diff --git a/plugins/codex/hooks/hooks.json b/plugins/codex/hooks/hooks.json
index 19e33b818..9b761dfdf 100644
--- a/plugins/codex/hooks/hooks.json
+++ b/plugins/codex/hooks/hooks.json
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
           {
             "type": "command",
             "command": "node \"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/session-lifecycle-hook.mjs\" SessionEnd",
-            "timeout": 5
+            "timeout": 3
           }
         ]
       }
diff --git a/tests/commands.test.mjs b/tests/commands.test.mjs
index c34b06059..c9e2ce8f9 100644
--- a/tests/commands.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/commands.test.mjs
@@ -208,6 +208,8 @@ test("hooks keep session-end cleanup and stop gating enabled", () => {
   assert.match(source, /SessionEnd/);
   assert.match(source, /stop-review-gate-hook\.mjs/);
   assert.match(source, /session-lifecycle-hook\.mjs/);
+  const sessionEndTimeout = JSON.parse(source).hooks.SessionEnd[0].hooks[0].timeout;
+  assert.ok(sessionEndTimeout <= 3, "SessionEnd timeout must not exceed Codex CLI's 3s cap");
 });
 
 test("setup command can offer Codex install and still points users to codex login", () => {