diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 7968e8e5..edf937da 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ jobs:
         name: tests-report_lin_${{matrix.pyver}}
         path: tests_log_linux_${{matrix.pyver}}.xml
       if: ${{ always() }}
-    timeout-minutes: 20
+    timeout-minutes: 40
 
   tests_windows:
     name: "Tests Windows"
diff --git a/tests/tests_net_messages/test_benchmark.py b/tests/tests_net_messages/test_benchmark.py
index 8ca36ffc..a597df4c 100644
--- a/tests/tests_net_messages/test_benchmark.py
+++ b/tests/tests_net_messages/test_benchmark.py
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
-import os
 import asyncio
 import random
 import string
 import time
 import threading
-import multiprocessing
-from unittest import IsolatedAsyncioTestCase, skip
+from unittest import IsolatedAsyncioTestCase, skipIf
 from lifeblood.logging import get_logger, set_default_loglevel
 from lifeblood.nethelpers import get_localhost
 from lifeblood.net_messages.address import AddressChain, DirectAddress
@@ -17,6 +15,11 @@
 
 from typing import Callable, List, Type, Awaitable
 
+SKIP_BENCHMARK = True
+if not SKIP_BENCHMARK:
+    # just importing the module may be extremely slow on CI workers
+    import multiprocessing
+
 set_default_loglevel('DEBUG')
 logger = get_logger('message_test')
 
@@ -123,11 +126,11 @@ def get_message_count(self) -> int:
 
 
 class TestBenchmarkSendReceive(IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
-    @skip("no reason to benchmark on slow machines")
+    @skipIf(SKIP_BENCHMARK, "no reason to benchmark on slow machines")
     async def test_threaded(self):
         await self.helper_test(ThreadedFoo)
 
-    @skip("no reason to benchmark on slow machines")
+    @skipIf(SKIP_BENCHMARK, "no reason to benchmark on slow machines")
     async def test_proc(self):
         await self.helper_test(ProcessedFoo)