diff --git a/client/scripts/autoloads/sim_bridge.gd b/client/scripts/autoloads/sim_bridge.gd
index 0c297e519..e82566693 100644
--- a/client/scripts/autoloads/sim_bridge.gd
+++ b/client/scripts/autoloads/sim_bridge.gd
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ extends Node
 # Signals
 signal connection_state_changed(old_state: ConnectionState, new_state: ConnectionState)
 signal snapshot_received(snapshot: Dictionary)
-signal handshake_complete(protocol_version: int)
+signal handshake_complete
 signal handshake_failed(reason: String)
 
 # Connection states
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> void:  # gdlint:disable=max-returns
 			_set_state(ConnectionState.ERROR)
 			return
 
-		handshake_complete.emit(0)  # D-192: protocol_version field dropped; signal kept for API compat
+		handshake_complete.emit()
 		_set_state(ConnectionState.CONNECTED)
 		# #646: Request full settings dump on connect — hydrates GameState.ai_enhanced_dialogue_enabled
 		# from server SQLite so the client reflects the authoritative persisted state (D-138).
diff --git a/client/tests/test_merge_path_flows_sprint37.gd b/client/tests/test_merge_path_flows_sprint37.gd
index 1d4b8eebf..d46d3505d 100644
--- a/client/tests/test_merge_path_flows_sprint37.gd
+++ b/client/tests/test_merge_path_flows_sprint37.gd
@@ -49,18 +49,22 @@ func after_test() -> void:
 
 func _load_main_menu() -> void:
 	var packed := load(MAIN_MENU_SCENE_PATH) as PackedScene
-	if packed == null:
-		push_warning("TestMergePathFlowsSprint37: main_menu.tscn not found — skipping")
-		return
+	# Hard-fail on missing scene (PR #135 review T3): silent skip turns a broken
+	# merge-path test into a uselessly green one.
+	assert_that(packed).override_failure_message(
+		"main_menu.tscn missing — merge-path coverage is broken, not skipped"
+	).is_not_null()
 	_scene = packed.instantiate()
 	add_child(_scene)
 
 
 func _load_char_create() -> void:
 	var packed := load(CHAR_CREATE_SCENE_PATH) as PackedScene
-	if packed == null:
-		push_warning("TestMergePathFlowsSprint37: character_creation.tscn not found — skipping")
-		return
+	# Hard-fail on missing scene (PR #135 review T3): silent skip turns a broken
+	# merge-path test into a uselessly green one.
+	assert_that(packed).override_failure_message(
+		"character_creation.tscn missing — merge-path coverage is broken, not skipped"
+	).is_not_null()
 	_scene = packed.instantiate()
 	# Seed required state so Start is not disabled (guard added in PR #134 / R2-Hoshe-1).
 	# Individual tests override these as needed. add_child() must run first so
@@ -75,9 +79,9 @@ func _load_char_create() -> void:
 
 func _make_catalog_snapshot() -> Dictionary:
 	## Minimal valid snapshot with a bookmark_catalog for flow-1 testing.
+	## D-192: no version field required; decode accepts snapshots with or without.
 	return {
 		"tick": 0,
-		"version": 23,
 		"entities": [],
 		"game_time": {"day": 0, "time_of_day": 0, "day_phase": "Morning", "tick_rate": "Full"},
 		"player_facing": "North",
@@ -164,6 +168,13 @@ func test_new_game_catalog_snapshot_resolves_loading_state() -> void:
 	assert_bool(_scene._waiting_for_catalog).override_failure_message(
 		"_waiting_for_catalog must be false after catalog snapshot delivered — #872 regression"
 	).is_false()
+	# PR #135 review H4: assert the SimBridge terminus, not just the loading flag.
+	# In test mode connect_to_sim() jumps state to CONNECTED synchronously; this
+	# guarantees the flow reached its terminal state, not merely that the catalog
+	# flag cleared.
+	assert_int(SimBridge.state).override_failure_message(
+		"SimBridge must be in CONNECTED terminus after catalog resolves — flow completion guard"
+	).is_equal(SimBridge.ConnectionState.CONNECTED)
 	assert_bool(GameState.bookmark_catalog.size() > 0).override_failure_message(
 		"GameState.bookmark_catalog must be populated after catalog snapshot applied"
 	).is_true()
diff --git a/client/tests/test_p0_regressions.gd b/client/tests/test_p0_regressions.gd
index 3b4855da0..90605fd25 100644
--- a/client/tests/test_p0_regressions.gd
+++ b/client/tests/test_p0_regressions.gd
@@ -43,12 +43,13 @@ func after_test() -> void:
 # -- Helpers -------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 ## Encode a minimal valid snapshot as MessagePack bytes.
-## Protocol.decode_snapshot() requires: tick, version, entities (with kind as
-## bare string for unit enum variants per rmp_serde wire format).
+## Protocol.decode_snapshot() requires: tick, entities (with kind as bare string
+## for unit enum variants per rmp_serde wire format). D-192 dropped the version
+## field — kept here inertly in existing fixtures so decode still accepts either
+## shape while older tests migrate.
 func _make_snapshot_bytes(overrides: Dictionary = {}) -> PackedByteArray:
 	var snapshot := {
 		"tick": overrides.get("tick", 1),
-		"version": 23,
 		"entities": overrides.get("entities", [{
 			"entity_id": 1,
 			"x": 10.0,
diff --git a/client/tests/test_protocol_bridge.gd b/client/tests/test_protocol_bridge.gd
index 91b9b393d..2f436a999 100644
--- a/client/tests/test_protocol_bridge.gd
+++ b/client/tests/test_protocol_bridge.gd
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 ## D-030 Layer 1: Protocol bridge tests for ObserverSnapshot features.
 ## Validates player_stance (D-053) and player_inventory (D-065) decode,
 ## GameState storage, SimBridge test mode, input encoding for stance toggles,
-## protocol version checks, and fixture round-trips.
-## Spec refs: D-053, D-065, D-020, #449
+## and fixture round-trips. Protocol version checks removed per D-192.
+## Spec refs: D-053, D-065, D-020, #449, D-192
 class_name TestProtocolBridge
 extends GdUnitTestSuite