diff --git a/crates/pdf/src/export/images.rs b/crates/pdf/src/export/images.rs
index 8a2b803cf..ec7c76fd6 100644
--- a/crates/pdf/src/export/images.rs
+++ b/crates/pdf/src/export/images.rs
@@ -161,12 +161,22 @@ pub(super) fn cmyk_tiff(data: &[u8], mode: RasterMode) -> Option<Image> {
     Image::from_custom(CmykImage(Arc::new(r)), mode.interpolate).ok()
 }
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+thread_local! {
+    /// Rasters `recompress` has decoded on this thread.
+    static RECOMPRESS_DECODES: std::cell::Cell<usize> = const { std::cell::Cell::new(0) };
+}
+
 /// Opaque raster → JPEG (quality 90). `None` when the image has transparency, is too large or
 /// can't be decoded. With `tag_rgb`, the JPEG keeps the source's RGB profile, or gets sRGB.
 pub(super) fn recompress(data: &[u8], mode: RasterMode) -> Option<Image> {
     if designcraft_images::too_large_to_decode(data) {
         return None;
     }
+    #[cfg(test)]
+    {
+        RECOMPRESS_DECODES.with(|n| n.set(n.get() + 1));
+    }
     let img = image::load_from_memory(data).ok()?;
     if img.color().has_alpha() && img.to_rgba8().pixels().any(|p| p[3] < 255) {
         return None;
@@ -539,3 +549,20 @@ mod eps_tests {
         assert_eq!(civil(i64::MIN), (-292277022657, 1, 27, 8, 29, 52));
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod recompress_tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    /// A raster past the RGBA budget is refused before `recompress` decodes it (#1586).
+    #[test]
+    fn a_raster_past_the_budget_is_not_decoded() {
+        let mode = RasterMode { interpolate: false, tag_rgb: false };
+        let decodes = || RECOMPRESS_DECODES.with(std::cell::Cell::get);
+        let start = decodes();
+        assert!(recompress(&crate::tests::blank_png(16_385), mode).is_none());
+        assert_eq!(decodes(), start);
+        assert!(recompress(&crate::tests::blank_png(9), mode).is_some());
+        assert_eq!(decodes(), start + 1);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/pdf/src/tests.rs b/crates/pdf/src/tests.rs
index 8fcc15547..160fa38b2 100644
--- a/crates/pdf/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/pdf/src/tests.rs
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ fn cmyk_tiff() -> (Vec<u8>, Vec<u8>) {
 }
 
 /// A black `side`² 1-bit grey PNG: well under 1 MB, it decodes to `side`² bytes.
-fn blank_png(side: u32) -> Vec<u8> {
+pub(crate) fn blank_png(side: u32) -> Vec<u8> {
     use std::io::Write;
     let chunk = |out: &mut Vec<u8>, kind: &[u8; 4], data: &[u8]| {
         out.extend((data.len() as u32).to_be_bytes());
@@ -354,17 +354,14 @@ fn a_cut_off_image_is_skipped_not_fatal() {
     }
 }
 
-/// A raster past the RGBA budget is skipped undecoded, also when images are recompressed (#1586).
+/// A raster past the RGBA budget is skipped with a warning, also when images are recompressed (#1586).
 #[test]
-fn an_image_past_the_decode_budget_is_skipped_undecoded() {
+fn an_image_past_the_decode_budget_is_skipped_with_a_warning() {
     let side = 16_385;
     let mut d = doc_with_text("still here");
     place(&mut d, blank_png(side), (side, side));
     for compress_images in [false, true] {
-        let started = std::time::Instant::now();
         let r = export_pdf_with_report(&d, &Cache::new(), &PdfOptions { compress_images, ..Default::default() }).unwrap();
-        let took = started.elapsed();
-        assert!(took < std::time::Duration::from_secs(1), "compress_images {compress_images}: took {took:?}");
         assert!(r.warnings.iter().any(|w| w.contains("could not be decoded and was skipped")), "compress_images {compress_images}: {:?}", r.warnings);
         assert!(image_xobjects(&r.bytes).is_empty(), "compress_images {compress_images}");
     }