diff --git a/server.ts b/server.ts
index 00e2965e..401b63d8 100644
--- a/server.ts
+++ b/server.ts
@@ -136,12 +136,16 @@ app.use((err: Error, req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
   }
 });
 
-const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3001;
-app.listen(PORT, () => {
-  logger.info(`Authentication server started on port ${PORT}`);
-});
+if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') {
+  const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3001;
+  app.listen(PORT, () => {
+    logger.info(`Authentication server started on port ${PORT}`);
+    console.log('--- REGISTERED API ROUTES ---');
+    console.table(listEndpoints(app));
+    console.log('-----------------------------');
+  });
+}
 
-console.log('--- REGISTERED API ROUTES ---');
-console.table(listEndpoints(app));
-console.log('-----------------------------');
-// --- END ROUTE DEBUGGING ---
\ No newline at end of file
+
+// Export the app for integration testing
+export default app;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/tests/setup/integration-global-setup.ts b/src/tests/setup/integration-global-setup.ts
index e47da16b..ca9d3a8d 100644
--- a/src/tests/setup/integration-global-setup.ts
+++ b/src/tests/setup/integration-global-setup.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 // src/tests/setup/integration-global-setup.ts
-import { exec, ChildProcess } from 'child_process';
-import { logger } from '../../services/logger';
-import { getPool } from '../../services/db/connection'; // Import getPool
 import { execSync } from 'child_process';
+import type { Server } from 'http';
+import app from '../../../server'; // Import the Express app
+import { logger } from '../../services/logger';
+import { getPool } from '../../services/db/connection';
 
-let serverProcess: ChildProcess;
+let server: Server;
 
 export async function setup() {
   console.log(`\n--- [PID:${process.pid}] Running Integration Test GLOBAL Setup ---`);
@@ -20,27 +21,13 @@ export async function setup() {
     process.exit(1);
   }
 
-  console.log(`\n[PID:${process.pid}] Starting backend server as a separate process...`);
-  
-  // Use the dedicated test server script, which correctly uses the .env.test file.
-  serverProcess = exec('npm run start:test');
-
-  // --- NEW LOGGING START ---
-  // Listen for premature exit to debug crashes immediately
-  serverProcess.on('exit', (code, signal) => {
-    if (code !== 0 && signal !== 'SIGTERM') {
-        console.error(`\n[SERVER EXIT]: Backend server process exited prematurely with code ${code} and signal ${signal}`);
-        console.error('Check [SERVER STDERR] logs above for details.\n');
-    }
-  });
-  // --- NEW LOGGING END ---
-
-  //serverProcess.stdout?.on('data', (data) => {
-    //console.log(`[SERVER STDOUT]: ${data}`);
-  //});
-
-  serverProcess.stderr?.on('data', (data) => {
-    console.error(`[SERVER STDERR]: ${data}`);
+  // Programmatically start the server within the same process.
+  const port = process.env.PORT || 3001;
+  await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    server = app.listen(port, () => {
+      console.log(`✅ In-process test server started on port ${port}`);
+      resolve();
+    });
   });
 
   /**
@@ -60,30 +47,17 @@ export async function setup() {
     }
   };
 
-  const maxRetries = 10;
+  const maxRetries = 15;
   const retryDelay = 1000; 
   for (let i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) {
-    try {
-      // If the process has already died, stop waiting
-      if (serverProcess.exitCode !== null) {
-        throw new Error(`Server process exited with code ${serverProcess.exitCode}`);
-      }
-
-      if (await pingTestBackend().catch(() => false)) {
-        console.log('✅ Backend server is running and responsive.');
-        return; 
-      }
-    } catch (e) {
-      // Only log debug if we are still waiting, otherwise throw
-      if (serverProcess.exitCode !== null) throw e;
-      logger.debug('Ping failed while waiting for server, this is expected.', { error: e });
+    if (await pingTestBackend()) {
+      console.log('✅ Backend server is running and responsive.');
+      return; 
     }
     console.log(`[PID:${process.pid}] Waiting for backend server... (attempt ${i + 1}/${maxRetries})`);
     await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, retryDelay));
   }
 
-  console.error('🔴 Backend server did not start in time. Integration tests will likely fail.');
-  serverProcess.kill();
   throw new Error('Backend server failed to start.');
 }
 
@@ -92,9 +66,9 @@ export async function teardown() {
   // Close the database connection pool after all integration tests have run.
   // This is the correct place to ensure all connections are closed gracefully.
   const pool = getPool();
-  if (serverProcess) {
-    serverProcess.kill();
-    console.log('✅ Backend server process terminated.');
+  if (server) {
+    await new Promise<void>(resolve => server.close(() => resolve()));
+    console.log('✅ In-process test server stopped.');
   }
   if (pool) {
     // Check if the pool has any clients (total, idle, or waiting) before ending it.