diff --git a/crates/icp-cli/tests/common/context.rs b/crates/icp-cli/tests/common/context.rs
index 43197093..5d8c9386 100644
--- a/crates/icp-cli/tests/common/context.rs
+++ b/crates/icp-cli/tests/common/context.rs
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ impl TestContext {
             .success();
     }
 
-    // wait up to 30 seconds for descriptor path to contain valid json
+    // wait up for descriptor path to contain valid json
     pub fn wait_for_local_network_descriptor(&self, project_dir: &Path) -> TestNetwork {
         self.wait_for_network_descriptor(project_dir, "local")
     }
@@ -245,14 +245,16 @@ impl TestContext {
             .join(network_name)
             .join("descriptor.json");
         let start_time = std::time::Instant::now();
+        let timeout = 45;
+        eprintln!("Waiting for network descriptor at {descriptor_path} - limit {timeout}s");
         let network_descriptor = loop {
-            eprintln!("Checking for network descriptor at {descriptor_path}");
+            let elapsed = start_time.elapsed().as_secs();
             if descriptor_path.exists() && descriptor_path.is_file() {
                 let contents = fs::read_to_string(&descriptor_path)
                     .expect("Failed to read network descriptor");
                 let parsed = serde_json::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(&contents);
                 if let Ok(value) = parsed {
-                    eprintln!("Network descriptor found at {descriptor_path}");
+                    eprintln!("Network descriptor found at {descriptor_path} after {elapsed}s");
                     break value;
                 } else {
                     eprintln!(
@@ -260,8 +262,10 @@ impl TestContext {
                     );
                 }
             }
-            if start_time.elapsed().as_secs() > 30 {
-                panic!("Timed out waiting for network descriptor at {descriptor_path}");
+            if elapsed > timeout {
+                panic!(
+                    "Timed out waiting for network descriptor at {descriptor_path} after {elapsed}s"
+                );
             }
             std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(100));
         };
diff --git a/crates/icp/src/network/managed/run.rs b/crates/icp/src/network/managed/run.rs
index 0e1045f5..e9a25576 100644
--- a/crates/icp/src/network/managed/run.rs
+++ b/crates/icp/src/network/managed/run.rs
@@ -196,8 +196,9 @@ async fn wait_for_shutdown(child: &mut Child) -> ShutdownReason {
 }
 
 pub async fn wait_for_port_file(path: &Path) -> Result<u16, WaitForPortTimeoutError> {
-    let mut retries = 0;
-    while retries < 3000 {
+    let start_time = std::time::Instant::now();
+
+    loop {
         if let Ok(contents) = read_to_string(path)
             && contents.ends_with('\n')
             && let Ok(port) = contents.trim().parse::<u16>()
@@ -205,10 +206,11 @@ pub async fn wait_for_port_file(path: &Path) -> Result<u16, WaitForPortTimeoutEr
             return Ok(port);
         }
 
+        if start_time.elapsed().as_secs() > 30 {
+            return Err(WaitForPortTimeoutError);
+        }
         sleep(Duration::from_millis(100)).await;
-        retries += 1;
     }
-    Err(WaitForPortTimeoutError)
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Snafu)]