diff --git a/crates/kernel/src/iges_in/tests.rs b/crates/kernel/src/iges_in/tests.rs
index f15ceeb9..04fe0411 100644
--- a/crates/kernel/src/iges_in/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/kernel/src/iges_in/tests.rs
@@ -180,13 +180,12 @@ fn composite_curve_fan_out_is_bounded() {
     let cos = 2 * ents.len() - 1;
     ents.push((144, 0, format!("{surface},1,0,{cos}")));
 
-    let t = std::time::Instant::now();
     let reported = match iges_to_step(&iges_file(&ents)) {
         Ok((_, warnings)) => warnings.join(" "),
         Err(error) => error,
     };
+    // Check the work-budget rejection, not elapsed time: CI runs test binaries concurrently.
     assert!(reported.contains("too complex") || reported.contains("too many segments"), "{reported}");
-    assert!(t.elapsed() < std::time::Duration::from_secs(10), "took {:?}", t.elapsed());
 }
 
 /// Nothing stops directory entries from all naming the same parameter range, and each one
diff --git a/crates/kernel/src/step_in/tests.rs b/crates/kernel/src/step_in/tests.rs
index 74ed53fa..b8a92dfc 100644
--- a/crates/kernel/src/step_in/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/kernel/src/step_in/tests.rs
@@ -644,10 +644,9 @@ fn knot_multiplicities_are_checked_before_they_are_expanded() {
         let cx = Ctx { ex: &ex, len: 1.0, ang: 1.0, tol: 1e-6 };
         geom::curve(&cx, 3, 0)
     };
-    let t = std::time::Instant::now();
     let error = read(&curve(1_000_000, 64)).unwrap_err();
+    // This diagnostic comes from the check before expansion; wall-clock time depends on CI load.
     assert!(error.contains("knot multiplicities do not match"), "{error}");
-    assert!(t.elapsed() < std::time::Duration::from_secs(5), "took {:?}", t.elapsed());
     // A degree-1 curve with two control points needs exactly four knot values.
     assert!(read(&curve(2, 2)).is_ok());
     assert!(read(&curve(4, 1)).is_ok());