diff --git a/internal/gateway/key_limits_test.go b/internal/gateway/key_limits_test.go
index dbc1f03b..aa7b3528 100644
--- a/internal/gateway/key_limits_test.go
+++ b/internal/gateway/key_limits_test.go
@@ -274,7 +274,21 @@ func TestRestingKeyReadAgainInAnOrderedGroup(t *testing.T) {
 	week := time.Now().Add(72 * time.Hour).Truncate(time.Second).Format(time.RFC3339)
 	var mu sync.Mutex
 	limit, reads, raised := 800, 0, 0
+	// the owner raises the limit after the key refused, before magpie
+	// reads its windows again: a reading that reaches the relay after the
+	// refusal waits for it. Else the reading ee2588c2 asks again at once,
+	// once one still out as the key refused is back, could reach the
+	// relay first (a loaded CI runner), see the week still used up and be
+	// trusted for its minute, past this test's wait (d7bdb076's CI)
+	var refused bool
+	raise := make(chan struct{})
 	relay := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		mu.Lock()
+		held := refused
+		mu.Unlock()
+		if held {
+			<-raise
+		}
 		mu.Lock()
 		l := limit
 		reads++
@@ -322,6 +336,16 @@ func TestRestingKeyReadAgainInAnOrderedGroup(t *testing.T) {
 	a := cs[0]
 	t.Cleanup(func() { clearRest(a.restKey()) })
 	quota := []byte(`{"error":{"message":"api key 7天限额已用完","type":"rate_limit_exceeded"}}`)
+	mu.Lock()
+	refused = true
+	mu.Unlock()
+	defer func() {
+		select {
+		case <-raise:
+		default:
+			close(raise) // failed before the limit was raised
+		}
+	}()
 	if r := s.restAfter(a, 429, http.Header{}, quota); r.Why != failQuota || r.By != "window" {
 		t.Fatalf("out of its week: rests by %s (%s)", r.By, r.Why)
 	}
@@ -330,6 +354,7 @@ func TestRestingKeyReadAgainInAnOrderedGroup(t *testing.T) {
 	mu.Lock()
 	limit = 1000
 	mu.Unlock()
+	close(raise)
 	// a reading out as the key refused is followed by another at once,
 	// which may have seen the limit raised and brought it back already
 	at, r := first()