diff --git a/benchmarks/aft-search/slice-descriptors/land-flake-batch-3.json b/benchmarks/aft-search/slice-descriptors/land-flake-batch-3.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..564a47658
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/aft-search/slice-descriptors/land-flake-batch-3.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "slice_class": "non_ranking",
+  "targeted_mechanism": "none",
+  "kind": "harness",
+  "fixtures": [
+    "harness-goldens"
+  ],
+  "slices": [
+    "flake-batch-3"
+  ],
+  "note": "Test-only: timing and race fixes for merge-queue flakes (generous positive waits, waits on real signals). No product search behavior changed and no changed path matches RANKING_FENCE_PREFIXES."
+}
diff --git a/crates/aft/src/context.rs b/crates/aft/src/context.rs
index e5098e8ad..ce47b29e7 100644
--- a/crates/aft/src/context.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/src/context.rs
@@ -12076,6 +12076,20 @@ impl AppContext {
         true
     }
 
+    /// Test hook: hold back query-triggered trigram reloads for the current
+    /// configure generation, as the retry cooldown in
+    /// `search_index_query_reload_allowed` does. A test can then observe a
+    /// root whose saved trigram cache is valid but not resident, without its
+    /// own search request starting a reload whose completion races the reply.
+    #[doc(hidden)]
+    pub fn defer_query_search_index_reloads_for_test(&self) {
+        const HOLD: Duration = Duration::from_secs(60 * 60);
+        let generation = self.configure_generation();
+        let mut state = self.search_index_disconnect_reschedule.lock();
+        let replacements = if state.0 == generation { state.1 } else { 0 };
+        *state = (generation, replacements, Some(Instant::now() + HOLD));
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn note_search_index_load_succeeded(&self) {
         let generation = self.configure_generation();
         let mut state = self.search_index_disconnect_reschedule.lock();
diff --git a/crates/aft/tests/integration/aft_search_contract_test.rs b/crates/aft/tests/integration/aft_search_contract_test.rs
index fe58e37d5..144752c36 100644
--- a/crates/aft/tests/integration/aft_search_contract_test.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/tests/integration/aft_search_contract_test.rs
@@ -3462,6 +3462,12 @@ fn issue_826_lane_footer_agrees_with_a_degraded_answer() {
 /// The trigram lane is not resident but its saved cache is valid. Planning
 /// treats that lane as still loading and answers from a filesystem scan; the
 /// footer used to call it ready beside `Search status: fully degraded`.
+///
+/// The search request would otherwise start reloading the saved cache itself.
+/// That reload usually finishes inside the request, but on a loaded machine it
+/// can still be running when the footer is written, which then truthfully
+/// says `trigram: building`. The test holds the reload back so the footer
+/// always describes a valid cache that is not resident.
 #[test]
 fn issue_826_trigram_footer_agrees_with_a_scan_answer() {
     let _git_env = crate::test_helpers::hermetic_git_env_guard();
@@ -3473,12 +3479,25 @@ fn issue_826_trigram_footer_agrees_with_a_scan_answer() {
     let canonical = std::fs::canonicalize(project.path()).expect("canonical root");
     ctx.set_canonical_cache_root(canonical.clone());
     ctx.memoized_artifact_cache_key(&canonical);
+    ctx.defer_query_search_index_reloads_for_test();
     install_ready_semantic_lane(&ctx, project.path());
 
     let (rendered, response) =
         render_search(handle_semantic_search(&request("needle_symbol"), &ctx));
     handle.join().expect("embedding server thread");
 
+    assert!(
+        ctx.search_index_rx()
+            .read()
+            .unwrap_or_else(std::sync::PoisonError::into_inner)
+            .is_none()
+            && ctx
+                .search_index()
+                .read()
+                .unwrap_or_else(std::sync::PoisonError::into_inner)
+                .is_none(),
+        "the request must not have started loading the saved trigram cache"
+    );
     assert_eq!(response["success"], true, "{response}");
     assert_eq!(response["fully_degraded"], true, "{response}");
     assert!(
diff --git a/crates/aft/tests/integration/lsp_diagnostics_test.rs b/crates/aft/tests/integration/lsp_diagnostics_test.rs
index 8ed3001a5..e0c71fe5e 100644
--- a/crates/aft/tests/integration/lsp_diagnostics_test.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/tests/integration/lsp_diagnostics_test.rs
@@ -909,8 +909,10 @@ fn move_file_reports_deleted_source_and_created_destination_for_config_file() {
     let json = serde_json::to_value(&response).expect("response serializes");
     assert_eq!(json["success"], true, "move failed: {json}");
 
+    // Both notifications arrive asynchronously from the move; a loaded runner
+    // can deliver the second one well after 2 s, so wait generously for it.
     let mut events = drain_watched_file_events_from_ctx(&ctx);
-    let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(2);
+    let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(30);
     while events.len() < 2 && Instant::now() < deadline {
         thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(25));
         events.extend(drain_watched_file_events_from_ctx(&ctx));