diff --git a/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-3.test.ts b/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-3.test.ts
index a694489d..ac0cdbaf 100644
--- a/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-3.test.ts
+++ b/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-3.test.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ describe("Multipage TIFF handling", () => {
       // Multipage TIFF should either succeed or return a clean error
       expect([200, 202, 400, 422]).toContain(res.statusCode);
 
+      if (await settleAsyncFallback(res)) return;
       if (res.statusCode === 200) {
         const body = JSON.parse(res.body);
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-4.test.ts b/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-4.test.ts
index 15298832..fd9fc59c 100644
--- a/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-4.test.ts
+++ b/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-4.test.ts
@@ -507,6 +507,7 @@ describe("Image-to-PDF cross-format matrix", () => {
 
       expect([200, 202, 400, 422]).toContain(res.statusCode);
 
+      if (await settleAsyncFallback(res)) return;
       if (res.statusCode === 200) {
         const body = JSON.parse(res.body);
         expect(body.downloadUrl).toBeDefined();
diff --git a/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-comprehensive-1.test.ts b/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-comprehensive-1.test.ts
index 084285bb..05fa7370 100644
--- a/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-comprehensive-1.test.ts
+++ b/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-comprehensive-1.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { existsSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { fixtureDir } from "../../fixtures/index.js";
+import { settleAsyncFallback } from "../settle-job.js";
 import { createMultipartPayload } from "../test-server.js";
 import {
   ACCEPTABLE_FALLBACK_CODES,
@@ -147,6 +148,7 @@ describe("Image enhancement across all 16 primary formats", () => {
             expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200);
           }
 
+          if (await settleAsyncFallback(res)) return;
           if (res.statusCode === 200) {
             const body = JSON.parse(res.body);
             expect(body.corrections).toBeDefined();
diff --git a/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-comprehensive-3.test.ts b/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-comprehensive-3.test.ts
index 5514658e..dc50b3d8 100644
--- a/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-comprehensive-3.test.ts
+++ b/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-comprehensive-3.test.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { settleAsyncFallback } from "../settle-job.js";
 import { createMultipartPayload } from "../test-server.js";
 import {
   ACCEPTABLE_FALLBACK_CODES,
@@ -327,6 +328,7 @@ describe("SVG through raster tools", () => {
       expect([200, 202, 400, 422]).toContain(res.statusCode);
 
       const body = JSON.parse(res.body);
+      if (await settleAsyncFallback(res)) return;
       if (res.statusCode === 200) {
         if (tool.id === "info") {
           expect(body.width).toBeGreaterThan(0);
diff --git a/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-expanded.test.ts b/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-expanded.test.ts
index df36a0ca..330317c1 100644
--- a/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-expanded.test.ts
+++ b/tests/integration/generated/format-matrix-expanded.test.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import { existsSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { afterAll, beforeAll, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { fixtureDir, fixtures } from "../../fixtures/index.js";
+import { settleAsyncFallback } from "../settle-job.js";
 import {
   buildTestApp,
   createMultipartPayload,
@@ -414,6 +415,7 @@ describe("Edit-metadata cross-format", () => {
             expect([200, 202, 400, 422]).toContain(res.statusCode);
           }
 
+          if (await settleAsyncFallback(res)) return;
           if (res.statusCode === 200) {
             const body = JSON.parse(res.body);
             expect(body.downloadUrl).toBeDefined();
@@ -465,6 +467,7 @@ describe("Edit-metadata cross-format", () => {
           expect([200, 202, 400, 422]).toContain(res.statusCode);
 
           const body = JSON.parse(res.body);
+          if (await settleAsyncFallback(res)) return;
           if (res.statusCode === 200) {
             // inspect returns metadata fields; at minimum it is an object
             expect(typeof body).toBe("object");
diff --git a/tests/setup/per-fork-env.ts b/tests/setup/per-fork-env.ts
index df70f3c3..f3ceb0f5 100644
--- a/tests/setup/per-fork-env.ts
+++ b/tests/setup/per-fork-env.ts
@@ -27,11 +27,17 @@ process.env.BULLMQ_PREFIX = `snapotter_test_${suffix}`;
 // test forks; 30s keeps tool routes synchronous (200) in tests while production
 // stays at 8s.
 //
-// An explicit SYNC_WAIT_MS is now honored verbatim rather than floored. The
+// An explicit SYNC_WAIT_MS is honored verbatim rather than floored, so the
 // constrained docker test image (macOS Docker VM, where Sharp and FFmpeg run
-// ~2-3x slower) still widens the window, and forcing it *down* (SYNC_WAIT_MS=0)
-// drives every tool through its 202 path, which is the only way to exercise
-// that branch on a machine fast enough to never hit it naturally.
+// ~2-3x slower) can widen the window.
+//
+// Careful with 0: per the repo-wide convention it means unlimited, not
+// instant. BullMQ's waitUntilFinished only arms its timer under `if (ttl)`, so
+// 0 waits forever and every route answers 200. To force the 202 path (the only
+// way to exercise it on a machine fast enough never to hit it naturally), pass
+// a small positive value such as SYNC_WAIT_MS=1. Note that most specs assert a
+// bare 200 and will fail under it; only the ones that call
+// settleAsyncFallback are written to survive.
 const requestedSyncWait = process.env.SYNC_WAIT_MS?.trim();
 const hasExplicitSyncWait =
   Boolean(requestedSyncWait) && Number.isFinite(Number(requestedSyncWait));