diff --git a/scaletest/createworkspaces/run.go b/scaletest/createworkspaces/run.go
index 49fe0548b3..09903c06cf 100644
--- a/scaletest/createworkspaces/run.go
+++ b/scaletest/createworkspaces/run.go
@@ -87,10 +87,14 @@ func (r *Runner) Run(ctx context.Context, id string, logs io.Writer) error {
 	workspaceBuildConfig.OrganizationID = r.cfg.User.OrganizationID
 	workspaceBuildConfig.UserID = user.ID.String()
 	r.workspacebuildRunner = workspacebuild.NewRunner(client, workspaceBuildConfig)
-	workspace, err := r.workspacebuildRunner.RunReturningWorkspace(ctx, id, logs)
+	slimWorkspace, err := r.workspacebuildRunner.RunReturningWorkspace(ctx, id, logs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return xerrors.Errorf("create workspace: %w", err)
 	}
+	workspace, err := client.Workspace(ctx, slimWorkspace.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return xerrors.Errorf("get full workspace info: %w", err)
+	}
 
 	if r.cfg.Workspace.NoWaitForAgents {
 		return nil
diff --git a/scaletest/workspacebuild/run.go b/scaletest/workspacebuild/run.go
index 308c18f0b6..f05173c688 100644
--- a/scaletest/workspacebuild/run.go
+++ b/scaletest/workspacebuild/run.go
@@ -33,8 +33,13 @@ func NewRunner(client *codersdk.Client, cfg Config) *Runner {
 	}
 }
 
+type SlimWorkspace struct {
+	ID   uuid.UUID
+	Name string
+}
+
 // Run implements Runnable.
-func (r *Runner) RunReturningWorkspace(ctx context.Context, id string, logs io.Writer) (codersdk.Workspace, error) {
+func (r *Runner) RunReturningWorkspace(ctx context.Context, id string, logs io.Writer) (SlimWorkspace, error) {
 	ctx, span := tracing.StartSpan(ctx)
 	defer span.End()
 
@@ -47,14 +52,14 @@ func (r *Runner) RunReturningWorkspace(ctx context.Context, id string, logs io.W
 	if req.Name == "" {
 		randName, err := loadtestutil.GenerateWorkspaceName(id)
 		if err != nil {
-			return codersdk.Workspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("generate random name for workspace: %w", err)
+			return SlimWorkspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("generate random name for workspace: %w", err)
 		}
 		req.Name = randName
 	}
 
 	workspace, err := r.client.CreateWorkspace(ctx, r.cfg.OrganizationID, r.cfg.UserID, req)
 	if err != nil {
-		return codersdk.Workspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("create workspace: %w", err)
+		return SlimWorkspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("create workspace: %w", err)
 	}
 	r.workspaceID = workspace.ID
 
@@ -72,7 +77,7 @@ func (r *Runner) RunReturningWorkspace(ctx context.Context, id string, logs io.W
 					TemplateVersionID:   req.TemplateVersionID,
 				})
 				if err != nil {
-					return codersdk.Workspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("create workspace build: %w", err)
+					return SlimWorkspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("create workspace build: %w", err)
 				}
 				err = waitForBuild(ctx, logs, r.client, workspace.LatestBuild.ID)
 				if err == nil {
@@ -80,7 +85,7 @@ func (r *Runner) RunReturningWorkspace(ctx context.Context, id string, logs io.W
 				}
 			}
 			if err != nil {
-				return codersdk.Workspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("wait for build: %w", err)
+				return SlimWorkspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("wait for build: %w", err)
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -91,16 +96,13 @@ func (r *Runner) RunReturningWorkspace(ctx context.Context, id string, logs io.W
 		_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(logs, "")
 		err = waitForAgents(ctx, logs, r.client, workspace.ID)
 		if err != nil {
-			return codersdk.Workspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("wait for agent: %w", err)
+			return SlimWorkspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("wait for agent: %w", err)
 		}
 	}
 
-	workspace, err = r.client.Workspace(ctx, workspace.ID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return codersdk.Workspace{}, xerrors.Errorf("get workspace %q: %w", workspace.ID.String(), err)
-	}
-
-	return workspace, nil
+	// Some users of this runner might not need the full workspace, and
+	// want to avoid querying the workspace.
+	return SlimWorkspace{ID: workspace.ID, Name: workspace.Name}, nil
 }
 
 // CleanupRunner is a runner that deletes a workspace in the Run phase.
diff --git a/scaletest/workspaceupdates/run.go b/scaletest/workspaceupdates/run.go
index 4addf2b5a5..fa05d290f0 100644
--- a/scaletest/workspaceupdates/run.go
+++ b/scaletest/workspaceupdates/run.go
@@ -116,6 +116,10 @@ func (r *Runner) Run(ctx context.Context, id string, logs io.Writer) error {
 		workspaceBuildConfig.OrganizationID = r.cfg.User.OrganizationID
 		workspaceBuildConfig.UserID = newUser.ID.String()
 		workspaceBuildConfig.Request.Name = workspaceName
+		// We'll watch for completion ourselves via the tailnet workspace
+		// updates stream.
+		workspaceBuildConfig.NoWaitForAgents = true
+		workspaceBuildConfig.NoWaitForBuild = true
 
 		runner := workspacebuild.NewRunner(newUserClient, workspaceBuildConfig)
 		r.workspacebuildRunners = append(r.workspacebuildRunners, runner)