diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/config-settings.test.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/config-settings.test.tsx
index 3b388d1cd3..fb42ea448a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/config-settings.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/config-settings.test.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ import { cleanup, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { atom } from 'nanostores'
 import { createRef } from 'react'
 import { MemoryRouter } from 'react-router'
-import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { afterEach, beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import type { ConfigSettings as ConfigSettingsType } from './config-settings'
 
 const getHermesConfigRecord = vi.fn()
 const getHermesConfigSchema = vi.fn()
@@ -36,6 +38,15 @@ vi.mock('@/store/projects', () => ({
   scanAndRecordRepos: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
 }))
 
+// The module graph behind ConfigSettings is large (1.5s cold here, >10s on a
+// saturated CI runner); load it once under the hook timeout so the 15s test
+// budget is spent on the autosave behaviour, not on transform + import.
+let ConfigSettings: typeof ConfigSettingsType
+
+beforeAll(async () => {
+  ;({ ConfigSettings } = await import('./config-settings'))
+}, 60_000)
+
 beforeEach(() => {
   getElevenLabsVoices.mockResolvedValue({ available: false })
   getHermesConfigSchema.mockResolvedValue({ fields: {} })
@@ -47,8 +58,7 @@ afterEach(() => {
   vi.clearAllMocks()
 })
 
-async function renderConfigSettings() {
-  const { ConfigSettings } = await import('./config-settings')
+function renderConfigSettings() {
   const client = new QueryClient({ defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false } } })
   const importInputRef = createRef<HTMLInputElement>()
 
@@ -70,7 +80,7 @@ describe('ConfigSettings autosave', () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers({ shouldAdvanceTime: true })
 
     try {
-      await renderConfigSettings()
+      renderConfigSettings()
 
       const toggle = await screen.findByRole('switch')