diff --git a/repos/os/run/bomb.run b/repos/os/run/bomb.run
index cf5ab48faf..5d3cce8d62 100644
--- a/repos/os/run/bomb.run
+++ b/repos/os/run/bomb.run
@@ -1,8 +1,18 @@
 build "core init test/bomb drivers/timer"
 
-create_boot_directory
+set timeout 240
+set rounds 20
 
-install_config {
+
+if {[have_include "power_on/qemu"]} {
+	append qemu_args "-nographic -m 128"
+} else {
+	# foc is really slow on native hardware executing this test - limit rounds
+	if {[have_spec foc_x86_32]} { set rounds 6 }
+	if {[have_spec foc_x86_64]} { set rounds 6 }
+}
+
+set config {
 <config prio_levels="2">
 	<parent-provides>
 		<service name="ROM"/>
@@ -21,20 +31,28 @@ install_config {
 		<any-service> <parent/> <any-child/> </any-service>
 	</default-route>
 	<start name="timer">
+		<resource name="CPU" quantum="10"/>
 		<resource name="RAM" quantum="1M"/>
 		<provides><service name="Timer"/></provides>
 	</start>
 	<start name="bomb-master" priority="-1">
 		<binary name="bomb"/>
-		<resource name="RAM" quantum="2G"/>
-		<config rounds="20" generations="6" sleep="1500"/>
+		<resource name="CPU" quantum="90"/>
+		<resource name="RAM" quantum="2G"/>}
+
+append config "
+		<config rounds=\"$rounds\" generations=\"6\" sleep=\"1500\"/>"
+
+append config {
 	</start>
 </config>}
 
+create_boot_directory
+
+install_config $config
+
 build_boot_image "core init bomb timer"
 
-append qemu_args "-nographic -m 128"
-
-run_genode_until "Done\. Going to sleep\." 300
+run_genode_until "Done\. Going to sleep\." $timeout
 
 puts "Test succeeded."
diff --git a/repos/os/src/test/bomb/main.cc b/repos/os/src/test/bomb/main.cc
index 5a4f021845..ea9ab5fb20 100644
--- a/repos/os/src/test/bomb/main.cc
+++ b/repos/os/src/test/bomb/main.cc
@@ -278,6 +278,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		/* is init our parent? */
 		if (!timer()) sleep_forever();
 
+		/* don't ask parent for further resources if we ran out of memory */
+		static Signal_receiver sig_rec;
+		static Signal_context  sig_ctx_res_avail;
+		if (round == 0) {
+			/* prevent to block for resource upgrades caused by clients */
+			env()->parent()->resource_avail_sigh(sig_rec.manage(&sig_ctx_res_avail));
+		}
+
 		timer()->msleep(sleeptime);
 		PINF("[%03d] It's time to kill all my children...", round);
 
@@ -296,8 +304,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		PINF("[%03d] Done.", round);
 	}
 
-	/* master if rounds != 0 */
-	if (rounds != 0)
+	/* master if we have a timer connection */
+	if (timer())
 		PINF("Done. Going to sleep");
 
 	sleep_forever();