diff --git a/internal/adapters/transcribe/timeout_test.go b/internal/adapters/transcribe/timeout_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fed4489
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/adapters/transcribe/timeout_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+package transcribe_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"git.d-ma.be/mathias/tapir/internal/adapters/transcribe"
+	"git.d-ma.be/mathias/tapir/internal/domain"
+	"git.d-ma.be/mathias/tapir/internal/errkind"
+	"git.d-ma.be/mathias/tapir/internal/reconcile"
+)
+
+// A wedged engine (iguana after a Metal OOM, infra#273) does not answer at all. With only
+// the job's deadline, the primary used up the whole job before any fallback could run, and
+// the chain then refused the fallback because the job context had expired. Each engine call
+// gets its own deadline (adversarial review F4).
+
+type hangingBackend struct{ name string }
+
+func (h hangingBackend) Name() string { return h.name }
+func (hangingBackend) Transcribe(ctx context.Context, _ string) (domain.Transcription, error) {
+	<-ctx.Done()
+	return domain.Transcription{}, ctx.Err()
+}
+
+func TestWithTimeout_AHungBackendFailsAtItsOwnDeadlineWhileTheJobIsStillAlive(t *testing.T) {
+	job, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	b := transcribe.WithTimeout(hangingBackend{name: "iguana/kb-whisper"}, 40*time.Millisecond)
+
+	start := time.Now()
+	_, err := b.Transcribe(job, "/a.wav")
+
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "timeout", errkind.Of(err))
+	assert.Less(t, time.Since(start), 2*time.Second, "it must give up at its own deadline, not wait for the job's")
+	assert.NoError(t, job.Err(), "the job context is untouched, which is what lets a fallback run")
+	assert.Equal(t, "iguana/kb-whisper", b.Name(), "the wrapper is invisible in the recorded endpoint")
+}
+
+func TestWithTimeout_ASuccessPassesStraightThrough(t *testing.T) {
+	calls := &[]string{}
+	inner := &orderedBackend{name: "iguana/kb-whisper", text: "hej", calls: calls}
+
+	got, err := transcribe.WithTimeout(inner, time.Minute).Transcribe(context.Background(), "/a.wav")
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "hej", got.Text)
+}
+
+func TestWithTimeout_ZeroMeansNoDeadlineOfItsOwn(t *testing.T) {
+	inner := &orderedBackend{name: "x", text: "hej", calls: &[]string{}}
+
+	assert.Same(t, inner, transcribe.WithTimeout(inner, 0), "a zero timeout must not wrap or change anything")
+}
+
+func TestChain_AHungPrimaryReachesTheFallbackWhenItHasItsOwnDeadline(t *testing.T) {
+	calls := &[]string{}
+	fb := &orderedBackend{name: "berget/kb-whisper", text: "fallback text", calls: calls}
+	c := transcribe.NewChain(transcribe.WithTimeout(hangingBackend{name: "iguana/kb-whisper"}, 40*time.Millisecond), fb)
+	job, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	got, err := c.Transcribe(job, "/a.wav")
+
+	require.NoError(t, err, "a wedged primary is exactly what the fallback exists for")
+	assert.Equal(t, "berget/kb-whisper", got.Endpoint)
+}
+
+func TestChain_AJobThatEndedWhileThePrimaryHungStillNeverReachesTheFallback(t *testing.T) {
+	calls := &[]string{}
+	fb := &orderedBackend{name: "berget/kb-whisper", text: "fallback text", calls: calls}
+	c := transcribe.NewChain(transcribe.WithTimeout(hangingBackend{name: "iguana/kb-whisper"}, time.Minute), fb)
+	job, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 40*time.Millisecond)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	_, err := c.Transcribe(job, "/a.wav")
+
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Empty(t, *calls, "the job's own deadline or a cancel must still stop the audio from reaching a cloud endpoint")
+}
+
+func TestEnsemble_AHungEngineIsASoftFailureAndTheOtherEnginesTextIsUsed(t *testing.T) {
+	calls := &[]string{}
+	alt := &orderedBackend{name: "iguana/kb-whisper", text: "text from the other engine", calls: calls}
+	e := transcribe.NewEnsemble(
+		transcribe.WithTimeout(hangingBackend{name: "iguana/pianissimo"}, 40*time.Millisecond), alt, nil,
+		&verdictAdj{v: reconcile.VerdictAlt}, ensembleOpts)
+	job, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	got, err := e.Transcribe(job, "/a.wav")
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "text from the other engine", got.Text)
+	assert.Equal(t, domain.ReconcileSingle, got.Reconciliation.Status)
+	assert.Contains(t, got.Reconciliation.Reason, "timeout")
+	assert.False(t, errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded))
+}