diff --git a/.github/workflows/openclaw-release-checks.yml b/.github/workflows/openclaw-release-checks.yml
index 05f71abf92d..bb668815865 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/openclaw-release-checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/openclaw-release-checks.yml
@@ -650,6 +650,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           OPENAI_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.OPENAI_API_KEY }}
           OPENCLAW_QA_REDACT_PUBLIC_METADATA: "1"
+          OPENCLAW_QA_MATRIX_CANARY_TIMEOUT_MS: "90000"
           OPENCLAW_QA_MATRIX_NO_REPLY_WINDOW_MS: "3000"
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
diff --git a/docs/concepts/qa-matrix.md b/docs/concepts/qa-matrix.md
index 3e323e333cd..add045f4307 100644
--- a/docs/concepts/qa-matrix.md
+++ b/docs/concepts/qa-matrix.md
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ Pass `--scenario <id>` (repeatable) to run a hand-picked set; combine with `--pr
 | Variable                                | Default                                   | Effect                                                                                                                                                                                         |
 | --------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | `OPENCLAW_QA_MATRIX_TIMEOUT_MS`         | `1800000` (30 min)                        | Hard upper bound on the entire run.                                                                                                                                                            |
+| `OPENCLAW_QA_MATRIX_CANARY_TIMEOUT_MS`  | `45000`                                   | Bound for the initial canary reply. Release CI raises this on shared runners so a slow first gateway turn does not fail before scenario coverage starts.                                       |
 | `OPENCLAW_QA_MATRIX_NO_REPLY_WINDOW_MS` | `8000`                                    | Quiet window for negative no-reply assertions. Clamped to `≤` the run timeout.                                                                                                                 |
 | `OPENCLAW_QA_MATRIX_CLEANUP_TIMEOUT_MS` | `90000`                                   | Bound for Docker teardown. Failure surfaces include the recovery `docker compose ... down --remove-orphans` command.                                                                           |
 | `OPENCLAW_QA_MATRIX_TUWUNEL_IMAGE`      | `ghcr.io/matrix-construct/tuwunel:v1.5.1` | Override the homeserver image when validating against a different Tuwunel version.                                                                                                             |
diff --git a/extensions/qa-matrix/src/runners/contract/runtime.ts b/extensions/qa-matrix/src/runners/contract/runtime.ts
index 36af67df6f0..ea65bb80954 100644
--- a/extensions/qa-matrix/src/runners/contract/runtime.ts
+++ b/extensions/qa-matrix/src/runners/contract/runtime.ts
@@ -943,9 +943,8 @@ export async function runMatrixQaLive(params: {
   } finally {
     if (gatewayHarness) {
       try {
-        const shouldPreserveGatewayDebugArtifacts = scenarioResults.some(
-          (scenario) => scenario?.status === "fail",
-        );
+        const shouldPreserveGatewayDebugArtifacts =
+          scenarioResults.some((scenario) => scenario?.status === "fail") || canaryFailed;
         preservedGatewayDebugDirPath = shouldPreserveGatewayDebugArtifacts
           ? path.join(outputDir, "gateway-debug")
           : undefined;
diff --git a/src/commands/doctor.runs-legacy-state-migrations-yes-mode-without.e2e.test.ts b/src/commands/doctor.runs-legacy-state-migrations-yes-mode-without.e2e.test.ts
index c75fbe572c5..5a896425fd1 100644
--- a/src/commands/doctor.runs-legacy-state-migrations-yes-mode-without.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/doctor.runs-legacy-state-migrations-yes-mode-without.e2e.test.ts
@@ -112,7 +112,19 @@ describe("doctor command", () => {
       },
     ]);
 
-    await doctorCommand(createDoctorRuntime(), { yes: true });
+    const previousConfigWriteSupport =
+      process.env.OPENCLAW_UPDATE_PARENT_SUPPORTS_DOCTOR_CONFIG_WRITE;
+    process.env.OPENCLAW_UPDATE_PARENT_SUPPORTS_DOCTOR_CONFIG_WRITE = "1";
+    try {
+      await doctorCommand(createDoctorRuntime(), { yes: true });
+    } finally {
+      if (previousConfigWriteSupport === undefined) {
+        delete process.env.OPENCLAW_UPDATE_PARENT_SUPPORTS_DOCTOR_CONFIG_WRITE;
+      } else {
+        process.env.OPENCLAW_UPDATE_PARENT_SUPPORTS_DOCTOR_CONFIG_WRITE =
+          previousConfigWriteSupport;
+      }
+    }
 
     const written = writeConfigFile.mock.calls
       .map((call) => call[0] as Record<string, unknown>)