diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/managed-validation.yml b/.gitea/workflows/managed-validation.yml
index c1bd626..ad2d911 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/managed-validation.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/managed-validation.yml
@@ -58,8 +58,12 @@ jobs:
               export PATH="${UV_PROJECT_ENVIRONMENT}/bin:${PATH}"
               if [[ "${profile}" == test || "${profile}" == full ]]; then
                 if "${managed_uv}" run python -c 'import pytest' 2>/dev/null; then
-                  "${managed_uv}" run playwright install --with-deps chromium
-                  "${managed_uv}" run python -m pytest
+                  # Avoid an unbounded apt transaction here: it previously
+                  # kept the job alive for more than an hour before any test
+                  # had started. Missing runtime libraries still fail closed
+                  # when the mandatory browser tests launch Chromium.
+                  timeout --foreground 10m "${managed_uv}" run playwright install chromium
+                  timeout --foreground 20m "${managed_uv}" run python -m pytest
                 fi
               fi
               if [[ "${profile}" == lint || "${profile}" == full ]]; then