diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows-periodic.yml b/.github/workflows/windows-periodic.yml
index 66a9f1f5c..a0ca32923 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows-periodic.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows-periodic.yml
@@ -153,7 +153,11 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: RunIntegrationTests
         run: |
-          ssh -i $HOME/.ssh/id_rsa ${{ env.SSH_OPTS }} azureuser@${{ env.VM_PUB_IP }} "sh.exe -c 'cd /c/containerd && (make integration | tee /c/Logs/integration.log)'"
+          ssh -i $HOME/.ssh/id_rsa ${{ env.SSH_OPTS }} azureuser@${{ env.VM_PUB_IP }} "sh.exe -s" << EOF
+            cd /c/containerd
+            export EXTRA_TESTFLAGS="-timeout=20m"
+            make integration | tee /c/Logs/integration.log
+          EOF
           ssh -i $HOME/.ssh/id_rsa ${{ env.SSH_OPTS }} azureuser@${{ env.VM_PUB_IP }} "sh.exe -c 'cat /c/Logs/integration.log | go-junit-report.exe > /c/Logs/junit_00.xml'"
 
       - name: PrepareRepoList
diff --git a/script/setup/prepare_env_windows.ps1 b/script/setup/prepare_env_windows.ps1
index 59239da69..c21ba0a1e 100644
--- a/script/setup/prepare_env_windows.ps1
+++ b/script/setup/prepare_env_windows.ps1
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # Prepare windows environment for building and running containerd tests
 
+# Disable Windows Defender real time monitoring. Real time monitoring consumes a lot of
+# CPU and slows down tests as images are unarchived, and is not really needed in a short
+# lived test environment.
+Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring:$true
+
 $PACKAGES= @{ mingw = "10.2.0"; git = ""; golang = "1.18"; make = ""; nssm = "" }
 
 Write-Host "Downloading chocolatey package"