diff --git a/src/paperscout/__main__.py b/src/paperscout/__main__.py
index fc6e7bd..52ad908 100644
--- a/src/paperscout/__main__.py
+++ b/src/paperscout/__main__.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, cast
 
+from .bolt_server import create_bolt_http_server
 from .config import settings
 from .db import init_db, init_pool, pool_status
 from .health import start_health_server
@@ -168,6 +169,7 @@ async def _async_main() -> None:
     shutdown_event = asyncio.Event()
     shutdown_reason: list[str | None] = [None]
     health_server = None
+    bolt_server = None
     bolt_thread = None
     mq = None
     app = None
@@ -285,9 +287,10 @@ def _extra_health_fields() -> dict[str, Any]:
             extra_fields_fn=_extra_health_fields,
         )
         log.info("Starting Slack Bolt app on port %d", settings.port)
+        bolt_server = create_bolt_http_server(app, settings.port)
         bolt_thread = threading.Thread(
-            target=app.start,
-            kwargs={"port": settings.port},
+            target=bolt_server.serve_forever,
+            kwargs={"poll_interval": 0.05},
             daemon=True,
             name="bolt",
         )
@@ -304,7 +307,7 @@ def _extra_health_fields() -> dict[str, Any]:
             health_thread=(
                 getattr(health_server, "_paperscout_thread", None) if health_server else None
             ),
-            app=app,
+            bolt_server=bolt_server,
             bolt_thread=bolt_thread,
             mq_drain_timeout=settings.shutdown_mq_drain_timeout_seconds,
             thread_join_timeout=settings.shutdown_thread_join_timeout_seconds,
diff --git a/src/paperscout/bolt_server.py b/src/paperscout/bolt_server.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b2ebf3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/paperscout/bolt_server.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""Slack Bolt HTTP server using public ``App.dispatch()`` only.
+
+Mirrors slack-bolt's built-in development server without accessing private
+``_development_server`` internals. Requires slack-bolt >= 1.28.0
+(``App.dispatch``, ``BoltRequest``, ``BoltResponse``).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import logging
+from collections.abc import Sequence
+from http.server import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer
+from typing import Any
+
+from slack_bolt import App
+from slack_bolt.request import BoltRequest
+from slack_bolt.response import BoltResponse
+
+
+def create_bolt_http_server(
+    app: App,
+    port: int,
+    path: str = "/slack/events",
+    bind_host: str = "0.0.0.0",
+) -> HTTPServer:
+    """Create an ``HTTPServer`` that dispatches Slack events via ``app.dispatch()``."""
+    bolt_path = path
+    bolt_app = app
+
+    class _BoltHandler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
+        def log_message(self, format: str, *args: Any) -> None:
+            if bolt_app.logger.isEnabledFor(logging.DEBUG):
+                bolt_app.logger.debug("bolt: %s", format % args)
+
+        def do_POST(self) -> None:
+            request_path, _, query = self.path.partition("?")
+            if request_path != bolt_path:
+                self._send_response(404, headers={})
+                return
+
+            len_header = self.headers.get("Content-Length") or 0
+            request_body = self.rfile.read(int(len_header)).decode("utf-8")
+            bolt_req = BoltRequest(
+                body=request_body,
+                query=query,
+                headers=self.headers,
+            )
+            bolt_resp = bolt_app.dispatch(bolt_req)
+            self._send_bolt_response(bolt_resp)
+
+        def do_GET(self) -> None:
+            self._send_response(404, headers={})
+
+        def _send_bolt_response(self, bolt_resp: BoltResponse) -> None:
+            self._send_response(
+                status=bolt_resp.status,
+                headers=bolt_resp.headers,
+                body=bolt_resp.body,
+            )
+
+        def _send_response(
+            self,
+            status: int,
+            headers: dict[str, Sequence[str]],
+            body: str | dict = "",
+        ) -> None:
+            self.send_response(status)
+            response_body = body if isinstance(body, str) else json.dumps(body)
+            body_bytes = response_body.encode("utf-8")
+            for key, values in headers.items():
+                for value in values:
+                    self.send_header(key, value)
+            self.send_header("Content-Length", str(len(body_bytes)))
+            self.end_headers()
+            self.wfile.write(body_bytes)
+
+    return HTTPServer((bind_host, port), _BoltHandler)
diff --git a/src/paperscout/db.py b/src/paperscout/db.py
index 91b9f91..bbe8f90 100644
--- a/src/paperscout/db.py
+++ b/src/paperscout/db.py
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ def init_pool(dsn: str, minconn: int = 1, maxconn: int = 10) -> pg_pool.Threaded
 def pool_status(p: pg_pool.ThreadedConnectionPool) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """Report pool reachability via documented ``getconn``/``putconn`` only.
 
+    Requires psycopg2-binary >= 2.9.12 (``ThreadedConnectionPool`` public API).
+
     Borrows and immediately returns one connection as a liveness probe.
     Does not read undocumented pool attributes or private internals.
     """
diff --git a/src/paperscout/shutdown.py b/src/paperscout/shutdown.py
index 7a7560f..69adadd 100644
--- a/src/paperscout/shutdown.py
+++ b/src/paperscout/shutdown.py
@@ -7,30 +7,12 @@
 from http.server import HTTPServer
 
 from psycopg2 import pool as pg_pool
-from slack_bolt import App
 
 from .scout import MessageQueue
 
 log = logging.getLogger("paperscout")
 
 
-def stop_bolt_server(app: App) -> None:
-    """Stop Slack Bolt HTTP dev server started via ``app.start()``.
-
-    Bolt has no public graceful-shutdown API for the dev server; this uses the
-    private ``_development_server._server`` handle (slack-bolt pinned in uv.lock).
-    """
-    dev = getattr(app, "_development_server", None)
-    if dev is None:
-        return
-    server = getattr(dev, "_server", None)
-    if server is not None:
-        try:
-            server.shutdown()
-        except Exception:
-            log.exception("shutdown: bolt server shutdown failed")
-
-
 def _join_thread(thread: threading.Thread | None, timeout: float, label: str) -> None:
     """Wait for *thread* to finish; log a warning if it exceeds *timeout*."""
     if thread is None or not thread.is_alive():
@@ -46,7 +28,7 @@ def shutdown_services(
     mq: MessageQueue | None,
     health_server: HTTPServer | None,
     health_thread: threading.Thread | None,
-    app: App | None,
+    bolt_server: HTTPServer | None,
     bolt_thread: threading.Thread | None,
     mq_drain_timeout: float,
     thread_join_timeout: float,
@@ -70,11 +52,12 @@ def shutdown_services(
     except Exception:
         log.exception("shutdown: health thread join failed")
 
-    if app is not None:
+    if bolt_server is not None:
         try:
-            stop_bolt_server(app)
+            bolt_server.shutdown()
+            bolt_server.server_close()
         except Exception:
-            log.exception("shutdown: bolt server stop failed")
+            log.exception("shutdown: bolt server shutdown failed")
     try:
         _join_thread(bolt_thread, thread_join_timeout, "bolt")
     except Exception:
diff --git a/tests/test_bolt_server.py b/tests/test_bolt_server.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e32559c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_bolt_server.py
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+"""Tests for paperscout.bolt_server."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import socket
+import threading
+import urllib.error
+import urllib.request
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+from slack_bolt.response import BoltResponse
+
+from paperscout.bolt_server import create_bolt_http_server
+
+
+def _find_free_port() -> int:
+    with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as s:
+        s.bind(("127.0.0.1", 0))
+        return s.getsockname()[1]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def bolt_server_url():
+    app = MagicMock()
+    app.logger.isEnabledFor.return_value = False
+    app.dispatch.return_value = BoltResponse(
+        status=200,
+        body="ok",
+        headers={"Content-Type": ["text/plain"]},
+    )
+    port = _find_free_port()
+    server = create_bolt_http_server(app, port, bind_host="127.0.0.1")
+    thread = threading.Thread(
+        target=server.serve_forever,
+        kwargs={"poll_interval": 0.05},
+        daemon=True,
+    )
+    thread.start()
+    yield f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}", app
+    server.shutdown()
+    server.server_close()
+    thread.join()
+    assert not thread.is_alive()
+
+
+class TestBoltHttpServer:
+    def test_post_slack_events_dispatches_to_app(self, bolt_server_url):
+        base_url, app = bolt_server_url
+        req = urllib.request.Request(
+            f"{base_url}/slack/events",
+            data=b'{"type":"url_verification"}',
+            method="POST",
+            headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+        )
+        resp = urllib.request.urlopen(req)
+        assert resp.status == 200
+        assert resp.read() == b"ok"
+        app.dispatch.assert_called_once()
+        bolt_req = app.dispatch.call_args[0][0]
+        assert bolt_req.body == {"type": "url_verification"}
+
+    def test_wrong_path_returns_404(self, bolt_server_url):
+        base_url, app = bolt_server_url
+        req = urllib.request.Request(
+            f"{base_url}/wrong",
+            data=b"{}",
+            method="POST",
+            headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+        )
+        with pytest.raises(urllib.error.HTTPError) as exc_info:
+            urllib.request.urlopen(req)
+        assert exc_info.value.code == 404
+        app.dispatch.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_get_returns_404(self, bolt_server_url):
+        base_url, app = bolt_server_url
+        with pytest.raises(urllib.error.HTTPError) as exc_info:
+            urllib.request.urlopen(f"{base_url}/slack/events")
+        assert exc_info.value.code == 404
+        app.dispatch.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_dispatch_json_body_response(self, bolt_server_url):
+        base_url, app = bolt_server_url
+        app.dispatch.return_value = BoltResponse(
+            status=200,
+            body={"challenge": "abc"},
+            headers={},
+        )
+        req = urllib.request.Request(
+            f"{base_url}/slack/events",
+            data=b"{}",
+            method="POST",
+        )
+        resp = urllib.request.urlopen(req)
+        assert json.loads(resp.read()) == {"challenge": "abc"}
diff --git a/tests/test_main_health_merge.py b/tests/test_main_health_merge.py
index 4a3d69d..41190e9 100644
--- a/tests/test_main_health_merge.py
+++ b/tests/test_main_health_merge.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
 from paperscout.__main__ import _merge_extra_health_fields, _mq_health_fields
+from paperscout.db import pool_status
 from paperscout.scout import MessageQueue
 
 
@@ -71,3 +72,14 @@ def test_merge_includes_allowlisted_mq_fields():
     assert out["mq_max_size"] == 1000
     assert out["mq_utilization"] == 0.002
     assert out["mq_circuit_state"] == "closed"
+
+
+def test_merge_includes_db_pool_from_pool_status():
+    pool = MagicMock()
+    conn = MagicMock()
+    pool.getconn.return_value = conn
+    scheduler = {"last_updated": None, "poll_count": 0}
+    out = _merge_extra_health_fields(scheduler, {}, pool_status(pool))
+    assert out["db_pool"] == {"reachable": True}
+    pool.getconn.assert_called_once()
+    pool.putconn.assert_called_once_with(conn)
diff --git a/tests/test_shutdown.py b/tests/test_shutdown.py
index 838184a..98198ae 100644
--- a/tests/test_shutdown.py
+++ b/tests/test_shutdown.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 from http.server import HTTPServer
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
-from paperscout.shutdown import shutdown_services, stop_bolt_server
+from paperscout.shutdown import shutdown_services
 
 
 class TestShutdownServices:
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def test_shutdown_services_drains_mq_and_logs(self, caplog):
                 mq=mq,
                 health_server=None,
                 health_thread=None,
-                app=None,
+                bolt_server=None,
                 bolt_thread=None,
                 mq_drain_timeout=30.0,
                 thread_join_timeout=5.0,
@@ -34,18 +34,25 @@ def test_shutdown_services_skips_none_handles(self):
             mq=None,
             health_server=None,
             health_thread=None,
-            app=None,
+            bolt_server=None,
             bolt_thread=None,
             mq_drain_timeout=30.0,
             thread_join_timeout=5.0,
         )
 
-    def test_stop_bolt_server_calls_shutdown(self):
-        app = MagicMock()
-        server = MagicMock()
-        app._development_server = MagicMock(_server=server)
-        stop_bolt_server(app)
-        server.shutdown.assert_called_once()
+    def test_shutdown_services_stops_bolt_server(self):
+        bolt_server = MagicMock(spec=HTTPServer)
+        shutdown_services(
+            reason="SIGINT",
+            mq=None,
+            health_server=None,
+            health_thread=None,
+            bolt_server=bolt_server,
+            bolt_thread=None,
+            mq_drain_timeout=30.0,
+            thread_join_timeout=5.0,
+        )
+        bolt_server.shutdown.assert_called_once()
 
     def test_shutdown_services_stops_health_server(self):
         health_server = MagicMock(spec=HTTPServer)
@@ -54,7 +61,7 @@ def test_shutdown_services_stops_health_server(self):
             mq=None,
             health_server=health_server,
             health_thread=None,
-            app=None,
+            bolt_server=None,
             bolt_thread=None,
             mq_drain_timeout=30.0,
             thread_join_timeout=5.0,
@@ -71,7 +78,7 @@ def test_shutdown_services_continues_after_mq_drain_failure(self, caplog):
                 mq=mq,
                 health_server=health_server,
                 health_thread=None,
-                app=None,
+                bolt_server=None,
                 bolt_thread=None,
                 mq_drain_timeout=30.0,
                 thread_join_timeout=5.0,
@@ -88,7 +95,7 @@ def test_shutdown_services_closes_pool(self, caplog):
                 mq=None,
                 health_server=None,
                 health_thread=None,
-                app=None,
+                bolt_server=None,
                 bolt_thread=None,
                 mq_drain_timeout=30.0,
                 thread_join_timeout=5.0,
@@ -108,7 +115,7 @@ def test_shutdown_services_pool_close_raises_continues(self, caplog):
                 mq=mq,
                 health_server=None,
                 health_thread=None,
-                app=None,
+                bolt_server=None,
                 bolt_thread=None,
                 mq_drain_timeout=30.0,
                 thread_join_timeout=5.0,
@@ -123,7 +130,7 @@ def test_shutdown_services_skips_pool_when_none(self):
             mq=None,
             health_server=None,
             health_thread=None,
-            app=None,
+            bolt_server=None,
             bolt_thread=None,
             mq_drain_timeout=30.0,
             thread_join_timeout=5.0,