diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/package.json b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/package.json
index c4e6fed420..5370dc5364 100644
--- a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/package.json
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/package.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "devEngines": {
     "runtime": {
       "name": "node",
-      "version": "22.22.2"
+      "version": "22.18.0"
     }
   },
   "packageManager": "pnpm@11.0.6"
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/snapshots.toml b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/snapshots.toml
index d76b78f1ad..5cb0153c61 100644
--- a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/snapshots.toml
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/snapshots.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 [[case]]
 name = "dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11"
 vp = "global"
+# The devEngines pin must stay on vp's default Node.js version: the CI seed
+# only carries the default, and any other pin makes this step download a
+# runtime from nodejs.org inside its 60s budget, which times out when the
+# Windows runner's connection stalls.
 steps = [
-  { argv = ["vp", "dlx", "-s", "print-current-version"], comment = "should print Node.js version 22.22.2 from devEngines.runtime", continue-on-failure = true },
+  { argv = ["vp", "dlx", "-s", "print-current-version"], comment = "should print Node.js version 22.18.0 from devEngines.runtime", continue-on-failure = true },
 ]
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/snapshots/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11.md b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/snapshots/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11.md
index 03c2f755c9..3980f484c2 100644
--- a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/snapshots/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11.md
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11/snapshots/dev_engines_runtime_pnpm11.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 ## `vp dlx -s print-current-version`
 
-should print Node.js version 22.22.2 from devEngines.runtime
+should print Node.js version 22.18.0 from devEngines.runtime
 
 ```
 <version>