diff --git a/scripts/ci_event_wait.py b/scripts/ci_event_wait.py
index fadbb675..41314cdc 100644
--- a/scripts/ci_event_wait.py
+++ b/scripts/ci_event_wait.py
@@ -328,6 +328,20 @@ def run(*, sha: str, deadline_secs: int,
     # python-level run() callers (tool normalization flow) must export it.
     if sha and not os.environ.get("DEPLOY_SHA"):
         os.environ["DEPLOY_SHA"] = sha
+    # H-PATCH: resolve short SHAs to full 40-char — _fetch_runs and
+    # deploy_qualify match on the FULL sha; a 12-char prefix would
+    # silently fail equality and park the waiter until deadline
+    # (the 962e351 root cause).
+    if sha and len(sha) < 40:
+        try:
+            full = subprocess.run(
+                ["git", "-C", str(_SCRIPT_DIR.parent), "rev-parse", sha],
+                capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=10)
+            if full.returncode == 0:
+                sha = full.stdout.strip()
+                os.environ["DEPLOY_SHA"] = sha
+        except (OSError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired):
+            pass
     t0 = time.time()
     # §16Y #10 race fix: the FIFO reader exists BEFORE registration, so a
     # wake arriving in the registration window can always be delivered.