diff --git a/backend/services/booking_scraper.py b/backend/services/booking_scraper.py
index d83d3a9..3a070a0 100644
--- a/backend/services/booking_scraper.py
+++ b/backend/services/booking_scraper.py
@@ -426,16 +426,16 @@ async def scrape_date(
 
 
 def get_scraper_concurrency(db: Session) -> int:
-    """Number of parallel scrape workers (config key, default 3). Each worker
-    runs its own browser on its own residential proxy IP, so raise this only
-    with proxy IPs and RAM to spare (~0.4 GB per worker)."""
+    """Number of parallel scrape workers (config key, default 6). Each worker
+    runs its own browser on its own residential proxy IP (~0.4 GB each), so
+    keep this below RAM / 0.4 GB. Requires proxy — serial fallback if off."""
     row = db.execute(
         text("SELECT config_value FROM system_config WHERE config_key = 'booking_scraper_concurrency'")
     ).fetchone()
     try:
-        return max(1, int(row.config_value)) if row and row.config_value else 3
+        return max(1, int(row.config_value)) if row and row.config_value else 6
     except (ValueError, TypeError):
-        return 3
+        return 6
 
 
 def _effective_concurrency(db: Session, n_jobs: int) -> int:
diff --git a/backend/services/scraper_backends/playwright_local.py b/backend/services/scraper_backends/playwright_local.py
index 698f4c4..0d0ff1a 100644
--- a/backend/services/scraper_backends/playwright_local.py
+++ b/backend/services/scraper_backends/playwright_local.py
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ class PlaywrightLocalBackend(ScraperBackend):
     async def _warm_up(self, page: Page):
         """Visit the homepage first so search requests carry session cookies."""
         try:
-            await page.goto(self.HOMEPAGE, wait_until='domcontentloaded', timeout=90000)
+            await page.goto(self.HOMEPAGE, wait_until='domcontentloaded', timeout=20000)
             await asyncio.sleep(random.uniform(1.5, 3.0))
             # Dismiss the cookie-consent dialog if present
             for sel in ['#onetrust-accept-btn-handler',
@@ -375,12 +375,12 @@ class PlaywrightLocalBackend(ScraperBackend):
         # Wait for property cards - booking.com uses data-testid. Retry once
         # with a scroll nudge before giving up: cards can lazy-load late.
         try:
-            await page.wait_for_selector('[data-testid="property-card"]', timeout=30000)
+            await page.wait_for_selector('[data-testid="property-card"]', timeout=15000)
         except Exception as e:
             logger.warning(f"No property cards on first wait, retrying: {e}")
             try:
                 await self._human_like_scroll(page)
-                await page.wait_for_selector('[data-testid="property-card"]', timeout=30000)
+                await page.wait_for_selector('[data-testid="property-card"]', timeout=15000)
             except Exception as e2:
                 logger.warning(f"No property cards found after retry: {e2}")
                 return hotels, rates
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ class PlaywrightLocalBackend(ScraperBackend):
                         # direct hit to searchresults with no Referer causes
                         # Cloudflare to hold the response body open indefinitely.
                         await page.goto(url, wait_until='domcontentloaded',
-                                        timeout=90000, referer=self.HOMEPAGE)
+                                        timeout=30000, referer=self.HOMEPAGE)
                     except Exception as e:
                         logger.warning(f"Page load timeout, continuing: {e}")
                         page_loaded = False