diff --git a/.github/actions/publish-release/action.yml b/.github/actions/publish-release/action.yml
index 2eab2072805..f13867ab611 100644
--- a/.github/actions/publish-release/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/publish-release/action.yml
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ runs:
       shell: 'bash'
       run: |
         npm publish \
+          --ignore-scripts \
           --dry-run="${INPUTS_DRY_RUN}" \
           --workspace="${INPUTS_CORE_PACKAGE_NAME}" \
           --tag staging-tmp
@@ -215,6 +216,7 @@ runs:
       shell: 'bash'
       run: |
         npm publish \
+          --ignore-scripts \
           --dry-run="${INPUTS_DRY_RUN}" \
           --workspace="${INPUTS_CLI_PACKAGE_NAME}" \
           --tag staging-tmp
@@ -242,6 +244,7 @@ runs:
       # Tag staging for initial release
       run: |
         npm publish \
+          --ignore-scripts \
           --dry-run="${INPUTS_DRY_RUN}" \
           --workspace="${INPUTS_A2A_PACKAGE_NAME}" \
           --tag staging-tmp
diff --git a/integration-tests/parallel-tools.responses b/integration-tests/parallel-tools.responses
index d7beedc8b25..41c3780991f 100644
--- a/integration-tests/parallel-tools.responses
+++ b/integration-tests/parallel-tools.responses
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
+{"method":"generateContent","response":{"candidates":[{"content":{"parts":[{"text":"{\n  \"reasoning\": \"Simple task.\",\n  \"model_choice\": \"flash\"\n}"}]},"finishReason":"STOP","index":0}]}}
 {"method":"generateContentStream","response":[{"candidates":[{"content":{"parts":[{"functionCall":{"name":"read_file","args":{"file_path":"file1.txt"}}},{"functionCall":{"name":"read_file","args":{"file_path":"file2.txt"}}},{"functionCall":{"name":"write_file","args":{"file_path":"output.txt","content":"wave2"}}},{"functionCall":{"name":"read_file","args":{"file_path":"file3.txt"}}},{"functionCall":{"name":"read_file","args":{"file_path":"file4.txt"}}}, {"text":"All waves completed successfully."}]},"finishReason":"STOP","index":0}]}]}
+{"method":"generateContent","response":{"candidates":[{"content":{"parts":[{"text":"All waves completed successfully."}]},"finishReason":"STOP","index":0}]}}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/integration-tests/parallel-tools.test.ts b/integration-tests/parallel-tools.test.ts
index 760f98cd7ab..9cd6068db35 100644
--- a/integration-tests/parallel-tools.test.ts
+++ b/integration-tests/parallel-tools.test.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ describe('Parallel Tool Execution Integration', () => {
   it('should execute [read, read, write, read, read] in correct waves with user approval', async () => {
     rig.setup('parallel-wave-execution', {
       fakeResponsesPath: join(import.meta.dirname, 'parallel-tools.responses'),
+      fakeResponsesNonStrict: true,
       settings: {
         tools: {
           core: ['read_file', 'write_file'],
@@ -40,19 +41,24 @@ describe('Parallel Tool Execution Integration', () => {
 
     const run = await rig.runInteractive({ approvalMode: 'default' });
 
-    // 1. Trigger the wave
-    await run.type('ok');
-    await run.type('\r');
+    try {
+      // 1. Trigger the wave
+      await run.type('ok');
+      await run.type('\r');
 
-    // 3. Wait for the write_file prompt.
-    await run.expectText('Allow', 5000);
+      // 3. Wait for the write_file prompt.
+      await run.expectText('Allow', 10000);
 
-    // 4. Press Enter to approve the write_file.
-    await run.type('y');
-    await run.type('\r');
+      // 4. Press Enter to approve the write_file.
+      await run.type('y');
+      await run.type('\r');
 
-    // 5. Wait for the final model response
-    await run.expectText('All waves completed successfully.', 5000);
+      // 5. Wait for the final model response
+      await run.expectText('All waves completed successfully.', 10000);
+    } catch (err) {
+      fs.writeFileSync('pty_output_failure.txt', run.output);
+      throw err;
+    }
 
     // Verify all tool calls were made and succeeded in the logs
     await rig.expectToolCallSuccess(['write_file']);
@@ -73,5 +79,5 @@ describe('Parallel Tool Execution Integration', () => {
     expect(fs.readFileSync(join(rig.testDir!, 'output.txt'), 'utf8')).toBe(
       'wave2',
     );
-  });
+  }, 30000);
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/scheduler/scheduler.ts b/packages/core/src/scheduler/scheduler.ts
index 5a4f9869514..76529c14d36 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/scheduler/scheduler.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/scheduler/scheduler.ts
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ export class Scheduler {
 
     if (isWaitingForExternal && this.state.isActive) {
       // Yield to the event loop to allow external events (tool completion, user input) to progress.
-      await new Promise((resolve) => queueMicrotask(() => resolve(true)));
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10));
       return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/test-utils/src/test-rig.ts b/packages/test-utils/src/test-rig.ts
index 10a0ffd569c..7c8ec5fc38e 100644
--- a/packages/test-utils/src/test-rig.ts
+++ b/packages/test-utils/src/test-rig.ts
@@ -365,6 +365,8 @@ export class TestRig {
   _lastRunStderr?: string;
   // Path to the copied fake responses file for this test.
   fakeResponsesPath?: string;
+  // Whether to run fake responses in non-strict mode.
+  fakeResponsesNonStrict?: boolean;
   // Original fake responses file path for rewriting goldens in record mode.
   originalFakeResponsesPath?: string;
   private _interactiveRuns: InteractiveRun[] = [];
@@ -377,6 +379,7 @@ export class TestRig {
       settings?: Record<string, unknown>;
       state?: Record<string, unknown>;
       fakeResponsesPath?: string;
+      fakeResponsesNonStrict?: boolean;
     } = {},
   ) {
     this.testName = testName;
@@ -398,6 +401,7 @@ export class TestRig {
     if (options.fakeResponsesPath) {
       this.fakeResponsesPath = join(this.testDir, 'fake-responses.json');
       this.originalFakeResponsesPath = options.fakeResponsesPath;
+      this.fakeResponsesNonStrict = options.fakeResponsesNonStrict;
       if (process.env['REGENERATE_MODEL_GOLDENS'] !== 'true') {
         fs.copyFileSync(options.fakeResponsesPath, this.fakeResponsesPath);
       }
@@ -558,6 +562,8 @@ export class TestRig {
     if (this.fakeResponsesPath) {
       if (process.env['REGENERATE_MODEL_GOLDENS'] === 'true') {
         initialArgs.push('--record-responses', this.fakeResponsesPath);
+      } else if (this.fakeResponsesNonStrict) {
+        initialArgs.push('--fake-responses-non-strict', this.fakeResponsesPath);
       } else {
         initialArgs.push('--fake-responses', this.fakeResponsesPath);
       }