diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 1281cef2..575dcfb9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -20,9 +20,22 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}
 
 jobs:
+  lint-workflows:
+    name: Workflow Checks
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
+      - name: Check workflow files
+        uses: docker://rhysd/actionlint:1.7.12
+        with:
+          args: -color
+
   check-frontend:
     name: Frontend Checks
+    needs: lint-workflows
     runs-on: windows-2025-vs2026
+    timeout-minutes: 20
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
@@ -35,7 +48,9 @@ jobs:
 
   check-backend:
     name: Backend Checks
+    needs: lint-workflows
     runs-on: windows-2025-vs2026
+    timeout-minutes: 20
     env:
       CARGO_PROFILE_DEV_DEBUG: 0
       CARGO_PROFILE_TEST_DEBUG: 0
@@ -62,6 +77,7 @@ jobs:
 
   test-e2e-desktop:
     name: Desktop E2E
+    needs: lint-workflows
     runs-on: windows-2025-vs2026
     timeout-minutes: 20
     env:
@@ -110,7 +126,7 @@ jobs:
   ci-gate:
     name: CI Gate
     if: ${{ always() }}
-    needs: [check-frontend, check-backend, test-e2e-desktop]
+    needs: [lint-workflows, check-frontend, check-backend, test-e2e-desktop]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 5
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 48597e1d..d7436f95 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ jobs:
   release-windows:
     name: Build Windows installers
     runs-on: windows-2025-vs2026
+    timeout-minutes: 45
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index c2fa4384..91ce455b 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -189,7 +189,9 @@ Frontend checks enforce a coverage floor. It is a ratchet set just below the mea
 
 CI and release jobs share [the setup action](./.github/actions/setup/action.yml), which uses `pnpm/setup` to install manifest-selected pnpm and Node.js, cache the package store, and require a frozen lockfile. Rust jobs provide a cache workspace mapping to also install the pinned toolchain and restore the appropriate target directory; CI saves Rust caches only on `main`.
 
-The `CI Gate` job in [the CI workflow](./.github/workflows/ci.yml) waits for `Frontend Checks`, `Backend Checks`, and `Desktop E2E`. It runs even when a prerequisite fails or is skipped, and passes only when every prerequisite succeeds.
+`Workflow Checks` runs pinned actionlint, including ShellCheck, before the application jobs. It checks all workflow files, including the release workflow. CI jobs have explicit time limits: five minutes for workflow linting and the gate, twenty minutes for each application job, and forty-five minutes for the release build.
+
+The `CI Gate` job in [the CI workflow](./.github/workflows/ci.yml) waits for `Workflow Checks`, `Frontend Checks`, `Backend Checks`, and `Desktop E2E`. It runs even when a prerequisite fails or is skipped, and passes only when every prerequisite succeeds.
 
 To change the required validation, update `ci-gate.needs` with the relevant job IDs. If a job becomes conditional, update the gate's result policy in the same pull request so intentional skips are explicit and unexpected skips still fail. Keep the `CI Gate` display name stable because GitHub branch protection uses it. When migrating branch protection, retain the existing required checks until the gate passes on a pull request and is merged, then require `CI Gate` from GitHub Actions.