diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
index 9c377deb79..099908616c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
@@ -60,8 +60,9 @@ jobs:
     if: >-
       github.event_name != 'pull_request'
       || !(github.event.pull_request.head.repo.fork || github.event.pull_request.user.login == 'dependabot[bot]')
-    # Bounded file parallelism (DSH_E2E_MAX_WORKERS), 120s/test, retry 2. 45m
-    # still bounds retry storms against a slow API while the happy path fans out.
+    # Profile e2e files can each own several complete dsh subprocess trees, so
+    # four file workers preserve process/PTY headroom. Tests retain 120s/test
+    # and retry 2; 45m still bounds retry storms against a slow API.
     timeout-minutes: 45
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
@@ -115,6 +116,6 @@ jobs:
         env:
           DEEPSEEK_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEEPSEEK_API_KEY_EXTERNAL }}
           DEEPSEEK_BASE_URL: https://api.deepseek.com
-          DSH_E2E_MAX_WORKERS: 14
+          DSH_E2E_MAX_WORKERS: 4
           DSH_EXAMPLE_MODE: lib
         run: pnpm run test:e2e
diff --git a/scripts/ci-workflow.spec.ts b/scripts/ci-workflow.spec.ts
index 4e20692392..1c84f28c78 100644
--- a/scripts/ci-workflow.spec.ts
+++ b/scripts/ci-workflow.spec.ts
@@ -258,6 +258,15 @@ describe('DeepSeek e2e workflow', () => {
     })
     expect(JSON.stringify(steps)).not.toContain('apt-get')
   })
+
+  it('bounds profile subprocess fan-out to the tested e2e default', () => {
+    const workflow = loadWorkflow('.github/workflows/e2e.yml')
+    const e2e = workflowJob(workflow, 'e2e')
+    if (!Array.isArray(e2e.steps)) throw new TypeError('DeepSeek e2e workflow must define steps')
+
+    const step = e2e.steps.filter(isRecord).find(candidate => candidate.name === 'E2E tests (real DeepSeek API)')
+    expect(step).toMatchObject({ env: { DSH_E2E_MAX_WORKERS: 4 } })
+  })
 })
 
 describe('E2B e2e workflow', () => {