diff --git a/runtime/tests/runtime-signing.test.mjs b/runtime/tests/runtime-signing.test.mjs
index 158085a..6e5a7cf 100644
--- a/runtime/tests/runtime-signing.test.mjs
+++ b/runtime/tests/runtime-signing.test.mjs
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ test("fabricated x402 defaults use v1.1.0", async () => {
 });
 
 
-test("full chain clean -> summarize -> classify verifies with schema using partial x402 defaults", async () => {
+test("full chain clean -> summarize -> classify verifies with schema using partial x402 defaults", { timeout: 20000 }, async () => {
   const keys = makeKeys();
   const srv = await startServer({
     RECEIPT_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PEM_B64: keys.privatePemB64,
@@ -440,30 +440,62 @@ test("full chain clean -> summarize -> classify verifies with schema using parti
   });
 
   async function runVerb(base, verb, content) {
-    const res = await fetch(`${base}/${verb}/v1.1.0`, {
-      method: "POST",
-      headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
-      body: JSON.stringify({
-        x402: { verb, version: "1.1.0" },
-        input: { content },
-      }),
-    });
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 10000);
+
+    try {
+      const res = await fetch(`${base}/${verb}/v1.1.0`, {
+        method: "POST",
+        headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+        body: JSON.stringify({
+          x402: { verb, version: "1.1.0" },
+          input: { content },
+        }),
+        signal: controller.signal,
+      });
+
+      const text = await res.text();
+
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}: ${text}`);
+      }
 
-    assert.equal(res.status, 200);
-    return res.json();
+      const json = JSON.parse(text);
+      return json;
+
+    } catch (err) {
+      const cause = err?.cause?.code || err?.cause || err.message;
+      throw new Error(`runVerb(${verb}) failed: ${cause}`);
+    } finally {
+      clearTimeout(timeout);
+    }
   }
 
   try {
     const source = "Hello world. This is a test document. It contains multiple sentences.";
+    let finalReceipt;
+
+    try {
+      const clean = await runVerb(srv.base, "clean", source);
+
+      assert.ok(clean?.receipt?.result?.cleaned_content, "clean step missing cleaned_content");
+      const cleanText = clean.receipt.result.cleaned_content;
 
-    const clean = await runVerb(srv.base, "clean", source);
-    const cleanText = clean.receipt.result.cleaned_content;
+      const summarize = await runVerb(srv.base, "summarize", cleanText);
 
-    const summarize = await runVerb(srv.base, "summarize", cleanText);
-    const summary = summarize.receipt.result.summary;
+      assert.ok(summarize?.receipt?.result?.summary, "summarize step missing summary");
+      const summary = summarize.receipt.result.summary;
 
-    const classify = await runVerb(srv.base, "classify", summary);
-    const finalReceipt = classify.receipt;
+      const classify = await runVerb(srv.base, "classify", summary);
+
+      assert.ok(classify?.receipt, "classify step missing receipt");
+      finalReceipt = classify.receipt;
+
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error("CHAIN FAILURE DEBUG:");
+      console.error(err);
+      throw err;
+    }
 
     assert.equal(finalReceipt.x402.entry, "x402://classifyagent.eth/classify/v1.1.0");
 
@@ -474,6 +506,8 @@ test("full chain clean -> summarize -> classify verifies with schema using parti
     });
     const verifyJson = await verifyRes.json();
 
+    console.log("VERIFY RESULT:", verifyJson);
+
     assert.equal(verifyRes.status, 200);
     assert.equal(verifyJson.checks.signature_valid, true);
     assert.equal(verifyJson.checks.hash_matches, true);