diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 2852e385..5bc3e3cf 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -99,13 +99,30 @@ def pytest_unconfigure(config: object) -> None:
 
 def _smart_watchdog_exit() -> None:
  import time
- if not _pytest_finished_event.wait(timeout=120.0):
+ if not _pytest_finished_event.wait(timeout=60.0):
   os._exit(2)
- if not _pytest_finished_event.wait(timeout=30.0):
+ if not _pytest_finished_event.wait(timeout=15.0):
   os._exit(2)
 
 threading.Thread(target=_smart_watchdog_exit, daemon=True, name="conftest-smart-watchdog").start()
 
+def _unconditional_watchdog_exit() -> None:
+ """Hard fail-safe: fires regardless of pytest state after 90s total.
+
+ The smart watchdog (above) is gated on pytest_unconfigure setting
+ _pytest_finished_event. If something is hung BEFORE pytest
+ unconfigure runs (e.g., the conftest's own _warmup_app_controller
+ hangs in wait_for_warmup during startup, or pytest never reaches
+ its unconfigure phase), the smart watchdog's first wait
+ blocks. This unconditional watchdog is the sledgehammer: 90s
+ from conftest load, fire os._exit(2) regardless.
+ """
+ import time
+ time.sleep(90.0)
+ os._exit(2)
+
+threading.Thread(target=_unconditional_watchdog_exit, daemon=True, name="conftest-unconditional-watchdog").start()
+
 from src.gui_2 import App
 
 class VerificationLogger: