A directional pulse injection system and method are described for injecting a pulse into a microelectronic system for electrostatic test. One example has a transformer coupled to a pulse source through a transmission line and to a conductive trace of a test board to apply the electrical pulse to the trace as a test pulse. The test board is connected to a microelectronic device under test. This example also has a cancellation pulse transmission line coupled to the pulse source and a cancellation pulse contact coupled to the pulse source through the cancellation pulse transmission line and to the trace on a side of the trace opposite the transformer to receive a cancellation signal from the pulse source and to couple the cancellation signal to the trace to cancel a portion of the test pulse.