diff --git a/server/web/e2e/crucible-bulk.spec.ts b/server/web/e2e/crucible-bulk.spec.ts
index 35b8806..e2b4885 100644
--- a/server/web/e2e/crucible-bulk.spec.ts
+++ b/server/web/e2e/crucible-bulk.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
-import { loginToDashboard } from './fixtures';
+import { expectOnlineCrucibleCard, loginToDashboard } from './fixtures';
 import { ensureLiveStubAgent, isLiveStubReady } from './live-stub';
 import { E2E_STUB_AGENT_HOSTNAME, E2E_STUB_AGENT_ID } from './stub-agent';
 
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ test.describe('Crucible bulk command', () => {
   });
 
   test('bulk pause on selected online node fires POST bulk-command', async ({ page }) => {
-    const card = page.locator('.crucible-node-card').filter({ hasText: E2E_STUB_AGENT_HOSTNAME });
-    await expect(card.locator('.cn-status-dot.on')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
+    const card = await expectOnlineCrucibleCard(page, E2E_STUB_AGENT_HOSTNAME);
     await card.click();
     await expect(page.locator('.fleet-bulk-bar').getByText(/1 selected/)).toBeVisible({
       timeout: 10_000,
diff --git a/server/web/e2e/discover-spread-stub.ts b/server/web/e2e/discover-spread-stub.ts
index 547dc52..c5350e6 100644
--- a/server/web/e2e/discover-spread-stub.ts
+++ b/server/web/e2e/discover-spread-stub.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ export const E2E_DISCOVER_AGENT_HOSTNAME = E2E_DISCOVER_CHAIN_HOPS[0].hostname;
 export const E2E_DISCOVER_JOIN_LANE = E2E_DISCOVER_CHAIN_HOPS[0].joinLane;
 export const E2E_DISCOVER_JOIN_LABEL = E2E_DISCOVER_CHAIN_HOPS[0].joinLabel;
 
-const baseURL = process.env.AETHERFORGE_URL || 'http://127.0.0.1:8989';
+function e2eBaseURL(): string {
+  return process.env.AETHERFORGE_URL || 'http://127.0.0.1:8989';
+}
 const STATS_INTERVAL_MS = 1_000;
 
 type HubMessage = {
@@ -217,7 +219,9 @@ async function connectDiscoverSpreadHop(
   return () => {
     hopConnections.delete(hop.id);
     clearInterval(statsTimer);
-    ws.close();
+    if (ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN || ws.readyState === WebSocket.CONNECTING) {
+      ws.close(1000, 'e2e-teardown');
+    }
   };
 }
 
@@ -233,11 +237,13 @@ export async function ensureDiscoverSpreadStub(request: APIRequestContext): Prom
       if (!serverReady) return false;
 
       const fleetSecret = await fetchFleetSecret(request);
+      const baseURL = e2eBaseURL();
       for (const hop of E2E_DISCOVER_CHAIN_HOPS) {
         const disconnect = await connectDiscoverSpreadHop(baseURL, fleetSecret, hop);
         disconnectStubs.push(disconnect);
       }
-      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3_000));
+      // Allow agent_online, stats_batch (250ms coalesce), and DB upsert to settle.
+      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 4_000));
       return true;
     })();
   }
diff --git a/server/web/e2e/discover-spread.spec.ts b/server/web/e2e/discover-spread.spec.ts
index bd81aa8..94fc15c 100644
--- a/server/web/e2e/discover-spread.spec.ts
+++ b/server/web/e2e/discover-spread.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
-import { loginToDashboard } from './fixtures';
+import { expectOnlineCrucibleCard, loginToDashboard } from './fixtures';
 import { ensureLiveStubAgent, isLiveStubReady } from './live-stub';
 import {
   ensureDiscoverSpreadStub,
@@ -14,9 +14,7 @@ import { E2E_STUB_AGENT_HOSTNAME, E2E_STUB_AGENT_ID } from './stub-agent';
 async function openCrucibleSpreadTab(page: import('@playwright/test').Page, hostname: string) {
   await page.getByRole('link', { name: /Crucible/i }).click();
   await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Crucible' })).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10_000 });
-  const card = page.locator('.crucible-node-card').filter({ hasText: hostname });
-  await expect(card).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
-  await expect(card.locator('.cn-status-dot.on')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
+  const card = await expectOnlineCrucibleCard(page, hostname);
   await card.click();
   await expect(
     page.locator('.crucible-actions-card').getByText(new RegExp(`→ ${hostname}`)),
@@ -116,14 +114,21 @@ test.describe('Crucible discover and spread E2E', () => {
         timeout: 15_000,
       });
 
+      // Stub propagates join_lane stats to downstream hops with staggered delays.
+      await page.waitForTimeout(2_000);
+
       for (const hop of [seed, leaf]) {
-        const card = page.locator('.crucible-node-card').filter({ hasText: hop.hostname });
-        await expect(card).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
-        await expect(card.locator('.cn-status-dot.on')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
+        // Crucible toggles multi-select — clear egress (and any prior hop) before focusing downstream.
+        const selectedCards = page.locator('.crucible-node-card.selected');
+        for (let i = 0, n = await selectedCards.count(); i < n; i++) {
+          await selectedCards.first().click();
+        }
+        const card = await expectOnlineCrucibleCard(page, hop.hostname);
+        await card.scrollIntoViewIfNeeded();
         await card.click();
         await expect(
           page.locator('.crucible-actions-card').getByText(new RegExp(`→ ${hop.hostname}`)),
-        ).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10_000 });
+        ).toBeVisible({ timeout: 20_000 });
         await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'LATERAL / SPREAD' }).click();
         await expect(page.locator('.access-depth-panel')).toContainText(hop.joinLabel, {
           timeout: 20_000,
diff --git a/server/web/e2e/fixtures.ts b/server/web/e2e/fixtures.ts
index 9dd6c18..d9f1d39 100644
--- a/server/web/e2e/fixtures.ts
+++ b/server/web/e2e/fixtures.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { expect, type APIRequestContext, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { expect, type APIRequestContext, type Locator, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
 
 /** Matches server/internal/api/integration_test.go testAuthUser / testAuthPass. */
 export const E2E_USER = process.env.AETHERFORGE_E2E_USER || 'testuser';
@@ -65,19 +65,46 @@ export async function waitForServerHealth(
   return false;
 }
 
+/** 6px status dots fail Playwright visibility — assert card online via class instead. */
+export async function expectOnlineCrucibleCard(page: Page, hostname: string): Promise<Locator> {
+  const card = page.locator('.crucible-node-card').filter({
+    has: page.locator('.cn-name', { hasText: hostname }),
+  });
+  await expect(card).toBeVisible({ timeout: 20_000 });
+  await expect(card).not.toHaveClass(/offline/, { timeout: 20_000 });
+  await expect(card.locator('.cn-status-dot')).toHaveClass(/on/, { timeout: 5_000 });
+  return card;
+}
+
 export async function loginToDashboard(page: Page): Promise<void> {
-  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 2; attempt++) {
-    await page.goto('/', { waitUntil: 'load', timeout: 30_000 });
+  const commandDeck = page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Command Deck' });
+
+  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 3; attempt++) {
+    await page.goto('/', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded', timeout: 30_000 });
+
+    if (await commandDeck.isVisible().catch(() => false)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const loginHeading = page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'AetherForge' });
     try {
-      await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'AetherForge' })).toBeVisible({ timeout: 20_000 });
-      break;
+      await expect(loginHeading).toBeVisible({ timeout: 25_000 });
     } catch (err) {
-      if (attempt === 1) throw err;
-      await page.waitForTimeout(1_500);
+      if (attempt === 2) throw err;
+      await page.waitForTimeout(2_000);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    await page.getByLabel('Username').fill(E2E_USER);
+    await page.getByLabel('Password').fill(E2E_PASS);
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /enter command deck/i }).click();
+
+    try {
+      await expect(commandDeck).toBeVisible({ timeout: 25_000 });
+      return;
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (attempt === 2) throw err;
+      await page.waitForTimeout(2_000);
     }
   }
-  await page.getByLabel('Username').fill(E2E_USER);
-  await page.getByLabel('Password').fill(E2E_PASS);
-  await page.getByRole('button', { name: /enter command deck/i }).click();
-  await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Command Deck' })).toBeVisible({ timeout: 20_000 });
 }
diff --git a/server/web/e2e/global-teardown.ts b/server/web/e2e/global-teardown.ts
index 723e3d2..5551a2d 100644
--- a/server/web/e2e/global-teardown.ts
+++ b/server/web/e2e/global-teardown.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+import { teardownDiscoverSpreadStub } from './discover-spread-stub';
 import { teardownLiveStubAgent } from './live-stub';
 
 export default function globalTeardown(): void {
+  teardownDiscoverSpreadStub();
   teardownLiveStubAgent();
 }
diff --git a/server/web/e2e/live-stub.ts b/server/web/e2e/live-stub.ts
index a5bf7da..c4a0ec1 100644
--- a/server/web/e2e/live-stub.ts
+++ b/server/web/e2e/live-stub.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ import type { APIRequestContext } from '@playwright/test';
 import { fetchFleetSecret, waitForServerHealth } from './fixtures';
 import { connectStubAgent } from './stub-agent';
 
-const baseURL = process.env.AETHERFORGE_URL || 'http://127.0.0.1:8989';
+function e2eBaseURL(): string {
+  return process.env.AETHERFORGE_URL || 'http://127.0.0.1:8989';
+}
 
 let serverReady = false;
 let disconnectStub: (() => void) | null = null;
@@ -17,7 +19,7 @@ export async function ensureLiveStubAgent(request: APIRequestContext): Promise<b
       if (!serverReady) return false;
 
       const fleetSecret = await fetchFleetSecret(request);
-      disconnectStub = await connectStubAgent(baseURL, fleetSecret);
+      disconnectStub = await connectStubAgent(e2eBaseURL(), fleetSecret);
       // Allow agent_online, stats_batch (250ms coalesce), and DB upsert to settle.
       await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 2_500));
       return true;
diff --git a/server/web/e2e/pages.spec.ts b/server/web/e2e/pages.spec.ts
index 28f5936..1257d29 100644
--- a/server/web/e2e/pages.spec.ts
+++ b/server/web/e2e/pages.spec.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,6 @@ test.describe('Page smoke', () => {
     await page.getByRole('link', { name: /Forge/i }).click();
     await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { level: 1, name: 'Forge', exact: true })).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10_000 });
     await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Quick Forge' })).toBeVisible();
-    await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Simple' })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Simple', exact: true })).toBeVisible();
   });
 });
diff --git a/server/web/e2e/path-tracer.spec.ts b/server/web/e2e/path-tracer.spec.ts
index b9ae7d7..c18c9e2 100644
--- a/server/web/e2e/path-tracer.spec.ts
+++ b/server/web/e2e/path-tracer.spec.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ test.describe('Path Tracer E2E', () => {
     const card = page.locator('.pt-agent-card').filter({ hasText: E2E_STUB_AGENT_HOSTNAME });
     await expect(card).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
     await card.click();
-    await page.getByRole('button', { name: /TRACE/i }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: '⬡ TRACE' }).click();
 
     await expect(page.getByText('Spread Routes')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
     await expect(page.getByText(/192\.168\.1\.0\/24/)).toBeVisible();
diff --git a/server/web/e2e/stub-agent.ts b/server/web/e2e/stub-agent.ts
index fd7f22a..6961543 100644
--- a/server/web/e2e/stub-agent.ts
+++ b/server/web/e2e/stub-agent.ts
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ export async function connectStubAgent(
 
   return () => {
     clearInterval(statsTimer);
-    ws.close();
+    if (ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN || ws.readyState === WebSocket.CONNECTING) {
+      ws.close(1000, 'e2e-teardown');
+    }
   };
 }