diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/agent-skills-routes.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/agent-skills-routes.test.ts
index fc059ad67b..1a4166d834 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/agent-skills-routes.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/agent-skills-routes.test.ts
@@ -177,11 +177,15 @@ function createDb(requireBoardApprovalForNewAgents = false) {
   };
 }
 
-async function createApp(db: Record<string, unknown> = createDb()) {
-  const [{ agentRoutes }, { errorHandler }] = await Promise.all([
+function loadAppModules() {
+  return Promise.all([
     vi.importActual<typeof import("../routes/agents.js")>("../routes/agents.js"),
     vi.importActual<typeof import("../middleware/index.js")>("../middleware/index.js"),
   ]);
+}
+
+async function createApp(db: Record<string, unknown> = createDb()) {
+  const [{ agentRoutes }, { errorHandler }] = await loadAppModules();
   const app = express();
   app.use(express.json());
   app.use((req, _res, next) => {
@@ -246,7 +250,7 @@ function makeAgent(adapterType: string) {
 }
 
 describe.sequential("agent skill routes", () => {
-  beforeEach(() => {
+  beforeEach(async () => {
     vi.resetModules();
     vi.doUnmock("../routes/agents.js");
     vi.doUnmock("../routes/authz.js");
@@ -369,7 +373,9 @@ describe.sequential("agent skill routes", () => {
     mockAccessService.listPrincipalGrants.mockResolvedValue([]);
     mockAccessService.ensureMembership.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
     mockAccessService.setPrincipalPermission.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
-  });
+    // Keep cold route imports in setup rather than the HTTP assertion timeout.
+    await loadAppModules();
+  }, 60_000);
 
   it("skips runtime materialization when listing Claude skills", async () => {
     mockAgentService.getById.mockResolvedValue(makeAgent("claude_local"));