diff --git a/tests/builtin/runtime/test_statistics.py b/tests/builtin/runtime/test_statistics.py
index 9789d5011a..3f09d5a0ee 100644
--- a/tests/builtin/runtime/test_statistics.py
+++ b/tests/builtin/runtime/test_statistics.py
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ async def scenario() -> None:
 
 
 # Measured on the default text-recall path; slack of one statement above the observed value.
-_PREPARE_STATEMENT_CEILING = 41
+_PREPARE_STATEMENT_CEILING = 18
 
 
 def test_prepare_context_statement_count_does_not_grow_with_memory_count() -> None: