diff --git a/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/src/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore/DatabaseHealthCheck.cs b/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/src/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore/DatabaseHealthCheck.cs
index 172c041..d0a150d 100644
--- a/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/src/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore/DatabaseHealthCheck.cs
+++ b/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/src/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore/DatabaseHealthCheck.cs
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore;
 /// disposed context); otherwise a scoped <typeparamref name="TContext"/> is resolved from a new DI
 /// scope. Recommended registration tag: <c>ZbHealthTags.Ready</c> (applied by the registrant).
 /// </para>
+/// <para>
+/// The scoped-resolution path is safe for <c>AddDbContextPool</c>: disposing the
+/// <see cref="IServiceScope"/> returns the pooled context to the pool rather than destroying it,
+/// so no pooled instance is prematurely discarded.
+/// </para>
 /// </remarks>
 /// <typeparam name="TContext">The EF Core <see cref="DbContext"/> to probe.</typeparam>
 public sealed class DatabaseHealthCheck<TContext> : IHealthCheck
@@ -59,7 +64,11 @@ public sealed class DatabaseHealthCheck<TContext> : IHealthCheck
 
         try
         {
-            return await ProbeAsync(timeoutCts.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
+            var result = await ProbeAsync(timeoutCts.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
+            // Eagerly release the pending timer on the happy path so the OS timer
+            // resource is not held for the full timeout duration.
+            timeoutCts.CancelAfter(Timeout.InfiniteTimeSpan);
+            return result;
         }
         catch (OperationCanceledException ex)
             when (timeoutCts.IsCancellationRequested && !cancellationToken.IsCancellationRequested)
diff --git a/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests/DatabaseHealthCheckTests.cs b/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests/DatabaseHealthCheckTests.cs
index 6cb81df..f3412a7 100644
--- a/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests/DatabaseHealthCheckTests.cs
+++ b/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests/DatabaseHealthCheckTests.cs
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests;
 /// Verifies <see cref="DatabaseHealthCheck{TContext}"/> against a real SQLite database (in-memory,
 /// connection kept open) so the <c>CanConnectAsync</c> semantics exercise an actual provider:
 /// reachable → Healthy, unopenable connection → Unhealthy (no throw escapes), a custom
-/// <see cref="DatabaseHealthCheckOptions{TContext}.ProbeQuery"/> that queries → Healthy, and a
-/// throwing <c>ProbeQuery</c> → Unhealthy. Both the <see cref="IDbContextFactory{TContext}"/> and
-/// the scoped-<c>TContext</c> resolution paths are covered.
+/// <see cref="DatabaseHealthCheckOptions{TContext}.ProbeQuery"/> that queries → Healthy, a
+/// throwing <c>ProbeQuery</c> → Unhealthy, and a timed-out probe → Unhealthy. Both the
+/// <see cref="IDbContextFactory{TContext}"/> and the scoped-<c>TContext</c> resolution paths
+/// are covered.
 /// </summary>
 public sealed class DatabaseHealthCheckTests
 {
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ public sealed class DatabaseHealthCheckTests
     /// SQLite connection (and creates the schema). When <paramref name="useFactory"/> is true the
     /// context is registered via <c>AddDbContextFactory</c>; otherwise via <c>AddDbContext</c> (scoped).
     /// </summary>
-    private static IServiceProvider BuildProvider(SqliteConnection connection, bool useFactory)
+    private static ServiceProvider BuildProvider(SqliteConnection connection, bool useFactory)
     {
         connection.Open();
 
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ public sealed class DatabaseHealthCheckTests
     public async Task ReachableContext_Healthy(bool useFactory)
     {
         using var connection = new SqliteConnection("DataSource=:memory:");
-        var provider = BuildProvider(connection, useFactory);
+        await using var provider = BuildProvider(connection, useFactory);
 
         var check = new DatabaseHealthCheck<WidgetContext>(provider);
 
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ public sealed class DatabaseHealthCheckTests
 
         var services = new ServiceCollection();
         services.AddDbContext<WidgetContext>(o => o.UseSqlite($"DataSource={bogusPath};Mode=ReadWrite"));
-        var provider = services.BuildServiceProvider();
+        await using var provider = services.BuildServiceProvider();
 
         var check = new DatabaseHealthCheck<WidgetContext>(provider);
 
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ public sealed class DatabaseHealthCheckTests
     public async Task CustomProbeQuery_RunsQuery_Healthy()
     {
         using var connection = new SqliteConnection("DataSource=:memory:");
-        var provider = BuildProvider(connection, useFactory: true);
+        await using var provider = BuildProvider(connection, useFactory: true);
 
         var options = new DatabaseHealthCheckOptions<WidgetContext>
         {
@@ -118,11 +119,32 @@ public sealed class DatabaseHealthCheckTests
     public async Task ProbeQueryThrows_Unhealthy()
     {
         using var connection = new SqliteConnection("DataSource=:memory:");
-        var provider = BuildProvider(connection, useFactory: false);
+        await using var provider = BuildProvider(connection, useFactory: false);
 
         var options = new DatabaseHealthCheckOptions<WidgetContext>
         {
-            ProbeQuery = (_, _) => throw new InvalidOperationException("boom"),
+            // Use a faulted task rather than a synchronous throw to accurately model
+            // async probe delegates that encounter an error.
+            ProbeQuery = (_, _) => Task.FromException(new InvalidOperationException("boom")),
+        };
+        var check = new DatabaseHealthCheck<WidgetContext>(provider, options);
+
+        var result = await check.CheckHealthAsync(NewContext(), CancellationToken.None);
+
+        Assert.Equal(HealthStatus.Unhealthy, result.Status);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task ProbeTimeout_Unhealthy()
+    {
+        using var connection = new SqliteConnection("DataSource=:memory:");
+        await using var provider = BuildProvider(connection, useFactory: true);
+
+        // Use a very short timeout and a probe that blocks indefinitely (until cancelled).
+        var options = new DatabaseHealthCheckOptions<WidgetContext>
+        {
+            Timeout = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(50),
+            ProbeQuery = async (_, ct) => await Task.Delay(Timeout.Infinite, ct),
         };
         var check = new DatabaseHealthCheck<WidgetContext>(provider, options);
 
diff --git a/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests.csproj b/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests.csproj
index 1f52ef9..f94b6ee 100644
--- a/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests.csproj
+++ b/ZB.MOM.WW.Health/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests/ZB.MOM.WW.Health.EntityFrameworkCore.Tests.csproj
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk" />
     <PackageReference Include="xunit" />
     <PackageReference Include="xunit.runner.visualstudio" />
-    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.InMemory" />
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Sqlite" />
   </ItemGroup>