diff --git a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
index 183d7c5..554386a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
@@ -56,10 +56,22 @@ jobs:
       # The optional MBG stack (INLA, mbg) lives outside CRAN and cannot be
       # installed in CI, so do not fail the check on those missing Suggests.
       _R_CHECK_FORCE_SUGGESTS_: false
+      # The repo carries an renv project for dev reproducibility. Letting it
+      # drive CI forces ~193 source builds (incl. INLA, which can't install
+      # here) and blows past the 45-min timeout. Disable autoload and hide
+      # the lockfile so setup-r-dependencies uses pak + DESCRIPTION + RSPM
+      # binaries instead.
+      RENV_CONFIG_AUTOLOADER_ENABLED: FALSE
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
+      - name: Hide renv project from CI
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          [ -f renv.lock ] && mv renv.lock renv.lock.ci-bak || true
+          [ -d renv ] && mv renv renv.ci-bak || true
+
       - uses: r-lib/actions/setup-pandoc@v2
 
       - uses: r-lib/actions/setup-r@v2