diff --git a/.config/nextest.toml b/.config/nextest.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f3fe1b2db0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.config/nextest.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[profile.ci]
+# Do not cancel the test run on the first failure.
+fail-fast = false
+
+[profile.merge-queue]
+# fail fast to kick from merge queue faster.
+fail-fast = true
+
+# Disable fuzzing to avoid flakiness
+default-filter = "not package(noir_ast_fuzzer_fuzz)"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace-arm64.yml b/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace-arm64.yml
index 1a5958fdd00..addf340a5e7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace-arm64.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace-arm64.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install nextest
         uses: taiki-e/install-action@v2
         with:
-          tool: nextest@0.9.67
+          tool: nextest@0.9.88
 
       - name: Build and archive tests
         run: cargo nextest archive --workspace --features noirc_frontend/nextest --archive-file nextest-archive-arm64.tar.zst
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install nextest
         uses: taiki-e/install-action@v2
         with:
-          tool: nextest@0.9.67
+          tool: nextest@0.9.88
 
       - name: Download archive
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ jobs:
           RUST_MIN_STACK=8388608 \
           cargo nextest run --archive-file nextest-archive-arm64.tar.zst \
             --partition count:${{ matrix.partition }}/4 \
-            --no-fail-fast
+            --profile ci
 
   # This is a job which depends on all test jobs and reports the overall status.
   # This allows us to add/remove test jobs without having to update the required workflows.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace-msrv.yml b/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace-msrv.yml
index c9144ceefcb..1a801e34d1a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace-msrv.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace-msrv.yml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install nextest
         uses: taiki-e/install-action@v2
         with:
-          tool: nextest@0.9.67
+          tool: nextest@0.9.88
 
       - name: Build and archive tests
         run: cargo nextest archive --workspace --archive-file nextest-archive.tar.zst
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install nextest
         uses: taiki-e/install-action@v2
         with:
-          tool: nextest@0.9.67
+          tool: nextest@0.9.88
 
       - name: Download archive
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ jobs:
           RUST_MIN_STACK=8388608 \
           cargo nextest run --archive-file nextest-archive.tar.zst \
             --partition count:${{ matrix.partition }}/4 \
-            --no-fail-fast
+            --profile ci
 
   # This is a job which depends on all test jobs and reports the overall status.
   # This allows us to add/remove test jobs without having to update the required workflows.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace.yml b/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace.yml
index 9e8927af3f5..7d63a9172e2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-rust-workspace.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install nextest
         uses: taiki-e/install-action@v2
         with:
-          tool: nextest@0.9.67
+          tool: nextest@0.9.88
 
       - name: Build and archive tests
         run: cargo nextest archive --workspace --features noirc_frontend/nextest --archive-file nextest-archive.tar.zst
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install nextest
         uses: taiki-e/install-action@v2
         with:
-          tool: nextest@0.9.67
+          tool: nextest@0.9.88
 
       - name: Download archive
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
@@ -77,10 +77,13 @@ jobs:
           name: nextest-archive
       - name: Run tests
         run: |
+          echo "Running with profile: $NEXTEST_PROFILE"
           RUST_MIN_STACK=8388608 \
           cargo nextest run --archive-file nextest-archive.tar.zst \
             --partition count:${{ matrix.partition }}/4 \
-            --no-fail-fast
+            --profile $NEXTEST_PROFILE
+        env:
+          NEXTEST_PROFILE: ${{ (github.event_name == 'merge_group' && 'merge-queue') || 'ci' }}
 
   # This is a job which depends on all test jobs and reports the overall status.
   # This allows us to add/remove test jobs without having to update the required workflows.