diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-pack-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/build-pack-publish.yml
index 3317e66..2e6147c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-pack-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-pack-publish.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - run: >
           docker build .
+          --build-arg TEST_TIMEOUT_SECONDS=30
           --tag node-bcrypt-builder
           --platform ${{ matrix.os }}/${{ matrix.arch }}
       - run: >
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ jobs:
       # build for Alpine:
       - run: >
           docker build -f Dockerfile-alpine .
+          --build-arg TEST_TIMEOUT_SECONDS=30
           --tag node-bcrypt-builder-alpine
           --platform ${{ matrix.os }}/${{ matrix.arch }}
       - run: >
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index da3b22f..2802baf 100755
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ RUN echo "#log: ${project}: Running build" \
   && npm run build
 
 ARG RUN_TESTS=true
+ARG TEST_TIMEOUT_SECONDS=
 
 RUN if "${RUN_TESTS}"; then \
     echo "#log ${project}: Running tests" \
diff --git a/Dockerfile-alpine b/Dockerfile-alpine
index 7ee6206..7570cfe 100755
--- a/Dockerfile-alpine
+++ b/Dockerfile-alpine
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ RUN echo "#log: ${project}: Running build" \
   && npm run build
 
 ARG RUN_TESTS=true
+ARG TEST_TIMEOUT_SECONDS=
 
 RUN if "${RUN_TESTS}"; then \
     echo "#log ${project}: Running tests" \
diff --git a/test/repetitions.test.js b/test/repetitions.test.js
index 7423c08..63ff407 100644
--- a/test/repetitions.test.js
+++ b/test/repetitions.test.js
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 const bcrypt = require('../bcrypt');
 
 const EXPECTED = 2500; //number of times to iterate these tests.)
+const { TEST_TIMEOUT_SECONDS } = process.env;
+let timeout = 5e3; // default test timeout
+
+// it is necessary to increase the test timeout when emulating cross-architecture
+// environments (i.e. arm64 from x86-64 host) which have significantly reduced performance:
+if ( TEST_TIMEOUT_SECONDS )
+    timeout = Number.parseInt(TEST_TIMEOUT_SECONDS, 10) * 1e3;
+
+jest.setTimeout(timeout);
 
 test('salt_length', () => {
     expect.assertions(EXPECTED);
@@ -8,7 +17,7 @@ test('salt_length', () => {
     return Promise.all(Array.from({length: EXPECTED},
         () => bcrypt.genSalt(10)
             .then(salt => expect(salt).toHaveLength(29))));
-}, 10e3)
+})
 
 test('test_hash_length', () => {
     expect.assertions(EXPECTED);
@@ -16,7 +25,7 @@ test('test_hash_length', () => {
     return Promise.all(Array.from({length: EXPECTED},
         () => bcrypt.hash('test', SALT)
             .then(hash => expect(hash).toHaveLength(60))));
-}, 10e3)
+})
 
 test('test_compare', () => {
     expect.assertions(EXPECTED);
@@ -24,7 +33,7 @@ test('test_compare', () => {
     return Promise.all(Array.from({length: EXPECTED},
         () => bcrypt.compare('test', HASH)
             .then(match => expect(match).toEqual(true))));
-}, 10e3)
+})
 
 test('test_hash_and_compare', () => {
     expect.assertions(EXPECTED * 3);
@@ -42,5 +51,5 @@ test('test_hash_and_compare', () => {
                     return Promise.all([goodCompare, badCompare]);
                 });
         }));
-}, 30e3);
+}, timeout * 3);