diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 22762a3..a762283 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ jobs:
           - arch: x86_64
             runner: macos-15-intel
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.runner }}
+    # Backstop against a hung build (e.g. a stalled Zig compile on the Intel
+    # runner) so the job fails fast and frees the runner instead of sitting
+    # until the 6-hour Actions limit. A normal job finishes in well under 10m.
+    timeout-minutes: 30
     env:
       ZIG_GLOBAL_CACHE_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/architect/.zig-cache
       ZIG_LOCAL_CACHE_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/architect/.zig-cache/local
@@ -52,6 +56,7 @@ jobs:
           authToken: '${{ secrets.CACHIX_AUTH_TOKEN }}'
 
       - name: Prefetch Zig dependencies
+        timeout-minutes: 10
         run: |
           for i in 1 2 3; do
             nix develop --command just setup && break
@@ -61,6 +66,7 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: architect
 
       - name: Build release
+        timeout-minutes: 20
         run: |
           for i in 1 2 3; do
             nix develop --command zig build -Doptimize=ReleaseFast && break