diff --git a/packages/engine/src/services/frameCapture-cssBackgroundReady.test.ts b/packages/engine/src/services/frameCapture-cssBackgroundReady.test.ts
index 34e60a4595..d12a89d430 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/services/frameCapture-cssBackgroundReady.test.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/services/frameCapture-cssBackgroundReady.test.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
-import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { Page } from "puppeteer-core";
-import { decodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages } from "./frameCapture.js";
+import { BACKGROUND_DECODE_TIMEOUT_MS, decodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages } from "./frameCapture.js";
 
 function makeMockPage(
   getBackgroundImage: () => string,
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ function makeMockPage(
   decodeImage?: (src: string) => Promise<void>,
 ): Page {
   return {
-    evaluate: async (fn: () => unknown) => {
+    evaluate: async (fn: (arg?: unknown) => unknown, arg?: unknown) => {
       const previousDocument = globalThis.document;
       const previousImage = globalThis.Image;
       const previousWindow = globalThis.window;
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ function makeMockPage(
       });
 
       try {
-        return await fn();
+        return await fn(arg);
       } finally {
         Object.assign(globalThis, {
           document: previousDocument,
@@ -56,9 +56,12 @@ function makeMockPage(
 afterEach(() => {
   const root = globalThis as {
     __hf_css_background_decoded?: Set<string>;
+    __hf_css_background_timed_out?: Set<string>;
     __hfDecodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages?: () => Promise<void>;
   };
   delete root.__hf_css_background_decoded;
+  delete root.__hf_css_background_timed_out;
+  vi.useRealTimers();
   delete root.__hfDecodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages;
 });
 
@@ -119,6 +122,23 @@ describe("decodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages", () => {
     expect(decoded).toEqual(["/assets/late.jpg", "/assets/late.jpg"]);
   });
 
+  it("stops waiting for a url whose decode never settles and names it", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const decoded: string[] = [];
+    const page = makeMockPage(
+      () => 'url("/assets/stuck.jpg")',
+      decoded,
+      () => new Promise<void>(() => {}),
+    );
+
+    const first = decodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages(page);
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(BACKGROUND_DECODE_TIMEOUT_MS);
+    expect(await first).toEqual(["/assets/stuck.jpg"]);
+
+    expect(await decodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages(page)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(decoded).toEqual(["/assets/stuck.jpg"]);
+  });
+
   it("installs a page-local decoder that can run after an in-page seek", async () => {
     let backgroundImage = 'url("/assets/row-0.jpg")';
     const decoded: string[] = [];
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/services/frameCapture.ts b/packages/engine/src/services/frameCapture.ts
index 744f9a9733..e173a64d3a 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/services/frameCapture.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/services/frameCapture.ts
@@ -452,15 +452,25 @@ export function getDrawElementVerificationDetails(
   return undefined;
 }
 
-/** Wait for inline CSS background images introduced by the latest seek. */
-export async function decodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages(page: Page): Promise<void> {
-  await page.evaluate(async () => {
+/** Longest the capture waits for one inline background image to decode; it is then left out. */
+export const BACKGROUND_DECODE_TIMEOUT_MS = 15_000;
+
+/**
+ * Wait for inline CSS background images introduced by the latest seek.
+ * Resolves with the urls that did not settle in time: they are captured as they stand and not waited on again.
+ */
+export async function decodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages(page: Page): Promise<string[]> {
+  return page.evaluate(async (timeoutMs: number) => {
     const root = globalThis as typeof globalThis & {
       __hf_css_background_decoded?: Set<string>;
-      __hfDecodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages?: () => Promise<void>;
+      __hf_css_background_timed_out?: Set<string>;
+      __hf_css_background_timeout_ms?: number;
+      __hfDecodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages?: () => Promise<string[]>;
     };
     const decode = (root.__hfDecodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages ??= async () => {
+      const limitMs = root.__hf_css_background_timeout_ms ?? 0;
       const decoded = (root.__hf_css_background_decoded ??= new Set<string>());
+      const timedOut = (root.__hf_css_background_timed_out ??= new Set<string>());
       const urls: string[] = [];
       const parseBackgroundUrls = (value: string): string[] => {
         const found: string[] = [];
@@ -514,26 +524,42 @@ export async function decodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages(page: Page): Promise<void
         if (!backgroundImage || backgroundImage === "none") continue;
 
         for (const url of parseBackgroundUrls(backgroundImage)) {
-          if (!decoded.has(url)) urls.push(url);
+          if (!decoded.has(url) && !timedOut.has(url)) urls.push(url);
         }
       }
 
+      const late: string[] = [];
       await Promise.all(
         [...new Set(urls)].map(async (url) => {
           const image = new Image();
           image.src = url;
+          let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+          const expired = new Promise<"late">((resolve) => {
+            timer = setTimeout(() => resolve("late"), limitMs);
+          });
           try {
-            await image.decode();
-            decoded.add(url);
+            const outcome = await Promise.race([
+              image.decode().then(() => "ready" as const),
+              expired,
+            ]);
+            if (outcome === "ready") decoded.add(url);
+            else {
+              timedOut.add(url);
+              late.push(url);
+            }
           } catch {
             // Keep existing capture behavior for missing assets; request diagnostics report them.
+          } finally {
+            clearTimeout(timer);
           }
         }),
       );
+      return late;
     });
 
-    await decode();
-  });
+    root.__hf_css_background_timeout_ms = timeoutMs;
+    return decode();
+  }, BACKGROUND_DECODE_TIMEOUT_MS);
 }
 
 // Circular buffer for browser console messages dumped on render failure diagnostics.
@@ -3291,7 +3317,12 @@ async function prepareFrameForCapture(
   const hasPendingComposite = await seekPageTimeline(page, quantizedTime, seekOptions);
 
   session.captureStep = "decoding CSS background images";
-  await decodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages(page);
+  for (const url of await decodeDynamicCssBackgroundImages(page)) {
+    appendBrowserDiagnostic(
+      session,
+      `[FrameCapture] background image still decoding after ${BACKGROUND_DECODE_TIMEOUT_MS}ms, captured without it: ${url}`,
+    );
+  }
 
   const seekMs = Date.now() - seekStart;