diff --git a/.github/workflows/free-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/free-tests.yml
index dcc2b5d6b..b7b8f291b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/free-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/free-tests.yml
@@ -440,6 +440,7 @@ jobs:
         run: xvfb-run -a bun run test:quick
 
   free-suite:
+    name: free-suite (${{ matrix.shard }})
     needs: [free-plan, reuse]
     if: ${{ !cancelled() && needs.free-plan.result == 'success' && (needs.reuse.result != 'success' || needs.reuse.outputs.reused != 'true') }}
     runs-on: ${{ needs.free-plan.outputs.runner }}
diff --git a/test/free-tests-workflow-wiring.test.ts b/test/free-tests-workflow-wiring.test.ts
index aa6421271..71a93c7c1 100644
--- a/test/free-tests-workflow-wiring.test.ts
+++ b/test/free-tests-workflow-wiring.test.ts
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ describe('free-tests workflow wiring', () => {
       loadFreeTestDurations() ?? {}, 'wiring', Number(workflow.env.FREE_SUITE_JOBS));
     const declared = workflow.jobs['free-suite']['timeout-minutes'];
     const emitted = ciPlanMatrix(plan, setupSeconds);
+    if (!('include' in emitted)) throw new Error('the CI matrix carries no per-shard timeouts');
     const short = plan.shards.flatMap(shard => {
       const neededMs = wallTimeoutForPackedShard(shard.predictedMs, DEFAULT_WALL_TIMEOUT_MS, shard.files.length)
         + wallTimeoutForShard(FLAKY_RETRY_CAP) + setupSeconds * 1000;