diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cffce7f..facd01d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Image: `git.eeqj.de/sneak/baseimage`, built for `linux/amd64` and
 | Ruby            | apt `ruby`, `ruby-dev`         | `/usr/bin/ruby`                |
 | Bundler         | apt `bundler`                  | `bundle` on `PATH`             |
 | Valkey          | apt `valkey-server`, `valkey-tools` | `valkey-server`, `valkey-cli` |
-| PostgreSQL      | apt `postgresql`               | `psql`, `postgres` under `/usr/lib/postgresql/*/bin` |
+| PostgreSQL      | apt `postgresql`               | `psql`, `postgres`, `initdb`, `pg_ctl` on `PATH` |
 | nginx           | apt                            | `/usr/sbin/nginx`              |
 
 Plus the usual odds and ends: `git`, `curl`, `wget`, `jq`, `rsync`,
diff --git a/bin/test b/bin/test
index b112d18..128cb61 100755
--- a/bin/test
+++ b/bin/test
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ docker run --rm "$img" bash -ec '
     bundle --version
     valkey-server --version
     valkey-cli --version
+    valkey-server /etc/valkey/valkey.conf
+    valkey-cli ping
+    valkey-cli shutdown nosave
     psql --version
+    postgres --version
     nginx -v
     playwright --version
     firefox --version
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 7b3cef5..558f432 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends \
     valkey-server valkey-tools postgresql \
     nginx
 
+# Link the PostgreSQL server binaries onto PATH. They live under a versioned
+# directory (/usr/lib/postgresql/*/bin); the client psql is already on PATH.
+for p in postgres initdb pg_ctl; do
+    ln -s /usr/lib/postgresql/*/bin/"$p" /usr/local/bin/"$p"
+done
+
 # --- Go (latest) -------------------------------------------------------------
 gover="$(curl -fsSL 'https://go.dev/VERSION?m=text' | head -n1)"
 curl -fsSL "https://go.dev/dl/${gover}.linux-${arch}.tar.gz" | tar -C /usr/local -xz
@@ -131,6 +137,10 @@ rm -rf /usr/share/doc /usr/share/man /usr/share/info /usr/share/lintian
 find /usr/share/locale -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 ! -name 'en*' ! -name 'locale.alias' -exec rm -rf {} +
 rm -rf /root/.cache /root/.npm /root/.config /root/go /tmp/* /var/tmp/*
 
+# Valkey opens its log file at startup; recreate the log directory the
+# cleanup above removed, with its package owner.
+install -d -o valkey -g adm -m 2750 /var/log/valkey
+
 # --- sanity ------------------------------------------------------------------
 go version
 govulncheck -version
@@ -147,7 +157,11 @@ ruby --version
 bundle --version
 valkey-server --version
 valkey-cli --version
+valkey-server /etc/valkey/valkey.conf
+valkey-cli ping
+valkey-cli shutdown nosave
 psql --version
+postgres --version
 nginx -v
 hugo version
 node --version