diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 7dfe4dc..23d9027 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 2025-12-30 - 3.1.4 - fix(webhelpers)
+improve browser test fixture to append element and await custom element upgrade and Lit update completion; add generic return type; update npm packaging release config; remove pnpm onlyBuiltDependencies
+
+- ts_tapbundle/webhelpers.ts: make fixture generic and return T; append created element to document; await customElements.whenDefined for custom elements and await updateComplete for Lit/async components to ensure stable rendering in tests
+- npmextra.json: add @git.zone/cli module metadata and release.registries/accessLevel; add @ship.zone/szci entry
+- pnpm-workspace.yaml: remove onlyBuiltDependencies entries
+
 ## 2025-11-21 - 3.1.3 - fix(docs)
 Update package author and expand license/legal and issue-reporting information in tapbundle docs
 
diff --git a/npmextra.json b/npmextra.json
index 23b0da4..4ae23f7 100644
--- a/npmextra.json
+++ b/npmextra.json
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "npmci": {
-    "npmGlobalTools": [],
-    "npmAccessLevel": "public"
-  },
-  "gitzone": {
+  "@git.zone/cli": {
     "projectType": "npm",
     "module": {
       "githost": "code.foss.global",
@@ -12,6 +8,16 @@
       "description": "a test utility to run tests that match test/**/*.ts",
       "npmPackagename": "@git.zone/tstest",
       "license": "MIT"
+    },
+    "release": {
+      "registries": [
+        "https://verdaccio.lossless.digital",
+        "https://registry.npmjs.org"
+      ],
+      "accessLevel": "public"
     }
+  },
+  "@ship.zone/szci": {
+    "npmGlobalTools": []
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pnpm-workspace.yaml b/pnpm-workspace.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 512ab5a..0000000
--- a/pnpm-workspace.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-onlyBuiltDependencies:
-  - esbuild
-  - mongodb-memory-server
-  - puppeteer
diff --git a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
index 8f1c0af..c8eae09 100644
--- a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
+++ b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
  */
 export const commitinfo = {
   name: '@git.zone/tstest',
-  version: '3.1.3',
+  version: '3.1.4',
   description: 'a test utility to run tests that match test/**/*.ts'
 }
diff --git a/ts_tapbundle/webhelpers.ts b/ts_tapbundle/webhelpers.ts
index 211454c..f8c7132 100644
--- a/ts_tapbundle/webhelpers.ts
+++ b/ts_tapbundle/webhelpers.ts
@@ -22,10 +22,24 @@ class WebHelpers {
 
     // Initialize fixture function based on environment
     if (smartenv.isBrowser) {
-      this.fixture = async (htmlString: string): Promise<HTMLElement> => {
+      this.fixture = async <T extends HTMLElement>(htmlString: string): Promise<T> => {
         const container = document.createElement('div');
         container.innerHTML = htmlString.trim();
-        const element = container.firstChild as HTMLElement;
+        const element = container.firstElementChild as T;
+
+        // Append to document so custom elements upgrade and lifecycle hooks fire
+        document.body.appendChild(element);
+
+        // Wait for custom element definition if it's a custom element
+        if (element.localName.includes('-')) {
+          await customElements.whenDefined(element.localName).catch(() => {});
+        }
+
+        // Wait for Lit/async components to finish rendering
+        if ((element as any).updateComplete) {
+          await (element as any).updateComplete;
+        }
+
         return element;
       };
     } else {