diff --git a/tests/test_spawning.py b/tests/test_spawning.py
index 63a2fb8e..d12c9b28 100644
--- a/tests/test_spawning.py
+++ b/tests/test_spawning.py
@@ -150,7 +150,12 @@ async def test_most_beautiful_word(
     The main ``tractor`` routine.
 
     '''
-    with trio.fail_after(1):
+    # actor spawn + IPC round-trip is comfortably sub-second on a
+    # warm box, but slow/noisy CI runners (esp. macOS) blow a flat
+    # 1s deadline. Scale for CI/CPU-throttle headroom — `== 1s`
+    # locally where `cpu_scaling_factor()` is `1.0`.
+    from .conftest import cpu_scaling_factor
+    with trio.fail_after(1 * cpu_scaling_factor()):
         async with tractor.open_nursery(
             debug_mode=debug_mode,
         ) as an: