diff --git a/.github/workflows/harness-replays.yml b/.github/workflows/harness-replays.yml
index 384b8567..6330e885 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/harness-replays.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/harness-replays.yml
@@ -116,6 +116,15 @@ jobs:
           echo "127.0.0.1 harness-tenant.localhost" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts >/dev/null
           getent hosts harness-tenant.localhost
 
+      - name: Install Python deps for replays
+        # peer-discovery-404 (and future replays) eval Python against the
+        # running tenant — importing workspace/a2a_client.py pulls in
+        # httpx. tests/harness/requirements.txt holds just the HTTP-client
+        # surface to keep CI install fast (~3s) vs the full
+        # workspace/requirements.txt (~30s).
+        if: needs.detect-changes.outputs.run == 'true'
+        run: pip install -r tests/harness/requirements.txt
+
       - name: Run all replays against the harness
         # run-all-replays.sh: boot via up.sh → seed via seed.sh → run
         # every replays/*.sh → tear down via down.sh on EXIT (trap).
diff --git a/tests/harness/requirements.txt b/tests/harness/requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..75a30722
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/harness/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Harness-replay Python deps — minimal set for replays/*.sh scripts that
+# eval Python against the running tenant (e.g. importing
+# workspace/a2a_client.py to assert parser behavior).
+#
+# This is intentionally smaller than workspace/requirements.txt: the
+# replays don't need a2a-sdk, langchain, opentelemetry, etc. — only the
+# HTTP client surface that the imported helpers depend on. Adding the
+# full workspace deps would slow every harness CI run by ~30s for no
+# gain.
+#
+# Add a line here (with a version constraint matching workspace/requirements.txt)
+# when a new replay introduces a new Python import.
+
+httpx>=0.28.1