diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr.yml b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
index fabaab1b..fa081796 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ jobs:
             pnpm install --lockfile-only --ignore-scripts --no-frozen-lockfile
           fi
 
-  verify:
+  typecheck_release_registry:
+    name: Typecheck + Release Registry
     needs: [policy]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 20
@@ -88,12 +89,89 @@ jobs:
       - name: Typecheck workspaces whose build scripts skip TypeScript
         run: pnpm run typecheck:build-gaps
 
-      - name: Run general test suites
-        run: pnpm test:run:general
-
       - name: Verify release registry test coverage
         run: pnpm run test:release-registry
 
+  general_tests:
+    name: General tests (${{ matrix.group_label }})
+    needs: [policy]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 20
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - group: general-server
+            group_label: server
+          - group: general-workspaces-a
+            group_label: workspaces-a
+          - group: general-workspaces-b
+            group_label: workspaces-b
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4
+        with:
+          version: 9.15.4
+
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 24
+          cache: pnpm
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+
+      - name: Run grouped general test suites
+        run: pnpm test:run:general -- --group '${{ matrix.group }}'
+
+  verify:
+    # Preserve the legacy required-check name while the underlying work runs in parallel.
+    name: verify
+    if: ${{ always() }}
+    needs: [typecheck_release_registry, general_tests, build]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Fail if any split verify lane failed
+        env:
+          TYPECHECK_RELEASE_REGISTRY_RESULT: ${{ needs.typecheck_release_registry.result }}
+          GENERAL_TESTS_RESULT: ${{ needs.general_tests.result }}
+          BUILD_RESULT: ${{ needs.build.result }}
+        run: |
+          test "$TYPECHECK_RELEASE_REGISTRY_RESULT" = "success"
+          test "$GENERAL_TESTS_RESULT" = "success"
+          test "$BUILD_RESULT" = "success"
+
+  build:
+    name: Build
+    needs: [policy]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 20
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4
+        with:
+          version: 9.15.4
+
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 24
+          cache: pnpm
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+
       - name: Build
         run: pnpm build
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 152fe471..60b80d5a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@
     "test": "pnpm run test:run",
     "test:watch": "pnpm run preflight:workspace-links && vitest",
     "test:run": "pnpm run preflight:workspace-links && node scripts/run-vitest-stable.mjs",
-    "test:run:general": "pnpm run preflight:workspace-links && pnpm --filter @paperclipai/plugin-sdk build && node scripts/run-vitest-stable.mjs --mode general",
-    "test:run:serialized": "pnpm run preflight:workspace-links && pnpm --filter @paperclipai/plugin-sdk build && node scripts/run-vitest-stable.mjs --mode serialized",
+    "test:run:general": "pnpm run preflight:workspace-links && pnpm --filter @paperclipai/plugin-sdk ensure-build-deps && node scripts/run-vitest-stable.mjs --mode general",
+    "test:run:serialized": "pnpm run preflight:workspace-links && pnpm --filter @paperclipai/plugin-sdk ensure-build-deps && node scripts/run-vitest-stable.mjs --mode serialized",
     "db:generate": "pnpm --filter @paperclipai/db generate",
     "db:migrate": "pnpm --filter @paperclipai/db migrate",
     "issue-references:backfill": "pnpm run preflight:workspace-links && tsx scripts/backfill-issue-reference-mentions.ts",
diff --git a/scripts/prepare-server-ui-dist.sh b/scripts/prepare-server-ui-dist.sh
index d43807b3..0c785d4a 100755
--- a/scripts/prepare-server-ui-dist.sh
+++ b/scripts/prepare-server-ui-dist.sh
@@ -3,13 +3,26 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 # prepare-server-ui-dist.sh — Build the UI and copy it into server/ui-dist.
 # This keeps @paperclipai/server publish artifacts self-contained for static UI serving.
+# When PAPERCLIP_RELEASE_REUSE_UI_DIST=1 and ui/dist already exists, reuse that
+# output instead of rebuilding it again inside the release packaging flow.
 
 REPO_ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)"
 UI_DIST="$REPO_ROOT/ui/dist"
 SERVER_UI_DIST="$REPO_ROOT/server/ui-dist"
 
-echo "  -> Building @paperclipai/ui..."
-pnpm --dir "$REPO_ROOT" --filter @paperclipai/ui build
+should_reuse_existing_ui_dist=false
+case "${PAPERCLIP_RELEASE_REUSE_UI_DIST:-}" in
+  1|true|TRUE|yes|YES)
+    should_reuse_existing_ui_dist=true
+    ;;
+esac
+
+if [ "$should_reuse_existing_ui_dist" = true ] && [ -f "$UI_DIST/index.html" ]; then
+  echo "  -> Reusing existing @paperclipai/ui dist output"
+else
+  echo "  -> Building @paperclipai/ui..."
+  pnpm --dir "$REPO_ROOT" --filter @paperclipai/ui build
+fi
 
 if [ ! -f "$UI_DIST/index.html" ]; then
   echo "Error: UI build output missing at $UI_DIST/index.html"
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index 9d27c9cf..35da947d 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ fi
 
 set_cleanup_trap
 
+# The release flow already prepares ui/dist before packaging. Reuse that output
+# so server prepack does not rebuild the UI a second time during preview/publish.
+export PAPERCLIP_RELEASE_REUSE_UI_DIST=1
+
 if [ "$skip_verify" = false ]; then
   release_info ""
   release_info "==> Step 1/7: Verification gate..."
diff --git a/scripts/run-typecheck-build-gaps.mjs b/scripts/run-typecheck-build-gaps.mjs
index 6210ab2a..e149990b 100644
--- a/scripts/run-typecheck-build-gaps.mjs
+++ b/scripts/run-typecheck-build-gaps.mjs
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ if (buildGapPackages.length === 0) {
   process.exit(0);
 }
 
-run("pnpm", ["--filter", "@paperclipai/plugin-sdk", "build"]);
+run("pnpm", ["--filter", "@paperclipai/plugin-sdk", "ensure-build-deps"]);
 
 for (const workspacePkg of buildGapPackages) {
   run("pnpm", ["--filter", workspacePkg.name, "typecheck"]);
diff --git a/scripts/run-vitest-stable.mjs b/scripts/run-vitest-stable.mjs
index c85c48aa..a3ef4ba4 100644
--- a/scripts/run-vitest-stable.mjs
+++ b/scripts/run-vitest-stable.mjs
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ let invocationIndex = 0;
 const serializedModeName = "serialized";
 const generalModeName = "general";
 const allModeName = "all";
+const generalServerGroupName = "general-server";
+const generalWorkspacesAGroupName = "general-workspaces-a";
+const generalWorkspacesBGroupName = "general-workspaces-b";
+const generalWorkspacesAProjects = ["@paperclipai/ui", "paperclipai"];
+const generalWorkspacesBProjects = nonServerProjects.filter((project) => !generalWorkspacesAProjects.includes(project));
+const generalGroupNames = [generalServerGroupName, generalWorkspacesAGroupName, generalWorkspacesBGroupName];
 
 function walk(dir) {
   const entries = readdirSync(dir);
@@ -117,6 +123,7 @@ function parseCliOptions(argv) {
   let mode = allModeName;
   let shardIndex = null;
   let shardCount = null;
+  let group = null;
   let dryRun = false;
 
   for (let index = 0; index < argv.length; index += 1) {
@@ -163,6 +170,17 @@ function parseCliOptions(argv) {
       continue;
     }
 
+    if (arg === "--group") {
+      group = readOptionValue(argv, index, arg);
+      index += 1;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    if (arg.startsWith("--group=")) {
+      group = arg.slice("--group=".length);
+      continue;
+    }
+
     fail(`Unknown argument "${arg}".`);
   }
 
@@ -178,6 +196,14 @@ function parseCliOptions(argv) {
     fail("--shard-index/--shard-count are only valid with --mode serialized.");
   }
 
+  if (group !== null && mode !== generalModeName) {
+    fail("--group is only valid with --mode general.");
+  }
+
+  if (group !== null && !generalGroupNames.includes(group)) {
+    fail(`Unknown group "${group}". Expected one of: ${generalGroupNames.join(", ")}.`);
+  }
+
   if (mode === serializedModeName) {
     const resolvedShardCount = shardCount ?? 1;
     const resolvedShardIndex = shardIndex ?? 0;
@@ -189,6 +215,7 @@ function parseCliOptions(argv) {
       mode,
       shardIndex: resolvedShardIndex,
       shardCount: resolvedShardCount,
+      group: null,
       dryRun,
     };
   }
@@ -197,6 +224,7 @@ function parseCliOptions(argv) {
     mode,
     shardIndex: null,
     shardCount: null,
+    group,
     dryRun,
   };
 }
@@ -208,12 +236,14 @@ function selectSerializedSuites(routeTests, shardIndex, shardCount) {
 function runVitest(args, label) {
   console.log(`\n[test:run] ${label}`);
   invocationIndex += 1;
-  const testRoot = mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), `paperclip-vitest-${process.pid}-${invocationIndex}-`));
+  const tempRootParent = process.platform === "win32" ? os.tmpdir() : "/tmp";
+  const testRoot = mkdtempSync(path.join(tempRootParent, `pcvt-${process.pid}-${invocationIndex}-`));
+  // Keep per-run paths compact so Unix socket fixtures stay under macOS path limits.
   const env = {
     ...process.env,
-    PAPERCLIP_HOME: path.join(testRoot, "home"),
-    PAPERCLIP_INSTANCE_ID: `vitest-${process.pid}-${invocationIndex}`,
-    TMPDIR: path.join(testRoot, "tmp"),
+    PAPERCLIP_HOME: path.join(testRoot, "h"),
+    PAPERCLIP_INSTANCE_ID: `vt-${process.pid}-${invocationIndex}`,
+    TMPDIR: path.join(testRoot, "t"),
   };
   mkdirSync(env.PAPERCLIP_HOME, { recursive: true });
   mkdirSync(env.TMPDIR, { recursive: true });
@@ -232,15 +262,38 @@ function runVitest(args, label) {
 }
 
 function runGeneralSuites(routeTests) {
-  const excludeRouteArgs = routeTests.flatMap((file) => ["--exclude", file.serverPath]);
-  for (const project of nonServerProjects) {
-    runVitest(["--project", project], `non-server project ${project}`);
+  for (const groupName of generalGroupNames) {
+    runGeneralGroup(routeTests, groupName);
+  }
+}
+
+function runProjectGroup(projects, groupName) {
+  for (const project of projects) {
+    runVitest(["--project", project], `${groupName} project ${project}`);
+  }
+}
+
+function runGeneralGroup(routeTests, groupName) {
+  if (groupName === generalServerGroupName) {
+    const excludeRouteArgs = routeTests.flatMap((file) => ["--exclude", file.serverPath]);
+    runVitest(
+      ["--project", "@paperclipai/server", ...excludeRouteArgs],
+      `${groupName} server suites excluding ${routeTests.length} serialized suites`,
+    );
+    return;
   }
 
-  runVitest(
-    ["--project", "@paperclipai/server", ...excludeRouteArgs],
-    `server suites excluding ${routeTests.length} serialized suites`,
-  );
+  if (groupName === generalWorkspacesAGroupName) {
+    runProjectGroup(generalWorkspacesAProjects, groupName);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (groupName === generalWorkspacesBGroupName) {
+    runProjectGroup(generalWorkspacesBProjects, groupName);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  fail(`Unknown group "${groupName}".`);
 }
 
 function runSerializedSuites(routeTests, shardIndex, shardCount) {
@@ -283,6 +336,8 @@ if (options.dryRun) {
         mode: options.mode,
         shardIndex: options.shardIndex,
         shardCount: options.shardCount,
+        group: options.group,
+        availableGeneralGroups: generalGroupNames,
         serializedSuiteCount: routeTests.length,
         selectedSerializedSuites: serializedSuites.map((routeTest) => routeTest.repoPath),
       },
@@ -294,7 +349,11 @@ if (options.dryRun) {
 }
 
 if (options.mode === generalModeName || options.mode === allModeName) {
-  runGeneralSuites(routeTests);
+  if (options.group) {
+    runGeneralGroup(routeTests, options.group);
+  } else {
+    runGeneralSuites(routeTests);
+  }
 }
 
 if (options.mode === serializedModeName || options.mode === allModeName) {