
--- a/src/hello.test.ts
+++ b/src/hello.test.ts
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ describe("greet", () => {
 });
 
 it("main emits telemetry and logs greeting", async () => {
-  process.env.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT =
-    process.env.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT ?? "http://127.0.0.1:4318";
+  process.env.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT = "http://127.0.0.1:9";
   const logs: unknown[] = [];
   const original = console.log;
   console.log = (...args: unknown[]) => {
diff --git a/src/telemetry.test.ts b/src/telemetry.test.ts
index 1b22dff..3028bba 100644
--- a/src/telemetry.test.ts
+++ b/src/telemetry.test.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@ import test from "node:test";
 import { SeverityNumber, startTelemetry } from "./telemetry.js";
 
 test("startTelemetry emits and shuts down without throwing", async () => {
-  process.env.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT =
-    process.env.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT ?? "http://127.0.0.1:4318";
+  process.env.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT = "http://127.0.0.1:9";
   process.env.OTEL_SERVICE_NAME = "ticketlab-test";
 
   const telemetry = startTelemetry("ticketlab-test");
diff --git a/src/telemetry.ts b/src/telemetry.ts
index 6bbcbd1..93f5020 100644
--- a/src/telemetry.ts
+++ b/src/telemetry.ts
@@ -71,21 +71,36 @@ export function startTelemetry(
   });
   logs.setGlobalLoggerProvider(loggerProvider);
 
+  const quiet = (p: Promise<unknown>) => p.catch(() => undefined);
+  // ponytail: OTLP flush can hang when the collector is down; 1.5s ceiling, upgrade to exporter timeout config
+  const bounded = async (work: Promise<unknown>) => {
+    await Promise.race([
+      work,
+      new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+        setTimeout(resolve, 400);
+      }),
+    ]);
+  };
+
   return {
     tracer: trace.getTracer(serviceName),
     meter: metrics.getMeter(serviceName),
     logger: logs.getLogger(serviceName),
     shutdown: async () => {
-      await Promise.all([
-        tracerProvider.forceFlush(),
-        meterProvider.forceFlush(),
-        loggerProvider.forceFlush(),
-      ]);
-      await Promise.all([
-        tracerProvider.shutdown(),
-        meterProvider.shutdown(),
-        loggerProvider.shutdown(),
-      ]);
+      await bounded(
+        Promise.all([
+          quiet(tracerProvider.forceFlush()),
+          quiet(meterProvider.forceFlush()),
+          quiet(loggerProvider.forceFlush()),
+        ]),
+      );
+      await bounded(
+        Promise.all([
+          quiet(tracerProvider.shutdown()),
+          quiet(meterProvider.shutdown()),
+          quiet(loggerProvider.shutdown()),
+        ]),
+      );
     },
   };
 }