diff --git a/lib/desktop/__tests__/os-commands.test.ts b/lib/desktop/__tests__/os-commands.test.ts
index cd724ed85..d904c486c 100644
--- a/lib/desktop/__tests__/os-commands.test.ts
+++ b/lib/desktop/__tests__/os-commands.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { afterEach, beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 import type { BulwarkDesktopBridge, DesktopOsCommand } from '../types';
 import type { NotificationActionRequest, NotificationActionStatus } from '@/lib/pwa-notify/page-actions';
 
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ async function run(command: DesktopOsCommand) {
 
 const text = (value: string) => new TextEncoder().encode(value);
 
+// The handler pulls in much of the app the first time; load it once here, with room to spare,
+// so the first test isn't the one that times out on a busy machine.
+beforeAll(async () => {
+  await import('../os-commands');
+}, 60_000);
+
 beforeEach(async () => {
   vi.clearAllMocks();
   authenticated = true;