diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/check-bare-real-process-waits.test.mjs b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/check-bare-real-process-waits.test.mjs
index 742a6b1c8c2..9b336452dc1 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/check-bare-real-process-waits.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/check-bare-real-process-waits.test.mjs
@@ -90,3 +90,83 @@ test("allows an expect.poll( that passes an explicit timeout option", () => {
 
   assert.deepEqual(findBareRealProcessWaits(source), []);
 });
+
+test("rejects a vi.waitFor( whose callback body passes an unrelated timeout option", () => {
+  const source = [
+    "async function example() {",
+    "  await vi.waitFor(() => invoke({ timeout: 500 }));",
+    "}",
+  ].join("\n");
+
+  assert.deepEqual(findBareRealProcessWaits(source), [
+    { line: 2, pattern: "vi.waitFor(" },
+  ]);
+});
+
+test("allows a vi.waitFor( whose own second argument passes a timeout option, even with a same-shaped callback option", () => {
+  const source = [
+    "async function example() {",
+    "  await vi.waitFor(() => invoke({ timeout: 500 }), { timeout: 10_000 });",
+    "}",
+  ].join("\n");
+
+  assert.deepEqual(findBareRealProcessWaits(source), []);
+});
+
+test("ignores a vi.waitFor( written inside a line comment", () => {
+  const source = [
+    "async function example() {",
+    "  // do not call vi.waitFor( here, it is not spawned-process bound",
+    "  await Promise.resolve();",
+    "}",
+  ].join("\n");
+
+  assert.deepEqual(findBareRealProcessWaits(source), []);
+});
+
+test("ignores an expect.poll( written inside a block comment", () => {
+  const source = [
+    "async function example() {",
+    "  /* legacy note: this used to call",
+    "     expect.poll( on the old transport */",
+    "  await Promise.resolve();",
+    "}",
+  ].join("\n");
+
+  assert.deepEqual(findBareRealProcessWaits(source), []);
+});
+
+test("ignores a vi.waitFor( written inside a string literal", () => {
+  const source = [
+    "async function example() {",
+    '  const message = "replace this call with vi.waitFor( for a live wait";',
+    "  await Promise.resolve();",
+    "}",
+  ].join("\n");
+
+  assert.deepEqual(findBareRealProcessWaits(source), []);
+});
+
+test("ignores an expect.poll( written inside a template literal", () => {
+  const source = [
+    "async function example() {",
+    "  const message = `see expect.poll( for the retry loop`;",
+    "  await Promise.resolve();",
+    "}",
+  ].join("\n");
+
+  assert.deepEqual(findBareRealProcessWaits(source), []);
+});
+
+test("still flags a real bare vi.waitFor( on the line after a comment mentioning the pattern", () => {
+  const source = [
+    "async function example() {",
+    "  // vi.waitFor( is normally the wrong tool here, but this one needs it:",
+    "  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(x).toBe(1));",
+    "}",
+  ].join("\n");
+
+  assert.deepEqual(findBareRealProcessWaits(source), [
+    { line: 3, pattern: "vi.waitFor(" },
+  ]);
+});
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/lib/bare-real-process-wait.mjs b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/lib/bare-real-process-wait.mjs
index ba684754fdc..496082b3d29 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/lib/bare-real-process-wait.mjs
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/scripts/lib/bare-real-process-wait.mjs
@@ -48,59 +48,149 @@ async function collectSourceFiles(target) {
   return files;
 }
 
-// Find the index of the close paren that matches the open paren at
-// `openParenIndex`, tracking nested `()`, `{}`, and `[]`, and skipping over
-// string and template literals so a brace or paren inside one never throws
-// off the count.
-function findMatchingCloseParenIndex(source, openParenIndex) {
-  let depth = 0;
-  for (let index = openParenIndex; index < source.length; index += 1) {
+// Replace every comment and every string- or template-literal body with
+// spaces, one for one, so the result keeps the same length and the same
+// line breaks as `source`. A line count taken from the result still lines
+// up with `source`, and neither a wait-call pattern nor a `timeout` option
+// written inside a comment or a literal can survive into the result.
+function maskCommentsAndStrings(source) {
+  const masked = source.split("");
+  let index = 0;
+  while (index < source.length) {
+    const twoCharacters = source.slice(index, index + 2);
     const character = source[index];
+    if (twoCharacters === "//") {
+      while (index < source.length && source[index] !== "\n") {
+        masked[index] = " ";
+        index += 1;
+      }
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (twoCharacters === "/*") {
+      masked[index] = " ";
+      masked[index + 1] = " ";
+      index += 2;
+      while (index < source.length && source.slice(index, index + 2) !== "*/") {
+        if (source[index] !== "\n") masked[index] = " ";
+        index += 1;
+      }
+      if (index < source.length) {
+        masked[index] = " ";
+        masked[index + 1] = " ";
+        index += 2;
+      }
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (character === "'" || character === '"' || character === "`") {
+      const quote = character;
+      masked[index] = " ";
+      index += 1;
+      while (index < source.length && source[index] !== quote) {
+        if (source[index] === "\\" && index + 1 < source.length) {
+          masked[index] = " ";
+          index += 1;
+          if (source[index] !== "\n") masked[index] = " ";
+          index += 1;
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (source[index] !== "\n") masked[index] = " ";
+        index += 1;
+      }
+      if (index < source.length) {
+        masked[index] = " ";
+        index += 1;
+      }
+      continue;
+    }
+    index += 1;
+  }
+  return masked.join("");
+}
+
+// Find the index of the close paren that matches the open paren at
+// `openParenIndex`, tracking nested `()`, `{}`, and `[]`. Callers pass a
+// comment- and string-masked source, so a stray bracket inside a comment or
+// a literal never throws off the count.
+function findMatchingCloseParenIndex(maskedSource, openParenIndex) {
+  let depth = 0;
+  for (let index = openParenIndex; index < maskedSource.length; index += 1) {
+    const character = maskedSource[index];
     if (character === "(" || character === "{" || character === "[") {
       depth += 1;
     } else if (character === ")" || character === "}" || character === "]") {
       depth -= 1;
       if (depth === 0) return index;
-    } else if (character === "'" || character === '"' || character === "`") {
-      const quote = character;
-      index += 1;
-      while (index < source.length && source[index] !== quote) {
-        if (source[index] === "\\") index += 1;
-        index += 1;
-      }
     }
   }
-  return source.length;
+  return maskedSource.length;
+}
+
+// Split a call's argument-list text on its top-level commas, so a comma
+// nested inside a callback body, an object, or an array does not split a
+// single argument in two.
+function splitTopLevelArguments(maskedCallArguments) {
+  const args = [];
+  let depth = 0;
+  let current = "";
+  for (const character of maskedCallArguments) {
+    if (character === "(" || character === "{" || character === "[") {
+      depth += 1;
+      current += character;
+    } else if (character === ")" || character === "}" || character === "]") {
+      depth -= 1;
+      current += character;
+    } else if (character === "," && depth === 0) {
+      args.push(current);
+      current = "";
+    } else {
+      current += character;
+    }
+  }
+  args.push(current);
+  return args;
+}
+
+// Return the wait call's own options argument (`vi.waitFor(callback,
+// options)` or `expect.poll(callback, options)`), or `null` when the call
+// passes no second argument. Only this text, not the callback body, states
+// the call's own timeout.
+function findOptionsArgument(maskedSource, openParenIndex, closeParenIndex) {
+  const callArguments = maskedSource.slice(openParenIndex + 1, closeParenIndex);
+  const topLevelArguments = splitTopLevelArguments(callArguments);
+  return topLevelArguments.length >= 2 ? topLevelArguments[1] : null;
 }
 
 /**
  * Find each real-process-shaped wait call (`vi.waitFor(`, or `expect.poll(`,
  * including the two-line `expect\n  .poll(` form) in `source` that has
  * neither an `IN_PROCESS_WAIT_MARKER` note on the line directly above it
- * nor an explicit `timeout` option in its own argument list. A call site
+ * nor an explicit `timeout` option in its own options argument. A call site
  * with the marker declares, in place, that it settles fully in-process. A
  * call site with an explicit `timeout` option already states its own
- * envelope. Either one needs no real-process deadline.
+ * envelope. Either one needs no real-process deadline. A pattern written
+ * inside a comment or inside a string or template literal is source text,
+ * not a call, and never counts as one.
  */
 export function findBareRealProcessWaits(source) {
   const lines = source.split("\n");
+  const masked = maskCommentsAndStrings(source);
   const found = [];
   for (const { name, regex } of BARE_WAIT_PATTERNS) {
     regex.lastIndex = 0;
     for (
-      let match = regex.exec(source);
+      let match = regex.exec(masked);
       match !== null;
-      match = regex.exec(source)
+      match = regex.exec(masked)
     ) {
-      const line = source.slice(0, match.index).split("\n").length;
+      const line = masked.slice(0, match.index).split("\n").length;
       const precedingLine = lines[line - 2] ?? "";
       if (precedingLine.includes(IN_PROCESS_WAIT_MARKER)) {
         continue;
       }
       const openParenIndex = match.index + match[0].length - 1;
-      const closeParenIndex = findMatchingCloseParenIndex(source, openParenIndex);
-      const callArguments = source.slice(openParenIndex + 1, closeParenIndex);
-      if (EXPLICIT_TIMEOUT_PATTERN.test(callArguments)) {
+      const closeParenIndex = findMatchingCloseParenIndex(masked, openParenIndex);
+      const optionsArgument = findOptionsArgument(masked, openParenIndex, closeParenIndex);
+      if (optionsArgument !== null && EXPLICIT_TIMEOUT_PATTERN.test(optionsArgument)) {
         continue;
       }
       found.push({ line, pattern: name });
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/test/wait-for-live-process.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/test/wait-for-live-process.ts
index b57e1f1c943..b8c336fafbe 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/test/wait-for-live-process.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/test/wait-for-live-process.ts
@@ -28,10 +28,59 @@
 // and for this helper's own 50ms poll granularity.
 export const CAPABILITY_LIVE_PROCESS_WAIT_DEADLINE_MS = 10_000;
 
+// A sentinel error thrown when a single attempt runs past the wait's
+// remaining deadline. It never leaves `raceAttemptAgainstDeadline` to a
+// caller other than `waitForCapabilityLiveProcess`, so a plain class with no
+// message is enough to tell it apart from a real attempt failure.
+class CapabilityLiveProcessAttemptTimeout extends Error {}
+
+// Run one attempt of `callback` against a deadline of `remainingMs`. A
+// pending attempt does not stop when the deadline wins the race, so this
+// attaches a no-op rejection handler to the attempt promise. Without that
+// handler, an attempt that rejects after its own race has already lost would
+// surface as an unhandled rejection instead of the deadline error below.
+async function raceAttemptAgainstDeadline<T>(
+  callback: () => T | Promise<T>,
+  remainingMs: number,
+): Promise<T> {
+  const attempt = Promise.resolve().then(callback);
+  attempt.catch(() => {});
+  let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>;
+  const timeout = new Promise<never>((_resolve, reject) => {
+    timer = setTimeout(
+      () => reject(new CapabilityLiveProcessAttemptTimeout()),
+      remainingMs,
+    );
+  });
+  try {
+    return await Promise.race([attempt, timeout]);
+  } finally {
+    clearTimeout(timer!);
+  }
+}
+
+function buildDeadlineExceededError(
+  label: string,
+  elapsedMs: number,
+  lastError: unknown,
+): Error {
+  const detail =
+    lastError instanceof Error
+      ? (lastError.stack ?? lastError.message)
+      : String(lastError);
+  return new Error(
+    `Wait for "${label}" did not settle within ${CAPABILITY_LIVE_PROCESS_WAIT_DEADLINE_MS}ms ` +
+      `(observed ${elapsedMs}ms). Last observed error: ${detail}`,
+    { cause: lastError },
+  );
+}
+
 /**
  * Poll a capability-live operation that settles only after a real spawned
  * operating-system process does work. Use a deadline derived from the real
- * process envelope described above. Unlike a bare `vi.waitFor` or
+ * process envelope described above. Race each attempt against the
+ * deadline's remaining time, so a callback that never settles fails at this
+ * helper's deadline instead of bypassing it. Unlike a bare `vi.waitFor` or
  * `expect.poll`, report the last observed error when the deadline expires,
  * together with `label` and the elapsed time, so a failure names what the
  * wait was waiting for and how long it waited.
@@ -46,22 +95,24 @@ export async function waitForCapabilityLiveProcess<T>(
     `no attempt of "${label}" settled before the deadline`,
   );
   for (;;) {
+    const remainingMs = deadline - Date.now();
+    if (remainingMs <= 0) {
+      throw buildDeadlineExceededError(label, Date.now() - start, lastError);
+    }
     try {
-      return await callback();
+      return await raceAttemptAgainstDeadline(callback, remainingMs);
     } catch (error) {
+      if (error instanceof CapabilityLiveProcessAttemptTimeout) {
+        throw buildDeadlineExceededError(
+          label,
+          Date.now() - start,
+          lastError,
+        );
+      }
       lastError = error;
     }
-    const elapsedMs = Date.now() - start;
     if (Date.now() >= deadline) {
-      const detail =
-        lastError instanceof Error
-          ? (lastError.stack ?? lastError.message)
-          : String(lastError);
-      throw new Error(
-        `Wait for "${label}" did not settle within ${CAPABILITY_LIVE_PROCESS_WAIT_DEADLINE_MS}ms ` +
-          `(observed ${elapsedMs}ms). Last observed error: ${detail}`,
-        { cause: lastError },
-      );
+      throw buildDeadlineExceededError(label, Date.now() - start, lastError);
     }
     await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 50));
   }