diff --git a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-listener.ts b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-listener.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4bb8cd1f7d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-listener.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+/**
+ * The local half of the stdio bridge: a loopback listener whose every accepted socket rides its
+ * own bridge channel from a channel factory. Owns admission, queueing and teardown; knows nothing
+ * of the host transport the channels run over.
+ */
+import { createServer, type Socket } from 'node:net'
+import type { OrcadStdioBridgeMode } from './orcad-stdio-bridge-script'
+import {
+  OrcadStdioBridgeBase64Encoder,
+  OrcadStdioBridgeDecoder,
+  type OrcadStdioBridgeSignal
+} from './orcad-stdio-bridge-stream'
+import type { RemoteCommandChannel } from './remote-install-transport'
+import type { PortForwardStartOptions, StartedPortForward } from './ssh-port-forward-provider'
+import { listenForPortForward } from './ssh2-port-forward-provider'
+
+/**
+ * Each bridge is one sshd session, and OpenSSH's MaxSessions defaults to 10 per connection. The
+ * client holds one shared control socket and one per stream (terminals, each browser), so 8
+ * covers it and leaves room for the exec work sharing the connection. Past it, sockets queue.
+ */
+export const ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_MAX_CHANNELS = 8
+export const ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_QUEUE_TIMEOUT_MS = 30_000
+
+/** Opens one bridge channel for one accepted socket; a rejection just drops that socket. */
+export type OrcadStdioBridgeChannelFactory = () => Promise<{
+  channel: RemoteCommandChannel
+  mode: OrcadStdioBridgeMode
+}>
+
+export async function listenOrcadStdioBridge(
+  options: PortForwardStartOptions,
+  openChannel: OrcadStdioBridgeChannelFactory
+): Promise<StartedPortForward> {
+  const sockets = new Set<Socket>()
+  const channels = new Set<RemoteCommandChannel>()
+  const waiting: { socket: Socket; timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> }[] = []
+  let open = 0
+  let closed = false
+
+  const admitNext = (): void => {
+    while (open < ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_MAX_CHANNELS) {
+      const next = waiting.shift()
+      if (!next) {
+        return
+      }
+      clearTimeout(next.timer)
+      void bridgeSocket(next.socket)
+    }
+  }
+  const release = (): void => {
+    open -= 1
+    admitNext()
+  }
+
+  const bridgeSocket = async (socket: Socket): Promise<void> => {
+    if (closed || socket.destroyed) {
+      return
+    }
+    open += 1
+    let opened: Awaited<ReturnType<OrcadStdioBridgeChannelFactory>>
+    try {
+      opened = await openChannel()
+    } catch {
+      socket.destroy()
+      release()
+      return
+    }
+    const { channel, mode } = opened
+    channel.once('close', release)
+    if (closed || socket.destroyed) {
+      closeChannel(channel)
+      return
+    }
+    channels.add(channel)
+    channel.once('close', () => channels.delete(channel))
+    pipeSocketThroughBridge(socket, channel, mode)
+  }
+
+  const server = createServer((socket) => {
+    sockets.add(socket)
+    socket.on('error', () => socket.destroy())
+    const entry = {
+      socket,
+      timer: setTimeout(() => socket.destroy(), ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_QUEUE_TIMEOUT_MS)
+    }
+    socket.on('close', () => {
+      sockets.delete(socket)
+      clearTimeout(entry.timer)
+      const index = waiting.indexOf(entry)
+      if (index !== -1) {
+        waiting.splice(index, 1)
+      }
+    })
+    waiting.push(entry)
+    admitNext()
+  })
+
+  await listenForPortForward(server, options.localHost, options.localPort)
+  const address = server.address()
+  const localPort = typeof address === 'object' && address ? address.port : options.localPort
+  const entry = {
+    id: options.id,
+    connectionId: options.connectionId,
+    localPort,
+    remoteHost: options.remoteHost,
+    remotePort: options.remotePort,
+    label: options.label
+  }
+
+  const close = (): Promise<void> => {
+    if (closed) {
+      return Promise.resolve()
+    }
+    closed = true
+    for (const { timer } of waiting.splice(0)) {
+      clearTimeout(timer)
+    }
+    for (const channel of channels) {
+      closeChannel(channel)
+    }
+    for (const socket of sockets) {
+      socket.destroy()
+    }
+    return new Promise((resolve) => server.close(() => resolve()))
+  }
+  return { entry, close, dispose: () => void close() }
+}
+
+function pipeSocketThroughBridge(
+  socket: Socket,
+  channel: RemoteCommandChannel,
+  mode: OrcadStdioBridgeMode
+): void {
+  const decoder = new OrcadStdioBridgeDecoder(mode)
+  // A refused dial is what the forward's failed channel open is: the socket just closes.
+  decoder.once('signal', (signal: OrcadStdioBridgeSignal) => {
+    if (signal !== 'ready') {
+      socket.destroy()
+      closeChannel(channel)
+    }
+  })
+  decoder.on('error', () => {
+    socket.destroy()
+    closeChannel(channel)
+  })
+  channel.pipe(decoder).pipe(socket)
+  if (mode === 'base64') {
+    socket.pipe(new OrcadStdioBridgeBase64Encoder()).pipe(channel)
+  } else {
+    socket.pipe(channel)
+  }
+  channel.stderr.resume()
+  channel.on('error', () => socket.destroy())
+  channel.on('close', () => {
+    if (!socket.writableEnded) {
+      socket.destroy()
+    }
+  })
+  socket.on('close', () => closeChannel(channel))
+}
+
+function closeChannel(channel: RemoteCommandChannel): void {
+  try {
+    channel.close()
+  } catch {
+    // Late callbacks after the transport dropped.
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-provider.test.ts b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-provider.test.ts
index e69620d2e8d..66936ddff65 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-provider.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-provider.test.ts
@@ -3,18 +3,16 @@ import { connect, type Server, type Socket } from 'node:net'
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
 import { join } from 'node:path'
 import { PassThrough } from 'node:stream'
-import type { ClientChannel } from 'ssh2'
 import { afterAll, afterEach, beforeAll, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { OrcadStdioBridgeUnavailableError } from './orcad-host-unavailable'
 import type { OrcadStdioBridge } from './orcad-stdio-bridge'
-import {
-  ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_MAX_CHANNELS,
-  OrcadStdioBridgePortForwardProvider
-} from './orcad-stdio-bridge-provider'
+import { ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_MAX_CHANNELS } from './orcad-stdio-bridge-listener'
+import { OrcadStdioBridgePortForwardProvider } from './orcad-stdio-bridge-provider'
 import { spawnLocalBridgeChannel, startEchoServer } from './orcad-stdio-bridge-test-channel'
 import { ORCAD_WINDOWS_HOST_SCRIPT } from './orcad-windows-host-script'
 import type { SshConnection } from './ssh-connection'
 import type { StartedPortForward } from './ssh-port-forward-provider'
+import type { RemoteCommandChannel } from './remote-install-transport'
 
 let echo: { server: Server; port: number }
 let script: string
@@ -46,7 +44,7 @@ const conn = { getClient: () => ({}) } as unknown as SshConnection
 const bridge: OrcadStdioBridge = { command: 'bridge', mode: 'base64', wrapCommand: false }
 
 /** The real bridge, run locally through the Windows host script's base64 framing. */
-const localBridge = (): ClientChannel =>
+const localBridge = (): RemoteCommandChannel =>
   spawnLocalBridgeChannel(process.execPath, [script, 'stdio-bridge', String(echo.port)])
 
 async function startProvider(
@@ -138,7 +136,7 @@ describe('the managed tunnel over the stdio bridge', () => {
       const channel = Object.assign(new PassThrough(), { stderr: new PassThrough(), close() {} })
       channels.push(channel)
       // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: the provider uses only the stream, `stderr`, `close`, and events.
-      return channel as unknown as ClientChannel
+      return channel as unknown as RemoteCommandChannel
     })
     const forward = await startProvider({ openChannel })
     const lost = await dial(forward.entry.localPort)
@@ -158,7 +156,7 @@ describe('the managed tunnel over the stdio bridge', () => {
       })
       channels.push(channel)
       // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: the provider uses only the stream, `stderr`, `close`, and events.
-      return channel as unknown as ClientChannel
+      return channel as unknown as RemoteCommandChannel
     })
     const forward = await startProvider({ openChannel })
     const sockets = await Promise.all(
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-provider.ts b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-provider.ts
index 4c9437bf137..76632cd14a1 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-provider.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-provider.ts
@@ -6,40 +6,28 @@
  * Disconnects match the forward: a lost channel drops its socket and the listener stays, so the
  * tunnel's own reconnect logic decides, and a lost transport never reads as a dead server.
  */
-import { createServer, type Socket } from 'node:net'
-import type { ClientChannel } from 'ssh2'
 import { OrcadStdioBridgeUnavailableError } from './orcad-host-unavailable'
+import type { OrcadHostTransport } from './orcad-host-transport'
 import {
   checkOrcadStdioBridge,
   openOrcadStdioBridgeChannel,
   resolveOrcadStdioBridge,
   type OrcadStdioBridge
 } from './orcad-stdio-bridge'
-import {
-  OrcadStdioBridgeBase64Encoder,
-  OrcadStdioBridgeDecoder,
-  type OrcadStdioBridgeSignal
-} from './orcad-stdio-bridge-stream'
+import { listenOrcadStdioBridge } from './orcad-stdio-bridge-listener'
+import { sshOrcadHostTransport } from './orcad-ssh-host-transport'
+import type { RemoteCommandChannel } from './remote-install-transport'
 import type { SshConnection } from './ssh-connection'
 import type {
   PortForwardStartOptions,
   SshPortForwardProvider,
   StartedPortForward
 } from './ssh-port-forward-provider'
-import { listenForPortForward } from './ssh2-port-forward-provider'
-
-/**
- * Each bridge is one sshd session, and OpenSSH's MaxSessions defaults to 10 per connection. The
- * client holds one shared control socket and one per stream (terminals, each browser), so 8
- * covers it and leaves room for the exec work sharing the connection. Past it, sockets queue.
- */
-export const ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_MAX_CHANNELS = 8
-export const ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_QUEUE_TIMEOUT_MS = 30_000
 
 type OrcadStdioBridgeDependencies = {
-  resolveBridge: (conn: SshConnection, port: number) => Promise<OrcadStdioBridge>
-  checkBridge: (conn: SshConnection, bridge: OrcadStdioBridge) => Promise<unknown>
-  openChannel: (conn: SshConnection, bridge: OrcadStdioBridge) => Promise<ClientChannel>
+  resolveBridge: (conn: OrcadHostTransport, port: number) => Promise<OrcadStdioBridge>
+  checkBridge: (conn: OrcadHostTransport, bridge: OrcadStdioBridge) => Promise<unknown>
+  openChannel: (conn: OrcadHostTransport, bridge: OrcadStdioBridge) => Promise<RemoteCommandChannel>
 }
 
 const defaultDependencies: OrcadStdioBridgeDependencies = {
@@ -57,161 +45,36 @@ export class OrcadStdioBridgePortForwardProvider implements SshPortForwardProvid
     return conn.getClient() !== null
   }
 
-  async start(conn: SshConnection, options: PortForwardStartOptions): Promise<StartedPortForward> {
-    const deps = this.dependencies
-    let bridge: Promise<OrcadStdioBridge> | null = null
-    // Memoized once it resolves; a failed resolve is retried by the next socket.
-    const resolveBridge = (): Promise<OrcadStdioBridge> => {
-      bridge ??= deps.resolveBridge(conn, options.remotePort).catch((error: unknown) => {
-        bridge = null
-        throw error
-      })
-      return bridge
-    }
-    try {
-      await deps.checkBridge(conn, await resolveBridge())
-    } catch (error) {
-      if (error instanceof OrcadStdioBridgeUnavailableError) {
-        throw error
-      }
-      // A slow or dropped check is loss of contact; sockets resolve the bridge again.
-      console.warn('[ssh] Orca stdio bridge check was unverifiable:', error)
-    }
+  start(conn: SshConnection, options: PortForwardStartOptions): Promise<StartedPortForward> {
+    return startOrcadStdioBridge(sshOrcadHostTransport(conn), options, this.dependencies)
+  }
+}
 
-    const sockets = new Set<Socket>()
-    const channels = new Set<ClientChannel>()
-    const waiting: { socket: Socket; timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> }[] = []
-    let open = 0
-    let closed = false
-
-    const admitNext = (): void => {
-      while (open < ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_MAX_CHANNELS) {
-        const next = waiting.shift()
-        if (!next) {
-          return
-        }
-        clearTimeout(next.timer)
-        void bridgeSocket(next.socket)
-      }
-    }
-    const release = (): void => {
-      open -= 1
-      admitNext()
-    }
-
-    const bridgeSocket = async (socket: Socket): Promise<void> => {
-      if (closed || socket.destroyed) {
-        return
-      }
-      open += 1
-      let resolved: OrcadStdioBridge
-      let channel: ClientChannel
-      try {
-        resolved = await resolveBridge()
-        channel = await deps.openChannel(conn, resolved)
-      } catch {
-        socket.destroy()
-        release()
-        return
-      }
-      channel.once('close', release)
-      if (closed || socket.destroyed) {
-        closeChannel(channel)
-        return
-      }
-      channels.add(channel)
-      channel.once('close', () => channels.delete(channel))
-      pipeSocketThroughBridge(socket, channel, resolved.mode)
-    }
-
-    const server = createServer((socket) => {
-      sockets.add(socket)
-      socket.on('error', () => socket.destroy())
-      const entry = {
-        socket,
-        timer: setTimeout(() => socket.destroy(), ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_QUEUE_TIMEOUT_MS)
-      }
-      socket.on('close', () => {
-        sockets.delete(socket)
-        clearTimeout(entry.timer)
-        const index = waiting.indexOf(entry)
-        if (index !== -1) {
-          waiting.splice(index, 1)
-        }
-      })
-      waiting.push(entry)
-      admitNext()
+async function startOrcadStdioBridge(
+  host: OrcadHostTransport,
+  options: PortForwardStartOptions,
+  deps: OrcadStdioBridgeDependencies
+): Promise<StartedPortForward> {
+  let bridge: Promise<OrcadStdioBridge> | null = null
+  // Memoized once it resolves; a failed resolve is retried by the next socket.
+  const resolveBridge = (): Promise<OrcadStdioBridge> => {
+    bridge ??= deps.resolveBridge(host, options.remotePort).catch((error: unknown) => {
+      bridge = null
+      throw error
     })
-
-    await listenForPortForward(server, options.localHost, options.localPort)
-    const address = server.address()
-    const localPort = typeof address === 'object' && address ? address.port : options.localPort
-    const entry = {
-      id: options.id,
-      connectionId: options.connectionId,
-      localPort,
-      remoteHost: options.remoteHost,
-      remotePort: options.remotePort,
-      label: options.label
-    }
-
-    const close = (): Promise<void> => {
-      if (closed) {
-        return Promise.resolve()
-      }
-      closed = true
-      for (const { timer } of waiting.splice(0)) {
-        clearTimeout(timer)
-      }
-      for (const channel of channels) {
-        closeChannel(channel)
-      }
-      for (const socket of sockets) {
-        socket.destroy()
-      }
-      return new Promise((resolve) => server.close(() => resolve()))
-    }
-    return { entry, close, dispose: () => void close() }
+    return bridge
   }
-}
-
-function pipeSocketThroughBridge(
-  socket: Socket,
-  channel: ClientChannel,
-  mode: OrcadStdioBridge['mode']
-): void {
-  const decoder = new OrcadStdioBridgeDecoder(mode)
-  // A refused dial is what the forward's failed channel open is: the socket just closes.
-  decoder.once('signal', (signal: OrcadStdioBridgeSignal) => {
-    if (signal !== 'ready') {
-      socket.destroy()
-      closeChannel(channel)
-    }
-  })
-  decoder.on('error', () => {
-    socket.destroy()
-    closeChannel(channel)
-  })
-  channel.pipe(decoder).pipe(socket)
-  if (mode === 'base64') {
-    socket.pipe(new OrcadStdioBridgeBase64Encoder()).pipe(channel)
-  } else {
-    socket.pipe(channel)
-  }
-  channel.stderr.resume()
-  channel.on('error', () => socket.destroy())
-  channel.on('close', () => {
-    if (!socket.writableEnded) {
-      socket.destroy()
-    }
-  })
-  socket.on('close', () => closeChannel(channel))
-}
-
-function closeChannel(channel: ClientChannel): void {
   try {
-    channel.close()
-  } catch {
-    // Late callbacks after the transport dropped.
+    await deps.checkBridge(host, await resolveBridge())
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (error instanceof OrcadStdioBridgeUnavailableError) {
+      throw error
+    }
+    // A slow or dropped check is loss of contact; sockets resolve the bridge again.
+    console.warn('[ssh] Orca stdio bridge check was unverifiable:', error)
   }
+  return listenOrcadStdioBridge(options, async () => {
+    const resolved = await resolveBridge()
+    return { channel: await deps.openChannel(host, resolved), mode: resolved.mode }
+  })
 }
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-test-channel.ts b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-test-channel.ts
index 668e0072875..d202e8cdb29 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-test-channel.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge-test-channel.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
-/** Test-only: a bridge run as a local child, shaped like the SSH exec channel that runs it. */
+/** Test-only: a bridge run as a local child, shaped like the host exec channel that runs it. */
 import { createServer, type Server } from 'node:net'
 import { Duplex } from 'node:stream'
-import type { ClientChannel } from 'ssh2'
 import { spawnProcess } from '@orca/process-host'
+import type { RemoteCommandChannel } from './remote-install-transport'
 
 export function spawnLocalBridgeChannel(
   program: string,
   args: readonly string[],
   env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env
-): ClientChannel {
+): RemoteCommandChannel {
   const child = spawnProcess({ program, args, env })
   // Why emitClose off: like ssh2, `close` comes once, after the exit status.
   const channel = new Duplex({
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export function spawnLocalBridgeChannel(
   child.on('close', () => channel.emit('close'))
   Object.assign(channel, { stderr: child.stderr, close: () => child.kill() })
   // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: the bridge paths use only the stream, `stderr`, `close`, and the `exit`/`close` events assigned above.
-  return channel as unknown as ClientChannel
+  return channel as unknown as RemoteCommandChannel
 }
 
 /** A loopback echo server standing in for orcad. */
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge.test.ts b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge.test.ts
index 158dd550c04..603a3c1730a 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import { join } from 'node:path'
 import type { Server } from 'node:net'
 import type { EventEmitter } from 'node:events'
 import { PassThrough } from 'node:stream'
-import type { ClientChannel } from 'ssh2'
 import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 import { OrcadStdioBridgeUnavailableError } from './orcad-host-unavailable'
 import { checkOrcadStdioBridge, type OrcadStdioBridge } from './orcad-stdio-bridge'
@@ -16,6 +15,7 @@ import { OrcadStdioBridgeBase64Encoder, OrcadStdioBridgeDecoder } from './orcad-
 import { spawnLocalBridgeChannel, startEchoServer } from './orcad-stdio-bridge-test-channel'
 import { ORCAD_WINDOWS_HOST_SCRIPT } from './orcad-windows-host-script'
 import type { OrcadHostTransport } from './orcad-host-transport'
+import type { RemoteCommandChannel } from './remote-install-transport'
 
 const POSIX = process.platform !== 'win32'
 let echo: { server: Server; port: number }
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ afterAll(() => {
 /** Every byte value, so a text layer anywhere in the path would show. */
 const PAYLOAD = Buffer.from(Array.from({ length: 4096 }, (_, index) => index % 256))
 
-async function roundTrip(channel: ClientChannel, mode: OrcadStdioBridgeMode): Promise<Buffer> {
+async function roundTrip(
+  channel: RemoteCommandChannel,
+  mode: OrcadStdioBridgeMode
+): Promise<Buffer> {
   const decoder = new OrcadStdioBridgeDecoder(mode)
   channel.pipe(decoder)
   const input = mode === 'base64' ? new OrcadStdioBridgeBase64Encoder() : new PassThrough()
@@ -67,7 +70,7 @@ function posixHome(withRuntime: boolean): string {
   return home
 }
 
-function connectionRunning(channel: () => ClientChannel): OrcadHostTransport {
+function connectionRunning(channel: () => RemoteCommandChannel): OrcadHostTransport {
   // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: the check calls only exec.
   return { exec: async () => channel() } as unknown as OrcadHostTransport
 }
@@ -164,13 +167,13 @@ describe('reading a bridge channel', () => {
 })
 
 /** A channel the test drives by hand. */
-function scriptedChannel(): ClientChannel & EventEmitter & { stderr: PassThrough } {
+function scriptedChannel(): RemoteCommandChannel & EventEmitter & { stderr: PassThrough } {
   const channel = Object.assign(new PassThrough(), {
     stderr: new PassThrough(),
     close: () => {}
   })
   // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: the check uses only the stream, `stderr`, `close`, and events.
-  return channel as unknown as ClientChannel & EventEmitter & { stderr: PassThrough }
+  return channel as unknown as RemoteCommandChannel & EventEmitter & { stderr: PassThrough }
 }
 
 describe('checking a bridge before the tunnel relies on it', () => {
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge.ts b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge.ts
index 71b993e74aa..01814e28893 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/orcad-stdio-bridge.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 /** Which command runs the stdio bridge on a host, and whether it can run there at all. */
-import type { ClientChannel } from 'ssh2'
 import {
   OrcadHostUnsupportedError,
   OrcadStdioBridgeUnavailableError
@@ -12,6 +11,7 @@ import {
 } from './orcad-stdio-bridge-script'
 import { OrcadStdioBridgeDecoder, type OrcadStdioBridgeSignal } from './orcad-stdio-bridge-stream'
 import type { OrcadHostTransport } from './orcad-host-transport'
+import type { RemoteCommandChannel } from './remote-install-transport'
 import { isWindowsRemoteHost } from './ssh-remote-platform'
 import { detectRemoteHostPlatform } from './ssh-remote-platform-detection'
 
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ export async function resolveOrcadStdioBridge(
 export function openOrcadStdioBridgeChannel(
   conn: OrcadHostTransport,
   bridge: OrcadStdioBridge
-): Promise<ClientChannel> {
+): Promise<RemoteCommandChannel> {
   return conn.exec(bridge.command, { wrapCommand: bridge.wrapCommand })
 }
 
-function closeQuietly(channel: ClientChannel): void {
+function closeQuietly(channel: RemoteCommandChannel): void {
   try {
     channel.close()
   } catch {
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export async function checkOrcadStdioBridge(
   bridge: OrcadStdioBridge,
   timeoutMs = ORCAD_STDIO_BRIDGE_CHECK_TIMEOUT_MS
 ): Promise<'running' | 'unverifiable'> {
-  let channel: ClientChannel
+  let channel: RemoteCommandChannel
   try {
     channel = await openOrcadStdioBridgeChannel(conn, bridge)
   } catch {
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/remote-install-transport.ts b/src/main/ssh/remote-install-transport.ts
index f6efa3baacf..b0887083c40 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/remote-install-transport.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/remote-install-transport.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,25 @@
-import type { ClientChannel, SFTPWrapper } from 'ssh2'
+import type { Duplex, Readable, Writable } from 'node:stream'
 import type { SshRemoteFileOptions } from './ssh-connection-file-transfers'
 import type { SshExecOptions } from './ssh-connection-utils'
 
 type RemoteFileWriteOptions = SshRemoteFileOptions & { signal?: AbortSignal }
 
+/**
+ * A command running on the host: reads are its stdout, writes its stdin. Emits `exit` with the
+ * exit code when the host reports one, then `close` (with that code) once the channel is gone.
+ */
+export type RemoteCommandChannel = Duplex & {
+  readonly stdin: Writable
+  readonly stderr: Readable
+  close(): void
+}
+
 /** What remote install, lock, GC and host-probe code uses from a host connection. */
 export type RemoteInstallTransport = {
-  exec(command: string, options?: SshExecOptions): Promise<ClientChannel>
+  exec(command: string, options?: SshExecOptions): Promise<RemoteCommandChannel>
   usesSystemSshTransport(): boolean
   /** Changes whenever the underlying transport is replaced; scopes per-transport verdicts. */
   getConnectGeneration(): number
-  sftp(options?: AbortSignal | { signal?: AbortSignal }): Promise<SFTPWrapper>
   writeFile(remotePath: string, contents: string, options?: RemoteFileWriteOptions): Promise<void>
   uploadDirectory(
     localDir: string,
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/sftp-stream-late-error.ts b/src/main/ssh/sftp-stream-late-error.ts
index 5ccdab3963d..4ff89199177 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/sftp-stream-late-error.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/sftp-stream-late-error.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * chroot makes a late `SSH_FX_NO_SUCH_FILE` the normal answer, so the listener has to
  * outlive the transfer rather than the other way round.
  *
- * `runSftpFallbackTransfer` already does this for the session emitter; this is the same
+ * `latchLateSftpSessionErrors` does this for the session emitter; this is the same
  * guarantee one level down, on the streams.
  */
 
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-command.ts b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-command.ts
index 5f3da214241..b5bd6b12a95 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-command.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-exec-command.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import type { Readable } from 'node:stream'
-import type { ClientChannel } from 'ssh2'
-import type { SshConnection } from './ssh-connection'
+import type { RemoteCommandChannel, RemoteInstallTransport } from './remote-install-transport'
 import { createSshOperationAbortError, type SshExecOptions } from './ssh-connection-utils'
 import {
   redactRelayInstallMarkerError,
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ export function sshCommandExitError(
 }
 
 export async function execCommand(
-  conn: Pick<SshConnection, 'exec' | 'usesSystemSshTransport'>,
+  conn: Pick<RemoteInstallTransport, 'exec' | 'usesSystemSshTransport'>,
   command: string,
   options?: ExecCommandOptions
 ): Promise<string> {
@@ -90,7 +89,7 @@ export async function execCommand(
   // (an `echo`, a title escape) would otherwise be read as the command's answer.
   const fence = execOptions.wrapCommand === false ? null : buildPosixStdoutFence(command, 'SSH')
   const readPayload = (stdout: string): string => fence?.readStdout(stdout) ?? stdout
-  let channel: ClientChannel
+  let channel: RemoteCommandChannel
   try {
     channel = await conn.exec(fence?.command ?? command, execOptions)
   } catch (error) {
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-install-transfers.ts b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-install-transfers.ts
index a31dfc5dd9f..8202e9bcb27 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-install-transfers.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-install-transfers.ts
@@ -1,18 +1,8 @@
-// Relay-install SFTP writes. Each helper prefers the SshConnection transfer
-// method and otherwise drives one SFTP session itself, because deploy and
-// native-dependency tests pass partial connection doubles. Both routes share the
-// same namespace resolution, abort race, and one-shot session teardown. When the
-// host definitively refuses SFTP, POSIX hosts fall back to exec-channel stdin.
+// Relay-install file writes over the host transport's own transfer methods (SFTP on SSH). When
+// the host definitively refuses SFTP, POSIX hosts fall back to exec-channel stdin.
 
-import type { SFTPWrapper } from 'ssh2'
 import type { RemoteInstallTransport } from './remote-install-transport'
-import { writeStringViaSftp } from './sftp-upload'
-import { uploadDirectory } from './ssh-relay-deploy-helpers'
-import { raceSftpFileTransferWithAbort } from './ssh-file-transfer-abort'
-import {
-  resolveSftpTransferPathIfMapped,
-  type SftpNamespacePathMapping
-} from './sftp-namespace-resolution'
+import type { SftpNamespacePathMapping } from './sftp-namespace-resolution'
 import { isWindowsRemoteHost, type RemoteHostPlatform } from './ssh-remote-platform'
 import {
   uploadDirectoryViaExecStdin,
@@ -21,8 +11,7 @@ import {
 import { isUnconfirmedSshCommandTermination } from './ssh-relay-exec-command'
 import {
   describeSandboxedSftpFailure,
-  isSandboxedSftpNamespaceError,
-  latchLateSftpSessionErrors
+  isSandboxedSftpNamespaceError
 } from './sftp-stream-late-error'
 import { isSftpHandshakeCorruption } from './sftp-handshake-corruption'
 
@@ -43,7 +32,12 @@ export async function uploadRelayDirectory(
     hostPlatform,
     shellRemoteDir,
     options?.signal,
-    () => uploadRelayDirectoryTransfer(conn, localRelayDir, shellRemoteDir, hostPlatform, options),
+    () =>
+      conn.uploadDirectory(localRelayDir, shellRemoteDir, {
+        hostPlatform,
+        signal: options?.signal,
+        sftpNamespace: options?.sftpNamespace
+      }),
     () =>
       uploadDirectoryViaExecStdin(conn, localRelayDir, shellRemoteDir, hostPlatform, {
         signal: options?.signal
@@ -51,33 +45,6 @@ export async function uploadRelayDirectory(
   )
 }
 
-async function uploadRelayDirectoryTransfer(
-  conn: RemoteInstallTransport,
-  localRelayDir: string,
-  shellRemoteDir: string,
-  hostPlatform: RemoteHostPlatform,
-  options?: RelayTransferOptions
-): Promise<void> {
-  if (typeof conn.uploadDirectory === 'function') {
-    await conn.uploadDirectory(localRelayDir, shellRemoteDir, {
-      hostPlatform,
-      signal: options?.signal,
-      sftpNamespace: options?.sftpNamespace
-    })
-    return
-  }
-  await runSftpFallbackTransfer(conn, options, async (sftp) => {
-    const targetDir = await resolveSftpTransferPathIfMapped(sftp, shellRemoteDir, {
-      hostPlatform,
-      sftpNamespace: options?.sftpNamespace
-    })
-    options?.signal?.throwIfAborted()
-    await uploadDirectory(sftp, localRelayDir, targetDir, localRelayDir, {
-      signal: options?.signal
-    })
-  })
-}
-
 export async function writeRelayFile(
   conn: RemoteInstallTransport,
   hostPlatform: RemoteHostPlatform,
@@ -90,65 +57,16 @@ export async function writeRelayFile(
     hostPlatform,
     shellRemotePath,
     options?.signal,
-    () => writeRelayFileTransfer(conn, hostPlatform, shellRemotePath, contents, options),
+    () =>
+      conn.writeFile(shellRemotePath, contents, {
+        hostPlatform,
+        signal: options?.signal,
+        sftpNamespace: options?.sftpNamespace
+      }),
     () => writeStringViaExecStdin(conn, shellRemotePath, contents, { signal: options?.signal })
   )
 }
 
-async function writeRelayFileTransfer(
-  conn: RemoteInstallTransport,
-  hostPlatform: RemoteHostPlatform,
-  shellRemotePath: string,
-  contents: string,
-  options?: RelayTransferOptions
-): Promise<void> {
-  if (typeof conn.writeFile === 'function') {
-    await conn.writeFile(shellRemotePath, contents, {
-      hostPlatform,
-      signal: options?.signal,
-      sftpNamespace: options?.sftpNamespace
-    })
-    return
-  }
-  await runSftpFallbackTransfer(conn, options, async (sftp) => {
-    const targetPath = await resolveSftpTransferPathIfMapped(sftp, shellRemotePath, {
-      hostPlatform,
-      sftpNamespace: options?.sftpNamespace
-    })
-    options?.signal?.throwIfAborted()
-    await writeStringViaSftp(sftp, targetPath, contents)
-  })
-}
-
-async function runSftpFallbackTransfer(
-  conn: RemoteInstallTransport,
-  options: RelayTransferOptions | undefined,
-  transfer: (sftp: SFTPWrapper) => Promise<void>
-): Promise<void> {
-  const sftp = await conn.sftp(options?.signal)
-  let sftpEndRequested = false
-  const endSftp = (): void => {
-    if (!sftpEndRequested) {
-      sftpEndRequested = true
-      sftp.end()
-    }
-  }
-  latchLateSftpSessionErrors(sftp)
-  try {
-    await raceSftpFileTransferWithAbort(
-      transfer(sftp),
-      options?.signal ?? new AbortController().signal,
-      (onClose) => {
-        sftp.once('close', onClose)
-        endSftp()
-        return () => sftp.removeListener('close', onClose)
-      }
-    )
-  } finally {
-    endSftp()
-  }
-}
-
 export type SftpExecFallbackReason = 'sftp-unavailable' | 'sftp-sandboxed'
 
 /**