diff --git a/tests/integration.c b/tests/integration.c
index def7767..9314afe 100644
--- a/tests/integration.c
+++ b/tests/integration.c
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ static jack_client_t *midi_inject_client = NULL;
 static unsigned char midi_inject_note = 0;
 static unsigned char midi_inject_velocity = 0;
 
+/* Persistent MIDI injection client – avoids race conditions of transient clients */
+static jack_client_t *persistent_midi_client = NULL;
+static jack_port_t *persistent_midi_port = NULL;
+
 static void safe_usleep(unsigned int usec) {
     struct timespec ts;
     ts.tv_sec = usec / 1000000;
@@ -56,6 +60,51 @@ static int midi_inject_process(jack_nframes_t nframes, void *arg) {
     return 0;
 }
 
+/* Initialise the persistent MIDI client (must be called once before any send) */
+static int init_persistent_midi_client(void) {
+    if (persistent_midi_client) return 0; /* already initialised */
+    jack_status_t st;
+    persistent_midi_client = jack_client_open("test_midi_persistent", JackNoStartServer, &st);
+    if (!persistent_midi_client) return -1;
+    persistent_midi_port = jack_port_register(persistent_midi_client, "out",
+                                              JACK_DEFAULT_MIDI_TYPE,
+                                              JackPortIsOutput, 0);
+    if (!persistent_midi_port) {
+        jack_client_close(persistent_midi_client);
+        persistent_midi_client = NULL;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    jack_set_process_callback(persistent_midi_client, midi_inject_process, NULL);
+    if (jack_activate(persistent_midi_client) != 0) {
+        jack_client_close(persistent_midi_client);
+        persistent_midi_client = NULL;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    /* Connect to looper control port */
+    if (jack_connect(persistent_midi_client, "test_midi_persistent:out", "looper:control") != 0) {
+        jack_deactivate(persistent_midi_client);
+        jack_client_close(persistent_midi_client);
+        persistent_midi_client = NULL;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    /* Use the persistent port for injection */
+    midi_inject_port = persistent_midi_port;
+    midi_inject_client = persistent_midi_client;
+    return 0;
+}
+
+/* Clean up the persistent MIDI client at the end */
+static void cleanup_persistent_midi_client(void) {
+    if (persistent_midi_client) {
+        jack_deactivate(persistent_midi_client);
+        jack_client_close(persistent_midi_client);
+        persistent_midi_client = NULL;
+        persistent_midi_port = NULL;
+        midi_inject_port = NULL;
+        midi_inject_client = NULL;
+    }
+}
+
 /* The test code uses this callback in two ways:
    - For the audio passthrough test (existing function) it still works.
    - For the loop test we need a version that respects the static variables
@@ -224,49 +273,22 @@ static int test_audio_pass_through(void) {
 }
 
 
-/* Helper: open a transient JACK client, send a MIDI note‑on, close */
+/* Helper: send a MIDI note‑on using the persistent client */
 static int send_jack_note_on(const char *target_port, unsigned char note, unsigned char velocity) {
+    (void)target_port; /* connection is already made to looper:control */
+    /* Ensure persistent client is initialised */
+    if (!persistent_midi_client && init_persistent_midi_client() != 0) {
+        return -1;
+    }
     midi_inject_note = note;
     midi_inject_velocity = velocity;
-
-    jack_status_t st;
-    midi_inject_client = jack_client_open("test_midi_inject", JackNoStartServer, &st);
-    if (!midi_inject_client) return -1;
-
-    midi_inject_port = jack_port_register(midi_inject_client, "out",
-                                          JACK_DEFAULT_MIDI_TYPE,
-                                          JackPortIsOutput, 0);
-    if (!midi_inject_port) {
-        jack_client_close(midi_inject_client);
-        midi_inject_client = NULL;
-        return -1;
-    }
-    char src[64];
-    snprintf(src, sizeof(src), "test_midi_inject:out");
-    if (jack_connect(midi_inject_client, src, target_port) != 0) {
-        jack_client_close(midi_inject_client);
-        midi_inject_client = NULL;
-        midi_inject_port = NULL;
-        return -1;
-    }
-    midi_inject_pending = 1;               /* signal before activation */
-    jack_set_process_callback(midi_inject_client, midi_inject_process, NULL);
-    if (jack_activate(midi_inject_client) != 0) {
-        jack_client_close(midi_inject_client);
-        midi_inject_client = NULL;
-        midi_inject_port = NULL;
-        return -1;
-    }
+    midi_inject_pending = 1;
     /* wait for the process callback to clear the flag (event delivered) */
-    for (int attempts = 0; attempts < 50; attempts++) {   /* ~50 * 10ms = 500ms */
+    for (int attempts = 0; attempts < 50; attempts++) {   /* ~500ms */
         safe_usleep(10000);
         if (!midi_inject_pending) break;
     }
-    jack_deactivate(midi_inject_client);
-    jack_client_close(midi_inject_client);
-    midi_inject_client = NULL;
-    midi_inject_port = NULL;
-    return 0;
+    return (midi_inject_pending == 0) ? 0 : -1;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1346,6 +1368,7 @@ int main(void) {
         failures++;
     }
 
+    cleanup_persistent_midi_client();
     if (failures > 0) {
         fprintf(stderr, "%d test(s) FAILED\n", failures);
         return 1;