diff --git a/crates/rutster/src/main.rs b/crates/rutster/src/main.rs
index b85eb34..09b93b8 100644
--- a/crates/rutster/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/rutster/src/main.rs
@@ -76,15 +76,24 @@ async fn main() {
         shutdown_signal().await;
         if !drain_deadline.is_zero() {
             let (reply, drained) = tokio::sync::oneshot::channel();
-            if drain_cmd_tx
-                .send(rutster::media_thread::MediaCmd::Drain { reply })
-                .await
-                .is_ok()
-            {
-                match tokio::time::timeout(drain_deadline, drained).await {
-                    Ok(_) => info!("drain complete; proceeding to shutdown"),
-                    Err(_) => info!(?drain_deadline, "drain deadline hit; shutting down anyway"),
+            // One deadline bounds the WHOLE drain round trip — send AND
+            // completion. A wedged media thread can stall the send itself
+            // (full command channel), and the shutdown promise is "bounded
+            // by the deadline" against exactly that node. Same principle
+            // as readyz's whole-round-trip timeout (commit 5ce18bf).
+            let outcome = tokio::time::timeout(drain_deadline, async {
+                if drain_cmd_tx
+                    .send(rutster::media_thread::MediaCmd::Drain { reply })
+                    .await
+                    .is_ok()
+                {
+                    let _ = drained.await;
                 }
+            })
+            .await;
+            match outcome {
+                Ok(()) => info!("drain complete; proceeding to shutdown"),
+                Err(_) => info!(?drain_deadline, "drain deadline hit; shutting down anyway"),
             }
         }
         let _ = http_stop_tx.send(());
diff --git a/crates/rutster/src/session_map.rs b/crates/rutster/src/session_map.rs
index d9f3d6e..7c7265a 100644
--- a/crates/rutster/src/session_map.rs
+++ b/crates/rutster/src/session_map.rs
@@ -80,13 +80,16 @@ impl AppState {
         let _ = rx.await;
     }
 
-    /// Spawn the dedicated media thread for this state.
+    /// Spawn the dedicated media thread with default options.
     ///
-    /// Returns the state with the real command-channel sender wired in,
-    /// plus the `MediaThread` handle. Routes on the returned `AppState`
-    /// will send `MediaCmd` to the running media thread.
-    /// Spawn with defaults — the test-facing convenience; production goes
-    /// through `spawn_media_thread_with` so env config reaches the thread.
+    /// Test-facing convenience: most tests don't care about addressing,
+    /// admission caps, or event sinks, so this skips straight to
+    /// `MediaThreadOpts::default()`. Production always goes through
+    /// [`AppState::spawn_media_thread_with`] instead, so that env-resolved
+    /// config actually reaches the thread. Returns the state with the real
+    /// command-channel sender wired in, plus the `MediaThread` handle;
+    /// routes on the returned `AppState` will send `MediaCmd` to the
+    /// running media thread.
     pub fn spawn_media_thread(
         self,
         tokio_handle: tokio::runtime::Handle,
@@ -97,6 +100,15 @@ impl AppState {
         )
     }
 
+    /// Spawn the dedicated media thread with explicit options — the
+    /// production path.
+    ///
+    /// Unlike [`AppState::spawn_media_thread`], this threads a caller-built
+    /// `MediaThreadOpts` (media addressing, admission cap, event sink) all
+    /// the way to the media thread, so `main` can resolve those from env
+    /// vars and have them actually take effect. Returns the state with the
+    /// real command-channel sender installed, plus the `MediaThread`
+    /// handle.
     pub fn spawn_media_thread_with(
         mut self,
         opts: crate::media_thread::MediaThreadOpts,
diff --git a/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-04-slice-5-scalability-seams.md b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-04-slice-5-scalability-seams.md
index 8d28809..1ad258d 100644
--- a/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-04-slice-5-scalability-seams.md
+++ b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-04-slice-5-scalability-seams.md
@@ -1150,6 +1150,11 @@ git commit -s -m "slice-5: drain lifecycle — SIGTERM bleeds out calls (review
 
 ### Task 5: `GET /healthz` + `GET /readyz`
 
+> **Deviation note (post-review):** the snippets below contain two bugs found and fixed
+> in commit 5ce18bf during execution — the readyz timeout must wrap the SEND as well as
+> the reply await, and the integration test must shut its `MediaThread` down. Copy from
+> the landed code, not these snippets.
+
 **Files:**
 - Modify: `crates/rutster/src/routes.rs` (two routes + handlers)
 - Test: `routes.rs` inline (default-AppState zombie case) + `crates/rutster/tests/api_integration.rs` (live case)