diff --git a/scripts/test-task13-runtime-fixtures.sh b/scripts/test-task13-runtime-fixtures.sh
index 582fe272..6052be6b 100755
--- a/scripts/test-task13-runtime-fixtures.sh
+++ b/scripts/test-task13-runtime-fixtures.sh
@@ -113,7 +113,17 @@ fi
 rendered="$fixture/rendered.json"
 docker compose --project-name "$TASK13_PROJECT" --project-directory "$root" \
   --env-file "$TASK13_ENV_FILE" "${compose_files[@]}" config --format json >"$rendered"
+if [[ "$profile" == server ]]; then
+  original_task13_compose_invoke="$(declare -f task13_compose_invoke)"
+  task13_compose_invoke() {
+    "$@"
+  }
+fi
 task13_assert_rendered_contract
+if [[ "$profile" == server ]]; then
+  unset -f task13_compose_invoke
+  eval "$original_task13_compose_invoke"
+fi
 maintenance_rendered="$fixture/maintenance-rendered.json"
 docker compose --project-name "$TASK13_PROJECT" --project-directory "$root" \
   --env-file "$TASK13_ENV_FILE" "${compose_files[@]}" --profile workspace-maintenance \
diff --git a/scripts/unified-deployment-smoke.sh b/scripts/unified-deployment-smoke.sh
index 6c490687..bbad195c 100755
--- a/scripts/unified-deployment-smoke.sh
+++ b/scripts/unified-deployment-smoke.sh
@@ -321,16 +321,24 @@ task13_compose_files() {
   fi
 }
 
+task13_compose_invoke() {
+  if [[ "${TASK13_PROFILE:-local}" == server ]]; then
+    sudo -n -- "$@"
+  else
+    "$@"
+  fi
+}
+
 task13_compose() {
   task13_compose_files
-  "${TASK13_COMPOSE[@]}" "$@"
+  task13_compose_invoke "${TASK13_COMPOSE[@]}" "$@"
 }
 
 task13_compose_logged() {
   local label="$1"
   shift
   task13_compose_files
-  task13_run_logged "$label" "${TASK13_COMPOSE[@]}" "$@"
+  task13_run_logged "$label" task13_compose_invoke "${TASK13_COMPOSE[@]}" "$@"
 }
 
 task13_report_core_startup_failure() {
@@ -362,7 +370,7 @@ task13_compose_start_logged() {
   shift
   task13_compose_files
   if task13_bounded "$TASK13_COMMAND_TIMEOUT" "$label" \
-    "${TASK13_COMPOSE[@]}" "$@" >>"$TASK13_LOG" 2>&1; then
+    task13_compose_invoke "${TASK13_COMPOSE[@]}" "$@" >>"$TASK13_LOG" 2>&1; then
     return 0
   fi
   TASK13_FAILURE_LOGGED=1
@@ -2008,7 +2016,7 @@ task13_cleanup() {
     if task13_assert_project_ownership >>"${TASK13_LOG:-/dev/null}" 2>&1; then
       task13_compose_files
       if ! task13_bounded "$TASK13_CLEANUP_TIMEOUT" "stop owned Compose project" \
-        "${TASK13_COMPOSE[@]}" down --volumes --remove-orphans --timeout 10 \
+        task13_compose_invoke "${TASK13_COMPOSE[@]}" down --volumes --remove-orphans --timeout 10 \
         >>"${TASK13_LOG:-/dev/null}" 2>&1; then
         cleanup_rc=1
       fi
@@ -2584,6 +2592,7 @@ task13_self_test_source_contract() {
   local server_runtime_projection_status_contract
   local server_rollback_sentinel_read server_control_dir_reclamation
   local server_checkpoint_lookup
+  local server_compose_privileged
   local server_secret_source_owner server_secret_source_preparation server_tht_wrapper
   root="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd -P)"
   workflow="$root/.github/workflows/deployment.yml"
@@ -2623,6 +2632,7 @@ task13_self_test_source_contract() {
   server_rollback_sentinel_read='sudo -n -- cat -- "$rollback_''sentinel"'
   server_control_dir_reclamation='"$TASK13_TMP" "$TASK13_CONTROL_''DIR"'
   server_checkpoint_lookup='task13_server_checkpoint_''leftover'
+  server_compose_privileged='sudo -n -- "$''@"'
   server_secret_source_preparation='task13_prepare_server_secret_''sources'
   server_secret_source_owner='chown 10001:''10001 -- "$TASK13_SECRETS" "$TASK13_PI_AUTH"'
   server_tht_wrapper='task13_server_''tht'
@@ -2719,6 +2729,8 @@ task13_self_test_source_contract() {
   [[ "$(grep -Ec "^${server_checkpoint_lookup}\\(\\)|${server_checkpoint_lookup}" \
     "$root/scripts/unified-deployment-smoke.sh")" -eq 3 ]] \
     || task13_fail "server restore must inspect root-owned checkpoints through one privileged helper"
+  grep -Fq -- "$server_compose_privileged" "$root/scripts/unified-deployment-smoke.sh" \
+    || task13_fail "server Compose operations must use the privileged host surface"
   grep -Fq -- "$server_workspace_config_permission" "$root/scripts/unified-deployment-smoke.sh" \
     || task13_fail "the server workspace fixture must be readable by the container UID"
   [[ "$(grep -Ec "^${server_secret_source_preparation}\\(\\)|^[[:space:]]+${server_secret_source_preparation}$" \