diff --git a/docs/spec/compat-tests.md b/docs/spec/compat-tests.md
index 4276fa9..32f4507 100644
--- a/docs/spec/compat-tests.md
+++ b/docs/spec/compat-tests.md
@@ -109,6 +109,15 @@ fails on one of its own (`tests/src/utils/server.rs`). The copy is not
 edited to achieve this; its listeners are simply not what a compat run
 needs.
 
+**Why the copy's task queue is ignored.** A real server's pending tasks come
+with its store: ACME renewals due months from now, work that can never run
+on this machine. The harness waits for tasks to drain, so the first run
+against INBUXA's copy sat printing `Waiting for pending task
+AcmeRenewal(...)` until it was interrupted. Under `NO_INSERT` it now skips
+tasks that aren't due and ones that have failed for good, and gives up
+after a minute with the task printed, so the test fails on its own
+assertion instead of spinning.
+
 **Why `compat-` listeners appear in the copy.** The harness needs listeners
 on its own ports, and the registry keys listeners by name. A real server
 has its own, and a production listener called `jmap` or `imap` collided
diff --git a/tests/src/utils/storage.rs b/tests/src/utils/storage.rs
index 414d04c..36b27c6 100644
--- a/tests/src/utils/storage.rs
+++ b/tests/src/utils/storage.rs
@@ -281,6 +281,19 @@ async fn build_search_store(typ: SearchStoreType, _path: &str) -> SearchStore {
 }
 
 pub async fn wait_for_tasks(server: &Server, skip_not_due: bool, skip_permanent_failures: bool) {
+    // inbuxa: a compat run opens a copy of a real server's store, and its
+    // task queue comes too: ACME renewals due months from now, work that
+    // can never run on this machine. Waiting for that to drain never ends,
+    // so skip what isn't due and what has already failed for good, and give
+    // up after a minute rather than hang. Whatever the test was waiting for
+    // then fails on its own assertion, which says more than a spinner.
+    let compat = std::env::var("NO_INSERT").is_ok();
+    let (skip_not_due, skip_permanent_failures) = if compat {
+        (true, true)
+    } else {
+        (skip_not_due, skip_permanent_failures)
+    };
+    let give_up_at = std::time::Instant::now() + std::time::Duration::from_secs(60);
     let mut count = 0;
     loop {
         let mut has_index_tasks = None;
@@ -315,6 +328,12 @@ pub async fn wait_for_tasks(server: &Server, skip_not_due: bool, skip_permanent_
             if count % 10 == 0 {
                 println!("Waiting for pending task {:?}...", task);
             }
+            if compat && std::time::Instant::now() > give_up_at {
+                println!(
+                    "Gave up waiting after 60s; this task is the copy's, not this run's: {task:?}"
+                );
+                break;
+            }
             tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(200)).await;
         } else {
             break;