diff --git a/src/Netclaw.Actors.Tests/Channels/Contracts/SessionBindingContractTests.cs b/src/Netclaw.Actors.Tests/Channels/Contracts/SessionBindingContractTests.cs
index 5698d0657..a4b3f5e46 100644
--- a/src/Netclaw.Actors.Tests/Channels/Contracts/SessionBindingContractTests.cs
+++ b/src/Netclaw.Actors.Tests/Channels/Contracts/SessionBindingContractTests.cs
@@ -477,6 +477,14 @@ public async Task Approval_response_sends_feedback()
 
         var actor = CreateBindingActor(sid, pipeline, detector);
 
+        // Gate on pipeline creation (persistent-actor recovery + init round-trip)
+        // before polling for rendered output. Under CI CPU starvation the cold
+        // start alone can exceed the default 3s AwaitAssert budget — the poll loop
+        // observed only ~2 attempts before the deadline on the Windows runner — so
+        // a linear await on the real readiness signal removes the race. Matches the
+        // Reminder_delivery_* and Stashes_messages_during_init siblings.
+        await pipeline.Created.WaitAsync(ct);
+
         // Wait for approval to be rendered
         await AwaitAssertAsync(() =>
         {
diff --git a/src/Netclaw.Actors.Tests/Sessions/SessionMemoryObserverActorTests.cs b/src/Netclaw.Actors.Tests/Sessions/SessionMemoryObserverActorTests.cs
index 83a42f847..fd7e848dd 100644
--- a/src/Netclaw.Actors.Tests/Sessions/SessionMemoryObserverActorTests.cs
+++ b/src/Netclaw.Actors.Tests/Sessions/SessionMemoryObserverActorTests.cs
@@ -459,6 +459,20 @@ public async Task DistillMemories_only_persists_accepted_proposals_for_future_de
         var observer = CreateObserver("accepted-only", client: firstClient);
         var replyProbe = CreateTestProbe("accepted-only-probe");
 
+        // Gate on recovery before timing the distillation round-trip below. This is
+        // an early persistent actor, so its journal/snapshot plugin cold start +
+        // recovery otherwise races the fixed 5s ExpectMsg (observed on the Windows
+        // runner: "session_observer_recovery_complete" logged right at the deadline).
+        // Persistent actors stash commands until RecoveryCompleted; an empty
+        // RecordAcceptedDistillationProposals is answered immediately post-recovery
+        // with no Persist and no state change, so awaiting it is a side-effect-free
+        // readiness ack. The generous ceiling absorbs cold start without polling; the
+        // behavioral 5s windows are then measured from a warm actor.
+        await observer.Ask<AcceptedDistillationProposalsRecorded>(
+            new RecordAcceptedDistillationProposals([]),
+            TimeSpan.FromSeconds(30),
+            TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
+
         observer.Tell(new SendUserMessage
         {
             SessionId = new SessionId("test-channel/accepted-only"),