diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_common.yml b/.github/workflows/test_common.yml
index fc5a36c212..08dc1730b1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_common.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_common.yml
@@ -35,6 +35,15 @@ jobs:
 
   tests:
     name: tests
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        shard: [0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17]
+  # total number of shards =18 means tests will split into 18 thread and run in parallel to increase execution speed
+  # command for sharding :
+  # pytest --shard-id=<shard_number> --num-shards=<total_shards>
+  # shard 16 for test_rln.py file as they shall run sequentially
+  # shard 17 for test_cursor_many_msgs.py as it takes time >7 mins
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 120
     steps:
@@ -47,69 +56,96 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/setup-python@v4
       with:
         python-version: '3.12'
-        cache: 'pip' 
-  
+        cache: 'pip'
+
     - run: pip install -r requirements.txt
 
     - name: Run tests
+
       run: |
-        pytest -n 4 --dist loadgroup --reruns 2 --alluredir=allure-results
-
-    - name: Get allure history
-      if: always()
-      uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      with:
-        ref: gh-pages
-        path: gh-pages
-
-    - name: Setup allure report
-      uses: simple-elf/allure-report-action@master
-      if: always()
-      id: allure-report
-      with:
-        allure_results: allure-results
-        gh_pages: gh-pages/${{ env.CALLER }}
-        allure_history: allure-history
-        keep_reports: 30
-        report_url: https://waku-org.github.io/waku-interop-tests/${{ env.CALLER }}
-
-    - name: Deploy report to Github Pages
-      uses: peaceiris/actions-gh-pages@v3
-      if: always()
-      with:
-        github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-        publish_branch: gh-pages
-        publish_dir: allure-history
-        destination_dir: ${{ env.CALLER }}
-
-    - name: Create job summary
-      if: always()
-      env:
-        JOB_STATUS: ${{ job.status }}
-      run: |
-        echo "## Run Information" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-        echo "- **Event**: ${{ github.event_name }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-        echo "- **Actor**: ${{ github.actor }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-        echo "- **Node1**: ${{ env.NODE_1 }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-        echo "- **Node2**: ${{ env.NODE_2 }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-        echo "- **Additonal Nodes**: ${{ env.ADDITIONAL_NODES }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-        echo "## Test Results" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-        echo "Allure report will be available at: https://waku-org.github.io/waku-interop-tests/${{ env.CALLER }}/${{ github.run_number }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-        if [ "$JOB_STATUS" != "success" ]; then
-          echo "There are failures with nwaku node. cc <@&1111608257824440330>" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+        if [ "${{ matrix.shard }}" == "16" ]; then
+            pytest tests/relay/test_rln.py --alluredir=allure-results-${{ matrix.shard }}
+        elif [ "${{ matrix.shard }}" == "17" ]; then
+            pytest tests/store/test_cursor_many_msgs.py --alluredir=allure-results-${{ matrix.shard }}
+        elif [ "${{ matrix.shard }}" != "17" ]; then
+            pytest --ignore=tests/relay/test_rln.py --ignore=tests/store/test_cursor_many_msgs.py --reruns 2 --shard-id=${{ matrix.shard }} --num-shards=16 --alluredir=allure-results-${{ matrix.shard }}
         fi
-        {
-          echo 'JOB_SUMMARY<<EOF'
-          cat $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-          echo EOF
-        } >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-    - name: Send report to Discord
-      uses: rjstone/discord-webhook-notify@v1
-      if: always() && env.CALLER != 'manual'
+    - name: Upload allure results
+      if: always()
+      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
       with:
-        severity: ${{ job.status == 'success' && 'info' || 'error' }}
-        username: ${{ github.workflow }}
-        description: "## Job Result:  ${{ job.status }}"
-        details: ${{ env.JOB_SUMMARY }}
-        webhookUrl: ${{ secrets.DISCORD_TEST_REPORTS_WH }}
+        name: allure-results-${{ matrix.shard }}
+        path: allure-results-${{ matrix.shard }}
+
+
+
+  aggregate-reports:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: tests
+    if: always()
+    steps:
+      - name: Download all allure results
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          path: all-results
+          merge-multiple: true
+
+      - name: Get allure history
+        if: always()
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: gh-pages
+          path: gh-pages
+
+      - name: Setup allure report
+        uses: simple-elf/allure-report-action@master
+        if: always()
+        id: allure-report
+        with:
+          allure_results: all-results
+          gh_pages: gh-pages/${{ env.CALLER }}
+          allure_history: allure-history
+          keep_reports: 30
+          report_url: https://waku-org.github.io/waku-interop-tests/${{ env.CALLER }}
+
+      - name: Deploy report to Github Pages
+        uses: peaceiris/actions-gh-pages@v3
+        if: always()
+        with:
+            github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+            publish_branch: gh-pages
+            publish_dir: allure-history
+            destination_dir: ${{ env.CALLER }}
+
+      - name: Create job summary
+        if: always()
+        env:
+            JOB_STATUS: ${{ job.status }}
+        run: |
+            echo "## Run Information" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "- **Event**: ${{ github.event_name }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "- **Actor**: ${{ github.actor }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "- **Node1**: ${{ env.NODE_1 }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "- **Node2**: ${{ env.NODE_2 }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "- **Additonal Nodes**: ${{ env.ADDITIONAL_NODES }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "## Test Results" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "Allure report will be available at: https://waku-org.github.io/waku-interop-tests/${{ env.CALLER }}/${{ github.run_number }}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            if [ "$JOB_STATUS" != "success" ]; then
+              echo "There are failures with nwaku node. cc <@&1111608257824440330>" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            fi
+            {
+              echo 'JOB_SUMMARY<<EOF'
+              cat $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+              echo EOF
+            } >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Send report to Discord
+        uses: rjstone/discord-webhook-notify@v1
+        if: always() && env.CALLER != 'manual'
+        with:
+             severity: ${{ job.status == 'success' && 'info' || 'error' }}
+             username: ${{ github.workflow }}
+             description: "## Job Result:  ${{ job.status }}"
+             details: ${{ env.JOB_SUMMARY }}
+             webhookUrl: ${{ secrets.DISCORD_TEST_REPORTS_WH }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 2965db53cb..2d62863fab 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -39,3 +39,4 @@ typing-inspect==0.9.0
 typing_extensions==4.9.0
 urllib3==2.2.2
 virtualenv==20.25.0
+pytest-shard==0.1.2
diff --git a/tests/store/test_cursor.py b/tests/store/test_cursor.py
index ef28f9bb88..4e3820dd7b 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_cursor.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_cursor.py
@@ -10,22 +10,6 @@ from src.steps.store import StepsStore
 class TestCursor(StepsStore):
     # we implicitly test the reusabilty of the cursor for multiple nodes
 
-    def test_get_multiple_2000_store_messages(self):
-        expected_message_hash_list = []
-        for i in range(2000):
-            message = self.create_message(payload=to_base64(f"Message_{i}"))
-            self.publish_message(message=message)
-            expected_message_hash_list.append(self.compute_message_hash(self.test_pubsub_topic, message))
-        store_response = StoreResponse({"paginationCursor": "", "pagination_cursor": ""}, self.store_node1)
-        response_message_hash_list = []
-        while store_response.pagination_cursor is not None:
-            cursor = store_response.pagination_cursor
-            store_response = self.get_messages_from_store(self.store_node1, page_size=100, cursor=cursor)
-            for index in range(len(store_response.messages)):
-                response_message_hash_list.append(store_response.message_hash(index))
-        assert len(expected_message_hash_list) == len(response_message_hash_list), "Message count mismatch"
-        assert expected_message_hash_list == response_message_hash_list, "Message hash mismatch"
-
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("cursor_index, message_count", [[2, 4], [3, 20], [10, 40], [19, 20], [19, 50], [110, 120]])
     def test_different_cursor_and_indexes(self, cursor_index, message_count):
         message_hash_list = []
diff --git a/tests/store/test_cursor_many_msgs.py b/tests/store/test_cursor_many_msgs.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..086f7da374
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/store/test_cursor_many_msgs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import pytest
+from src.env_vars import NODE_1, NODE_2
+from src.libs.common import to_base64
+from src.node.store_response import StoreResponse
+from src.steps.store import StepsStore
+
+
+@pytest.mark.xfail("go-waku" in NODE_2, reason="Bug reported: https://github.com/waku-org/go-waku/issues/1109")
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("node_setup")
+class TestCursorManyMessages(StepsStore):
+    # we implicitly test the reusabilty of the cursor for multiple nodes
+
+    @pytest.mark.timeout(540)
+    @pytest.mark.store2000
+    def test_get_multiple_2000_store_messages(self):
+        expected_message_hash_list = []
+        for i in range(2000):
+            message = self.create_message(payload=to_base64(f"Message_{i}"))
+            self.publish_message(message=message)
+            expected_message_hash_list.append(self.compute_message_hash(self.test_pubsub_topic, message))
+        store_response = StoreResponse({"paginationCursor": "", "pagination_cursor": ""}, self.store_node1)
+        response_message_hash_list = []
+        while store_response.pagination_cursor is not None:
+            cursor = store_response.pagination_cursor
+            store_response = self.get_messages_from_store(self.store_node1, page_size=100, cursor=cursor)
+            for index in range(len(store_response.messages)):
+                response_message_hash_list.append(store_response.message_hash(index))
+        assert len(expected_message_hash_list) == len(response_message_hash_list), "Message count mismatch"
+        assert expected_message_hash_list == response_message_hash_list, "Message hash mismatch"
diff --git a/tests/store/test_external_db.py b/tests/store/test_external_db.py
index 73872b01ac..d5dac87f35 100644
--- a/tests/store/test_external_db.py
+++ b/tests/store/test_external_db.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class TestExternalDb(StepsStore):
         self.subscribe_to_pubsub_topics_via_relay()
 
     @pytest.mark.dependency(name="test_on_empty_postgress_db")
+    @pytest.mark.timeout(60)
     def test_on_empty_postgress_db(self):
         message = self.create_message()
         self.publish_message(message=message)