diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
index 3840e60c4c..a5edf45cd4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
@@ -251,14 +251,13 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: frontend-modern
         run: npm run lint:cpd
 
-      - name: Frontend unit tests
-        working-directory: frontend-modern
-        run: npm run test
-
       - name: Type-check frontend
         working-directory: frontend-modern
         run: npm run type-check
 
+      # Reject an unshippable bundle before the whole-tree unit suite. On
+      # PR2624 that suite took 8m45s before the size gate rejected the bundle.
+      # Passing builds still require the same tests, audit and size budgets.
       - name: Build frontend bundle (with embed copy)
         run: make frontend
 
@@ -266,6 +265,10 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: frontend-modern
         run: npm run check:bundlesize
 
+      - name: Frontend unit tests
+        working-directory: frontend-modern
+        run: npm run test
+
       # An audit service failure or real advisory stays gating, but it must not
       # suppress formatting, tests, type-checking, or production-build proof.
       - name: Require frontend dependency audit
diff --git a/scripts/tests/test_frontend_workflow_order.py b/scripts/tests/test_frontend_workflow_order.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..30578813c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/tests/test_frontend_workflow_order.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""An unshippable frontend must fail before the expensive full unit suite."""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+import unittest
+
+import yaml
+
+
+ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+WORKFLOW = ROOT / ".github/workflows/build-and-test.yml"
+
+
+class FrontendWorkflowOrderTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.job = yaml.safe_load(WORKFLOW.read_text())["jobs"]["frontend"]
+        self.steps = self.job["steps"]
+
+    def step(self, name):
+        matches = [step for step in self.steps if step.get("name") == name]
+        self.assertEqual(len(matches), 1, f"expected one {name} step")
+        return matches[0]
+
+    def test_type_build_and_size_admit_the_unit_suite_in_order(self):
+        names = [step.get("name") for step in self.steps]
+        ordered = [
+            "Install frontend dependencies",
+            "Type-check frontend",
+            "Build frontend bundle (with embed copy)",
+            "Check frontend bundle size budget",
+            "Frontend unit tests",
+            "Require frontend dependency audit",
+        ]
+        positions = [names.index(name) for name in ordered]
+        self.assertEqual(positions, sorted(positions))
+
+    def test_admission_keeps_real_embed_build_and_unchanged_commands(self):
+        commands = {
+            "Type-check frontend": "npm run type-check",
+            "Build frontend bundle (with embed copy)": "make frontend",
+            "Check frontend bundle size budget": "npm run check:bundlesize",
+            "Frontend unit tests": "npm run test",
+        }
+        for name, command in commands.items():
+            with self.subTest(step=name):
+                step = self.step(name)
+                self.assertEqual(step["run"], command)
+                # GitHub's default success() condition must stop here on a
+                # failed prerequisite; neither warnings nor conditional skips
+                # may turn a broken build into a successful Frontend check.
+                self.assertNotIn("if", step)
+                self.assertNotIn("continue-on-error", step)
+                if name != "Build frontend bundle (with embed copy)":
+                    self.assertEqual(step["working-directory"], "frontend-modern")
+        self.assertNotIn("continue-on-error", self.job)
+
+    def test_audit_still_reports_failure_after_an_earlier_failed_gate(self):
+        audit = self.step("Audit complete frontend dependency graph")
+        required = self.step("Require frontend dependency audit")
+        self.assertEqual(audit["id"], "audit-complete")
+        self.assertIs(audit["continue-on-error"], True)
+        self.assertEqual(required["if"], "${{ !cancelled() }}")
+        self.assertEqual(required["env"]["COMPLETE_AUDIT_RESULT"],
+                         "${{ steps.audit-complete.outcome }}")
+        self.assertNotIn("continue-on-error", required)
+        self.assertIn('if [ "${COMPLETE_AUDIT_RESULT}" != success ]; then', required["run"])
+        self.assertIn("exit 1", required["run"])
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()