diff --git a/.github/scripts/provision-macos-test.sh b/.github/scripts/provision-macos-test.sh
index c263885ad..bf0045c25 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/provision-macos-test.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/provision-macos-test.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -euo pipefail
 brew install softhsm mitmproxy
+# The new macOS runner image ships with Homebrew's rustup formula, which places
+# /opt/homebrew/bin/cargo as a rustup-init shim. brew install above can activate
+# it, shadowing the rustup-managed cargo. Unlink it so setup-rust-toolchain wins.
+brew unlink rust || true
+brew unlink rustup || true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 1a43a0370..082715a3a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           # With 'every', a changed file is matched only when it satisfies
           # ALL rules: the positive pattern AND every negated pattern.
-          predicate-quantifier: 'every'
+          predicate-quantifier: "every"
           filters: |
             src:
               - '**'
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ contains(matrix.os, 'ubuntu') }}
         run: ./.github/scripts/provision-linux-build.sh
 
+      - name: Setup image (macOS)
+        if: ${{ contains(matrix.os, 'macos') }}
+        run: ./.github/scripts/provision-macos-test.sh
+
       - uses: actions-rust-lang/setup-rust-toolchain@150fca883cd4034361b621bd4e6a9d34e5143606 # v1.15.4
         with:
           cache-shared-key: ${{ runner.os }}-test
@@ -98,10 +102,6 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
 
-      - uses: actions-rust-lang/setup-rust-toolchain@150fca883cd4034361b621bd4e6a9d34e5143606 # v1.15.4
-        with:
-          cache-shared-key: ${{ runner.os }}-test
-
       - name: Setup image (Linux)
         if: ${{ contains(matrix.os, 'ubuntu') }}
         run: ./.github/scripts/provision-linux-build.sh && ./.github/scripts/provision-linux-test.sh
@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ jobs:
         run: .github/scripts/provision-windows-test.ps1
         shell: pwsh
 
+      - uses: actions-rust-lang/setup-rust-toolchain@150fca883cd4034361b621bd4e6a9d34e5143606 # v1.15.4
+        with:
+          cache-shared-key: ${{ runner.os }}-test
+
       - name: Setup WSL2 (Windows)
         if: ${{ contains(matrix.os, 'windows') }}
         uses: Vampire/setup-wsl@6a8db447be7ed35f2f499c02c6e60ff77ef11278 # v6.0.0
diff --git a/crates/icp-cli/src/commands/network/ping.rs b/crates/icp-cli/src/commands/network/ping.rs
index b5f857336..2f42cd8a9 100644
--- a/crates/icp-cli/src/commands/network/ping.rs
+++ b/crates/icp-cli/src/commands/network/ping.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use icp::{context::Context, identity::IdentitySelection};
 use std::time::Duration;
 use tokio::time::sleep;
 use tracing::info;
+use url::Url;
 
 use super::args::NetworkOrEnvironmentArgs;
 
@@ -15,19 +16,22 @@ Examples:
 
     # Ping default 'local' network
     icp network ping
-  
+
     # Ping explicit network
     icp network ping mynetwork
-  
+
+    # Ping by URL (no project required)
+    icp network ping http://localhost:4943
+
     # Ping using environment flag
     icp network ping -e staging
-  
+
     # Ping using ICP_ENVIRONMENT variable
     ICP_ENVIRONMENT=staging icp network ping
-  
+
     # Name overrides ICP_ENVIRONMENT
     ICP_ENVIRONMENT=staging icp network ping local
-  
+
     # Wait until healthy
     icp network ping --wait-healthy
 ")]
@@ -41,24 +45,31 @@ pub(crate) struct PingArgs {
 }
 
 pub(crate) async fn exec(ctx: &Context, args: &PingArgs) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
-    // Load project
-    let _ = ctx.project.load().await?;
-
-    // Convert args to selection and get network
-    let selection: Result<_, _> = args.network_selection.clone().into();
-    let network = ctx.get_network_or_environment(&selection?).await?;
-
-    // NetworkAccess
-    let access = ctx.network.access(&network).await?;
-
-    // Agent
-    // TODO We might want to expose the ctx.create_agent function that takes a NetworkAccess
-    // instead of doing this
-    let agent = ctx
-        .get_agent_for_url(&IdentitySelection::Anonymous, &access.api_url)
-        .await?;
-
-    agent.set_root_key(access.root_key);
+    let agent = if let Some(ref name) = args.network_selection.name
+        && let Ok(url) = Url::parse(name)
+        && (url.scheme() == "http" || url.scheme() == "https")
+    {
+        // URL supplied directly: skip project loading
+        ctx.get_agent_for_url(&IdentitySelection::Anonymous, &url)
+            .await?
+    } else {
+        // Load project
+        let _ = ctx.project.load().await?;
+
+        // Convert args to selection and get network
+        let selection: Result<_, _> = args.network_selection.clone().into();
+        let network = ctx.get_network_or_environment(&selection?).await?;
+
+        // NetworkAccess
+        // TODO We might want to expose the ctx.create_agent function that takes a NetworkAccess
+        // instead of doing this
+        let access = ctx.network.access(&network).await?;
+        let agent = ctx
+            .get_agent_for_url(&IdentitySelection::Anonymous, &access.api_url)
+            .await?;
+        agent.set_root_key(access.root_key);
+        agent
+    };
 
     // Query
     let status = match args.wait_healthy {
diff --git a/docs/reference/cli.md b/docs/reference/cli.md
index 67dcd9c0a..a069aeb19 100644
--- a/docs/reference/cli.md
+++ b/docs/reference/cli.md
@@ -1239,19 +1239,22 @@ Examples:
 
     # Ping default 'local' network
     icp network ping
-  
+
     # Ping explicit network
     icp network ping mynetwork
-  
+
+    # Ping by URL (no project required)
+    icp network ping http://localhost:4943
+
     # Ping using environment flag
     icp network ping -e staging
-  
+
     # Ping using ICP_ENVIRONMENT variable
     ICP_ENVIRONMENT=staging icp network ping
-  
+
     # Name overrides ICP_ENVIRONMENT
     ICP_ENVIRONMENT=staging icp network ping local
-  
+
     # Wait until healthy
     icp network ping --wait-healthy