diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4fe72d2..5fe0a01 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/    docs-driven provider: provider-dev/{source,
 npm install                 # patches provider-utils docgen via postinstall
 npm run build               # anthropic:   prepass → split → normalize+scrub → analyze → generate → post-pass → guards
 npm run build-admin         # anthropic_admin: same chain from normalize onward
-npm run test-meta-routes    # SHOW/DESCRIBE walk, zero errors required   (STACKQL=/path/to/stackql)
+npm run test-meta-routes    # SHOW/DESCRIBE walk, zero errors required (auto-downloads stackql if absent)
 npm run smoke               # wire-contract-enforcing mock suite
 npm run smoke-admin
 npm run docgen && npm run docgen-admin   # regenerate website docs
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 17b1195..3e1be20 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     "generate": "node node_modules/@stackql/provider-utils/bin/provider-dev-utils.mjs generate --input-dir stackql_anthropic_provider/provider-dev/source/split --output-dir stackql_anthropic_provider/provider-dev/openapi/src/anthropic --config-path stackql_anthropic_provider/provider-dev/config/all_services.csv --provider-id anthropic --servers '[{\"url\":\"https://api.anthropic.com\"}]' --provider-config '{\"auth\":{\"type\":\"custom\",\"location\":\"header\",\"name\":\"x-api-key\",\"credentialsenvvar\":\"ANTHROPIC_API_KEY\"}}' --naive-req-body-translate --overwrite && node factory/post-pass.mjs --provider-root stackql_anthropic_provider/provider-dev/openapi/src/anthropic/v00.00.00000",
     "guards": "node factory/guards.mjs --provider anthropic --provider-root stackql_anthropic_provider/provider-dev/openapi/src/anthropic/v00.00.00000 --spec stackql_anthropic_provider/provider-dev/downloaded/anthropic-openapi.yml --exclusions factory/exclusions.yaml",
     "build": "npm run prepass && npm run split && npm run normalize && npm run analyze && npm run generate && npm run guards",
-    "test-meta-routes": "STACKQL=${STACKQL:-stackql} node stackql_anthropic_provider/bin/test-meta-routes.cjs anthropic",
+    "test-meta-routes": "node stackql_anthropic_provider/bin/test-meta-routes.cjs anthropic",
     "smoke": "node stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/smoke.cjs",
     "smoke-live": "node stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/smoke.cjs --live",
     "build-admin": "rm -rf stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/source/split && mkdir -p stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/source/split && cp stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/source/*.yaml stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/source/split/ && node node_modules/@stackql/provider-utils/bin/provider-dev-utils.mjs normalize --api-dir stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/source/split && node factory/scrub-unions.mjs --api-dir stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/source/split && node node_modules/@stackql/provider-utils/bin/provider-dev-utils.mjs analyze --input-dir stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/source/split --output-dir stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/config && node node_modules/@stackql/provider-utils/bin/provider-dev-utils.mjs generate --input-dir stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/source/split --output-dir stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/openapi/src/anthropic_admin --config-path stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/config/all_services.csv --provider-id anthropic_admin --servers '[{\"url\":\"https://api.anthropic.com\"}]' --provider-config '{\"auth\":{\"type\":\"custom\",\"location\":\"header\",\"name\":\"x-api-key\",\"credentialsenvvar\":\"ANTHROPIC_ADMIN_KEY\"}}' --naive-req-body-translate --overwrite && node factory/post-pass.mjs --provider-root stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/openapi/src/anthropic_admin/v00.00.00000 && node factory/guards.mjs --provider anthropic_admin --provider-root stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/provider-dev/openapi/src/anthropic_admin/v00.00.00000",
diff --git a/stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/bin/test-meta-routes.cjs b/stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/bin/test-meta-routes.cjs
index 6d717e1..346c1a8 100644
--- a/stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/bin/test-meta-routes.cjs
+++ b/stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/bin/test-meta-routes.cjs
@@ -170,12 +170,74 @@ async function stopExistingServer() {
   process.exit(1);
 }
 
-async function startServer() {
-  const bin = process.env.STACKQL || path.join(baseDir, 'stackql');
-  if (!fs.existsSync(bin)) {
-    console.error(`[server] ERROR: stackql binary not found at ${bin} (set STACKQL to override)`);
+// Resolve the stackql binary to an ABSOLUTE path. fs.existsSync resolves
+// bare names against the CWD while spawn() resolves them against PATH, so
+// a relative candidate must be absolutized before spawning (a bare
+// `STACKQL=stackql` once passed the exists-check via a repo-root file and
+// then died in spawn with an unhandled ENOENT).
+//
+// Order: $STACKQL (path or PATH-resolved command) → <provider>/stackql →
+// ./stackql → `stackql` on PATH → download the latest release into the
+// provider dir (same fallback bin/start-server.sh has always had).
+function resolveStackql() {
+  const tryPath = (p) => {
+    if (!p) return null;
+    const abs = path.resolve(p);
+    return fs.existsSync(abs) && fs.statSync(abs).isFile() ? abs : null;
+  };
+  const fromPathLookup = (cmd) => {
+    try {
+      const found = execSync(
+        process.platform === 'win32' ? `where ${cmd}` : `command -v ${cmd}`,
+        { encoding: 'utf8', stdio: ['ignore', 'pipe', 'ignore'] },
+      ).split('\n')[0].trim();
+      return found ? found : null;
+    } catch (e) {
+      return null;
+    }
+  };
+
+  const envBin = process.env.STACKQL;
+  if (envBin) {
+    const resolved = envBin.includes(path.sep) || envBin.includes('/')
+      ? tryPath(envBin)
+      : (tryPath(envBin) || fromPathLookup(envBin));
+    if (resolved) return resolved;
+    console.warn(`[server] STACKQL='${envBin}' does not resolve to a binary - falling back`);
+  }
+  const local = tryPath(path.join(baseDir, 'stackql')) || tryPath(path.join(process.cwd(), 'stackql'));
+  if (local) return local;
+  const onPath = fromPathLookup('stackql');
+  if (onPath) return onPath;
+
+  // Last resort: download the latest release (linux/darwin, amd64/arm64).
+  if (process.platform !== 'linux' && process.platform !== 'darwin') {
+    console.error('[server] ERROR: stackql binary not found (set STACKQL, or place ./stackql in the provider dir)');
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  const arch = process.arch === 'arm64' ? 'arm64' : 'amd64';
+  const url = `https://releases.stackql.io/stackql/latest/stackql_${process.platform}_${arch}.zip`;
+  slog(`stackql binary not found - downloading ${url}`);
+  try {
+    execSync(
+      `curl -sSL -o stackql.zip "${url}" && unzip -o stackql.zip stackql && rm -f stackql.zip && chmod +x stackql`,
+      { cwd: baseDir, stdio: ['ignore', 'inherit', 'inherit'] },
+    );
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error(`[server] ERROR: stackql download failed: ${e.message}`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  const downloaded = tryPath(path.join(baseDir, 'stackql'));
+  if (!downloaded) {
+    console.error('[server] ERROR: stackql download did not produce a usable binary');
     process.exit(1);
   }
+  slog(`downloaded stackql to ${downloaded}`);
+  return downloaded;
+}
+
+async function startServer() {
+  const bin = resolveStackql();
   const regPath = path.join(baseDir, 'provider-dev', 'openapi');
   const reg = JSON.stringify({
     url: `file://${regPath}`,
@@ -190,6 +252,12 @@ async function startServer() {
   serverChild = spawn(bin, [`--registry=${reg}`, `--pgsrv.port=${port}`, 'srv'], {
     stdio: ['ignore', out, out],
   });
+  // Without this handler a failed spawn (ENOENT, EACCES) is an unhandled
+  // 'error' event that crashes node with a raw stack trace.
+  serverChild.on('error', (err) => {
+    console.error(`[server] ERROR: failed to start '${bin}': ${err.message}`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  });
   serverChild.on('exit', (code, signal) => {
     if (!serverShuttingDown) {
       console.error(`[server] ERROR: server exited unexpectedly (code=${code} signal=${signal}) - see ${serverLogPath}`);
@@ -209,6 +277,7 @@ async function startServer() {
 function stopServer() {
   if (!serverChild || serverShuttingDown) return;
   serverShuttingDown = true;
+  if (serverChild.pid === undefined) return; // spawn never succeeded
   slog(`stopping server (pid ${serverChild.pid})`);
   try {
     serverChild.kill('SIGTERM');
diff --git a/stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/tests/README.md b/stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/tests/README.md
index 9623036..d3c231f 100644
--- a/stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/tests/README.md
+++ b/stackql_anthropic_admin_provider/tests/README.md
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@ wire-contract-enforcing mock, which also enforces the disjoint
 `sk-ant-admin...` key space on `/v1/organizations/*`):
 
 ```bash
-STACKQL=/path/to/stackql node bin/test-meta-routes.cjs anthropic_admin
-STACKQL=/path/to/stackql node ../stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/smoke.cjs \
+node bin/test-meta-routes.cjs anthropic_admin   # STACKQL=/path/to/stackql to override
+node ../stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/smoke.cjs \
   --manifest tests/manifest.yaml            # mock mode
-STACKQL=/path/to/stackql node ../stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/smoke.cjs \
+node ../stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/smoke.cjs \
   --manifest tests/manifest.yaml --live     # READ-ONLY live subset
 ```
 
diff --git a/stackql_anthropic_provider/bin/test-meta-routes.cjs b/stackql_anthropic_provider/bin/test-meta-routes.cjs
index 6d717e1..346c1a8 100644
--- a/stackql_anthropic_provider/bin/test-meta-routes.cjs
+++ b/stackql_anthropic_provider/bin/test-meta-routes.cjs
@@ -170,12 +170,74 @@ async function stopExistingServer() {
   process.exit(1);
 }
 
-async function startServer() {
-  const bin = process.env.STACKQL || path.join(baseDir, 'stackql');
-  if (!fs.existsSync(bin)) {
-    console.error(`[server] ERROR: stackql binary not found at ${bin} (set STACKQL to override)`);
+// Resolve the stackql binary to an ABSOLUTE path. fs.existsSync resolves
+// bare names against the CWD while spawn() resolves them against PATH, so
+// a relative candidate must be absolutized before spawning (a bare
+// `STACKQL=stackql` once passed the exists-check via a repo-root file and
+// then died in spawn with an unhandled ENOENT).
+//
+// Order: $STACKQL (path or PATH-resolved command) → <provider>/stackql →
+// ./stackql → `stackql` on PATH → download the latest release into the
+// provider dir (same fallback bin/start-server.sh has always had).
+function resolveStackql() {
+  const tryPath = (p) => {
+    if (!p) return null;
+    const abs = path.resolve(p);
+    return fs.existsSync(abs) && fs.statSync(abs).isFile() ? abs : null;
+  };
+  const fromPathLookup = (cmd) => {
+    try {
+      const found = execSync(
+        process.platform === 'win32' ? `where ${cmd}` : `command -v ${cmd}`,
+        { encoding: 'utf8', stdio: ['ignore', 'pipe', 'ignore'] },
+      ).split('\n')[0].trim();
+      return found ? found : null;
+    } catch (e) {
+      return null;
+    }
+  };
+
+  const envBin = process.env.STACKQL;
+  if (envBin) {
+    const resolved = envBin.includes(path.sep) || envBin.includes('/')
+      ? tryPath(envBin)
+      : (tryPath(envBin) || fromPathLookup(envBin));
+    if (resolved) return resolved;
+    console.warn(`[server] STACKQL='${envBin}' does not resolve to a binary - falling back`);
+  }
+  const local = tryPath(path.join(baseDir, 'stackql')) || tryPath(path.join(process.cwd(), 'stackql'));
+  if (local) return local;
+  const onPath = fromPathLookup('stackql');
+  if (onPath) return onPath;
+
+  // Last resort: download the latest release (linux/darwin, amd64/arm64).
+  if (process.platform !== 'linux' && process.platform !== 'darwin') {
+    console.error('[server] ERROR: stackql binary not found (set STACKQL, or place ./stackql in the provider dir)');
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  const arch = process.arch === 'arm64' ? 'arm64' : 'amd64';
+  const url = `https://releases.stackql.io/stackql/latest/stackql_${process.platform}_${arch}.zip`;
+  slog(`stackql binary not found - downloading ${url}`);
+  try {
+    execSync(
+      `curl -sSL -o stackql.zip "${url}" && unzip -o stackql.zip stackql && rm -f stackql.zip && chmod +x stackql`,
+      { cwd: baseDir, stdio: ['ignore', 'inherit', 'inherit'] },
+    );
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error(`[server] ERROR: stackql download failed: ${e.message}`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  const downloaded = tryPath(path.join(baseDir, 'stackql'));
+  if (!downloaded) {
+    console.error('[server] ERROR: stackql download did not produce a usable binary');
     process.exit(1);
   }
+  slog(`downloaded stackql to ${downloaded}`);
+  return downloaded;
+}
+
+async function startServer() {
+  const bin = resolveStackql();
   const regPath = path.join(baseDir, 'provider-dev', 'openapi');
   const reg = JSON.stringify({
     url: `file://${regPath}`,
@@ -190,6 +252,12 @@ async function startServer() {
   serverChild = spawn(bin, [`--registry=${reg}`, `--pgsrv.port=${port}`, 'srv'], {
     stdio: ['ignore', out, out],
   });
+  // Without this handler a failed spawn (ENOENT, EACCES) is an unhandled
+  // 'error' event that crashes node with a raw stack trace.
+  serverChild.on('error', (err) => {
+    console.error(`[server] ERROR: failed to start '${bin}': ${err.message}`);
+    process.exit(1);
+  });
   serverChild.on('exit', (code, signal) => {
     if (!serverShuttingDown) {
       console.error(`[server] ERROR: server exited unexpectedly (code=${code} signal=${signal}) - see ${serverLogPath}`);
@@ -209,6 +277,7 @@ async function startServer() {
 function stopServer() {
   if (!serverChild || serverShuttingDown) return;
   serverShuttingDown = true;
+  if (serverChild.pid === undefined) return; // spawn never succeeded
   slog(`stopping server (pid ${serverChild.pid})`);
   try {
     serverChild.kill('SIGTERM');
diff --git a/stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/README.md b/stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/README.md
index 97ad55a..6d5e9f7 100644
--- a/stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/README.md
+++ b/stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/README.md
@@ -8,14 +8,14 @@ hard-fails on any error, duplicate (resource, verb) signature, or
 zero-column selectable resource:
 
 ```bash
-STACKQL=/path/to/stackql node bin/test-meta-routes.cjs anthropic
+node bin/test-meta-routes.cjs anthropic   # STACKQL=/path/to/stackql to override
 ```
 
 ## Smoke (manifest-driven)
 
 ```bash
-STACKQL=/path/to/stackql node tests/smoke.cjs                 # mock mode
-STACKQL=/path/to/stackql node tests/smoke.cjs --live          # live subset
+node tests/smoke.cjs                                      # mock mode
+node tests/smoke.cjs --live                               # live subset
 node tests/smoke.cjs --only agents_insert,agents_archive      # cherry-pick
 ```
 
diff --git a/stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/smoke.cjs b/stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/smoke.cjs
index 39d8c27..069fd56 100644
--- a/stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/smoke.cjs
+++ b/stackql_anthropic_provider/tests/smoke.cjs
@@ -60,7 +60,67 @@ const only = (argOf('--only', '') || '').split(',').filter(Boolean);
 
 const manifest = YAML.parse(fs.readFileSync(manifestPath, 'utf8'));
 const cfg = manifest.config || {};
-const stackqlBin = argOf('--stackql', process.env.STACKQL || cfg.stackql || path.join(baseDir, 'stackql'));
+
+// Resolve the stackql binary to an ABSOLUTE path. fs.existsSync resolves
+// bare names against the CWD while spawn() resolves them against PATH, so
+// relative candidates must be absolutized before spawning. Order:
+// --stackql / $STACKQL / config.stackql (path or PATH-resolved command) →
+// <provider>/stackql → ./stackql → `stackql` on PATH → download the latest
+// release into the provider dir.
+function resolveStackql() {
+  const { execSync } = require('child_process');
+  const tryPath = (p) => {
+    if (!p) return null;
+    const abs = path.resolve(p);
+    return fs.existsSync(abs) && fs.statSync(abs).isFile() ? abs : null;
+  };
+  const fromPathLookup = (cmd) => {
+    try {
+      const found = execSync(
+        process.platform === 'win32' ? `where ${cmd}` : `command -v ${cmd}`,
+        { encoding: 'utf8', stdio: ['ignore', 'pipe', 'ignore'] },
+      ).split('\n')[0].trim();
+      return found ? found : null;
+    } catch (e) {
+      return null;
+    }
+  };
+  for (const candidate of [argOf('--stackql', null), process.env.STACKQL, cfg.stackql]) {
+    if (!candidate) continue;
+    const resolved = candidate.includes(path.sep) || candidate.includes('/')
+      ? tryPath(path.resolve(path.dirname(manifestPath), candidate)) || tryPath(candidate)
+      : (tryPath(candidate) || fromPathLookup(candidate));
+    if (resolved) return resolved;
+    console.warn(`stackql candidate '${candidate}' does not resolve to a binary - falling back`);
+  }
+  const local = tryPath(path.join(baseDir, 'stackql')) || tryPath(path.join(process.cwd(), 'stackql'));
+  if (local) return local;
+  const onPath = fromPathLookup('stackql');
+  if (onPath) return onPath;
+  if (process.platform !== 'linux' && process.platform !== 'darwin') {
+    console.error('stackql binary not found (set STACKQL, or place ./stackql in the provider dir)');
+    process.exit(2);
+  }
+  const arch = process.arch === 'arm64' ? 'arm64' : 'amd64';
+  const url = `https://releases.stackql.io/stackql/latest/stackql_${process.platform}_${arch}.zip`;
+  console.log(`stackql binary not found - downloading ${url}`);
+  try {
+    execSync(
+      `curl -sSL -o stackql.zip "${url}" && unzip -o stackql.zip stackql && rm -f stackql.zip && chmod +x stackql`,
+      { cwd: baseDir, stdio: ['ignore', 'inherit', 'inherit'] },
+    );
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error(`stackql download failed: ${e.message}`);
+    process.exit(2);
+  }
+  const downloaded = tryPath(path.join(baseDir, 'stackql'));
+  if (!downloaded) {
+    console.error('stackql download did not produce a usable binary');
+    process.exit(2);
+  }
+  return downloaded;
+}
+const stackqlBin = resolveStackql();
 const queriesDir = path.resolve(path.dirname(manifestPath), cfg.queries_dir || 'queries');
 const mockPort = cfg.mock_port || 8990;
 const fatalPatterns = [...DEFAULT_FATAL, ...(cfg.fatal_patterns || [])];