diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index d310cc6..20294e5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ jobs:
   test:
     name: Lua ${{ matrix.lua }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      LUAROCKS_TREE: ${{ github.workspace }}/.luarocks
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -19,26 +21,32 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Set up Lua
-        uses: leafo/gh-actions-lua@v11
+        uses: leafo/gh-actions-lua@v13
         with:
           luaVersion: ${{ matrix.lua }}
 
       - name: Set up LuaRocks
-        uses: leafo/gh-actions-luarocks@v5
+        uses: leafo/gh-actions-luarocks@v6
+        with:
+          withLuaPath: ${{ github.workspace }}/.lua
 
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: |
-          luarocks install luasocket
-          luarocks install lua-cjson
-          luarocks install dkjson
-          luarocks install luasec
+          luarocks --tree="$LUAROCKS_TREE" install luasocket
+          luarocks --tree="$LUAROCKS_TREE" install lua-cjson
+          luarocks --tree="$LUAROCKS_TREE" install dkjson
+          luarocks --tree="$LUAROCKS_TREE" install luasec
 
-      - name: Verify JSON dependencies
+      - name: Verify dependencies
         run: |
+          eval "$(luarocks --tree="$LUAROCKS_TREE" path)"
+          luarocks --tree="$LUAROCKS_TREE" show luasocket
+          lua -e "assert(require('socket.http'))"
           lua -e "assert(require('dkjson'))"
           lua -e "assert(require('cjson.safe'))"
 
       - name: Run tests
         run: |
+          eval "$(luarocks --tree="$LUAROCKS_TREE" path)"
           make test
           make integration
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 864999b..406dbe1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 LUA ?= lua
-LUA_PATH := ./lua/?.lua;./lua/?/init.lua;;
+# Keep the project sources first, then expose pure-Lua dependencies from the
+# active LuaRocks tree. This is evaluated by make because its exported
+# LUA_PATH overrides any value set by a calling shell.
+LUAROCKS_PATH_ARGS := $(if $(strip $(LUAROCKS_TREE)),--tree="$(LUAROCKS_TREE)")
+LUAROCKS_LUA_PATH := $(shell luarocks $(LUAROCKS_PATH_ARGS) path --lr-path 2>/dev/null)
+LUA_PATH := ./lua/?.lua;./lua/?/init.lua;$(LUAROCKS_LUA_PATH);;
 export LUA_PATH
 
 .PHONY: test examples examples-local integration check zip servers server-http server-sse server-streamable server-tcp server-udp server-graphql server-mcp \
diff --git a/lua/utcp/transports/http.lua b/lua/utcp/transports/http.lua
index b4e8d48..fcc8871 100644
--- a/lua/utcp/transports/http.lua
+++ b/lua/utcp/transports/http.lua
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ local function socket_http()
   if cached_http then return cached_http, cached_ltn12 end
   if socket_error then return nil, socket_error end
   local ok, http = pcall(require, 'socket.http')
-  if not ok then socket_error = 'lua-socket is required'; return nil, socket_error end
+  if not ok then
+    socket_error = 'lua-socket is required: ' .. tostring(http)
+    return nil, socket_error
+  end
   local ok2, ltn12 = pcall(require, 'ltn12')
   if not ok2 then socket_error = 'ltn12 is required'; return nil, socket_error end
   cached_http, cached_ltn12 = http, ltn12