diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index f172d88..425b15e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -421,7 +421,9 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           /usr/bin/time -f 'elapsed_seconds=%e\nmax_rss_kb=%M' \
             -o quality-evidence/mutation-time.txt \
-            "$QUALITY_ENV/bin/mutmut" run --max-children 4
+            "$QUALITY_ENV/bin/python" -c \
+              'import torch, yaml; from mutmut.__main__ import cli; cli()' \
+              run --max-children 4
           "$QUALITY_ENV/bin/mutmut" results > quality-evidence/mutation-survivors.txt
           "$QUALITY_ENV/bin/mutmut" export-cicd-stats
           cp mutants/mutmut-cicd-stats.json quality-evidence/mutation-stats.json
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index cb4d057..48cd2ab 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -127,9 +127,7 @@ pytest_add_cli_args_test_selection = [
     "tests/test_coverage_thresholds.py",
     "tests/test_numerical_contracts.py",
 ]
-# Mutating the complete bounded target set is both stronger and avoids mutmut's
-# in-process native-extension unload/reload crash during covered-line discovery.
-mutate_only_covered_lines = false
+mutate_only_covered_lines = true
 on_dependency_change = "rerun"
 
 [tool.uv]
diff --git a/tests/test_quality_policy.py b/tests/test_quality_policy.py
index c329325..8826d38 100644
--- a/tests/test_quality_policy.py
+++ b/tests/test_quality_policy.py
@@ -9,13 +9,15 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from scripts import check_quality_policy as quality
 
 
-def test_mutation_campaign_avoids_native_extension_reload_mode():
+def test_mutation_campaign_preloads_native_modules_before_covered_line_discovery():
     pyproject = Path("pyproject.toml").read_text()
     mutmut_config = pyproject.split("[tool.mutmut]", maxsplit=1)[1].split(
         "\n[", maxsplit=1,
     )[0]
+    workflow = Path(".github/workflows/ci.yml").read_text()
 
-    assert "mutate_only_covered_lines = false" in mutmut_config
+    assert "mutate_only_covered_lines = true" in mutmut_config
+    assert "import torch, yaml; from mutmut.__main__ import cli; cli()" in workflow
 
 
 def _policy():