diff --git a/test/nested.cc b/test/nested.cc
index 335b22bc..dfa5bfcc 100644
--- a/test/nested.cc
+++ b/test/nested.cc
@@ -24,6 +24,20 @@ bool testcase_nested::setup() {
     return false;
   }
 
+  constexpr unsigned reduce_nops_threshold = 5000;
+  if (nops_target > reduce_nops_threshold) {
+    unsigned batching = config.params.batch_read + config.params.batch_write;
+    unsigned reduce_nops =
+        reduce_nops_threshold +
+        5 * unsigned(sqrt(nops_target - reduce_nops_threshold +
+                          nops_target / (batching ? batching : 1)));
+    if (reduce_nops >= config.signal_nops) {
+      log_notice("nested: return target-nops from %u to %u", nops_target,
+                 reduce_nops);
+      nops_target = reduce_nops;
+    }
+  }
+
   keyvalue_maker.setup(config.params, config.actor_id, 0 /* thread_number */);
   key = keygen::alloc(config.params.keylen_max);
   data = keygen::alloc(config.params.datalen_max);
@@ -83,6 +97,7 @@ void testcase_nested::push_txn() {
   std::swap(txn_guard, std::get<0>(stack.top()));
   log_verbose("begin level#%zu txn #%" PRIu64 ", flags 0x%x, serial %" PRIu64,
               stack.size(), mdbx_txn_id(txn), flags, serial);
+  report(1);
 }
 
 bool testcase_nested::pop_txn(bool abort) {
@@ -122,6 +137,7 @@ bool testcase_nested::pop_txn(bool abort) {
     std::swap(speculum, std::get<3>(stack.top()));
   }
   stack.pop();
+  report(1);
   return should_continue;
 }
 
@@ -171,6 +187,7 @@ bool testcase_nested::trim_tail(unsigned window_width) {
         if (unlikely(!keyvalue_maker.increment(tail_serial, 1)))
           failure("nested: unexpected key-space overflow on the tail");
       }
+      report(1);
     }
   } else if (!fifo.empty()) {
     log_verbose("nested: purge state %" PRIu64 " - %" PRIu64 ", fifo-items %zu",
@@ -178,6 +195,7 @@ bool testcase_nested::trim_tail(unsigned window_width) {
                 fifo.size());
     db_table_clear(dbi, txn_guard.get());
     fifo.clear();
+    report(1);
   }
   return true;
 }
@@ -208,6 +226,7 @@ retry:
     }
   }
 
+  report(1);
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -276,8 +295,6 @@ bool testcase_nested::run() {
       log_notice("nested: bailout after head-grow");
       return false;
     }
-
-    report(1);
   }
 
   while (!stack.empty())
diff --git a/test/test.cc b/test/test.cc
index 4cc4e286..1fc0a073 100644
--- a/test/test.cc
+++ b/test/test.cc
@@ -398,8 +398,7 @@ bool testcase::should_continue(bool check_timeout_only) const {
       result = false;
   }
 
-  if (!check_timeout_only && config.params.test_nops &&
-      nops_completed >= config.params.test_nops)
+  if (!check_timeout_only && nops_target && nops_completed >= nops_target)
     result = false;
 
   if (result)
diff --git a/test/test.h b/test/test.h
index 8194b057..2a66e37c 100644
--- a/test/test.h
+++ b/test/test.h
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ protected:
   bool signalled{false};
   bool need_speculum_assign{false};
 
+  unsigned nops_target{config.params.test_nops};
   size_t nops_completed{0};
   chrono::time start_timestamp;
   keygen::buffer key;
@@ -229,10 +230,13 @@ public:
 };
 
 class testcase_ttl : public testcase {
+  using inherited = testcase;
+
 public:
   testcase_ttl(const actor_config &config, const mdbx_pid_t pid)
       : testcase(config, pid) {}
   bool run() override;
+  bool setup() override;
 };
 
 class testcase_hill : public testcase {
diff --git a/test/ttl.cc b/test/ttl.cc
index a410d943..3a0a3f51 100644
--- a/test/ttl.cc
+++ b/test/ttl.cc
@@ -16,6 +16,27 @@
 #include <cmath>
 #include <deque>
 
+bool testcase_ttl::setup() {
+  if (!inherited::setup())
+    return false;
+
+  constexpr unsigned reduce_nops_threshold = 10000;
+  if (nops_target > reduce_nops_threshold) {
+    unsigned batching = config.params.batch_read + config.params.batch_write;
+    unsigned reduce_nops =
+        reduce_nops_threshold + (nops_target - reduce_nops_threshold +
+                                 nops_target / (batching ? batching : 1)) /
+                                    5;
+    if (reduce_nops >= config.signal_nops) {
+      log_notice("ttl: return target-nops from %u to %u", nops_target,
+                 reduce_nops);
+      nops_target = reduce_nops;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return true;
+}
+
 static unsigned edge2window(uint64_t edge, unsigned window_max) {
   const double rnd = u64_to_double1(bleach64(edge));
   const unsigned window = window_max - std::lrint(std::pow(window_max, rnd));
@@ -108,11 +129,13 @@ bool testcase_ttl::run() {
           if (unlikely(!keyvalue_maker.increment(tail_serial, 1)))
             failure("ttl: unexpected key-space overflow on the tail");
         }
+        report(1);
       }
     } else {
       log_trace("ttl: purge state");
       db_table_clear(dbi);
       fifo.clear();
+      report(1);
     }
 
     err = breakable_restart();