diff --git a/apps/desktop/vitest.setup.ts b/apps/desktop/vitest.setup.ts
index a671ac3ae971..a780ec2faa52 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/vitest.setup.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/vitest.setup.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
-import '@testing-library/react'
+import { configure } from '@testing-library/react'
 
 // React 19 + Testing Library 16: opt into the act environment so render(),
 // fireEvent(), and findBy* queries automatically flush state updates without
 // spurious "not wrapped in act(...)" warnings.
 ;(globalThis as any).IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true
+
+// findBy*/waitFor default to a 1000ms deadline — too tight for async-heavy
+// panels (radix menus, refetch chains) when the full suite runs under xdist
+// CPU contention in CI. Success still resolves the instant the node appears;
+// the wider deadline only absorbs a starved runner, killing timing flakes.
+configure({ asyncUtilTimeout: 5000 })