diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish_candidates.yml b/.github/workflows/publish_candidates.yml
index dc6425379d..1c48d632b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish_candidates.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish_candidates.yml
@@ -99,9 +99,12 @@ jobs:
       - name: Publish JS RC
         if: ${{ inputs.js-sdk }}
         working-directory: packages/js-sdk
+        env:
+          RC_PREID: ${{ inputs.preid }}
+          RC_TAG: ${{ inputs.tag }}
         run: |
-          npm version prerelease --preid=${{ inputs.preid }}.${{ github.run_number }} --no-git-tag-version
-          npm publish --tag ${{ inputs.tag }} --provenance
+          npm version prerelease --preid="${RC_PREID}.${{ github.run_number }}" --no-git-tag-version
+          npm publish --tag "$RC_TAG" --provenance
 
       - name: Reinstall dependencies
         if: ${{ inputs.js-sdk || inputs.cli }}
@@ -110,6 +113,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Publish CLI RC
         if: ${{ inputs.cli }}
         working-directory: packages/cli
+        env:
+          RC_PREID: ${{ inputs.preid }}
+          RC_TAG: ${{ inputs.tag }}
         run: |
-          npm version prerelease --preid=${{ inputs.preid }}.${{ github.run_number }} --no-git-tag-version
-          npm publish --tag ${{ inputs.tag }} --provenance
+          npm version prerelease --preid="${RC_PREID}.${{ github.run_number }}" --no-git-tag-version
+          npm publish --tag "$RC_TAG" --provenance
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index ad5cc31d22..269b6928b0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -172,8 +172,9 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Sanitize tag
         id: tag
+        env:
+          RAW_TAG: ${{ github.event.inputs.tag }}
         run: |
-          RAW_TAG="${{ github.event.inputs.tag }}"
           SAFE_TAG="$(echo "$RAW_TAG" | sed 's/[^0-9A-Za-z-]/-/g')"
           echo "tag=$SAFE_TAG" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
@@ -186,8 +187,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Sanitize preid
         id: preid
+        env:
+          RAW_PREID: ${{ github.event.inputs.preid || github.ref_name }}
         run: |
-          RAW_PREID="${{ github.event.inputs.preid || github.ref_name }}"
           echo "preid=$(echo "$RAW_PREID" | sed 's/[^0-9A-Za-z-]/-/g')" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
   rc-python-tests:
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/sandbox/utils.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/sandbox/utils.ts
index 11070c8006..063e60ba6e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/sandbox/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/sandbox/utils.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ export async function isRunning(sandboxID: string) {
       apiKey,
     })
     return info.state === 'running'
-  } catch {
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error(`Failed to check sandbox status: ${err}`)
     return false
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/js-sdk/tests/sandbox/internetAccess.test.ts b/packages/js-sdk/tests/sandbox/internetAccess.test.ts
index c67cd996b3..498d3e4fc3 100644
--- a/packages/js-sdk/tests/sandbox/internetAccess.test.ts
+++ b/packages/js-sdk/tests/sandbox/internetAccess.test.ts
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ describe('internet access enabled', () => {
     async ({ sandbox }) => {
       // Test internet connectivity by making a curl request to a reliable external site
       const result = await sandbox.commands.run(
-        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://e2b.dev"
+        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://connectivitycheck.gstatic.com/generate_204"
       )
       assert.equal(result.exitCode, 0)
-      assert.equal(result.stdout.trim(), '200')
+      assert.equal(result.stdout.trim(), '204')
     }
   )
 })
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ describe('internet access disabled', () => {
       // Test that internet connectivity is blocked by making a curl request
       try {
         await sandbox.commands.run(
-          'curl --connect-timeout 3 --max-time 5 -Is https://e2b.dev'
+          'curl --connect-timeout 3 --max-time 5 -Is https://connectivitycheck.gstatic.com/generate_204'
         )
         // If we reach here, the command succeeded, which means internet access is not properly disabled
         assert.fail('Expected command to fail when internet access is disabled')
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ describe('internet access default', () => {
     async ({ sandbox }) => {
       // Test internet connectivity by making a curl request to a reliable external site
       const result = await sandbox.commands.run(
-        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://e2b.dev"
+        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://connectivitycheck.gstatic.com/generate_204"
       )
       assert.equal(result.exitCode, 0)
-      assert.equal(result.stdout.trim(), '200')
+      assert.equal(result.stdout.trim(), '204')
     }
   )
 })
diff --git a/packages/python-sdk/pytest.ini b/packages/python-sdk/pytest.ini
index b3593565b0..a4ef0d93d3 100644
--- a/packages/python-sdk/pytest.ini
+++ b/packages/python-sdk/pytest.ini
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ markers =
 
 asyncio_mode=auto
 addopts = "--import-mode=importlib"
-timeout = 300
+timeout = 30
 filterwarnings =
     ignore:'asyncio\.iscoroutinefunction' is deprecated.*:DeprecationWarning:pytest_asyncio\.plugin
     ignore:'asyncio\.get_event_loop_policy' is deprecated.*:DeprecationWarning:pytest_asyncio\.plugin
diff --git a/packages/python-sdk/tests/async/sandbox_async/test_internet_access.py b/packages/python-sdk/tests/async/sandbox_async/test_internet_access.py
index 3a48249aba..4eb6e2f071 100644
--- a/packages/python-sdk/tests/async/sandbox_async/test_internet_access.py
+++ b/packages/python-sdk/tests/async/sandbox_async/test_internet_access.py
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ async def test_internet_access_enabled(async_sandbox_factory):
 
     # Test internet connectivity by making a curl request to a reliable external site
     result = await sbx.commands.run(
-        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://e2b.dev"
+        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://connectivitycheck.gstatic.com/generate_204"
     )
     assert result.exit_code == 0
-    assert result.stdout.strip() == "200"
+    assert result.stdout.strip() == "204"
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skip_debug()
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ async def test_internet_access_disabled(async_sandbox_factory):
     # Test that internet connectivity is blocked by making a curl request
     with pytest.raises(CommandExitException) as exc_info:
         await sbx.commands.run(
-            "curl --connect-timeout 3 --max-time 5 -Is https://e2b.dev"
+            "curl --connect-timeout 3 --max-time 5 -Is https://connectivitycheck.gstatic.com/generate_204"
         )
         # The command should fail or timeout when internet access is disabled
     assert exc_info.value.exit_code != 0
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ async def test_internet_access_default(async_sandbox):
     # Test internet connectivity by making a curl request to a reliable external site
 
     result = await async_sandbox.commands.run(
-        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://e2b.dev"
+        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://connectivitycheck.gstatic.com/generate_204"
     )
     assert result.exit_code == 0
-    assert result.stdout.strip() == "200"
+    assert result.stdout.strip() == "204"
diff --git a/packages/python-sdk/tests/async/template_async/conftest.py b/packages/python-sdk/tests/async/template_async/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..520f64f208
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/python-sdk/tests/async/template_async/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import os
+
+import pytest
+
+_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+
+
+def pytest_collection_modifyitems(items):
+    for item in items:
+        if str(item.fspath).startswith(_DIR):
+            item.add_marker(pytest.mark.timeout(180))
diff --git a/packages/python-sdk/tests/conftest.py b/packages/python-sdk/tests/conftest.py
index 6b2ad92e78..0ac8c938b1 100644
--- a/packages/python-sdk/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/packages/python-sdk/tests/conftest.py
@@ -41,9 +41,6 @@ def template():
 @pytest.fixture()
 def sandbox_factory(request, template, sandbox_test_id):
     def factory(*, template_name: str = template, **kwargs):
-        kwargs.setdefault("secure", False)
-        kwargs.setdefault("timeout", 5)
-
         metadata = kwargs.setdefault("metadata", dict())
         metadata.setdefault("sandbox_test_id", sandbox_test_id)
 
@@ -81,8 +78,6 @@ def event_loop():
 @pytest.fixture
 def async_sandbox_factory(request, template, sandbox_test_id, event_loop):
     async def factory(*, template_name: str = template, **kwargs):
-        kwargs.setdefault("timeout", 5)
-
         metadata = kwargs.setdefault("metadata", dict())
         metadata.setdefault("sandbox_test_id", sandbox_test_id)
 
diff --git a/packages/python-sdk/tests/sync/sandbox_sync/test_internet_access.py b/packages/python-sdk/tests/sync/sandbox_sync/test_internet_access.py
index fecb2f9ba9..d35216c016 100644
--- a/packages/python-sdk/tests/sync/sandbox_sync/test_internet_access.py
+++ b/packages/python-sdk/tests/sync/sandbox_sync/test_internet_access.py
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ def test_internet_access_enabled(sandbox_factory):
     sbx = sandbox_factory(allow_internet_access=True)
 
     # Test internet connectivity by making a curl request to a reliable external site
-    result = sbx.commands.run("curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://e2b.dev")
+    result = sbx.commands.run(
+        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://connectivitycheck.gstatic.com/generate_204"
+    )
     assert result.exit_code == 0
-    assert result.stdout.strip() == "200"
+    assert result.stdout.strip() == "204"
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skip_debug()
@@ -21,7 +23,9 @@ def test_internet_access_disabled(sandbox_factory):
 
     # Test that internet connectivity is blocked by making a curl request
     with pytest.raises(CommandExitException) as exc_info:
-        sbx.commands.run("curl --connect-timeout 3 --max-time 5 -Is https://e2b.dev")
+        sbx.commands.run(
+            "curl --connect-timeout 3 --max-time 5 -Is https://connectivitycheck.gstatic.com/generate_204"
+        )
         # The command should fail or timeout when internet access is disabled
     assert exc_info.value.exit_code != 0
 
@@ -32,7 +36,7 @@ def test_internet_access_default(sandbox):
 
     # Test internet connectivity by making a curl request to a reliable external site
     result = sandbox.commands.run(
-        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://e2b.dev"
+        "curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' https://connectivitycheck.gstatic.com/generate_204"
     )
     assert result.exit_code == 0
-    assert result.stdout.strip() == "200"
+    assert result.stdout.strip() == "204"
diff --git a/packages/python-sdk/tests/sync/template_sync/conftest.py b/packages/python-sdk/tests/sync/template_sync/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..520f64f208
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/python-sdk/tests/sync/template_sync/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import os
+
+import pytest
+
+_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+
+
+def pytest_collection_modifyitems(items):
+    for item in items:
+        if str(item.fspath).startswith(_DIR):
+            item.add_marker(pytest.mark.timeout(180))