diff --git a/scripts/verify.sh b/scripts/verify.sh
index c73a99b..365694e 100755
--- a/scripts/verify.sh
+++ b/scripts/verify.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # The one verification command. Run it on Linux with the Windows GNU std installed
 # (the Eureka verify image has both); a Windows workstation proves nothing.
+# The Windows check runs first: it is fast, and a hung test cannot mask it.
 # --lib because the tests under tests/ assume the host layout.
 set -euo pipefail
-cargo test --locked --lib
 cargo check --locked --target x86_64-pc-windows-gnu --bin idunn-host
+cargo test --locked --lib