diff --git a/ci-runner.sh b/ci-runner.sh
index 932d10a..d82d15e 100755
--- a/ci-runner.sh
+++ b/ci-runner.sh
@@ -73,7 +73,12 @@ if [ ! -f "$PYTHON" ]; then
   PYTHON="python3"
 fi
 
-TEST_OUTPUT=$($PYTHON -m pytest "$WORKTREE/backend/tests/" --tb=line -q --timeout="$TIMEOUT" 2>&1)
+TIMEOUT_FLAG=""
+if $PYTHON -c "import pytest_timeout" 2>/dev/null; then
+  TIMEOUT_FLAG="--timeout=$TIMEOUT"
+fi
+
+TEST_OUTPUT=$($PYTHON -m pytest "$WORKTREE/backend/tests/" --tb=line -q $TIMEOUT_FLAG 2>&1)
 TEST_EXIT=$?
 
 PASS_COUNT=$(echo "$TEST_OUTPUT" | grep -oP '\d+ passed' | grep -oP '\d+' || echo 0)
@@ -81,6 +86,12 @@ FAIL_COUNT=$(echo "$TEST_OUTPUT" | grep -oP '\d+ failed' | grep -oP '\d+' || ech
 SKIP_COUNT=$(echo "$TEST_OUTPUT" | grep -oP '\d+ skipped' | grep -oP '\d+' || echo 0)
 ERROR_COUNT=$(echo "$TEST_OUTPUT" | grep -oP '\d+ error' | grep -oP '\d+' || echo 0)
 
+if [ "$TEST_EXIT" -ne 0 ] && [ "$PASS_COUNT" = "0" ] && [ "$FAIL_COUNT" = "0" ]; then
+  ERROR_COUNT=1
+  echo "WARNING: pytest exited with code $TEST_EXIT but reported no results — likely a collection error"
+  echo "$TEST_OUTPUT" | tail -5
+fi
+
 echo "Tests: $PASS_COUNT passed, $FAIL_COUNT failed, $SKIP_COUNT skipped, $ERROR_COUNT errors"
 
 if [ "$FAIL_COUNT" != "0" ] && [ "$FAIL_COUNT" != "" ]; then