diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index fd6c59a9a..84359621d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -476,6 +476,49 @@ jobs:
           file: ./Dockerfile
           tags: ${{ env.CI_DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG }}
           load: true
+      - name: set 'EWMS_PILOT_TASK_TIMEOUT' for reco algo + event file
+        run: |
+          export RECO_ALGO=${{ matrix.reco_algo }}
+          export EVENT_FILE=${{ matrix.eventfile }}
+          
+          # NOTE: these values were determined by 1 stddev above the median (the max val of 2 workers)
+          value=$(python -c '
+            import os
+            hese_event = "hese_event_01.json"
+            gold_event = "run00136766-evt000007637140-GOLD.pkl"
+            bronze_event = "run00136662-evt000035405932-BRONZE.pkl"
+            generic_event = "138632_31747601.json"
+            lookup = {
+                "millipede_original": {
+                    hese_event: 185,
+                    gold_event: 195,
+                    bronze_event: 165,
+                    generic_event: 195,
+                },
+                "millipede_wilks": {
+                    hese_event: 130,
+                    gold_event: 280,
+                    bronze_event: 190,
+                    generic_event: 245,
+                },
+                "splinempe": {
+                    gold_event: 55,
+                    bronze_event: 25,
+                    generic_event: 35,
+                },
+                "splinempe_pointed": {
+                    gold_event: 35,
+                    bronze_event: 35,
+                    generic_event: 35,
+                }
+            }
+            print(lookup[os.environ["RECO_ALGO"]][os.environ["EVENT_FILE"]])
+          ')
+          
+          adjusted_int_value=$(awk '{printf "%d\n", $1}' <<< "$(echo "$value * 1.1" | bc)")
+          echo "$adjusted_int_value"
+          echo "EWMS_PILOT_TASK_TIMEOUT=$adjusted_int_value" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
       - name: run
         timeout-minutes: 45  # on average max~=35min
         run: |
diff --git a/tests/env-vars.sh b/tests/env-vars.sh
index 1b9105276..ea846d399 100755
--- a/tests/env-vars.sh
+++ b/tests/env-vars.sh
@@ -33,9 +33,10 @@ export SKYSCAN_MQ_FROMCLIENT_BROKER_ADDRESS=${SKYSCAN_MQ_FROMCLIENT_BROKER_ADDRE
 # -> worker/client/pilot
 export EWMS_PILOT_TIMEOUT_QUEUE_WAIT_FOR_FIRST_MESSAGE=${EWMS_PILOT_TIMEOUT_QUEUE_WAIT_FOR_FIRST_MESSAGE:-60}
 export EWMS_PILOT_TIMEOUT_QUEUE_INCOMING=${EWMS_PILOT_TIMEOUT_QUEUE_INCOMING:-5}
-export EWMS_PILOT_TASK_TIMEOUT=${EWMS_PILOT_TASK_TIMEOUT:-$((1 * 10))} # $((60 * 10))} # TODO - adjust / add option to pilot to not exit on task timeouts (just nack)
+# export EWMS_PILOT_TASK_TIMEOUT -> this is very specific to the task, set it in a ci step
 export EWMS_PILOT_STOP_LISTENING_ON_TASK_ERROR=${EWMS_PILOT_STOP_LISTENING_ON_TASK_ERROR:-"True"}
 export EWMS_PILOT_OKAY_ERRORS=${EWMS_PILOT_OKAY_ERRORS:-"TimeoutError"} # this is a space-delimited list
+#      ^^^ in production, we run O(1k) cpus so a slow reco will be delivered to a new cpu, here we have to be more conservative. So, let the local workers retry the reco
 #      ^^^ if EWMS_PILOT_STOP_LISTENING_ON_TASK_ERROR=false (or similar: no, 0, etc.), then this var is ignored
 # -> server
 export SKYSCAN_MQ_TIMEOUT_FROM_CLIENTS=${SKYSCAN_MQ_TIMEOUT_FROM_CLIENTS:-$((60 * 10))} # just need a big value -- only used to detect MIA workers (it isn't important in a successful scan)