diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 38deb9363c..d0329966f1 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -552,6 +552,22 @@ if get_option('cfi')
   add_global_link_arguments(cfi_flags, native: false, language: all_languages)
 endif
 
+# Check further flags that make QEMU more robust against malicious parties
+
+hardening_flags = [
+    # Zero out registers used during a function call
+    # upon its return. This makes it harder to assemble
+    # ROP gadgets into something usable
+    '-fzero-call-used-regs=used-gpr',
+
+    # Initialize all stack variables to zero. This makes
+    # it harder to take advantage of uninitialized stack
+    # data to drive exploits
+    '-ftrivial-auto-var-init=zero',
+]
+
+qemu_common_flags += cc.get_supported_arguments(hardening_flags)
+
 add_global_arguments(qemu_common_flags, native: false, language: all_languages)
 add_global_link_arguments(qemu_ldflags, native: false, language: all_languages)
 
diff --git a/tests/qtest/meson.build b/tests/qtest/meson.build
index fd40136fa9..4293f3b133 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/meson.build
+++ b/tests/qtest/meson.build
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@ slow_qtests = {
   'device-introspect-test' : 720,
   'migration-test' : 480,
   'npcm7xx_pwm-test': 300,
+  'npcm7xx_watchdog_timer-test': 120,
   'qom-test' : 900,
   'test-hmp' : 240,
   'pxe-test': 600,
   'prom-env-test': 360,
-  'boot-serial-test': 180,
+  'boot-serial-test': 240,
   'qos-test': 120,
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/qtest/npcm7xx_watchdog_timer-test.c b/tests/qtest/npcm7xx_watchdog_timer-test.c
index 4773a673b2..981b853c99 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/npcm7xx_watchdog_timer-test.c
+++ b/tests/qtest/npcm7xx_watchdog_timer-test.c
@@ -172,9 +172,10 @@ static void test_reset_action(gconstpointer watchdog)
 static void test_prescaler(gconstpointer watchdog)
 {
     const Watchdog *wd = watchdog;
+    int inc = g_test_quick() ? 3 : 1;
 
-    for (int wtclk = 0; wtclk < 4; ++wtclk) {
-        for (int wtis = 0; wtis < 4; ++wtis) {
+    for (int wtclk = 0; wtclk < 4; wtclk += inc) {
+        for (int wtis = 0; wtis < 4; wtis += inc) {
             QTestState *qts = qtest_init("-machine quanta-gsj");
 
             qtest_irq_intercept_in(qts, "/machine/soc/a9mpcore/gic");