diff --git a/test/skill-e2e-plan-ceo-finding-count.test.ts b/test/skill-e2e-plan-ceo-finding-count.test.ts
index 4c624d912..4b8038b02 100644
--- a/test/skill-e2e-plan-ceo-finding-count.test.ts
+++ b/test/skill-e2e-plan-ceo-finding-count.test.ts
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ describeE2E('/plan-ceo-review per-finding AskUserQuestion count (periodic)', ()
         }
       }
     },
-    1_700_000,
+    1_500_000 /* physical ceiling: the 25-min CI job + 1800s shard wall cap what can actually execute */,
   );
 
   test(
@@ -249,6 +249,6 @@ describeE2E('/plan-ceo-review per-finding AskUserQuestion count (periodic)', ()
         }
       }
     },
-    1_700_000,
+    1_500_000 /* physical ceiling: the 25-min CI job + 1800s shard wall cap what can actually execute */,
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/skill-e2e-plan-ceo-split-overflow.test.ts b/test/skill-e2e-plan-ceo-split-overflow.test.ts
index 57d39c8f2..9f9060d68 100644
--- a/test/skill-e2e-plan-ceo-split-overflow.test.ts
+++ b/test/skill-e2e-plan-ceo-split-overflow.test.ts
@@ -113,6 +113,6 @@ describeE2E('/plan-ceo-review split-overflow regression (periodic)', () => {
         }
       }
     },
-    1_700_000,
+    1_500_000 /* physical ceiling: the 25-min CI job + 1800s shard wall cap what can actually execute */,
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/skill-e2e-plan-design-finding-count.test.ts b/test/skill-e2e-plan-design-finding-count.test.ts
index 4f0d8b544..6f2398d99 100644
--- a/test/skill-e2e-plan-design-finding-count.test.ts
+++ b/test/skill-e2e-plan-design-finding-count.test.ts
@@ -132,6 +132,6 @@ describeE2E('/plan-design-review per-finding AskUserQuestion count (periodic)',
         }
       }
     },
-    1_700_000,
+    1_500_000 /* physical ceiling: the 25-min CI job + 1800s shard wall cap what can actually execute */,
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/skill-e2e-plan-devex-finding-count.test.ts b/test/skill-e2e-plan-devex-finding-count.test.ts
index 3a3098b63..e80bdac5d 100644
--- a/test/skill-e2e-plan-devex-finding-count.test.ts
+++ b/test/skill-e2e-plan-devex-finding-count.test.ts
@@ -132,6 +132,6 @@ describeE2E('/plan-devex-review per-finding AskUserQuestion count (periodic)', (
         }
       }
     },
-    1_700_000,
+    1_500_000 /* physical ceiling: the 25-min CI job + 1800s shard wall cap what can actually execute */,
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/skill-e2e-plan-eng-finding-count.test.ts b/test/skill-e2e-plan-eng-finding-count.test.ts
index a0f14fd6d..f51018c77 100644
--- a/test/skill-e2e-plan-eng-finding-count.test.ts
+++ b/test/skill-e2e-plan-eng-finding-count.test.ts
@@ -131,6 +131,6 @@ describeE2E('/plan-eng-review per-finding AskUserQuestion count (periodic)', ()
         }
       }
     },
-    1_700_000,
+    1_500_000 /* physical ceiling: the 25-min CI job + 1800s shard wall cap what can actually execute */,
   );
 });
diff --git a/test/skill-e2e-plan-eng-multi-finding-batching.test.ts b/test/skill-e2e-plan-eng-multi-finding-batching.test.ts
index 73e1179c6..89d2b594d 100644
--- a/test/skill-e2e-plan-eng-multi-finding-batching.test.ts
+++ b/test/skill-e2e-plan-eng-multi-finding-batching.test.ts
@@ -101,6 +101,6 @@ describeE2E('/plan-eng-review multi-finding batching regression (periodic)', ()
         }
       }
     },
-    1_700_000,
+    1_500_000 /* physical ceiling: the 25-min CI job + 1800s shard wall cap what can actually execute */,
   );
 });