diff --git a/surfsense_web/playwright.config.ts b/surfsense_web/playwright.config.ts
index a217a1424..511db6b09 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/surfsense_web/playwright.config.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ const baseURL = process.env.PLAYWRIGHT_BASE_URL || `http://localhost:${PORT}`;
 export default defineConfig({
 	testDir: "./tests",
 	timeout: 30_000,
-	expect: { timeout: 5_000 },
+	expect: { timeout: 15_000 },
 	fullyParallel: true,
 	forbidOnly: !!process.env.CI,
 	retries: process.env.CI ? 2 : 0,
@@ -53,10 +53,11 @@ export default defineConfig({
 	webServer: process.env.PLAYWRIGHT_NO_WEB_SERVER
 		? undefined
 		: {
-				command: "pnpm dev",
+				// Pin to webpack dev (Turbopack has caused stale-lock panics in E2E).
+				command: "pnpm exec next dev",
 				url: `http://localhost:${PORT}`,
 				reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
-				timeout: 120_000,
+				timeout: 180_000,
 				env: {
 					NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL: `http://localhost:${BACKEND_PORT}`,
 					NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_AUTH_TYPE: "LOCAL",
diff --git a/surfsense_web/tests/dashboard.spec.ts b/surfsense_web/tests/dashboard.spec.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 406a0dbda..000000000
--- a/surfsense_web/tests/dashboard.spec.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
-
-/**
- * Tracer-bullet test: proves the entire E2E pipeline works end-to-end.
- *
- * Verifies:
- *   - Web server is reachable
- *   - Auth setup ran successfully (storageState contains valid token)
- *   - Dashboard route renders for an authenticated user
- *
- * Keep this test minimal. Product-specific behaviour belongs in dedicated
- * spec files (new-chat, search-spaces, editor-panel, etc.).
- */
-test.describe("Dashboard", () => {
-	test("loads dashboard with sidebar navigation for authenticated user", async ({ page }) => {
-		await page.goto("/dashboard");
-
-		await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/dashboard/);
-		await expect(page.getByRole("navigation").first()).toBeVisible();
-	});
-});
diff --git a/surfsense_web/tests/smoke/dashboard.spec.ts b/surfsense_web/tests/smoke/dashboard.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a6249ddfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_web/tests/smoke/dashboard.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
+
+/**
+ * Tracer-bullet smoke test: proves the entire E2E pipeline is wired up.
+ *
+ * Verifies:
+ *   - Web server is reachable
+ *   - tests/auth.setup.ts ran and stored a valid bearer token
+ *   - Dashboard route renders for an authenticated user
+ *
+ * Keep minimal. Connector- or feature-specific behaviour belongs under
+ * tests/connectors/ or tests/<feature>/.
+ */
+test.describe("Smoke", () => {
+	test("dashboard loads for authenticated user", async ({ page }) => {
+		await page.goto("/dashboard");
+
+		// Sidebar is <aside> (role=complementary); its visibility implies redirect + auth fetch.
+		await expect(page.getByRole("complementary").first()).toBeVisible({ timeout: 60_000 });
+	});
+});