diff --git a/.github/workflows/integration.yml b/.github/workflows/integration.yml
index 0816e68ac5a..79feb1b92de 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/integration.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/integration.yml
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ jobs:
           # won't increase the time for this workflow to complete.
           timeout_minutes: 20
           command: scripts/registry.sh test ${{ matrix.cli }} ${{steps.get-branch.outputs.result}}
-          on_retry_command: rm $HOME/bin/agoric
+          on_retry_command: rm -f $HOME/bin/agoric
 
       - name: notify on failure
         if: >
diff --git a/packages/agoric-cli/src/helpers.js b/packages/agoric-cli/src/helpers.js
index e8fcad990d1..e140e7eb5bf 100644
--- a/packages/agoric-cli/src/helpers.js
+++ b/packages/agoric-cli/src/helpers.js
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ export const makePspawn = ({
    * @param {string | [string, string, string]} [param2.stdio] standard IO
    * specification
    * @param {Record<string, string | undefined>} [param2.env] environment
+   * @param {boolean} [param2.detached] whether the child process should be detached
    * @returns {Promise<number> & { childProcess: ChildProcess }}} promise for
    * exit status. The return result has a `childProcess` property to obtain
    * control over the running process
diff --git a/packages/agoric-cli/tools/getting-started.js b/packages/agoric-cli/tools/getting-started.js
index dae31eeb298..3dbbdf7a5a7 100644
--- a/packages/agoric-cli/tools/getting-started.js
+++ b/packages/agoric-cli/tools/getting-started.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-/* global process setTimeout setInterval clearInterval */
+// @ts-check
+/* global process setTimeout setInterval clearInterval Buffer */
 
 import fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
@@ -10,7 +11,13 @@ import { spawn } from 'child_process';
 
 import { makePspawn } from '../src/helpers.js';
 
-const TIMEOUT_SECONDS = 3 * 60;
+const RETRY_BLOCKHEIGHT_SECONDS = 3;
+const SOCKET_TIMEOUT_SECONDS = 2;
+
+// TODO: Set this to `true` when `agoric install $DISTTAG` properly updates the
+// getting-started workflow's dependencies to current `@endo/*` and Agoric SDK
+// from the local registry.
+const AGORIC_INSTALL_DISTTAG = false;
 
 const dirname = new URL('./', import.meta.url).pathname;
 
@@ -18,23 +25,59 @@ const dirname = new URL('./', import.meta.url).pathname;
 
 // Note that we currently only test:
 // agoric init dapp-foo
-// yarn install
+// yarn install (or agoric install $DISTTAG)
 // yarn start:docker
 // yarn start:contract
 // yarn start:ui
 
+/**
+ * @param {string} url
+ * @returns {Promise<bigint>}
+ */
+const getLatestBlockHeight = url =>
+  new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    const req = request(url, res => {
+      if (!res) {
+        reject(Error('no result'));
+        return;
+      }
+      const bodyChunks = [];
+      res
+        .on('data', chunk => bodyChunks.push(chunk))
+        .on('end', () => {
+          const body = Buffer.concat(bodyChunks).toString('utf8');
+          const { statusCode = 0 } = res;
+          if (statusCode >= 200 && statusCode < 300) {
+            const { result: { sync_info: sync = {} } = {} } = JSON.parse(body);
+            if (sync.catching_up === false) {
+              resolve(BigInt(sync.latest_block_height));
+              return;
+            }
+          }
+          reject(Error(`Cannot get block height: ${statusCode} ${body}`));
+        });
+    });
+    req.setTimeout(SOCKET_TIMEOUT_SECONDS * 1_000);
+    req.on('error', reject);
+    req.end();
+  });
+
 export const gettingStartedWorkflowTest = async (t, options = {}) => {
-  const { init: initOptions = [] } = options;
+  const { init: initOptions = [], install: installOptions = [] } = options;
   const pspawn = makePspawn({ spawn });
 
   // Kill an entire process group.
   const pkill = (cp, signal = 'SIGINT') => process.kill(-cp.pid, signal);
 
+  /** @param {Parameters<typeof pspawn>} args */
   function pspawnStdout(...args) {
     const ps = pspawn(...args);
-    ps.childProcess.stdout.on('data', chunk => {
-      process.stdout.write(chunk);
-    });
+    const { stdout } = ps.childProcess;
+    if (stdout) {
+      stdout.on('data', chunk => {
+        process.stdout.write(chunk);
+      });
+    }
     // ps.childProcess.unref();
     return ps;
   }
@@ -107,17 +150,51 @@ export const gettingStartedWorkflowTest = async (t, options = {}) => {
     );
     process.chdir('dapp-foo');
 
-    // ==============
-    // yarn install
-    t.is(await yarn(['install']), 0, 'yarn install works');
+    if (AGORIC_INSTALL_DISTTAG && process.env.AGORIC_INSTALL_OPTIONS) {
+      // ==============
+      // agoric install $DISTTAG
+      const opts = JSON.parse(process.env.AGORIC_INSTALL_OPTIONS);
+      installOptions.push(...opts);
+      t.is(
+        await myMain(['install', ...installOptions]),
+        0,
+        'agoric install works',
+      );
+    } else {
+      // ==============
+      // yarn install
+      t.is(await yarn(['install', ...installOptions]), 0, 'yarn install works');
+    }
 
     // ==============
     // yarn start:docker
     t.is(await yarn(['start:docker']), 0, 'yarn start:docker works');
 
-    // XXX: use abci_info endpoint to get block height
-    // sleep to let contract start
-    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, TIMEOUT_SECONDS));
+    // ==============
+    // wait for the chain to start
+    let lastKnownBlockHeight = 0n;
+    for (;;) {
+      try {
+        const currentHeight = await getLatestBlockHeight(
+          'http://localhost:26657/status',
+        );
+        if (currentHeight > lastKnownBlockHeight) {
+          const earlierHeight = lastKnownBlockHeight;
+          lastKnownBlockHeight = currentHeight;
+          if (earlierHeight > 0n && currentHeight > earlierHeight) {
+            // We've had at least one block produced.
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error((e && e.message) || e);
+      }
+
+      // Wait a bit and try again.
+      await new Promise(resolve =>
+        setTimeout(resolve, RETRY_BLOCKHEIGHT_SECONDS * 1_000),
+      );
+    }
 
     // ==============
     // yarn start:contract
@@ -145,9 +222,9 @@ export const gettingStartedWorkflowTest = async (t, options = {}) => {
         const req = request('http://localhost:5173/', _res => {
           resolve('listening');
         });
-        req.setTimeout(2000);
+        req.setTimeout(SOCKET_TIMEOUT_SECONDS * 1_000);
         req.on('error', err => {
-          if (err.code !== 'ECONNREFUSED') {
+          if (!('code' in err) || err.code !== 'ECONNREFUSED') {
             resolve(`Cannot connect to UI server: ${err}`);
           }
         });
diff --git a/scripts/get-versions.sh b/scripts/get-versions.sh
index 7495a8035c0..a3ede8aff24 100755
--- a/scripts/get-versions.sh
+++ b/scripts/get-versions.sh
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ WORKDIR=${1:-.}
 cd -- "$WORKDIR"
 npm query .workspace \
   | jq -r '.[].location | "\(.)/package.json"' \
-  | xargs jq '{key: .name, value: "^\(.version)"}' \
+  | xargs jq 'select(.private | not) | {key: .name, value: "^\(.version)"}' \
   | jq --slurp from_entries
diff --git a/scripts/registry.sh b/scripts/registry.sh
index 4824ac1c3b4..954da1e3f09 100755
--- a/scripts/registry.sh
+++ b/scripts/registry.sh
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ integrationTest() {
       ;;
     *)
       yarn global add "agoric@$DISTTAG"
-      persistVar AGORIC_CMD '["agoric"]'
+      persistVar AGORIC_CMD "[\"$(yarn global bin)/agoric\"]"
       ;;
   esac
 
diff --git a/scripts/resolve-versions.sh b/scripts/resolve-versions.sh
index 98cee14f406..7f3fb050883 100755
--- a/scripts/resolve-versions.sh
+++ b/scripts/resolve-versions.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ set -ueo pipefail
 
 DIR=$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")
 
-cd -- "$DIR/.."
+cd -- "${1-$DIR/..}"
 
 override=$(jq 'to_entries | map({ key: ("**/" + .key), value: .value }) | from_entries')