diff --git a/packages/validation/src/middleware.ts b/packages/validation/src/middleware.ts
index af6d953033..59a5093c62 100644
--- a/packages/validation/src/middleware.ts
+++ b/packages/validation/src/middleware.ts
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ import { validate } from './validate.js';
  * @param options.ajv - Optional Ajv instance to use for validation, if not provided a new instance will be created.
  */
 const validator = (options: ValidatorOptions) => {
-  const before: MiddlewareFn = async (request) => {
+  const before: MiddlewareFn = (request) => {
     if (options.inboundSchema) {
       const originalEvent = structuredClone(request.event);
       try {
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ const validator = (options: ValidatorOptions) => {
     }
   };
 
-  const after = async (handler: MiddyLikeRequest) => {
+  const after = (handler: MiddyLikeRequest) => {
     if (options.outboundSchema) {
       try {
         handler.response = validate({
diff --git a/packages/validation/tests/unit/decorator.test.ts b/packages/validation/tests/unit/decorator.test.ts
index 28e6cd27fd..423ab34cc6 100644
--- a/packages/validation/tests/unit/decorator.test.ts
+++ b/packages/validation/tests/unit/decorator.test.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { setTimeout } from 'node:timers/promises';
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import { validator } from '../../src/decorator.js';
 import { SchemaValidationError } from '../../src/errors.js';
@@ -21,11 +22,12 @@ const outboundSchema = {
 };
 
 describe('Decorator: validator', () => {
-  it('should validate inbound and outbound successfully', async () => {
+  it('validates both inbound and outbound successfully', async () => {
     // Prepare
     class TestClass {
       @validator({ inboundSchema, outboundSchema })
       async multiply(input: { value: number }): Promise<{ result: number }> {
+        await setTimeout(1); // simulate some processing time
         return { result: input.value * 2 };
       }
     }
@@ -39,11 +41,12 @@ describe('Decorator: validator', () => {
     expect(output).toEqual({ result: 10 });
   });
 
-  it('should throw error on inbound validation failure', async () => {
+  it('throws an error on inbound validation failure', async () => {
     // Prepare
     class TestClass {
       @validator({ inboundSchema, outboundSchema })
       async multiply(input: { value: number }): Promise<{ result: number }> {
+        await setTimeout(1); // simulate some processing time
         return { result: input.value * 2 };
       }
     }
@@ -58,11 +61,12 @@ describe('Decorator: validator', () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it('should throw error on outbound validation failure', async () => {
+  it('throws an error on outbound validation failure', async () => {
     // Prepare
     class TestClassInvalid {
       @validator({ inboundSchema, outboundSchema })
       async multiply(_input: { value: number }) {
+        await setTimeout(1); // simulate some processing time
         return { result: 'invalid' };
       }
     }
@@ -74,11 +78,12 @@ describe('Decorator: validator', () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it('should no-op when no schemas are provided', async () => {
+  it('results in a no-op when no schemas are provided', async () => {
     // Prepare
     class TestClassNoOp {
       @validator({})
       async echo(input: unknown): Promise<unknown> {
+        await setTimeout(1); // simulate some processing time
         return input;
       }
     }
@@ -92,11 +97,12 @@ describe('Decorator: validator', () => {
     expect(result).toEqual(data);
   });
 
-  it('should validate inbound only', async () => {
+  it('validates the inbound schema only', async () => {
     // Prepare
     class TestClassInbound {
       @validator({ inboundSchema })
       async process(input: { value: number }): Promise<{ data: string }> {
+        await setTimeout(1); // simulate some processing time
         return { data: JSON.stringify(input) };
       }
     }
@@ -110,11 +116,12 @@ describe('Decorator: validator', () => {
     expect(output).toEqual({ data: JSON.stringify(input) });
   });
 
-  it('should validate outbound only', async () => {
+  it('validates the outbound schema only', async () => {
     // Prepare
     class TestClassOutbound {
       @validator({ outboundSchema })
       async process(_input: { text: string }): Promise<{ result: number }> {
+        await setTimeout(1); // simulate some processing time
         return { result: 42 };
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/validation/tests/unit/middleware.test.ts b/packages/validation/tests/unit/middleware.test.ts
index 1d2796638a..6b76d66d65 100644
--- a/packages/validation/tests/unit/middleware.test.ts
+++ b/packages/validation/tests/unit/middleware.test.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const outboundSchema = {
   additionalProperties: false,
 };
 
-const baseHandler = async (event: { inputValue: unknown }) => {
+const baseHandler = (event: { inputValue: unknown }) => {
   return {
     outputValue: event.inputValue,
   };