diff --git a/crates/codecs/src/gop.rs b/crates/codecs/src/gop.rs
--- a/crates/codecs/src/gop.rs
+++ b/crates/codecs/src/gop.rs
@@ -1097,21 +1097,52 @@ mod tests {
             let _ = tx.send(());
         });
         // A deadlock stops every request of a round for good. On a loaded machine the 3,840
-        // requests can take minutes, so the limit applies to the time between two answered ones.
-        let mut answered = 0;
+        // requests can take minutes, so the limit applies to the time since the last answered one.
+        if let Err(frames) = wait_while_answered(&rx, &done, Duration::from_secs(120)) {
+            panic!("frame requests deadlocked after {frames} frames");
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Waits for `rx` while `done` keeps growing. Returns `Err` with the count in `done` once
+    /// `limit` has passed since the count last grew (or since the call, before it grows).
+    fn wait_while_answered(rx: &std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<()>, done: &AtomicUsize, limit: Duration) -> Result<(), usize> {
+        let mut answered = done.load(Ordering::Relaxed);
+        let mut last_answer = Instant::now();
         loop {
-            match rx.recv_timeout(Duration::from_secs(120)) {
-                Ok(()) => break,
+            match rx.recv_timeout(limit / 120) {
+                Ok(()) => return Ok(()),
                 Err(std::sync::mpsc::RecvTimeoutError::Timeout) => {
                     let now = done.load(Ordering::Relaxed);
-                    assert!(now > answered, "frame requests deadlocked after {now} frames");
-                    answered = now;
+                    if now > answered {
+                        answered = now;
+                        last_answer = Instant::now();
+                    } else if last_answer.elapsed() >= limit {
+                        return Err(now);
+                    }
                 }
                 Err(std::sync::mpsc::RecvTimeoutError::Disconnected) => panic!("a frame request failed"),
             }
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn a_stall_right_after_an_answer_is_reported_once_the_limit_has_passed() {
+        let (_tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
+        let done = Arc::new(AtomicUsize::new(0));
+        let answering = done.clone();
+        let (answer_tx, answer_rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
+        let limit = Duration::from_secs(2);
+        std::thread::spawn(move || {
+            std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(50));
+            let answer = Instant::now();
+            answering.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+            let _ = answer_tx.send(answer);
+        });
+        assert_eq!(wait_while_answered(&rx, &done, limit), Err(1));
+        let waited = answer_rx.recv().expect("answer time").elapsed();
+        assert!(waited >= limit && waited < limit * 3 / 2, "the stall was reported {waited:?} after the answer");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn running_decoder_continues_through_a_nearby_sync_sample() {
         let s = samples(200, 30, 0, false);