diff --git a/test/e2e/live/dashboard-remote-bind-env.ts b/test/e2e/live/dashboard-remote-bind-env.ts
index 415ab072dfc..623a8d47c18 100644
--- a/test/e2e/live/dashboard-remote-bind-env.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/live/dashboard-remote-bind-env.ts
@@ -28,14 +28,19 @@ export function buildDashboardRemoteBindEnv(
 }
 
 export function dashboardRemoteBindConnectStarted(
-  result: { exitCode: number | null; stdout: string; stderr: string },
+  result: {
+    exitCode: number | null;
+    stdout: string;
+    stderr: string;
+    timedOut?: boolean;
+  },
   sandboxName: string,
   dashboardPort: string,
 ): boolean {
   const output = stripAnsi(`${result.stdout}\n${result.stderr}`);
   return (
     result.exitCode === 0 ||
-    (result.exitCode === null &&
+    ((result.exitCode === null || result.timedOut === true) &&
       (output.includes("Dashboard port forward re-established.") ||
         (output.includes(`Forwarding port ${dashboardPort}`) &&
           output.includes(`sandbox ${sandboxName}`))))
diff --git a/test/e2e/support/dashboard-remote-bind-env.test.ts b/test/e2e/support/dashboard-remote-bind-env.test.ts
index 8d7a89b2279..f319b2235ee 100644
--- a/test/e2e/support/dashboard-remote-bind-env.test.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/support/dashboard-remote-bind-env.test.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,19 @@ describe("dashboard remote-bind E2E environment", () => {
     ).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("accepts recovery proof after the interactive connect reaches its test deadline (#9606)", () => {
+    const timedOutRecovery = {
+      exitCode: 143,
+      timedOut: true,
+      stdout: "\u001B[32m✓\u001B[0m Dashboard port forward re-established.\n",
+      stderr: "client_loop: send disconnect: Broken pipe\n",
+    };
+
+    expect(dashboardRemoteBindConnectStarted(timedOutRecovery, "e2e-dashboard-bind", "18789")).toBe(
+      true,
+    );
+  });
+
   it("rejects a connect result with no numeric exit code and no forward proof", () => {
     expect(
       dashboardRemoteBindConnectStarted(
@@ -59,4 +72,34 @@ describe("dashboard remote-bind E2E environment", () => {
       ),
     ).toBe(false);
   });
+
+  it("rejects a completed nonzero connect even when it printed recovery proof (#9606)", () => {
+    expect(
+      dashboardRemoteBindConnectStarted(
+        {
+          exitCode: 1,
+          timedOut: false,
+          stdout: "Dashboard port forward re-established.\n",
+          stderr: "connect failed\n",
+        },
+        "e2e-dashboard-bind",
+        "18789",
+      ),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects a timed-out interactive connect without background-forward proof (#9606)", () => {
+    expect(
+      dashboardRemoteBindConnectStarted(
+        {
+          exitCode: 143,
+          timedOut: true,
+          stdout: "Connecting to sandbox...\n",
+          stderr: "client_loop: send disconnect: Broken pipe\n",
+        },
+        "e2e-dashboard-bind",
+        "18789",
+      ),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
 });