diff --git a/barretenberg/cpp/bootstrap.sh b/barretenberg/cpp/bootstrap.sh
index 7d6dff3049c7..330e5b1dbdbb 100755
--- a/barretenberg/cpp/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/barretenberg/cpp/bootstrap.sh
@@ -243,6 +243,15 @@ function test_cmds_native {
       awk '/^[a-zA-Z]/ {suite=$1} /^[ ]/ {print suite$1}' | \
       grep -v 'DISABLED_' | \
       while read -r test; do
+        # Skip heavy recursion tests in debug builds — they take 400-600s+ and the same
+        # code paths are already exercised (with assertions) by faster tests in the suite.
+        # Keep WithoutPredicate/1.GenerateVKFromConstraints so that the debug-only
+        # native_verification_debug path in honk_recursion_constraint.cpp is still exercised.
+        if [[ "$native_preset" == *debug* ]] && [[ "$test" =~ ^(HonkRecursionConstraintTest|ChonkRecursionConstraintTest|AvmRecursionInnerCircuitTests|AvmRecursionConstraintTest|AvmRecursiveTests\.TwoLayer|PaddingVariants/AvmRecursiveTestsParameterized\.TwoLayer|BoomerangTwoLayerAvmRecursiveVerifierTests|ECCVMRecursiveTests|GoblinRecursiveVerifierTests|GoblinAvmRecursiveVerifierTests|BoomerangGoblinRecursiveVerifierTests|BoomerangGoblinAvmRecursiveVerifierTests) ]]; then
+          if [[ "$test" != "HonkRecursionConstraintTestWithoutPredicate/1.GenerateVKFromConstraints" ]]; then
+            continue
+          fi
+        fi
         local prefix=$hash
         # A little extra resource for these tests.
         # IPARecursiveTests fails with 2 threads.
diff --git a/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/stdlib/primitives/pairing_points.hpp b/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/stdlib/primitives/pairing_points.hpp
index c87964f35620..ebf22b105223 100644
--- a/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/stdlib/primitives/pairing_points.hpp
+++ b/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/stdlib/primitives/pairing_points.hpp
@@ -54,8 +54,12 @@ template <typename Curve> struct PairingPoints {
         }
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
-        bb::PairingPoints<typename Curve::NativeCurve> native_pp(P0().get_value(), P1().get_value());
-        info("Are Pairing Points with tag ", tag_index, " valid? ", native_pp.check() ? "true" : "false");
+        try {
+            bb::PairingPoints<typename Curve::NativeCurve> native_pp(P0().get_value(), P1().get_value());
+            info("Are Pairing Points with tag ", tag_index, " valid? ", native_pp.check() ? "true" : "false");
+        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+            info("Pairing Points with tag ", tag_index, " native check skipped: ", e.what());
+        }
 #endif
     }
 
@@ -210,8 +214,13 @@ template <typename Curve> struct PairingPoints {
         }
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
-        bb::PairingPoints<typename Curve::NativeCurve> native_pp(P0().get_value(), P1().get_value());
-        info("Are aggregated Pairing Points with tag ", tag_index, " valid? ", native_pp.check() ? "true" : "false");
+        try {
+            bb::PairingPoints<typename Curve::NativeCurve> native_pp(P0().get_value(), P1().get_value());
+            info(
+                "Are aggregated Pairing Points with tag ", tag_index, " valid? ", native_pp.check() ? "true" : "false");
+        } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+            info("Aggregated Pairing Points with tag ", tag_index, " native check skipped: ", e.what());
+        }
 #endif
     }