diff --git a/src/sound.rs b/src/sound.rs
index d1b4fc90..c7952d80 100644
--- a/src/sound.rs
+++ b/src/sound.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ use tracing::warn;
 const DISABLE_SOUND_ENV: &str = "HERDR_DISABLE_SOUND";
 #[cfg(any(windows, test))]
 const WINDOWS_SOUND_PATH_ENV: &str = "HERDR_SOUND_PATH";
+/// Test-only override for the Windows player's playback timeout. Production
+/// leaves this unset so the embedded script keeps its 15 second bound.
+#[cfg(test)]
+const WINDOWS_SOUND_TIMEOUT_ENV: &str = "HERDR_SOUND_TIMEOUT_SECONDS";
 #[cfg(not(any(windows, target_os = "macos")))]
 const AUDIO_PLAYER_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(15);
 #[cfg(not(any(windows, target_os = "macos")))]
@@ -134,13 +138,16 @@ fn windows_media_player_script() -> &'static str {
 $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
 $Path = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('HERDR_SOUND_PATH', 'Process')
 if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($Path)) { throw 'HERDR_SOUND_PATH is not set' }
+$timeoutSeconds = 15
+$timeoutOverride = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('HERDR_SOUND_TIMEOUT_SECONDS', 'Process')
+if (-not [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($timeoutOverride)) { $timeoutSeconds = [int]$timeoutOverride }
 Add-Type -AssemblyName PresentationCore
 Add-Type -AssemblyName WindowsBase
 $resolved = (Resolve-Path -LiteralPath $Path).ProviderPath
 $script:player = [System.Windows.Media.MediaPlayer]::new()
 $script:frame = [System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherFrame]::new()
 $script:timer = [System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherTimer]::new()
-$script:timer.Interval = [TimeSpan]::FromSeconds(15)
+$script:timer.Interval = [TimeSpan]::FromSeconds($timeoutSeconds)
 $script:failed = $null
 $script:timedOut = $false
 $script:player.add_MediaOpened({ $script:player.Play() })
@@ -443,23 +450,31 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(script.contains("Dispatcher]::PushFrame"));
         assert!(script.contains("add_MediaEnded"));
         assert!(script.contains("add_MediaFailed"));
+        assert!(script.contains(WINDOWS_SOUND_TIMEOUT_ENV));
+        assert!(script.contains("FromSeconds($timeoutSeconds)"));
         assert_eq!(env_path, Some(path.as_os_str()));
         assert!(!command.get_args().any(|arg| arg == path.as_os_str()));
     }
 
     #[cfg(windows)]
     #[test]
-    fn windows_media_player_reports_invalid_media_without_waiting_for_timeout() {
+    fn windows_media_player_reports_invalid_media() {
         let _lock = crate::integration::integration_env_lock();
         let path = temp_sound_path();
         std::fs::write(&path, b"not an mp3").unwrap();
-        let output = run_windows_player(&path).unwrap();
+        let mut command = windows_player_command(&path);
+        // Whether the host media stack raises MediaFailed before the playback
+        // timeout is environment-dependent, so keep the bound short and accept
+        // either terminal error instead of waiting out the production timeout.
+        command.env(WINDOWS_SOUND_TIMEOUT_ENV, "2");
+        let output = command.output().unwrap();
         let _ = std::fs::remove_file(path);
 
         assert!(!output.status.success());
+        let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
         assert!(
-            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr).contains("sound media failed"),
-            "stderr should identify a MediaFailed error"
+            stderr.contains("sound media failed") || stderr.contains("sound playback timed out"),
+            "stderr should report why playback stopped: {stderr}"
         );
     }
 }