diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index 501784e..f0b5d37 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ podTemplate(
   // template mints a random POD_LABEL per build, so every build necessarily
   // got a fresh pod.
   label: 'hermes-code-demo-agent',
-  idleMinutes: 60,
+  // Short, and capped at one. An earlier hour of idle time meant two warm
+  // agents sat holding slots in a pool of five, which starves real CI and
+  // would eventually starve this demo too. Fifteen minutes covers a demo
+  // session - warm-up run, then the real one - without parking capacity
+  // overnight for nobody.
+  idleMinutes: 15,
+  instanceCap: 1,
   yaml: """
 apiVersion: v1
 kind: Pod