diff --git a/test/unit_test/headless/test_dag_managed_tasks.py b/test/unit_test/headless/test_dag_managed_tasks.py
index baef2cf9e..ba258d970 100644
--- a/test/unit_test/headless/test_dag_managed_tasks.py
+++ b/test/unit_test/headless/test_dag_managed_tasks.py
@@ -170,7 +170,15 @@ def endpoint(operation, _body, _timeout):
             result = run_dag(definition(payload), stop_event=stop)
             assert not result.succeeded
             assert result.nodes["one"].result["input_released"] is None
-    assert calls == ["submit", "get", "pause"]
+    if reason == "timeout":
+        # A 10 ms budget: the poll's wait can wake just before the deadline on a coarse
+        # (Windows) timer and read the status once more before the budget runs out.
+        assert calls[0] == "submit", calls
+        assert calls[-1] == "pause", calls
+        assert calls[1:-1], calls
+        assert set(calls[1:-1]) == {"get"}, calls
+    else:
+        assert calls == ["submit", "get", "pause"]
 
 
 def test_owner_revocation_during_poll_stops_dispatch_and_preserves_review(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
diff --git a/test/unit_test/headless/test_remote_clipboard_delivery_gui.py b/test/unit_test/headless/test_remote_clipboard_delivery_gui.py
index 65c4c8291..61c336832 100644
--- a/test/unit_test/headless/test_remote_clipboard_delivery_gui.py
+++ b/test/unit_test/headless/test_remote_clipboard_delivery_gui.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 pytest.importorskip('PySide6.QtWidgets', exc_type=ImportError)
+from headless._qt_settle import settle
 from headless.test_remote_registry_owners_gui import qapp as qapp, _tab
 from je_auto_control.utils.clipboard import clipboard
 from je_auto_control.utils.rbac import AuthorizationContext, Role, UserStore, authorization_scope, current_authorization
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ def test_queued_clipboard_from_a_disconnected_gui_viewer_cannot_apply_to_a_repla
         panel._disconnect()
         if reconnect:
             panel._connect()
+            settle(panel)  # the connect runs off the GUI thread; its viewer is adopted when it answers
         qapp.processEvents()
         assert applied == [], 'the queued clipboard from the old connection changed local state'
         if reconnect: