diff --git a/.bazelrc b/.bazelrc
index 562086aca19..09a3ec0c690 100644
--- a/.bazelrc
+++ b/.bazelrc
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 common --enable_platform_specific_config
 build --verbose_failures
-build --build_tag_filters=-off-by-default,-slow
-test --test_tag_filters=-off-by-default,-slow
+build --build_tag_filters=-off-by-default
+test --test_tag_filters=-off-by-default
+# exclude enormous tests by default
+build --test_size_filters=-enormous
+
+# use lower test timeouts: https://bazel.build/reference/test-encyclopedia#role-test-runner
+# corresponds to small,medium,large,enormous tests (medium is default)
+build --test_timeout=1,15,60,240
 
 # Not using bzlmod for dependencies yet
 common --noenable_bzlmod
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index caca5837589..316f0c5c9d7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           cat <<EOF >> .bazelrc
           build --build_tag_filters=-off-by-default
-          test --test_tag_filters=-off-by-default
+          test --test_tag_filters=-off-by-default --test_size_filters=small,medium,large,enormous
           EOF
       - name: Generate list of excluded Bazel targets
         # Exclude large benchmarking binaries created in debug and asan configurations to avoid
diff --git a/src/workerd/server/tests/compile-tests/BUILD.bazel b/src/workerd/server/tests/compile-tests/BUILD.bazel
index 0e6df7404cd..c9f3d027bf4 100644
--- a/src/workerd/server/tests/compile-tests/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/src/workerd/server/tests/compile-tests/BUILD.bazel
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 sh_test(
     name = "helloworld_compile_test",
-    size = "small",
+    size = "medium",
     srcs = ["compile-test.sh"],
     args = [
         "$(location //src/workerd/server:workerd)",
diff --git a/src/workerd/server/tests/python/import_tests.bzl b/src/workerd/server/tests/python/import_tests.bzl
index 81967d041e8..0336f5a6c4d 100644
--- a/src/workerd/server/tests/python/import_tests.bzl
+++ b/src/workerd/server/tests/python/import_tests.bzl
@@ -44,13 +44,11 @@ def gen_import_tests(to_test):
             name = worker_py_fname + "@rule",
             out = worker_py_fname,
             content = [generate_import_py_file(to_test[lib])],
-            tags = ["slow"],
         )
         write_file(
             name = wd_test_fname + "@rule",
             out = wd_test_fname,
             content = [generate_wd_test_file(lib)],
-            tags = ["slow"],
         )
 
         py_wd_test(
@@ -58,4 +56,5 @@ def gen_import_tests(to_test):
             args = ["--experimental", "--pyodide-package-disk-cache-dir", "../all_pyodide_wheels"],
             data = [worker_py_fname, "@all_pyodide_wheels//:whls"],
             tags = ["slow"],
+            size = "enormous",
         )