diff --git a/datasette/cli.py b/datasette/cli.py
index 06fa6199..12024a14 100644
--- a/datasette/cli.py
+++ b/datasette/cli.py
@@ -670,11 +670,9 @@ def serve(
         raise click.ClickException("--token can only be used with --get")
 
     if get:
-        # Run async soundness checks before startup hooks, since invoke_startup
-        # now populates internal tables which requires querying each database
+        # --get means we don't run Uvicorn at all
         run_sync(lambda: check_databases(ds))
 
-        # Run the "startup" plugin hooks
         try:
             run_sync(ds.invoke_startup)
         except StartupError as e:
@@ -709,8 +707,7 @@ def serve(
     # on the loop (asyncio.create_task, Lock/Queue/Event objects, ...) is
     # still alive when the server starts handling requests.
     async def _serve_async():
-        # Run async soundness checks before startup hooks, since invoke_startup
-        # now populates internal tables which requires querying each database
+        # Populate internal catalog tables before invoke_startup
         await check_databases(ds)
 
         # Run the "startup" plugin hooks
diff --git a/tests/test_cli_serve_server.py b/tests/test_cli_serve_server.py
index 2f113ded..b76180fd 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli_serve_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli_serve_server.py
@@ -127,11 +127,6 @@ def test_startup_error_fails_fast_before_port_binds(serve_with_plugins):
     A "startup" plugin hook that raises StartupError must fail fast: print
     the message, exit non-zero, and never accept a connection on the port -
     the failure must happen before uvicorn.Server binds the socket.
-
-    Note this is a characterization test, not a regression test: it also
-    passes on unmodified main, where startup already ran ahead of
-    uvicorn.run(). It earns its keep once startup moves into the ASGI
-    lifespan, where fail-fast is genuinely at risk.
     """
     proc, port = serve_with_plugins(
         {"startup_error_plugin": STARTUP_ERROR_PLUGIN}, wait_for_startup=False