diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index af7adc1..fafe92a 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ Styles from theme config. Format helpers (timestamps, durations). `RunProgram` r
 - Unit tests per package
 - E2E tests in `internal/app/e2e_test.go` + `e2e_helpers_test.go` use mock HTTP server + mock player
 - E2E tests drive the bubbletea Update loop programmatically (no real TUI)
+- `feedCmd` in `e2e_helpers_test.go` skips a command that needs more than 200 ms, so that a test does not wait for a `tea.Tick`. A request to an address with no server, or a load that writes to a database file, can need more on Windows in CI. For such a command, use `feedCmdWithin` with `slowCmdWait`.
 - `internal/app/model_test.go`, `playback_test.go`, `bookmarks_test.go`, `render_test.go` for app-level tests
 - `internal/ui/program_unix_test.go` starts the test program again as a child process, sends SIGHUP to it, and checks that it gets to the place where a `main` calls `Cleanup`. The child runs its program with `ui.RunProgram`, as each `main` does. It does not run on Windows.
 - `internal/cache/*_test.go` for cache store and helper behavior
diff --git a/internal/app/e2e_helpers_test.go b/internal/app/e2e_helpers_test.go
index 152fbd3..6a77916 100644
--- a/internal/app/e2e_helpers_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/e2e_helpers_test.go
@@ -515,10 +515,27 @@ func newE2EModelUnauthWithDB(t *testing.T, srv *httptest.Server, mp *mockPlayer)
 // E2E helpers — driving the Update→Cmd→Msg loop
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+// feedCmdWait is the time that feedCmd waits for a command.
+const feedCmdWait = 200 * time.Millisecond
+
+// slowCmdWait is the time that feedCmdWithin waits for a command that a test
+// needs and that can be slow. It is longer than the timeout of one request of
+// abs.Client, which is 10 seconds.
+const slowCmdWait = 15 * time.Second
+
 // feedCmd executes a tea.Cmd, feeds the resulting message back into Update,
 // and returns the new model + the cmd returned by Update.
-// Commands that block longer than 200ms (e.g. tea.Tick) are skipped.
+// Commands that block longer than feedCmdWait (e.g. tea.Tick) are skipped.
 func feedCmd(m Model, cmd tea.Cmd) (Model, tea.Cmd) {
+	return feedCmdWithin(m, cmd, feedCmdWait)
+}
+
+// feedCmdWithin is feedCmd with a wait of its own. Use slowCmdWait for a
+// command that the test must not skip and that can need more than feedCmdWait
+// on a slow machine, for example on Windows in CI: a request to an address
+// with no server, or a load that writes to a database file. A tea.Tick that
+// is shorter than the wait is not skipped.
+func feedCmdWithin(m Model, cmd tea.Cmd, wait time.Duration) (Model, tea.Cmd) {
 	if cmd == nil {
 		return m, nil
 	}
@@ -543,13 +560,13 @@ func feedCmd(m Model, cmd tea.Cmd) (Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		if batch, ok := r.msg.(tea.BatchMsg); ok {
 			var lastCmd tea.Cmd
 			for _, c := range batch {
-				m, lastCmd = feedCmd(m, c)
+				m, lastCmd = feedCmdWithin(m, c, wait)
 			}
 			return m, lastCmd
 		}
 		res, nextCmd := m.Update(r.msg)
 		return res.(Model), nextCmd
-	case <-time.After(200 * time.Millisecond):
+	case <-time.After(wait):
 		// Drain the channel in case the goroutine completes after timeout
 		go func() { <-ch; <-done }()
 		return m, nil
diff --git a/internal/app/e2e_test.go b/internal/app/e2e_test.go
index fe66a86..c538ddf 100644
--- a/internal/app/e2e_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/e2e_test.go
@@ -103,8 +103,9 @@ func TestE2E_LoginFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	// Press enter
 	m, cmd := e2ePressSpecial(m, tea.KeyEnter)
 
-	// Execute login command — should fail (unreachable)
-	m, _ = feedCmd(m, cmd)
+	// Execute login command — should fail (unreachable). A refused connection
+	// can need more than feedCmdWait on Windows.
+	m, _ = feedCmdWithin(m, cmd, slowCmdWait)
 
 	// Should still be on login with error
 	assertScreen(t, m, ScreenLogin)
@@ -2264,7 +2265,10 @@ func TestE2E_CacheSurvivesRestart(t *testing.T) {
 	m1 := NewWithPlayer(cfg, store, cachedClient, cacheStore, mp)
 	m1 = e2eSetSize(m1, 120, 40)
 
-	m1 = feedCmdChain(m1, m1.Init(), 5)
+	// The load of the home screen sends its requests and writes to the
+	// database file in one command, which can need more than feedCmdWait.
+	m1, cmd := feedCmdWithin(m1, m1.Init(), slowCmdWait)
+	m1 = feedCmdChain(m1, cmd, 4)
 
 	if m1.home.Loading() {
 		t.Fatal("home should not be loading after first init")
@@ -2279,7 +2283,8 @@ func TestE2E_CacheSurvivesRestart(t *testing.T) {
 	m2 := NewWithPlayer(cfg, store, cachedClient, cacheStore, mp)
 	m2 = e2eSetSize(m2, 120, 40)
 
-	m2 = feedCmdChain(m2, m2.Init(), 5)
+	m2, cmd = feedCmdWithin(m2, m2.Init(), slowCmdWait)
+	m2 = feedCmdChain(m2, cmd, 4)
 
 	if m2.home.Loading() {
 		t.Fatal("home should not be loading after second init (cache should serve data)")