diff --git a/cloud/tests/test_playwright_bridge.py b/cloud/tests/test_playwright_bridge.py
index bdc4476..aad25c5 100644
--- a/cloud/tests/test_playwright_bridge.py
+++ b/cloud/tests/test_playwright_bridge.py
@@ -171,6 +171,12 @@ class BridgeTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(effective_holder(self.tmp.name, state),
                          "agent")
         write_control(self.tmp.name, "user")
+        # Gitea runner filesystem mtime lags wall clock by ~1ms
+        # (measured 0.2-1.0ms in runner container), so a
+        # back-to-back write can appear older than updated_at.
+        # Wait out the lag; the test's intent is "newer control
+        # wins", not "same-millisecond writes are ordered".
+        time.sleep(0.05)
         self.assertEqual(effective_holder(self.tmp.name, state),
                          "user")
         # Once the MCP polls, the state file catches up and both
diff --git a/cloud/tests/test_server_browser_proxy.py b/cloud/tests/test_server_browser_proxy.py
index a252497..035736d 100644
--- a/cloud/tests/test_server_browser_proxy.py
+++ b/cloud/tests/test_server_browser_proxy.py
@@ -214,7 +214,19 @@ class BrowserProxyTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
                 db.commit()
             finally:
                 db.close()
-            line = resp.readline().decode("utf-8")
+            # Terminal status ends the stream, but a waiting
+            # heartbeat may fire first on a loaded runner; drain
+            # waiting frames until EOF instead of requiring the
+            # first line after the update to be EOF.
+            for _ in range(20):
+                line = resp.readline().decode("utf-8")
+                if line == "":
+                    break
+                if line.strip() == "":
+                    continue
+                payload = json.loads(line[6:]) if line.startswith("data: ") else {}
+                if not payload.get("waiting"):
+                    break
             self.assertEqual(line, "")
         finally:
             conn.close()