diff --git a/tests/e2e/conftest.py b/tests/e2e/conftest.py
index 193f7f125d8..46c98b5d084 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/conftest.py
@@ -228,6 +228,13 @@ def make_runner(platform: Platform, session_entry: SessionEntry = None) -> "Gate
     # Disable destructive slash confirm gate so /new executes immediately
     runner._read_user_config = lambda: {"approvals": {"destructive_slash_confirm": False}}
 
+    # Keep /new hermetic: the real _reset_notice_session_info resolves provider
+    # credentials and may probe model context length over the network. CI has no
+    # credentials, so resolution walks the whole fallback chain and can exceed
+    # send_and_capture's poll window on slow runners (flaked in run 28856659216,
+    # telegram param only — first parametrization pays the cold-resolution cost).
+    runner._reset_notice_session_info = lambda source: ""
+
     runner.pairing_store = MagicMock()
     runner.pairing_store._is_rate_limited = MagicMock(return_value=False)
     runner.pairing_store.generate_code = MagicMock(return_value="ABC123")