diff --git a/.github/actions/boot-simulator/action.yml b/.github/actions/boot-simulator/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2c217e7d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/boot-simulator/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+name: 'Boot iOS Simulator'
+description: 'Boots an iOS simulator with retry logic and timeout handling'
+author: 'Bitwarden'
+
+inputs:
+  simulator-name:
+    description: 'Name of the simulator device (e.g., iPhone 17 Pro)'
+    required: true
+  simulator-version:
+    description: 'iOS version for the simulator (e.g., 26.0)'
+    required: true
+
+runs:
+  using: 'composite'
+  steps:
+    - name: Boot Simulator
+      shell: bash
+      env:
+        _SIMULATOR_NAME: ${{ inputs.simulator-name }}
+        _SIMULATOR_VERSION: ${{ inputs.simulator-version }}
+      run: |
+        echo "Listing simulator devices:"
+        SIMULATORS=$(xcrun simctl list devices "iOS $_SIMULATOR_VERSION" available)
+        echo "$SIMULATORS"
+        DEVICE_ID=$(echo "$SIMULATORS" | grep "$_SIMULATOR_NAME" | head -1 | sed -E 's/.*\(([A-F0-9-]+)\).*/\1/')
+        echo "--------------------------------"
+        echo "👀 Updating dyld_shared_cache:"
+        xcrun simctl runtime dyld_shared_cache update --all
+        echo "--------------------------------"
+        echo "👀 Booting simulator: $_SIMULATOR_NAME ($_SIMULATOR_VERSION) with ID: $DEVICE_ID"
+
+        i=1
+        max=5
+        while [ $i -le $max ]; do
+            echo "👀 Launching Simulator (Attempt $i/$max)"
+            # Brewfile installs coreutils which includes gtimeout
+            if gtimeout -s SIGKILL 2m xcrun simctl bootstatus "$DEVICE_ID" -b; then
+                echo "✅ Simulator booted successfully"
+                exit 0
+            else
+                echo "❌ Simulator boot timed out. Shutting down..."
+                xcrun simctl shutdown "$DEVICE_ID" || true # prevents "Unable to shutdown device in current state: Shutdown" error
+
+                echo "🔁 Retrying in 5s..."
+                i=$((i + 1))
+                sleep 5
+            fi
+        done
+
+        echo "::error::Failed to boot simulator after $max attempts."
+        exit 1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-bwa.yml b/.github/workflows/test-bwa.yml
index 011f531c5..6e70269a3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-bwa.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-bwa.yml
@@ -128,17 +128,10 @@ jobs:
           ./Scripts/bootstrap.sh
 
       - name: Boot Simulator
-        run: |
-          echo "Listing simulator devices:"
-          SIMULATORS=$(xcrun simctl list devices "iOS $_SIMULATOR_VERSION" available)
-          echo "$SIMULATORS"
-          DEVICE_ID=$(echo "$SIMULATORS" | grep "$_SIMULATOR_NAME" | head -1 | sed -E 's/.*\(([A-F0-9-]+)\).*/\1/')
-          echo "--------------------------------"
-          echo "👀 Updating dyld_shared_cache:"
-          xcrun simctl runtime dyld_shared_cache update --all
-          echo "--------------------------------"
-          echo "👀 Booting simulator: $_SIMULATOR_NAME ($_SIMULATOR_VERSION) with ID: $DEVICE_ID"
-          xcrun simctl bootstatus "$DEVICE_ID" -b
+        uses: ./.github/actions/boot-simulator
+        with:
+          simulator-name: ${{ env._SIMULATOR_NAME }}
+          simulator-version: ${{ env._SIMULATOR_VERSION }}
 
       - name: Build
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index bcef0286e..887a0b514 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -123,17 +123,10 @@ jobs:
           ./Scripts/bootstrap.sh
 
       - name: Boot Simulator
-        run: |
-            echo "Listing simulator devices:"
-            SIMULATORS=$(xcrun simctl list devices "iOS $_SIMULATOR_VERSION" available)
-            echo "$SIMULATORS"
-            DEVICE_ID=$(echo "$SIMULATORS" | grep "$_SIMULATOR_NAME" | head -1 | sed -E 's/.*\(([A-F0-9-]+)\).*/\1/')
-            echo "--------------------------------"
-            echo "👀 Updating dyld_shared_cache:"
-            xcrun simctl runtime dyld_shared_cache update --all
-            echo "--------------------------------"
-            echo "👀 Booting simulator: $_SIMULATOR_NAME ($_SIMULATOR_VERSION) with ID: $DEVICE_ID"
-            xcrun simctl bootstatus "$DEVICE_ID" -b
+        uses: ./.github/actions/boot-simulator
+        with:
+          simulator-name: ${{ env._SIMULATOR_NAME }}
+          simulator-version: ${{ env._SIMULATOR_VERSION }}
 
       - name: Build
         run: |
diff --git a/Brewfile b/Brewfile
index 91c1984d8..cd7145663 100644
--- a/Brewfile
+++ b/Brewfile
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ brew "swift-protobuf" # used by Bitwarden Authenticator
 if ENV["CI"]
     brew "yq"
     brew "xcresultparser"
+    brew "coreutils" # using gtimeout in test workflows to stop hanging simulators
 end