diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 79e4383..4c90905 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ go build -o /tmp/ward ./cmd/ward   # build the CLI binary
 ```
 
 There is no Makefile or CI config; the commands above are the full toolchain.
-Go version is pinned to **1.26.4** in `go.mod`.
+Go version is pinned to **1.27.1** in `go.mod`.
 
 ## Architecture
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7b56c0e..37393b4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ ward install
 
 ## ⚡ Requirements
 
-- Go >= **1.26** (to build)
+- Go >= **1.27** (to build)
 - `git` on `PATH` (used by the pre-commit hook to stage the store)
 - Optional: `gpg` with gpg-agent (for the gpg unlock path)
 - Optional: an ssh key at `~/.ssh/id_ed25519` or `~/.ssh/id_rsa` (for the ssh unlock path)
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index f4ee098..5a19601 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/taigrr/gitward
 
-go 1.26.5
+go 1.27.1
 
 require (
 	filippo.io/age v1.3.1
diff --git a/internal/crypto/crypto.go b/internal/crypto/crypto.go
index 771e616..9e86117 100644
--- a/internal/crypto/crypto.go
+++ b/internal/crypto/crypto.go
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ import (
 // DEKSize is the data-encryption-key length (AES-256).
 const DEKSize = 32
 
+const defaultScryptWorkFactor = 18
+
+var scryptWorkFactor = defaultScryptWorkFactor
+
 // NewDEK returns a fresh random data-encryption key.
 func NewDEK() ([]byte, error) {
 	k := make([]byte, DEKSize)
@@ -160,6 +164,7 @@ func WrapDEKPassphrase(dek []byte, passphrase string) (string, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
+	r.SetWorkFactor(scryptWorkFactor)
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
 	armorW := armor.NewWriter(&buf)
 	w, err := age.Encrypt(armorW, r)
diff --git a/internal/crypto/scrypt_testhook.go b/internal/crypto/scrypt_testhook.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0d44b5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/crypto/scrypt_testhook.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package crypto
+
+// SetScryptWorkFactorForTesting lowers the passphrase KDF cost in tests that
+// create many throwaway stores. It returns a restore function for callers that
+// need to preserve the previous setting.
+func SetScryptWorkFactorForTesting(logN int) func() {
+	old := scryptWorkFactor
+	scryptWorkFactor = logN
+	return func() {
+		scryptWorkFactor = old
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/engine/engine_test.go b/internal/engine/engine_test.go
index dc9da71..e426fa3 100644
--- a/internal/engine/engine_test.go
+++ b/internal/engine/engine_test.go
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ import (
 
 const pass = "test-passphrase-123"
 
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	restore := crypto.SetScryptWorkFactorForTesting(4)
+	code := m.Run()
+	restore()
+	os.Exit(code)
+}
+
 // newRepo creates a throwaway git repo (via go-git, no git binary) and returns
 // its root.
 func newRepo(t *testing.T) (string, *git.Repository) {