diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 1491d220a8..a72ef42c90 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -925,6 +925,14 @@ jobs:
             echo "### Timeline viewport gate"
             echo "- Default arm exit: ${DEFAULT_STATUS}"
             echo "- Explicitly disabled arm exit: ${DISABLED_STATUS}"
+            for arm in default disabled; do
+              node -e '
+                const e = JSON.parse(require("fs").readFileSync(process.argv[1], "utf8"));
+                const b = e.environment.appliedBudgets;
+                for (const a of e.attempts)
+                  console.log(`- ${process.argv[2]} attempt ${a.attempt}: interaction p95 ${a.interactionP95Ms.toFixed(1)}/${b.interactionP95Ms} ms, frame p95 ${a.frameIntervalP95Ms.toFixed(1)}/${b.frameIntervalP95Ms} ms, ${a.passingRuns}/${a.runs.length} runs, ${a.passed ? "pass" : "fail"}`);
+              ' "/tmp/timeline-gate-${arm}.json" "$arm" || echo "- ${arm}: no evidence"
+            done
           } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
 
           if (( DEFAULT_STATUS != 0 || DISABLED_STATUS != 0 )); then
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/lib/timelineViewportBudgets.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/player/lib/timelineViewportBudgets.test.ts
index a75d630ebe..3c8a56496c 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/lib/timelineViewportBudgets.test.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/lib/timelineViewportBudgets.test.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ describe("timeline viewport budgets", () => {
       interactionP95Ms: 50,
       constrainedInteractionP95Ms: 75,
       constrainedFrameIntervalP95Ms: 75,
+      ciVirtualizedInteractionP95Ms: 58.3,
+      ciVirtualizedFrameIntervalP95Ms: 25,
       longTaskLimitMs: 50,
       constrainedLongTaskLimitMs: 300,
       posterCoverageRatio: 0.9,
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/player/lib/timelineViewportBudgets.ts b/packages/studio/src/player/lib/timelineViewportBudgets.ts
index 771a37cd32..4e4c2e3e1c 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/player/lib/timelineViewportBudgets.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/player/lib/timelineViewportBudgets.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ export interface TimelineViewportBudgets {
   frameIntervalP95Ms: number;
   constrainedInteractionP95Ms: number;
   constrainedFrameIntervalP95Ms: number;
+  ciVirtualizedInteractionP95Ms: number;
+  ciVirtualizedFrameIntervalP95Ms: number;
   longTaskLimitMs: number;
   constrainedLongTaskLimitMs: number;
   memoryReturnToleranceRatio: number;
@@ -86,6 +88,8 @@ export const TIMELINE_VIEWPORT_BUDGETS: Readonly<TimelineViewportBudgets> = Obje
   frameIntervalP95Ms: 33.3,
   constrainedInteractionP95Ms: 75,
   constrainedFrameIntervalP95Ms: 75,
+  ciVirtualizedInteractionP95Ms: 58.3,
+  ciVirtualizedFrameIntervalP95Ms: 25,
   longTaskLimitMs: 50,
   constrainedLongTaskLimitMs: 300,
   memoryReturnToleranceRatio: 0.15,
diff --git a/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-viewport-verdict.mjs b/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-viewport-verdict.mjs
index d9f0f3f639..1e7bcfdf78 100644
--- a/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-viewport-verdict.mjs
+++ b/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-viewport-verdict.mjs
@@ -9,6 +9,24 @@ export function percentile(values, ratio) {
   return sorted[Math.min(sorted.length - 1, Math.ceil(sorted.length * ratio) - 1)];
 }
 
+/** The p95 pair a tier is held to; the CI virtualized arm has its own, tighter one. */
+export function responsivenessLimits(budgets, tier, rowVirtualization) {
+  if (tier === "primary")
+    return {
+      interactionLimitMs: budgets.interactionP95Ms,
+      frameIntervalLimitMs: budgets.frameIntervalP95Ms,
+    };
+  if (tier === "ci" && rowVirtualization === "on")
+    return {
+      interactionLimitMs: budgets.ciVirtualizedInteractionP95Ms,
+      frameIntervalLimitMs: budgets.ciVirtualizedFrameIntervalP95Ms,
+    };
+  return {
+    interactionLimitMs: budgets.constrainedInteractionP95Ms,
+    frameIntervalLimitMs: budgets.constrainedFrameIntervalP95Ms,
+  };
+}
+
 function assertSampleCount(expected, interactions, frameIntervals) {
   if (expected > 0 && interactions.length === expected && frameIntervals.length === expected)
     return;
@@ -38,17 +56,14 @@ export function judgeResponsiveness(
   };
 }
 
-export function gatePassed({
-  directScrollApproved,
-  responsivenessPassed,
-  passingRuns,
-  requiredPassingRuns,
-  memoryReturned,
-}) {
-  return (
-    directScrollApproved &&
-    responsivenessPassed &&
-    passingRuns >= requiredPassingRuns &&
-    memoryReturned
-  );
+/** A failed timing attempt is measured once more, so one bad stretch of a shared runner cannot fail the gate alone. */
+export const TIMING_ATTEMPTS = 2;
+
+export function attemptPassed({ responsivenessPassed, passingRuns, requiredPassingRuns }) {
+  return responsivenessPassed && passingRuns >= requiredPassingRuns;
+}
+
+export function gatePassed({ directScrollApproved, attempts, memoryReturned }) {
+  const timingPassed = attempts.slice(0, TIMING_ATTEMPTS).some((attempt) => attempt.passed);
+  return directScrollApproved && timingPassed && memoryReturned;
 }
diff --git a/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-viewport-verdict.test.mjs b/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-viewport-verdict.test.mjs
index c5a54af4b9..91c52153ef 100644
--- a/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-viewport-verdict.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-viewport-verdict.test.mjs
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-import { gatePassed, judgeResponsiveness, percentile } from "./timeline-viewport-verdict.mjs";
+import { TIMELINE_VIEWPORT_BUDGETS } from "../../src/player/lib/timelineViewportBudgets";
+import {
+  attemptPassed,
+  gatePassed,
+  judgeResponsiveness,
+  percentile,
+  responsivenessLimits,
+} from "./timeline-viewport-verdict.mjs";
 
 const LIMITS = { samplesPerRun: 63, interactionLimitMs: 75, frameIntervalLimitMs: 75 };
 const FAST = 49;
@@ -69,20 +76,73 @@ describe("judgeResponsiveness", () => {
   });
 });
 
-describe("gatePassed", () => {
-  const passing = {
-    directScrollApproved: true,
-    responsivenessPassed: true,
-    passingRuns: 5,
-    requiredPassingRuns: 4,
-    memoryReturned: true,
+describe("the CI virtualized arm's limits", () => {
+  const limits = {
+    samplesPerRun: 63,
+    ...responsivenessLimits(TIMELINE_VIEWPORT_BUDGETS, "ci", "on"),
   };
+  // Two frames is a normal step, four a step two frames late; one frame is a normal interval, two a dropped one.
+  const steps = (count, normal, slow) =>
+    Array.from({ length: 5 }, (_, run) =>
+      Array.from({ length: 63 }, (_, step) => (run * 63 + step < count ? slow : normal)),
+    );
+  const interactionRuns = (count) =>
+    steps(count, 33.3, 66.7).map((interactions) => ({
+      interactions,
+      frameIntervals: interactions.map(() => 16.7),
+    }));
+  const frameRuns = (count) =>
+    steps(count, 16.7, 33.3).map((frameIntervals) => ({
+      interactions: frameIntervals.map(() => 33.3),
+      frameIntervals,
+    }));
+
+  it("fails 16 of 315 steps two frames late and passes 15", () => {
+    expect(judgeResponsiveness(interactionRuns(16), limits).passed).toBe(false);
+    expect(judgeResponsiveness(interactionRuns(15), limits).passed).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("fails 16 of 315 frame intervals that drop a frame and passes 15", () => {
+    expect(judgeResponsiveness(frameRuns(16), limits).passed).toBe(false);
+    expect(judgeResponsiveness(frameRuns(15), limits).passed).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("leaves the unvirtualized arm and the other constrained tiers at 75 ms", () => {
+    const loose = { interactionLimitMs: 75, frameIntervalLimitMs: 75 };
+    expect(responsivenessLimits(TIMELINE_VIEWPORT_BUDGETS, "ci", "off")).toEqual(loose);
+    expect(responsivenessLimits(TIMELINE_VIEWPORT_BUDGETS, "low-resource", "on")).toEqual(loose);
+    expect(responsivenessLimits(TIMELINE_VIEWPORT_BUDGETS, "primary", "on")).toEqual({
+      interactionLimitMs: 50,
+      frameIntervalLimitMs: 33.3,
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+describe("attemptPassed", () => {
+  const passing = { responsivenessPassed: true, passingRuns: 5, requiredPassingRuns: 4 };
+
+  it("needs pooled responsiveness and enough passing runs", () => {
+    expect(attemptPassed(passing)).toBe(true);
+    expect(attemptPassed({ ...passing, responsivenessPassed: false })).toBe(false);
+    expect(attemptPassed({ ...passing, passingRuns: 3 })).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("gatePassed", () => {
+  const pass = { passed: true };
+  const fail = { passed: false };
+  const passing = { directScrollApproved: true, attempts: [pass], memoryReturned: true };
 
   it("passes only when every check holds", () => {
     expect(gatePassed(passing)).toBe(true);
-    expect(gatePassed({ ...passing, responsivenessPassed: false })).toBe(false);
     expect(gatePassed({ ...passing, directScrollApproved: false })).toBe(false);
-    expect(gatePassed({ ...passing, passingRuns: 3 })).toBe(false);
     expect(gatePassed({ ...passing, memoryReturned: false })).toBe(false);
   });
+
+  it("fails timing only when the attempt and its one rerun both fail", () => {
+    expect(gatePassed({ ...passing, attempts: [fail, pass] })).toBe(true);
+    expect(gatePassed({ ...passing, attempts: [fail, fail] })).toBe(false);
+    expect(gatePassed({ ...passing, attempts: [fail, fail, pass] })).toBe(false);
+    expect(gatePassed({ ...passing, attempts: [] })).toBe(false);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-virtualization.mjs b/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-virtualization.mjs
index ff6435755f..b53c07065a 100644
--- a/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-virtualization.mjs
+++ b/packages/studio/tests/e2e/timeline-virtualization.mjs
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@
  * TIMELINE_TIER selects the budget set and the emulation applied. "primary" is
  * a developer machine and holds the strict budgets. "low-resource" and
  * "high-dpr" add CPU throttling and a 2x scale factor respectively. "ci" is a
- * shared runner: no emulation, but the constrained budgets, because a hosted
- * runner is already slower and noisier than the machine the strict numbers were
- * recorded on. Throttling it further would measure the throttle, not the build.
+ * shared runner with no emulation: its virtualized arm holds its own limits
+ * (responsivenessLimits), its unvirtualized arm the constrained ones. Throttling
+ * it further would measure the throttle, not the build.
  * CI also requires production React and reports the observed runtime so Vite's
  * development-only checks can never contaminate the shipped-code measurement.
  *
@@ -23,7 +23,13 @@
  */
 import { platform, arch } from "node:os";
 import { launchStudioChrome } from "./chrome-executable.mjs";
-import { gatePassed, judgeResponsiveness } from "./timeline-viewport-verdict.mjs";
+import {
+  attemptPassed,
+  gatePassed,
+  judgeResponsiveness,
+  responsivenessLimits,
+  TIMING_ATTEMPTS,
+} from "./timeline-viewport-verdict.mjs";
 
 const STUDIO_URL = process.env.STUDIO_URL;
 const PROFILE = process.env.TIMELINE_PROFILE || "dense-short";
@@ -290,36 +296,61 @@ try {
     );
   }
 
-  const runs = [];
-  const interactionLimitMs =
-    TIER === "primary" ? budgets.interactionP95Ms : budgets.constrainedInteractionP95Ms;
-  const frameIntervalLimitMs =
-    TIER === "primary" ? budgets.frameIntervalP95Ms : budgets.constrainedFrameIntervalP95Ms;
-  for (let index = 0; index < budgets.warmupRuns + budgets.measuredRuns; index += 1) {
-    const run = await collectRun(page);
-    if (index >= budgets.warmupRuns) runs.push(run);
-  }
+  const { interactionLimitMs, frameIntervalLimitMs } = responsivenessLimits(
+    budgets,
+    TIER,
+    ROW_VIRTUALIZATION,
+  );
   // Latency, long tasks and memory are product promises and hold for both
   // builds. The DOM-size budgets describe what windowing achieves, so they only
   // apply when windowing is on. They are skipped explicitly rather than relaxed,
   // so a skipped budget never reads as a passed one.
   const domBudgetsApply = ROW_VIRTUALIZATION === "on";
-  for (const run of runs) {
-    run.longTaskPassed = run.longestTaskMs <= longTaskLimitMs;
-    run.timelineMounted = run.diagnostics.timelineRoots === 1;
-    run.domSizePassed = domBudgetsApply
-      ? run.diagnostics.mountedRows <= budgets.maxMountedRows &&
-        run.diagnostics.mountedClipRoots <= budgets.maxMountedClipRoots &&
-        run.diagnostics.maxMountedClipRootsInOneRow <= budgets.maxMountedClipRootsPerRow &&
-        run.diagnostics.mountedTimelineDescendants <= budgets.maxMountedTimelineDescendants
-      : null;
-    run.passed = run.longTaskPassed && run.timelineMounted && run.domSizePassed !== false;
+  const attempts = [];
+  while (attempts.length < TIMING_ATTEMPTS && !attempts.some((attempt) => attempt.passed)) {
+    const runs = [];
+    for (let index = 0; index < budgets.warmupRuns + budgets.measuredRuns; index += 1) {
+      const run = await collectRun(page);
+      if (index >= budgets.warmupRuns) runs.push(run);
+    }
+    for (const run of runs) {
+      run.longTaskPassed = run.longestTaskMs <= longTaskLimitMs;
+      run.timelineMounted = run.diagnostics.timelineRoots === 1;
+      run.domSizePassed = domBudgetsApply
+        ? run.diagnostics.mountedRows <= budgets.maxMountedRows &&
+          run.diagnostics.mountedClipRoots <= budgets.maxMountedClipRoots &&
+          run.diagnostics.maxMountedClipRootsInOneRow <= budgets.maxMountedClipRootsPerRow &&
+          run.diagnostics.mountedTimelineDescendants <= budgets.maxMountedTimelineDescendants
+        : null;
+      run.passed = run.longTaskPassed && run.timelineMounted && run.domSizePassed !== false;
+    }
+    const responsiveness = judgeResponsiveness(runs, {
+      samplesPerRun: budgets.scrollSamplesPerRun,
+      interactionLimitMs,
+      frameIntervalLimitMs,
+    });
+    const passingRuns = runs.filter((run) => run.passed).length;
+    const attempt = {
+      attempt: attempts.length + 1,
+      interactionP95Ms: responsiveness.interactionP95Ms,
+      frameIntervalP95Ms: responsiveness.frameIntervalP95Ms,
+      responsivenessPassed: responsiveness.passed,
+      passingRuns,
+      passed: attemptPassed({
+        responsivenessPassed: responsiveness.passed,
+        passingRuns,
+        requiredPassingRuns: budgets.requiredPassingRuns,
+      }),
+      runs,
+    };
+    attempts.push(attempt);
+    console.error(
+      `timeline gate ${ROW_VIRTUALIZATION} attempt ${attempt.attempt}: ` +
+        `interaction p95 ${attempt.interactionP95Ms.toFixed(1)}/${interactionLimitMs} ms, ` +
+        `frame p95 ${attempt.frameIntervalP95Ms.toFixed(1)}/${frameIntervalLimitMs} ms, ` +
+        `${passingRuns}/${runs.length} runs passed, ${attempt.passed ? "PASS" : "FAIL"}`,
+    );
   }
-  const responsiveness = judgeResponsiveness(runs, {
-    samplesPerRun: budgets.scrollSamplesPerRun,
-    interactionLimitMs,
-    frameIntervalLimitMs,
-  });
 
   await page.evaluate(() => window.__studioTest.resetTimelinePerformanceFixture());
   await page.waitForFunction(
@@ -331,8 +362,10 @@ try {
   const returnedHeapBytes = await collectHeapBytes(client);
   const memoryReturned =
     returnedHeapBytes <= baselineHeapBytes * (1 + budgets.memoryReturnToleranceRatio);
-  const passingRuns = runs.filter((run) => run.passed).length;
-  const maxTimelineContentWidthPx = Math.max(0, ...runs.map((run) => run.scrollWidth));
+  const maxTimelineContentWidthPx = Math.max(
+    0,
+    ...attempts.flatMap((attempt) => attempt.runs.map((run) => run.scrollWidth)),
+  );
   const directScrollGate = {
     safetyEnvelopePx: budgets.directScrollSafetyPx,
     maxTimelineContentWidthPx,
@@ -369,15 +402,13 @@ try {
         warmups: budgets.warmupRuns,
         measured: budgets.measuredRuns,
         requiredPassing: budgets.requiredPassingRuns,
+        timingAttempts: TIMING_ATTEMPTS,
       },
     },
     directScrollGate,
-    runs,
+    attempts,
     aggregate: {
-      interactionP95Ms: responsiveness.interactionP95Ms,
-      frameIntervalP95Ms: responsiveness.frameIntervalP95Ms,
-      responsivenessPassed: responsiveness.passed,
-      passingRuns,
+      timingPassed: attempts.some((attempt) => attempt.passed),
       baselineHeapBytes,
       returnedHeapBytes,
       memoryReturned,
@@ -386,9 +417,7 @@ try {
   console.log(JSON.stringify(evidence, null, 2));
   exitCode = gatePassed({
     directScrollApproved: directScrollGate.decision === "approved",
-    responsivenessPassed: responsiveness.passed,
-    passingRuns,
-    requiredPassingRuns: budgets.requiredPassingRuns,
+    attempts,
     memoryReturned,
   })
     ? 0