diff --git a/contracts/room-contract/tests/common/mod.rs b/contracts/room-contract/tests/common/mod.rs
index 5cf2374d..714af9cf 100644
--- a/contracts/room-contract/tests/common/mod.rs
+++ b/contracts/room-contract/tests/common/mod.rs
@@ -172,39 +172,66 @@ pub async fn deploy_room_contract(
 }
 
 pub async fn subscribe_to_contract(client: &mut WebApi, key: ContractKey) -> Result<()> {
-    println!("Starting subscribe_to_contract for key: {}", key);
-
-    println!("Sending Subscribe request to WebSocket...");
-    let send_result = client
-        .send(ClientRequest::ContractOp(ContractRequest::Subscribe {
-            key: *key.id(), // Subscribe uses ContractInstanceId
-            summary: None,
-        }))
-        .await;
+    subscribe_to_contract_with_retries(client, key, 1).await
+}
 
-    match send_result {
-        Ok(()) => {
-            println!("Subscribe request sent successfully to WebSocket");
-        }
-        Err(e) => {
-            println!("Failed to send Subscribe request: {}", e);
-            return Err(e.into());
+pub async fn subscribe_to_contract_with_retries(
+    client: &mut WebApi,
+    key: ContractKey,
+    max_attempts: u32,
+) -> Result<()> {
+    let mut last_error = None;
+
+    for attempt in 1..=max_attempts {
+        if attempt > 1 {
+            println!(
+                "[RETRY] Subscribe attempt {}/{} for key: {}",
+                attempt, max_attempts, key
+            );
+            // Wait before retry to allow network to stabilize
+            tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(5)).await;
+        } else {
+            println!("Starting subscribe_to_contract for key: {}", key);
         }
-    }
 
-    println!("Now waiting for SubscribeResponse via WebSocket...");
-    let wait_result = wait_for_subscribe_response(client, &key).await;
+        println!("Sending Subscribe request to WebSocket...");
+        let send_result = client
+            .send(ClientRequest::ContractOp(ContractRequest::Subscribe {
+                key: *key.id(), // Subscribe uses ContractInstanceId
+                summary: None,
+            }))
+            .await;
 
-    match &wait_result {
-        Ok(()) => {
-            println!("wait_for_subscribe_response completed successfully");
+        match send_result {
+            Ok(()) => {
+                println!("Subscribe request sent successfully to WebSocket");
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                println!("Failed to send Subscribe request: {}", e);
+                last_error = Some(anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to send Subscribe request: {}", e));
+                continue;
+            }
         }
-        Err(e) => {
-            println!("wait_for_subscribe_response failed: {}", e);
+
+        println!("Now waiting for SubscribeResponse via WebSocket...");
+        let wait_result = wait_for_subscribe_response(client, &key).await;
+
+        match wait_result {
+            Ok(()) => {
+                println!("wait_for_subscribe_response completed successfully");
+                return Ok(());
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                println!(
+                    "wait_for_subscribe_response failed (attempt {}/{}): {}",
+                    attempt, max_attempts, e
+                );
+                last_error = Some(e);
+            }
         }
     }
 
-    wait_result
+    Err(last_error.unwrap_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("Subscribe failed after {} attempts", max_attempts)))
 }
 
 // Contract compilation constants
diff --git a/contracts/room-contract/tests/integration_tests.rs b/contracts/room-contract/tests/integration_tests.rs
index 1f841bb4..16f2aa26 100644
--- a/contracts/room-contract/tests/integration_tests.rs
+++ b/contracts/room-contract/tests/integration_tests.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ mod common;
 use common::{
     collect_river_node_diagnostics, connect_ws_with_retries, deploy_room_contract,
     get_all_room_states, river_states_equal, send_test_message, subscribe_to_contract,
-    update_room_state_delta, wait_for_update_response, RoomTestState,
+    subscribe_to_contract_with_retries, update_room_state_delta, wait_for_update_response,
+    RoomTestState,
 };
 use freenet_scaffold::ComposableState;
 use freenet_stdlib::prelude::*;
@@ -202,7 +203,9 @@ async fn test_invitation_message_propagation() -> TestResult {
 
             println!("\n Step 4: Bob accepts invitation and joins room");
 
-            subscribe_to_contract(&mut _bob_client, contract_key).await
+            // Use retries for Bob's subscribe since it needs network routing
+            // which can be slower in CI environments
+            subscribe_to_contract_with_retries(&mut _bob_client, contract_key, 3).await
                 .map_err(|e| format!("Bob subscribe failed: {}", e))?;
 
             let mut bob_clients = vec![&mut _bob_client];