diff --git a/packages/core/tests/brush-interactive.test.ts b/packages/core/tests/brush-interactive.test.ts
index 23c04e9468..d184015a1e 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/brush-interactive.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/tests/brush-interactive.test.ts
@@ -126,10 +126,6 @@ describe.skipIf(REGISTRY_SH === undefined)("brush interactive PTY repaint", () =
 				PS1: "AOS$ ",
 				COLUMNS: "80",
 				LINES: "14",
-				// The runner's input polling accrues active CPU while the shell
-				// idles between steps; keep the watchdog out of the test's way
-				// (mirrors the interactive-shell CLI).
-				AGENTOS_V8_CPU_TIME_LIMIT_MS: "600000",
 			},
 			// A real PTY merges stdout+stderr; brush paints its prompt on stderr.
 			onStderr: (d: Uint8Array) => term?.write(d),
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/vim-interactive.test.ts b/packages/core/tests/vim-interactive.test.ts
index bd0e9706d2..27e4085732 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/vim-interactive.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/tests/vim-interactive.test.ts
@@ -19,9 +19,13 @@ const { Terminal } = pkg;
 
 const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 const REPO_ROOT = resolve(__dirname, "../../..");
-const VIM_COMMAND_DIR = resolve(REPO_ROOT, ".local-cmds");
+// Local-fixture locations, overridable so the suite is not tied to one
+// machine's layout (CI skips via the fixture gate below).
+const VIM_COMMAND_DIR =
+	process.env.AGENTOS_VIM_FIXTURE_DIR ?? resolve(REPO_ROOT, ".local-cmds");
 const VIM_BINARY = resolve(VIM_COMMAND_DIR, "vim");
 const SNAP_DIR =
+	process.env.AGENTOS_VIM_SNAPSHOT_DIR ??
 	"/home/nathan/progress/agent-os/2026-06-28-just-shell-fix/vim-snapshots";
 
 const VIM_ARGS = [
@@ -251,4 +255,81 @@ describe.skipIf(!existsSync(VIM_BINARY))("interactive vim over VM PTY", () => {
 		},
 		TEST_TIMEOUT_MS,
 	);
+
+	// Regression guard for the idle full-screen raw-mode case: the guest must
+	// survive a long idle stretch on the DEFAULT CPU watchdog (no
+	// AGENTOS_V8_CPU_TIME_LIMIT_MS override) and still consume a keystroke
+	// afterwards. Guards both the event-driven kernel wait servicing (idle must
+	// accrue ~zero active CPU) and the poll/read wake path (the keystroke must
+	// land promptly, not after a polling slice).
+	it(
+		"idles 60s+ in raw mode on the default CPU watchdog, then consumes a keystroke",
+		async () => {
+			assertVimAvailable();
+
+			const { AgentOs } = await import("../src/index.js");
+			vm = await AgentOs.create({
+				permissions: allowAll,
+				software: [materializeVimPackage()],
+			});
+			await vm.mkdir("/work", { recursive: true });
+
+			const term = new Terminal({ cols: 80, rows: 24, allowProposedApi: true });
+			let writes = Promise.resolve();
+			const { shellId } = vm.openShell({
+				command: "vim",
+				args: VIM_ARGS,
+				cols: 80,
+				rows: 24,
+				cwd: "/work",
+				env: { TERM: "xterm" },
+			});
+			const offData = vm.onShellData(shellId, (data) => {
+				const bytes = Buffer.from(data);
+				writes = writes.then(
+					() => new Promise<void>((resolve) => term.write(bytes, resolve)),
+				);
+			});
+
+			const waitForScreen = async (
+				predicate: (current: string) => boolean,
+				label: string,
+				timeoutMs = 30_000,
+			) => {
+				const deadline = Date.now() + timeoutMs;
+				let current = screen(term);
+				while (Date.now() < deadline) {
+					await sleep(250);
+					await writes;
+					current = screen(term);
+					if (predicate(current)) {
+						return current;
+					}
+				}
+				throw new Error(`timed out waiting for ${label}\n\n${current}`);
+			};
+
+			await waitForScreen((s) => s.includes("~"), "vim startup screen");
+
+			// Idle well past a minute. With polling-based input waits this idle
+			// stretch used to burn the 30s default CPU budget and the watchdog
+			// killed the isolate.
+			await sleep(65_000);
+
+			await vm.writeShell(shellId, "iidle-survivor");
+			await waitForScreen(
+				(s) => s.includes("idle-survivor"),
+				"keystrokes consumed after long idle",
+				10_000,
+			);
+
+			await vm.writeShell(shellId, "\u001b:q!\r");
+			await sleep(1_000);
+
+			offData();
+			void __disposeAllSharedSidecarsForTesting().catch(() => {});
+			vm = undefined;
+		},
+		TEST_TIMEOUT_MS,
+	);
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/vim-provides.test.ts b/packages/core/tests/vim-provides.test.ts
index dd87a3cafa..6c1f452d6d 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/vim-provides.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/tests/vim-provides.test.ts
@@ -20,9 +20,13 @@ const { Terminal } = pkg;
 
 const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 const REPO_ROOT = resolve(__dirname, "../../..");
-const VIM_COMMAND_DIR = resolve(REPO_ROOT, ".local-cmds");
+// Local-fixture locations, overridable so the suite is not tied to one
+// machine's layout (CI skips via the fixture gate below).
+const VIM_COMMAND_DIR =
+	process.env.AGENTOS_VIM_FIXTURE_DIR ?? resolve(REPO_ROOT, ".local-cmds");
 const VIM_BINARY = resolve(VIM_COMMAND_DIR, "vim");
 const SNAP_DIR =
+	process.env.AGENTOS_VIM_SNAPSHOT_DIR ??
 	"/home/nathan/progress/agent-os/2026-06-30-package-provisioned-files-env/vim-provides-snapshots";
 
 // Mirror packages/shell/src/main.ts: VIMRUNTIME pointed straight at a runtime
diff --git a/packages/shell/src/main.ts b/packages/shell/src/main.ts
index 572782426b..2f5872b646 100644
--- a/packages/shell/src/main.ts
+++ b/packages/shell/src/main.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ const fallbackCommandDirs = [
 		"../secure-exec/registry/native/target/wasm32-wasip1/release/commands",
 	),
 ];
-const INTERACTIVE_SHELL_WASM_FUEL_MS = 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
 const BRUSH_SHELL_COMMANDS = new Set(["bash", "sh"]);
 const SHELL_OPTIONS_WITH_VALUES = new Set([
 	"--command",
@@ -722,28 +721,14 @@ async function runTerminalAttempt(
 
 const cli = parseCli(process.argv.slice(2));
 const env = buildEnv(cli);
-if (cli.tty && env.AGENTOS_V8_CPU_TIME_LIMIT_MS === undefined) {
-	// Interactive sessions idle for hours; the wasm runner's input polling
-	// accrues active-CPU against the default 30s watchdog and kills the guest
-	// (vim/reedline die mid-session). Match the 24h interactive fuel budget.
-	env.AGENTOS_V8_CPU_TIME_LIMIT_MS = String(INTERACTIVE_SHELL_WASM_FUEL_MS);
-}
 const mounts = buildMounts(cli);
-const limits = cli.tty
-	? {
-			resources: {
-				maxWasmFuel: INTERACTIVE_SHELL_WASM_FUEL_MS,
-			},
-		}
-	: undefined;
 
 const vm: ShellVmHandle = cli.actor
-	? await createActorShellVm({ software, mounts, limits })
+	? await createActorShellVm({ software, mounts })
 	: await AgentOs.create({
 			mounts,
 			permissions: allowAll,
 			software,
-			limits,
 		});
 
 let exitCode = 1;