diff --git a/scripts/pr b/scripts/pr
index 0660dcd5058..21f3a966e8e 100755
--- a/scripts/pr
+++ b/scripts/pr
@@ -1431,7 +1431,13 @@ prepare_gates() {
   if [ "$docs_only" = "true" ]; then
     echo "Docs-only change detected with high confidence; skipping pnpm test."
   else
-    run_quiet_logged "pnpm test" ".local/gates-test.log" pnpm test
+    local prepare_unit_fast_batch_target_ms
+    prepare_unit_fast_batch_target_ms="${OPENCLAW_PREPARE_TEST_UNIT_FAST_BATCH_TARGET_MS:-5000}"
+    echo "Running pnpm test with OPENCLAW_TEST_UNIT_FAST_BATCH_TARGET_MS=$prepare_unit_fast_batch_target_ms for shorter-lived unit-fast workers."
+    run_quiet_logged \
+      "pnpm test" \
+      ".local/gates-test.log" \
+      env OPENCLAW_TEST_UNIT_FAST_BATCH_TARGET_MS="$prepare_unit_fast_batch_target_ms" pnpm test
   fi
 
   cat > .local/gates.env <<EOF_ENV