diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/meshtasticator-e2e.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/meshtasticator-e2e.yaml
index d4a0dc0..6f97825 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/meshtasticator-e2e.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/meshtasticator-e2e.yaml
@@ -71,8 +71,15 @@ jobs:
       - name: Simulator venv (its own requirements + docker SDK)
         run: |
           uv venv --python 3.13 "$HOME/sim-venv"
+          # NOTE: meshtasticator/requirements.txt pins meshtastic~=2.6.1, which
+          # predates the meshtastic/meshtasticd image it talks to and never
+          # observed TX packets (both e2e directions timed out). Install the
+          # simulator's deps but let meshtastic float to the current client —
+          # the version the official firmware_harness uses against the same
+          # meshtasticd simulator mode.
           uv pip install --python "$HOME/sim-venv/bin/python" \
-            -r "$HOME/meshtasticator/requirements.txt" docker
+            meshtastic numpy matplotlib pandas \
+            'PyPubSub==4.0.3' simpy PyYAML protobuf docker
 
       - name: Run Meshtasticator e2e suite
         run: |