diff --git a/tests/unit/awm_v2.bats b/tests/unit/awm_v2.bats
index 85d33ec..1fe28bf 100644
--- a/tests/unit/awm_v2.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/awm_v2.bats
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "awm_store_set respects TTL" {
     awm_store_set "ttl_key" "expires_soon" 1
-    sleep 2
+    sleep 0.5
     result=$(awm_store_get "ttl_key" "expired")
     [ "$result" = "expired" ]
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/futures.bats b/tests/unit/futures.bats
index 337f5c4..443bd81 100644
--- a/tests/unit/futures.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/futures.bats
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_status: returns running for active future" {
     local fid
-    fid=$(future_run sleep 2)
+    fid=$(future_run sleep 0.5)
     local status
     status=$(future_status "$fid")
     [[ "$status" == "running" ]]
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_status: returns cancelled for cancelled future" {
     local fid
-    fid=$(future_run sleep 2)
+    fid=$(future_run sleep 0.5)
     future_cancel "$fid"
     local status
     status=$(future_status "$fid")
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_await: returns 124 on timeout" {
     local fid
-    fid=$(future_run sleep 3)
+    fid=$(future_run sleep 0.8)
     run future_await "$fid" 1
     [[ "$status" -eq 124 ]]
     future_cancel "$fid"
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_cancel: cancels running future" {
     local fid
-    fid=$(future_run sleep 2)
+    fid=$(future_run sleep 0.5)
     future_cancel "$fid"
     local status
     status=$(future_status "$fid")
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_cancel: returns 0 on success" {
     local fid
-    fid=$(future_run sleep 2)
+    fid=$(future_run sleep 0.5)
     future_cancel "$fid"
     [[ $? -eq 0 ]]
 }
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_cancel: kills the background process" {
     local fid
-    fid=$(future_run sleep 2)
+    fid=$(future_run sleep 0.5)
     local dir="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/mainframe/futures/$fid"
     local pid
     pid=$(<"$dir/pid")
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_cleanup: preserves running futures" {
     local fid
-    fid=$(future_run sleep 2)
+    fid=$(future_run sleep 0.5)
     local dir="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/mainframe/futures/$fid"
 
     future_cleanup
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_cleanup --all: removes cancelled futures" {
     local fid
-    fid=$(future_run sleep 2)
+    fid=$(future_run sleep 0.5)
     future_cancel "$fid"
     local dir="${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/mainframe/futures/$fid"
 
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_wait_any: returns first completed ID" {
     local fid1 fid2
-    fid1=$(future_run sleep 2)
+    fid1=$(future_run sleep 0.5)
     fid2=$(future_run echo "quick")
 
     local first
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_wait_any: returns 0 for successful first completion" {
     local fid1 fid2
-    fid1=$(future_run sleep 2)
+    fid1=$(future_run sleep 0.5)
     fid2=$(future_run true)
 
     future_wait_any "$fid1" "$fid2" >/dev/null
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ teardown() {
 
 @test "future_wait_any: returns 1 for failed first completion" {
     local fid1 fid2
-    fid1=$(future_run sleep 2)
+    fid1=$(future_run sleep 0.5)
     fid2=$(future_run false)
 
     run bash -c "source '$MAINFRAME_ROOT/lib/common.sh'; source '$MAINFRAME_ROOT/lib/futures.sh'; future_wait_any '$fid1' '$fid2'"
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ teardown() {
 @test "future: handles long-running commands" {
     skip "Skipping long-running test in unit suite"
     local fid
-    fid=$(future_run sleep 3)
+    fid=$(future_run sleep 0.8)
     future_await "$fid" 10
     [[ $? -eq 0 ]]
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/retry.bats b/tests/unit/retry.bats
index aa3ce8a..142a53c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/retry.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/retry.bats
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ teardown() {
 }
 
 @test "with_timeout: times out slow command" {
-    run with_timeout 1 sleep 3
+    run with_timeout 1 sleep 2
     [[ $status -eq 124 ]]
 }
 
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ teardown() {
     circuit_breaker_call "test_svc" false || true
 
     # Wait for timeout
-    sleep 2
+    sleep 0.5
 
     local state
     state=$(circuit_breaker_state "test_svc")
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ teardown() {
     circuit_breaker_call "test_svc" false || true
 
     # Wait for timeout to transition to half-open
-    sleep 2
+    sleep 0.5
 
     # Success in half-open should close
     circuit_breaker_call "test_svc" true
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ teardown() {
     local marker="${TEST_TEMP_DIR}/ready"
 
     # Create the marker after 2 seconds
-    (sleep 2 && touch "$marker") &
+    (sleep 0.5 && touch "$marker") &
 
     run wait_for --timeout 5 --interval 1 test -f "$marker"
     assert_success
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ teardown() {
 @test "wait_for_file: waits for file creation" {
     local file="${TEST_TEMP_DIR}/delayed.txt"
 
-    (sleep 2 && touch "$file") &
+    (sleep 0.5 && touch "$file") &
 
     run wait_for_file "$file" 5
     assert_success
@@ -699,7 +699,7 @@ teardown() {
     [[ $status -eq 1 ]]
 
     # Wait well beyond refill period (1s period + margin)
-    sleep 3
+    sleep 1.5
 
     # Should have tokens again
     run rate_limit_acquire "test_rl" --no-wait
diff --git a/tests/unit/workpool.bats b/tests/unit/workpool.bats
index d945fc9..56d6044 100644
--- a/tests/unit/workpool.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/workpool.bats
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ teardown() {
 
     # Submit a long-running job
     local job_id
-    job_id=$(pool_submit "test_pool" sleep 3)
+    job_id=$(pool_submit "test_pool" sleep 0.8)
 
     # Give it time to start
     sleep 0.2
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ EOF
     pool_create "test_pool"
 
     local job_id
-    job_id=$(pool_submit "test_pool" sleep 2)
+    job_id=$(pool_submit "test_pool" sleep 0.5)
 
     sleep 0.2  # Let it start
 
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ EOF
     pool_create "test_pool" 1
 
     # Submit a blocking job to occupy the worker
-    pool_submit "test_pool" sleep 2 > /dev/null
+    pool_submit "test_pool" sleep 0.5 > /dev/null
     sleep 0.2
 
     # Submit another job that will be pending