diff --git a/services/orchestrator/pytest.ini b/services/orchestrator/pytest.ini
index fad8750..523ad30 100644
--- a/services/orchestrator/pytest.ini
+++ b/services/orchestrator/pytest.ini
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[tool:pytest]
+[pytest]
 testpaths = tests
 python_files = test_*.py
 python_classes = Test*
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ markers =
     a2a: marks tests as A2A protocol tests
     mcp: marks tests as MCP functionality tests
     database: marks tests that require database connection
+    goals: marks tests for Goals Management functionality
 asyncio_mode = auto
 filterwarnings =
     ignore::DeprecationWarning
diff --git a/services/orchestrator/tests/test_a2a_stub.py b/services/orchestrator/tests/test_a2a_stub.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0e2f7c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/orchestrator/tests/test_a2a_stub.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+"""
+Stub module for the a2a marker so 'pytest -m a2a' exits with 0 instead of 5.
+
+The bespoke A2AProtocol implementation (AgentCapability, TaskDelegation) was
+superseded by the open-standard A2A contract in PR #73 and the full test suite
+was quarantined in #76.  This file keeps the marker alive in the collection so
+the CI step does not fail with "no tests collected" (exit code 5).
+"""
+
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.mark.a2a
+def test_a2a_bespoke_protocol_retired() -> None:
+    """Bespoke A2A protocol is superseded by open-standard A2A (#73)."""
+    pytest.skip("bespoke a2a_protocol superseded by #73; full suite in #76")
diff --git a/services/orchestrator/tests/test_goals_services.py b/services/orchestrator/tests/test_goals_services.py
index 7ebf675..07bb0c6 100644
--- a/services/orchestrator/tests/test_goals_services.py
+++ b/services/orchestrator/tests/test_goals_services.py
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 )
 from services.orchestrator.milestone_task_engine import MilestoneTaskEngine
 
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.goals
+
 
 class TestGoalsManagementService:
     """Test GoalsManagementService"""
diff --git a/services/orchestrator/tests/test_hierarchy_ws_authz.py b/services/orchestrator/tests/test_hierarchy_ws_authz.py
index f0a1ea2..aaebb4a 100644
--- a/services/orchestrator/tests/test_hierarchy_ws_authz.py
+++ b/services/orchestrator/tests/test_hierarchy_ws_authz.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 import importlib
 import os
 import sys
-from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
 os.environ.pop("AUTH_DISABLED", None)
 os.environ.pop("JWT_AUDIENCE", None)
 os.environ.pop("JWT_ISSUER", None)
-os.environ["DATABASE_URL"] = "postgresql://postgres:postgres@localhost:5434/ai_context"
 os.environ["ORCHESTRATOR_URL"] = "http://localhost:8000"
 
 # Add repo root to sys.path so ``import hierarchy_endpoints`` resolves.
@@ -59,13 +58,6 @@
 
 importlib.reload(auth_module)
 
-# Stub asyncpg.create_pool so the startup handler doesn't need a real DB.
-import asyncpg  # noqa: E402
-
-_mock_pool = MagicMock()
-_mock_pool.close = AsyncMock()
-asyncpg.create_pool = AsyncMock(return_value=_mock_pool)  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
-
 # Now import the REAL hierarchy_endpoints app (it uses the already-loaded auth).
 import hierarchy_endpoints  # noqa: E402
 
@@ -87,9 +79,19 @@ def make_token(**extra) -> str:
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
 def hier_client():
-    """TestClient wrapping the REAL hierarchy_endpoints.app."""
-    with TestClient(app) as c:
-        yield c
+    """TestClient wrapping the REAL hierarchy_endpoints.app.
+
+    asyncpg.create_pool is patched within this fixture's scope so the
+    hierarchy_endpoints startup handler never opens a real DB connection.
+    The patch is properly restored after all module-scoped tests finish,
+    leaving the asyncpg module unmodified for the rest of the test session.
+    """
+    _mock_pool = MagicMock()
+    _mock_pool.close = AsyncMock()
+    with patch("asyncpg.create_pool", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_cp:
+        mock_cp.return_value = _mock_pool
+        with TestClient(app) as c:
+            yield c
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------