diff --git a/server/src/internal_auth.rs b/server/src/internal_auth.rs
index 4ebc0525..6bd23b14 100644
--- a/server/src/internal_auth.rs
+++ b/server/src/internal_auth.rs
@@ -453,17 +453,22 @@ pub(crate) async fn send_json<T: serde::Serialize + ?Sized>(
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
+
     fn keyring(byte: u8) -> String {
         let secret = data_encoding::BASE64.encode(&[byte; 32]);
         format!(r#"{{"active":"{secret}"}}"#)
     }
 
+    fn nonce() -> String {
+        data_encoding::BASE64URL_NOPAD.encode(&shared::internal_auth::new_nonce())
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn config_requires_distinct_directional_keyrings_and_valid_active_ids() {
         let ce = keyring(1);
         let ee = keyring(2);
         let config = Config::from_values(&ce, "active", &ee, "active").unwrap();
-        let nonce = [3; 32];
+        let nonce = shared::internal_auth::new_nonce();
         let ce_signature = shared::internal_auth::sign_request(
             &config.ce_to_ee[0],
             Direction::CeToEe,
@@ -498,14 +503,15 @@ mod tests {
     async fn nonce_is_consumed_once_and_persists_in_sqlite() {
         let pool = sqlx::SqlitePool::connect("sqlite::memory:").await.unwrap();
         init_nonce_schema(&pool).await.unwrap();
+        let nonce = nonce();
 
         assert!(
-            consume_nonce(&pool, Direction::EeToCe, "k1", "nonce", 100)
+            consume_nonce(&pool, Direction::EeToCe, "k1", &nonce, 100)
                 .await
                 .is_ok()
         );
         assert!(matches!(
-            consume_nonce(&pool, Direction::EeToCe, "k1", "nonce", 101).await,
+            consume_nonce(&pool, Direction::EeToCe, "k1", &nonce, 101).await,
             Err(Error::Replay)
         ));
     }
@@ -514,7 +520,8 @@ mod tests {
     async fn expired_nonce_is_pruned_before_insert() {
         let pool = sqlx::SqlitePool::connect("sqlite::memory:").await.unwrap();
         init_nonce_schema(&pool).await.unwrap();
-        consume_nonce(&pool, Direction::EeToCe, "k1", "nonce", 100)
+        let nonce = nonce();
+        consume_nonce(&pool, Direction::EeToCe, "k1", &nonce, 100)
             .await
             .unwrap();
         assert!(
@@ -522,7 +529,7 @@ mod tests {
                 &pool,
                 Direction::EeToCe,
                 "k1",
-                "nonce",
+                &nonce,
                 100 + NONCE_TTL_SECS + 1,
             )
             .await
diff --git a/shared/src/internal_auth.rs b/shared/src/internal_auth.rs
index b6e228a9..72048ea3 100644
--- a/shared/src/internal_auth.rs
+++ b/shared/src/internal_auth.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@ use std::fmt;
 
 use base64::Engine;
 use hmac::{Hmac, Mac};
-use rand::RngCore;
+use rand::{
+    distributions::{Distribution, Standard},
+    rngs::OsRng,
+};
 use sha2::Sha256;
 use zeroize::Zeroizing;
 
@@ -214,9 +217,8 @@ fn validate_nonce(encoded: &str) -> Result<(), AuthError> {
 }
 
 pub fn new_nonce() -> [u8; 32] {
-    let mut nonce = [0u8; 32];
-    rand::rngs::OsRng.fill_bytes(&mut nonce);
-    nonce
+    let mut rng = OsRng;
+    Standard.sample(&mut rng)
 }
 
 pub fn parse_keyring(json: &str) -> Result<Vec<InternalKey>, AuthError> {
@@ -362,11 +364,12 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn request_signature_binds_body_path_identity_and_direction() {
         let key = key("k1", 7);
+        let nonce = new_nonce();
         let signed = sign_request(
             &key,
             Direction::CeToEe,
             100,
-            &[9; 32],
+            &nonce,
             "POST",
             "/api/ee/acl?x=1",
             br#"{"a":1}"#,
@@ -426,14 +429,8 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn response_signature_binds_request_nonce_status_and_body() {
         let key = key("response", 11);
-        let response = sign_response(
-            &key,
-            Direction::EeToCe,
-            "CQkJCQkJCQkJCQkJCQkJCQkJCQkJCQkJCQkJCQkJCQk",
-            200,
-            b"ok",
-        )
-        .unwrap();
+        let request_nonce = base64::engine::general_purpose::URL_SAFE_NO_PAD.encode(new_nonce());
+        let response = sign_response(&key, Direction::EeToCe, &request_nonce, 200, b"ok").unwrap();
 
         assert!(
             verify_response(
@@ -461,11 +458,12 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn request_rejects_stale_timestamp_and_malformed_nonce() {
         let key = key("k1", 7);
+        let nonce = new_nonce();
         let mut signed = sign_request(
             &key,
             Direction::CeToEe,
             100,
-            &[9; 32],
+            &nonce,
             "GET",
             "/api/ee/audit",
             b"",
@@ -522,4 +520,9 @@ mod tests {
             Err(AuthError::InvalidKeyring)
         ));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn new_nonce_returns_fresh_values() {
+        assert_ne!(new_nonce(), new_nonce());
+    }
 }