diff --git a/packages/web/e2e/discovery.spec.ts b/packages/web/e2e/discovery.spec.ts
index 4581f6c..87a78d9 100644
--- a/packages/web/e2e/discovery.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/web/e2e/discovery.spec.ts
@@ -125,7 +125,12 @@ test("profile: the e-mail-notifications toggle round-trips, and the public profi
   const emailSwitch = page.getByRole("switch", { name: "E-mail notifications" });
   const before = await emailSwitch.getAttribute("aria-checked");
   const after = before === "true" ? "false" : "true";
+  // The switch flips optimistically, before its PATCH lands. Reloading before the server has
+  // answered aborts the request (logged as "client disconnected") and the reload then reads the
+  // old value — so hold the PATCH's response and reload only once it has been committed.
+  const saved = page.waitForResponse((r) => r.url().endsWith("/api/profile") && r.request().method() === "PATCH");
   await emailSwitch.click();
+  expect((await saved).status()).toBe(200);
   await expect(emailSwitch).toHaveAttribute("aria-checked", after);
   // The page carries one switch per notification preference (§12.1) — read the word that sits
   // beside THIS switch, inside its own .toggle-field.
diff --git a/packages/web/e2e/helpers/auth.ts b/packages/web/e2e/helpers/auth.ts
index 78281d2..7f8adb0 100644
--- a/packages/web/e2e/helpers/auth.ts
+++ b/packages/web/e2e/helpers/auth.ts
@@ -41,25 +41,34 @@ export async function signIn(
     // if that chain breaks — e.g. a page loaded while Next compiles /_error mid-run (it does so on
     // the first aborted request) never hydrates — so a load showing no panel within 20 s is
     // retried with a fresh navigation instead of being waited on until the test times out.
+    //
+    // The whole sign-in is retried, not just the panel load: a dev server that stalls (Turbopack
+    // cache compaction, a heap-pressure pause) can hold the callback or the post-sign-in render
+    // past any single wait, and the attempt that follows must not leave the test stuck.
+    const menu = page.locator(".user-trigger");
+    const panel = page.locator("#dev-name");
     await expect(async () => {
       await page.goto(`${base}/`);
-      await page.locator("#dev-name").waitFor({ state: "visible", timeout: 20_000 });
-    }).toPass({ timeout: 75_000 });
-    await page.locator("#dev-name").fill(opts.name);
-    await page.locator("#dev-email").fill(`${devSlug(opts.name)}@dev.test`);
-    await page.locator("#dev-admin").fill(opts.admin ? "1" : "0");
-    await page.locator("#dev-fresh-onboarding").fill(opts.freshOnboarding ? "1" : "0");
-    await page.locator("#dev-whats-new-seen").fill(opts.whatsNewSeen ?? "");
-    await page.locator("#dev-whats-new-since").fill(opts.whatsNewSinceDate ?? "");
-    // §13.10: "1" = survey-eligible with every roll forced to win; otherwise surveys are off.
-    await page.locator("#dev-survey").fill(opts.survey ? "1" : "0");
-    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Dev sign-in" }).click();
-    // On success the app returns to "/" authenticated and the account menu (.user-trigger, rendered
-    // only when signed in) appears; on failure it stays on the signed-out landing with the dev
-    // panel — so waiting for the account menu both confirms success and fails fast otherwise.
-    // 30 s like the suite's expect timeout: a fresh-onboarding persona is redirected to
-    // /quick-start server-side, and that route's first hit compiles cold in dev mode.
-    await page.locator(".user-trigger").waitFor({ state: "visible", timeout: 30_000 });
+      // Whichever renders first: the account menu means an earlier attempt's callback landed after
+      // its wait gave up — the session cookie is already set, so it must not be posted again (that
+      // would re-seed the persona, e.g. reset a fresh-onboarding flag the test relies on).
+      await menu.or(panel).first().waitFor({ state: "visible", timeout: 20_000 });
+      if (await menu.isVisible()) return;
+      await panel.fill(opts.name);
+      await page.locator("#dev-email").fill(`${devSlug(opts.name)}@dev.test`);
+      await page.locator("#dev-admin").fill(opts.admin ? "1" : "0");
+      await page.locator("#dev-fresh-onboarding").fill(opts.freshOnboarding ? "1" : "0");
+      await page.locator("#dev-whats-new-seen").fill(opts.whatsNewSeen ?? "");
+      await page.locator("#dev-whats-new-since").fill(opts.whatsNewSinceDate ?? "");
+      // §13.10: "1" = survey-eligible with every roll forced to win; otherwise surveys are off.
+      await page.locator("#dev-survey").fill(opts.survey ? "1" : "0");
+      await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Dev sign-in" }).click();
+      // On success the app returns to "/" authenticated and the account menu (.user-trigger,
+      // rendered only when signed in) appears; on failure it stays on the signed-out landing with
+      // the dev panel. 30 s like the suite's expect timeout: a fresh-onboarding persona is
+      // redirected to /quick-start server-side, and that route's first hit compiles cold in dev.
+      await menu.waitFor({ state: "visible", timeout: 30_000 });
+    }).toPass({ timeout: 100_000 });
 
     const meRes = await context.request.get(`${base}/api/me`, { headers: { accept: "application/json" } });
     const me = (await meRes.json()) as { user?: { id?: string }; roles?: { platformAdmin?: boolean } };
diff --git a/packages/web/e2e/public-submissions.spec.ts b/packages/web/e2e/public-submissions.spec.ts
index 0e2df6e..2daf83d 100644
--- a/packages/web/e2e/public-submissions.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/web/e2e/public-submissions.spec.ts
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ test("while the switch is off, /submit and every public route answer 404", async
 });
 
 test("submit on /submit, confirm through the link, accept in the queue → External submission in triage", async ({ browser }) => {
+  // Sign-ins, a proof-of-work wait, confirm and accept run end to end: on a dev server that stalls
+  // for a few seconds per request this outgrows the default budget, so it gets three times it.
+  test.slow();
   const stamp = uniqueStamp();
   const admin = await browser.newContext();
   const outsider = await browser.newContext(); // never signed in
@@ -183,6 +186,10 @@ test("submit on /submit, confirm through the link, accept in the queue → Exter
 });
 
 test("Specific people: the tag field, the pre-filled Accept, and sharing once the challenge leaves triage", async ({ browser }) => {
+  // Three sign-ins, a proof-of-work wait, confirm, accept, a triage move and the inbox check:
+  // the longest flow in the suite, and the first to outgrow the default budget when the dev
+  // server stalls — so it gets three times it.
+  test.slow();
   const stamp = uniqueStamp();
   const admin = await browser.newContext();
   const listed = await browser.newContext();