diff --git a/src/app/insights/mood/page.tsx b/src/app/insights/mood/page.tsx
index e52e82600..b4b544dde 100644
--- a/src/app/insights/mood/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/insights/mood/page.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   type MoodAggregates,
 } from "@/lib/insights/mood-aggregates";
 import type { MoodDailySeries } from "@/lib/analytics/mood-series";
+import { settleWithin } from "@/lib/async/settle-within";
 import { resolveModuleMap } from "@/lib/modules/gate";
 import { queryKeys } from "@/lib/query-keys";
 
@@ -32,12 +33,7 @@ import InsightsMoodPageClient from "./page-client";
 const PREFETCH_BUDGET_MS = 1_500;
 
 function withinBudget<T>(work: Promise<T>): Promise<T | null> {
-  return Promise.race([
-    work,
-    new Promise<null>((resolve) =>
-      setTimeout(() => resolve(null), PREFETCH_BUDGET_MS),
-    ),
-  ]).catch(() => null);
+  return settleWithin(work, PREFETCH_BUDGET_MS, null).catch(() => null);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/app/page.tsx b/src/app/page.tsx
index 8f77e9367..493c3f27e 100644
--- a/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   type BatchWindow,
 } from "@/lib/dashboard/batch-chart-types";
 import { resolveDashboardLayout } from "@/lib/dashboard-layout";
+import { settleWithin } from "@/lib/async/settle-within";
 import { loadDailyDigest } from "@/lib/daily/load-digest";
 import { readSeriesBatch } from "@/lib/measurements/series-batch-read";
 import { queryKeys } from "@/lib/query-keys";
@@ -30,11 +31,6 @@ import DashboardPageClient from "./page-client";
  */
 const DIGEST_SOFT_BUDGET_MS = 400;
 
-/** Resolve `undefined` after `ms` — the soft-budget loser in the digest race. */
-function softTimeout<T>(ms: number): Promise<T | undefined> {
-  return new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(() => resolve(undefined), ms));
-}
-
 /**
  * Thin RSC wrapper around the (client) dashboard page.
  *
@@ -144,7 +140,7 @@ export default async function DashboardPage() {
           : Promise.resolve(undefined);
 
       const [digest, series] = await Promise.all([
-        Promise.race([digestWork, softTimeout(DIGEST_SOFT_BUDGET_MS)]),
+        settleWithin(digestWork, DIGEST_SOFT_BUDGET_MS, undefined),
         seriesWork,
       ]);
 
diff --git a/src/lib/async/__tests__/settle-within.test.ts b/src/lib/async/__tests__/settle-within.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f706640b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/async/__tests__/settle-within.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { settleWithin } from "../settle-within";
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.useRealTimers();
+});
+
+describe("settleWithin", () => {
+  it("answers with the work when it lands inside the budget, and leaves no timer", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    await expect(
+      settleWithin(Promise.resolve("done"), 1_500, null),
+    ).resolves.toBe("done");
+    // A bare race left the budget timer pending after the work answered.
+    expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("answers with the fallback once the budget runs out", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const pending = settleWithin(new Promise<string>(() => {}), 1_500, null);
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1_500);
+    await expect(pending).resolves.toBeNull();
+    expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("passes a rejection inside the budget through, and clears the timer", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    await expect(
+      settleWithin(Promise.reject(new Error("boom")), 1_500, null),
+    ).rejects.toThrow("boom");
+    expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/async/settle-within.ts b/src/lib/async/settle-within.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c43cfd6fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/async/settle-within.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/**
+ * Wait for `work` at most `ms`, then settle with `fallback` instead.
+ *
+ * The budget timer is cleared as soon as either side settles. A bare
+ * `Promise.race` against a `setTimeout` left the timer running after the
+ * work had long answered: one live timer per server render or per audited
+ * sign-in, each holding its closure until it fired. `work` is not
+ * cancelled; a rejection of `work` inside the budget rejects here too.
+ */
+export async function settleWithin<T, F>(
+  work: Promise<T>,
+  ms: number,
+  fallback: F,
+): Promise<T | F> {
+  let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+  const budget = new Promise<F>((resolve) => {
+    timer = setTimeout(() => resolve(fallback), ms);
+  });
+  try {
+    return await Promise.race([work, budget]);
+  } finally {
+    clearTimeout(timer);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/auth/audit.ts b/src/lib/auth/audit.ts
index a5187881e..0a294a3bb 100644
--- a/src/lib/auth/audit.ts
+++ b/src/lib/auth/audit.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { settleWithin } from "@/lib/async/settle-within";
 import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";
 import { lookupIpGeo } from "@/lib/geo";
 import { getEvent } from "@/lib/logging/context";
@@ -80,11 +81,7 @@ export async function auditLog(
   // provider can't stall the audit write.
   if (opts.ipAddress && action.startsWith("auth.")) {
     const ipAddress = opts.ipAddress;
-    const timeout = new Promise<null>((resolve) =>
-      setTimeout(() => resolve(null), 3000),
-    );
-
-    Promise.race([lookupIpGeo(ipAddress), timeout])
+    settleWithin(lookupIpGeo(ipAddress), 3000, null)
       .then((result) => {
         if (!result) return;
         const { location, asn, carrier } = result;