diff --git a/.github/workflows/integration-sqlite.yml b/.github/workflows/integration-sqlite.yml
index 963219a709633..ab849b827eee9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/integration-sqlite.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/integration-sqlite.yml
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           mkdir data
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose ${{ contains(matrix.test-suite,'ldap') && '--data-dir=/dev/shm/nc_int' || '' }} --database=sqlite --database-name=nextcloud --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass admin
-          ./occ config:system:set hashing_default_password --value=true --type=boolean
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
 
       - name: Configure caching
         if: ${{ contains(matrix.test-suite,'ldap') }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/object-storage.yml b/.github/workflows/object-storage.yml
index 62cf6d4a4b9e1..3ff51e84f9d6e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/object-storage.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/object-storage.yml
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/redis.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=sqlite --database-name=nextcloud --database-host=127.0.0.1 --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass password
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: Wait for object store
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-kvstore.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-kvstore.yml
index 11053277a203b..d968dc1541cd6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-kvstore.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-kvstore.yml
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/kvstore-${{ matrix.topology }}.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=sqlite --database-name=nextcloud --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass admin
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: PHPUnit key-value store tests
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-mariadb.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-mariadb.yml
index 423ec1d46a1cb..92bb6c59eedfc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-mariadb.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-mariadb.yml
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/redis.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=mysql --database-name=nextcloud --database-host=127.0.0.1 --database-port=$DB_PORT --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass admin
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: PHPUnit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-memcached.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-memcached.yml
index 0de1a54c7e5fc..ea2ec3855e65f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-memcached.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-memcached.yml
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/memcached.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=sqlite --database-name=nextcloud --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass admin
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: PHPUnit memcached tests
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-mysql-sharding.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-mysql-sharding.yml
index 32d9acb5aabc7..59d1670189c5d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-mysql-sharding.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-mysql-sharding.yml
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/redis.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=mysql --database-name=nextcloud --database-host=127.0.0.1 --database-port=$DB_PORT --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass admin
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: PHPUnit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-mysql.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-mysql.yml
index c1bb6be885e11..6a07f0aa9476d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-mysql.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-mysql.yml
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/redis.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=mysql --database-name=nextcloud --database-host=127.0.0.1 --database-port=$DB_PORT --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass admin
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: Enable partitioning for oc_filecache
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-nodb.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-nodb.yml
index 7015f1b79e3ae..9057a60cfd4ce 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-nodb.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-nodb.yml
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/redis.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=sqlite --database-name=nextcloud --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass admin
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: PHPUnit nodb testsuite
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-object-store-primary.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-object-store-primary.yml
index cebe68674d5b8..45c5b44770991 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-object-store-primary.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-object-store-primary.yml
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/redis.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=sqlite --database-name=nextcloud --database-host=127.0.0.1 --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass password
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: Wait for S3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-oci.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-oci.yml
index 3b68ce5c0e531..4427d35430fe5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-oci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-oci.yml
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/redis.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=oci --database-name=${{ matrix.oracle-versions < 23 && 'XE' || 'FREE'  }} --database-host=127.0.0.1 --database-port=1521 --database-user=system --database-pass=oracle --admin-user admin --admin-pass admin
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: PHPUnit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-pgsql.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-pgsql.yml
index 0cc0ff2662e44..7482037c9b5e0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-pgsql.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-pgsql.yml
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/redis.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=pgsql --database-name=nextcloud --database-host=127.0.0.1 --database-port=$DB_PORT --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass admin
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: PHPUnit database tests
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-sqlite.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-sqlite.yml
index a43f2e5741efc..2e0036eb114b5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-sqlite.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-sqlite.yml
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ jobs:
           cp tests/redis.config.php config/
           cp tests/preseed-config.php config/config.php
           ./occ maintenance:install --verbose --database=sqlite --database-name=nextcloud --database-user=root --database-pass=rootpassword --admin-user admin --admin-pass admin
+          NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
           php -f tests/enable_all.php
 
       - name: Nextcloud debug information
diff --git a/autotest-external.sh b/autotest-external.sh
index ba6354b26e12a..e1e780c70b53f 100755
--- a/autotest-external.sh
+++ b/autotest-external.sh
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ EOF
 	# trigger installation
 	echo "Installing ...."
 	./occ maintenance:install -vvv --database=$1 --database-name=$DATABASENAME --database-host=localhost --database-user=$DATABASEUSER --database-pass=owncloud --admin-user=$ADMINLOGIN --admin-pass=admin --data-dir=$DATADIR
+	NC_debug=true ./occ testing:prepare-ci
 
 	./occ config:system:set --value true --type boolean allow_local_remote_servers
 
diff --git a/autotest.sh b/autotest.sh
index b90fdd3ce1a38..843a09ecdf07f 100755
--- a/autotest.sh
+++ b/autotest.sh
@@ -355,6 +355,7 @@ function execute_tests {
 	# trigger installation
 	echo "Installing ...."
 	"$PHP" ./occ maintenance:install -vvv --database="$_DB" --database-name="$DATABASENAME" --database-host="$DATABASEHOST" --database-user="$DATABASEUSER" --database-pass=owncloud --admin-user="$ADMINLOGIN" --admin-pass=admin --data-dir="$DATADIR"
+	NC_debug=true "$PHP" ./occ testing:prepare-ci
 
 	#test execution
 	echo "Testing with $DB ..."
diff --git a/core/Command/Testing/PrepareCi.php b/core/Command/Testing/PrepareCi.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..fd62a1da5e9d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/Command/Testing/PrepareCi.php
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+namespace OC\Core\Command\Testing;
+
+use OC\Core\Command\Base;
+use OCP\IConfig;
+use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputInterface;
+use Symfony\Component\Console\Output\OutputInterface;
+
+class PrepareCi extends Base {
+	public function __construct(
+		private readonly IConfig $config,
+	) {
+		parent::__construct();
+	}
+
+	#[\Override]
+	protected function configure(): void {
+		parent::configure();
+
+		$this
+			->setName('testing:prepare-ci')
+			->setDescription('Trade security for speed on a CI instance, never use this in production');
+	}
+
+	#[\Override]
+	protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output): int {
+		$openssl = $this->config->getSystemValue('openssl', []);
+		$openssl['private_key_bits'] = 2048;
+
+		$values = [
+			// bcrypt instead of argon2, so hashingCost applies
+			'hashing_default_password' => true,
+			'hashingCost' => 4,
+			'openssl' => $openssl,
+		];
+		$this->config->setSystemValues($values);
+
+		foreach ($values as $key => $value) {
+			$output->writeln('<info>Set ' . $key . ' to ' . json_encode($value) . '</info>');
+		}
+
+		return self::SUCCESS;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/core/register_command.php b/core/register_command.php
index ee9dcc1c03dd7..610ce4bf802bc 100644
--- a/core/register_command.php
+++ b/core/register_command.php
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@
 use OC\Core\Command\TaskProcessing\GetCommand;
 use OC\Core\Command\TaskProcessing\Statistics;
 use OC\Core\Command\TaskProcessing\WorkerCommand;
+use OC\Core\Command\Testing\PrepareCi;
 use OC\Core\Command\TwoFactorAuth\Cleanup;
 use OC\Core\Command\TwoFactorAuth\Enforce;
 use OC\Core\Command\TwoFactorAuth\State;
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@
 		$application->addCommand(Server::get(MigrateCommand::class));
 		$application->addCommand(Server::get(GenerateCommand::class));
 		$application->addCommand(Server::get(ExecuteCommand::class));
+		$application->addCommand(Server::get(PrepareCi::class));
 	}
 
 	$application->addCommand(Server::get(Command\Encryption\Disable::class));
diff --git a/lib/composer/composer/autoload_classmap.php b/lib/composer/composer/autoload_classmap.php
index 7195cffc18211..8bb5d593e88b9 100644
--- a/lib/composer/composer/autoload_classmap.php
+++ b/lib/composer/composer/autoload_classmap.php
@@ -1570,6 +1570,7 @@
     'OC\\Core\\Command\\TaskProcessing\\ListCommand' => $baseDir . '/core/Command/TaskProcessing/ListCommand.php',
     'OC\\Core\\Command\\TaskProcessing\\Statistics' => $baseDir . '/core/Command/TaskProcessing/Statistics.php',
     'OC\\Core\\Command\\TaskProcessing\\WorkerCommand' => $baseDir . '/core/Command/TaskProcessing/WorkerCommand.php',
+    'OC\\Core\\Command\\Testing\\PrepareCi' => $baseDir . '/core/Command/Testing/PrepareCi.php',
     'OC\\Core\\Command\\TwoFactorAuth\\Base' => $baseDir . '/core/Command/TwoFactorAuth/Base.php',
     'OC\\Core\\Command\\TwoFactorAuth\\Cleanup' => $baseDir . '/core/Command/TwoFactorAuth/Cleanup.php',
     'OC\\Core\\Command\\TwoFactorAuth\\Disable' => $baseDir . '/core/Command/TwoFactorAuth/Disable.php',
diff --git a/lib/composer/composer/autoload_static.php b/lib/composer/composer/autoload_static.php
index 62bf2d79948fd..b7412813556c6 100644
--- a/lib/composer/composer/autoload_static.php
+++ b/lib/composer/composer/autoload_static.php
@@ -1611,6 +1611,7 @@ class ComposerStaticInit749170dad3f5e7f9ca158f5a9f04f6a2
         'OC\\Core\\Command\\TaskProcessing\\ListCommand' => __DIR__ . '/../../..' . '/core/Command/TaskProcessing/ListCommand.php',
         'OC\\Core\\Command\\TaskProcessing\\Statistics' => __DIR__ . '/../../..' . '/core/Command/TaskProcessing/Statistics.php',
         'OC\\Core\\Command\\TaskProcessing\\WorkerCommand' => __DIR__ . '/../../..' . '/core/Command/TaskProcessing/WorkerCommand.php',
+        'OC\\Core\\Command\\Testing\\PrepareCi' => __DIR__ . '/../../..' . '/core/Command/Testing/PrepareCi.php',
         'OC\\Core\\Command\\TwoFactorAuth\\Base' => __DIR__ . '/../../..' . '/core/Command/TwoFactorAuth/Base.php',
         'OC\\Core\\Command\\TwoFactorAuth\\Cleanup' => __DIR__ . '/../../..' . '/core/Command/TwoFactorAuth/Cleanup.php',
         'OC\\Core\\Command\\TwoFactorAuth\\Disable' => __DIR__ . '/../../..' . '/core/Command/TwoFactorAuth/Disable.php',
diff --git a/tests/Core/Command/Testing/PrepareCiTest.php b/tests/Core/Command/Testing/PrepareCiTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..01f31a0194c88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Core/Command/Testing/PrepareCiTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+namespace Tests\Core\Command\Testing;
+
+use OC\Core\Command\Testing\PrepareCi;
+use OCP\IConfig;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\MockObject\MockObject;
+use Symfony\Component\Console\Tester\CommandTester;
+use Test\TestCase;
+
+class PrepareCiTest extends TestCase {
+	private IConfig&MockObject $config;
+	private CommandTester $commandTester;
+
+	#[\Override]
+	protected function setUp(): void {
+		parent::setUp();
+
+		$this->config = $this->createMock(IConfig::class);
+		$this->commandTester = new CommandTester(new PrepareCi($this->config));
+	}
+
+	public function testSetsValues(): void {
+		$this->config->method('getSystemValue')
+			->with('openssl', [])
+			->willReturn([]);
+		$this->config->expects($this->once())
+			->method('setSystemValues')
+			->with([
+				'hashing_default_password' => true,
+				'hashingCost' => 4,
+				'openssl' => ['private_key_bits' => 2048],
+			]);
+
+		$this->assertSame(0, $this->commandTester->execute([]));
+
+		$display = $this->commandTester->getDisplay();
+		$this->assertStringContainsString('Set hashing_default_password to true', $display);
+		$this->assertStringContainsString('Set hashingCost to 4', $display);
+		$this->assertStringContainsString('Set openssl to {"private_key_bits":2048}', $display);
+	}
+
+	public function testKeepsOtherOpensslOptions(): void {
+		$this->config->method('getSystemValue')
+			->with('openssl', [])
+			->willReturn(['config' => '/etc/ssl/openssl.cnf', 'private_key_bits' => 4096]);
+		$this->config->expects($this->once())
+			->method('setSystemValues')
+			->with($this->callback(static fn (array $values): bool
+				=> $values['openssl'] === ['config' => '/etc/ssl/openssl.cnf', 'private_key_bits' => 2048]));
+
+		$this->assertSame(0, $this->commandTester->execute([]));
+	}
+}
diff --git a/tests/preseed-config.php b/tests/preseed-config.php
index e3e07eb7accb7..0853b220a653e 100644
--- a/tests/preseed-config.php
+++ b/tests/preseed-config.php
@@ -9,15 +9,6 @@
  */
 $CONFIG = [
 	'appstoreenabled' => false,
-	// Argon2 at its minimum cost. The suite creates users constantly and the
-	// default parameters make every password hash take ~100ms.
-	'hashingMemoryCost' => 8,
-	'hashingTimeCost' => 1,
-	'hashingThreads' => 1,
-	// Only used when argon2 is unavailable and bcrypt is the fallback.
-	'hashingCost' => 4,
-	// Smaller keys are faster to generate and the tests do not need 4096 bit.
-	'openssl' => ['private_key_bits' => 2048],
 	'apps_paths' => [
 		[
 			'path' => OC::$SERVERROOT . '/apps',