diff --git a/graphify/extract.py b/graphify/extract.py
index 00f8dda6e..e5a48dc04 100644
--- a/graphify/extract.py
+++ b/graphify/extract.py
@@ -3581,13 +3581,33 @@ def _xaml_csharp_class_nodes(path: Path) -> dict[str, list[dict]]:
     classes: dict[str, list[dict]] = {}
     patterns = _load_graphifyignore(root)
     ignore_cache: dict[Path, bool] = {}
+    # Prune noise/hidden dirs DURING traversal (not after) so the scan never
+    # descends into node_modules/.venv/.git/build/..., and CAP the number of
+    # directories visited. rglob("*.cs") used to walk the entire tree first,
+    # which on a mis-resolved or huge root (e.g. a .xaml under a shared temp dir
+    # or a giant monorepo, where _xaml_project_root climbs to a broad ancestor)
+    # scanned millions of paths and effectively hung. A real .NET project sits
+    # well under the cap; a runaway root is bounded to a fast, partial scan
+    # instead of hanging.
+    import os as _os
+    _DIR_CAP = 20000
+    cs_files: list[Path] = []
+    visited = 0
     try:
-        cs_files = sorted(root.rglob("*.cs"))
+        for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in _os.walk(root):
+            dirnames[:] = [
+                d for d in dirnames if not d.startswith(".") and not _is_noise_dir(d)
+            ]
+            for fn in filenames:
+                if fn.endswith(".cs"):
+                    cs_files.append(Path(dirpath) / fn)
+            visited += 1
+            if visited >= _DIR_CAP:
+                break
     except OSError:
         return classes
+    cs_files.sort()
     for cs_path in cs_files:
-        if any(_is_noise_dir(part) for part in cs_path.parts):
-            continue
         if patterns and _is_ignored(cs_path, root, patterns, _cache=ignore_cache):
             continue
         result = extract_csharp(cs_path)
diff --git a/tests/test_dotnet.py b/tests/test_dotnet.py
index fac4fd0e6..ec48f8b75 100644
--- a/tests/test_dotnet.py
+++ b/tests/test_dotnet.py
@@ -273,6 +273,40 @@ def test_xaml_prism_autowire_false_does_not_infer_from_filename(tmp_path):
     assert _view_model_edges(r) == []
 
 
+def test_xaml_cs_scan_prunes_noise_dirs_and_stays_bounded(tmp_path):
+    """The code-behind/.cs scan prunes noise dirs (node_modules/.venv/.git/...)
+    during traversal and is bounded, so it links the real ViewModel while a decoy
+    .cs buried in node_modules is never scanned — and it can't rglob a huge tree
+    and hang (the standalone-root escape that stalled the suite)."""
+    proj = tmp_path / "App"
+    (proj / "Views").mkdir(parents=True)
+    (proj / "ViewModels").mkdir()
+    (proj / "App.csproj").write_text('<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk" />', encoding="utf-8")
+    (proj / "Views" / "MainWindow.xaml").write_text(
+        '<Window x:Class="App.Views.MainWindow"\n'
+        '  xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"\n'
+        '  xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"\n'
+        '  xmlns:vm="clr-namespace:App.ViewModels">\n'
+        '  <Window.DataContext><vm:MainWindowViewModel/></Window.DataContext>\n'
+        "</Window>\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    (proj / "ViewModels" / "MainWindowViewModel.cs").write_text(
+        "namespace App.ViewModels { public class MainWindowViewModel {} }\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    # A decoy with the SAME class name inside a noise dir: if pruning failed it
+    # would be scanned and make the link ambiguous/wrong.
+    nm = proj / "node_modules" / "pkg"
+    nm.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (nm / "Decoy.cs").write_text(
+        "namespace App.ViewModels { public class MainWindowViewModel {} }\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    r = extract_xaml(proj / "Views" / "MainWindow.xaml")
+    assert "error" not in r
+    nodes = {n["id"]: n for n in r["nodes"]}
+    edges = _view_model_edges(r)
+    assert len(edges) == 1
+    tgt = nodes[edges[0]["target"]]
+    assert tgt["label"] == "MainWindowViewModel"
+    assert "node_modules" not in (tgt.get("source_file") or ""), "decoy in node_modules was scanned"
+
+
 def test_xaml_links_communitytoolkit_generated_members_and_event_to_command():
     r = extract_xaml(FIXTURES / "xaml_viewmodel" / "Views" / "ToolkitView.xaml")
     nodes = {n["id"]: n for n in r["nodes"]}