diff --git a/ilsp/server.py b/ilsp/server.py
index 8e724d2..cc00043 100644
--- a/ilsp/server.py
+++ b/ilsp/server.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ async def _ws_proxy(request: web.Request, host: str, port: int) -> web.WebSocket
         )
     except (OSError, asyncio.TimeoutError) as exc:
         logger.error("Cannot connect to LSP on %s:%d — %s", host, port, exc)
-        await ws.close(code=1011, message=b"LSP backend unavailable")
+        await ws.close(code=1011, message=b"LSP backend unavailable", timeout=2.0)
         return ws
 
     async def ws_to_tcp():
diff --git a/tests/test_ws_proxy.py b/tests/test_ws_proxy.py
index 73b45d3..7745648 100644
--- a/tests/test_ws_proxy.py
+++ b/tests/test_ws_proxy.py
@@ -192,7 +192,9 @@ async def test_fake_client_receives_completion_capabilities(proxy_base_url):
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_ws_backend_unavailable_closes_cleanly(proxy_base_url, monkeypatch):
     """If pylsp is unreachable, WebSocket should close gracefully (not crash)."""
-    monkeypatch.setattr("ilsp.server.PYTHON_LSP_PORT", 19999)
+    # Use _free_port() to guarantee nothing is listening (avoids CI port 19999 collisions)
+    dead_port = _free_port()
+    monkeypatch.setattr("ilsp.server.PYTHON_LSP_PORT", dead_port)
 
     ws_url = proxy_base_url.replace("http://", "ws://") + "/python"
     async with aiohttp.ClientSession() as session: