diff --git a/qa/full_dogfood.mjs b/qa/full_dogfood.mjs
index a98b61d..bbeb956 100644
--- a/qa/full_dogfood.mjs
+++ b/qa/full_dogfood.mjs
@@ -264,25 +264,24 @@ record("llm_unconfigured_falls_back_gracefully", unmatchedReply.length > 0 && !/
 //     other personas have written since last open.
 await p.locator(".tab", { hasText: /^\s*Chat\s*$/ }).click();
 await p.waitForTimeout(2500);
-// First, ensure at least one thread exists by opening one with the HR persona
-// if the sidebar happens to be empty. This makes the assertion non-vacuous.
 const initialThreadCount = await p.locator(".chat-thread-row").count();
 if (initialThreadCount === 0) {
   const sel = p.locator(".chat-new-row select").first();
   if (await sel.count()) {
     await sel.selectOption("hr-head@flow-master.ai").catch(() => {});
     await p.locator(".chat-new-row button", { hasText: /Open/ }).click().catch(() => {});
-    await p.waitForSelector(".chat-thread-row", { timeout: 8000 }).catch(() => {});
+    await p.waitForSelector(".chat-thread-row", { timeout: 15000 }).catch(() => {});
+    await p.waitForTimeout(1500);
   }
   const ta = p.locator(".chat-composer textarea").first();
   if (await ta.count()) {
     await ta.fill(`qa seed message ${Date.now()}`);
     await p.locator(".chat-composer button", { hasText: /Send/i }).click().catch(() => {});
-    await p.waitForTimeout(2500);
+    await p.waitForTimeout(4000);
   }
 }
-await p.waitForFunction(() => document.querySelectorAll(".chat-thread-row").length >= 1, undefined, { timeout: 12000 }).catch(() => {});
-await p.waitForTimeout(1500);
+await p.waitForFunction(() => document.querySelectorAll(".chat-thread-row").length >= 1, undefined, { timeout: 20000 }).catch(() => {});
+await p.waitForTimeout(2500);
 const threadRowCount = await p.locator(".chat-thread-row").count();
 const previewRows = await p.locator(".chat-thread-meta").count();
 const timeBadges = await p.locator(".chat-thread-time").count();