diff --git a/frontend/e2e/admin-analysis.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/admin-analysis.spec.ts
index 6d5702a..4bd66a2 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/admin-analysis.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/admin-analysis.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // E2E for the admin Analysis section: coverage overview + badges, drill
 // manga → chapter → page, the page-detail modal, and the enqueue actions.
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/admin-crawler.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/admin-crawler.spec.ts
index 7d0f31d..dabad8e 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/admin-crawler.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/admin-crawler.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // E2E for the admin Crawler "History" tab: the Live/History toggle, the
 // searchable/filterable job log, and inline requeue of a dead job. The
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/auth-flow.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/auth-flow.spec.ts
index a7f4ce0..3268a00 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/auth-flow.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/auth-flow.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // Mocks the auth endpoints at the network level so the journey is
 // deterministic and doesn't require a live backend.
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/back-nav-flow.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/back-nav-flow.spec.ts
index 6a92042..c542693 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/back-nav-flow.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/back-nav-flow.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // Regression spec for the reader-back-loop bug: previously the reader's
 // back arrow was a plain `<a href="/manga/{id}">`, which PUSHED a new
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/bookmarks.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/bookmarks.spec.ts
index 5388241..971ba5f 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/bookmarks.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/bookmarks.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 const mangaId = '22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222';
 const userFixture = {
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/fixtures.ts b/frontend/e2e/fixtures.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de0b347
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/e2e/fixtures.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import { test as base, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+
+export { expect };
+export type { Page } from '@playwright/test';
+
+/**
+ * Shared Playwright `test` for the E2E suite.
+ *
+ * Adds an auto-use fallback for the `/api` surface: any request a spec
+ * forgot to mock is fulfilled here with a fast 503 instead of falling
+ * through to the SvelteKit dev proxy. That proxy targets a backend that
+ * isn't running under E2E (`BACKEND_URL` in `.env`), so an unmocked call
+ * otherwise incurs a proxy round-trip + Vite error logging — which, under
+ * 8 parallel workers at cold start, piles up and flakes the first tests.
+ *
+ * Because this route is registered during fixture setup (before the test
+ * body runs), any `page.route(...)` a spec registers later takes
+ * precedence — only genuinely-unmocked calls land here. The 503 also
+ * surfaces mock gaps loudly (a clear warning + a fast, attributable
+ * failure) instead of a 30s "element never appeared" timeout.
+ */
+export const test = base.extend<{ apiFallback: void }>({
+    apiFallback: [
+        async ({ page }, use) => {
+            // Scope to `/api/v1/**` (the real backend surface). A broader
+            // `**/api/**` would also swallow Vite's own dev module requests
+            // under `/src/lib/api/*.ts` and break the app bundle.
+            await page.route('**/api/v1/**', (route) => {
+                const { pathname } = new URL(route.request().url());
+                console.warn(`[e2e] unmocked API call: ${route.request().method()} ${pathname}`);
+                return route.fulfill({
+                    status: 503,
+                    contentType: 'application/json',
+                    body: JSON.stringify({
+                        error: { code: 'e2e_unmocked', message: `unmocked in test: ${pathname}` }
+                    })
+                });
+            });
+            await use();
+        },
+        { auto: true }
+    ]
+});
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/manga-edit.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/manga-edit.spec.ts
index ff5f95c..c523de6 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/manga-edit.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/manga-edit.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 const userFixture = {
     id: 'u1',
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/manga-list.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/manga-list.spec.ts
index 752cae3..70d2493 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/manga-list.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/manga-list.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 import { SORT_FIELD_LABELS } from '../src/lib/mangaSort';
 
 // These E2E tests run against the SvelteKit dev server, which proxies /api
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/mobile-account-library.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/mobile-account-library.spec.ts
index 70831cd..95f5aa0 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/mobile-account-library.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/mobile-account-library.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // Phase 5: Account becomes an inset-grouped hub on mobile (Profile /
 // Preferences / Change password + red Log out at the bottom) and
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/mobile-chrome.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/mobile-chrome.spec.ts
index 7036150..dc0879d 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/mobile-chrome.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/mobile-chrome.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // Mobile chrome contract: the AppBar + BottomNav are visible on phone
 // viewports and the desktop header is hidden. On desktop, the reverse.
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/mobile-list-search.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/mobile-list-search.spec.ts
index 3638d11..e162ebd 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/mobile-list-search.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/mobile-list-search.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // Phase 2: the catalog (/) gets a mobile chrome — search input full
 // width, Filter and Sort as chip buttons that open bottom sheets, and
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/mobile-manga-detail.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/mobile-manga-detail.spec.ts
index d71b8cd..a38f23d 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/mobile-manga-detail.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/mobile-manga-detail.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // Phase 3: the manga detail page gains a mobile hero (blurred backdrop
 // + transparent app bar), a sticky bottom CTA whose wording reflects
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/mobile-reader.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/mobile-reader.spec.ts
index a76e734..765dfa8 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/mobile-reader.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/mobile-reader.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // Phase 4: the reader gains a mobile chrome — invisible tap zones for
 // prev/next/toggle, a chapter-jump bottom sheet, a reader-settings
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/page-context-menu.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/page-context-menu.spec.ts
index f42255c..d43de13 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/page-context-menu.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/page-context-menu.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // E2E for the per-page collection + tag flow added in v0.61.0. Mocks
 // the entire API so the spec runs without a backend. The same
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/page-title.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/page-title.spec.ts
index ccf16c2..dd5bfb9 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/page-title.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/page-title.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // Guards the title-on-nav behavior: without this, a stale title from
 // the last manga / author page lingers when the user navigates to a
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/private-mode.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/private-mode.spec.ts
index c4ebb41..33e90d1 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/private-mode.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/private-mode.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // Network-level mocks for the private-mode UX. The backend integration
 // tests (api_private_mode.rs) cover the actual gate; here we only
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/profile.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/profile.spec.ts
index 7a63283..76e7bc9 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/profile.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/profile.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 const userFixture = {
     id: 'u1',
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/reader-chapter-select.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/reader-chapter-select.spec.ts
index 7e6944a..8323192 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/reader-chapter-select.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/reader-chapter-select.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 const mangaId = '33333333-3333-3333-3333-333333333333';
 const chapter1Id = 'c1111111-3333-3333-3333-333333333333';
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/reader-mode.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/reader-mode.spec.ts
index 012bc90..1a6e4bd 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/reader-mode.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/reader-mode.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 const mangaId = '22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222';
 const chapterId = 'c2222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222';
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/reader-page-deep-link.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/reader-page-deep-link.spec.ts
index 8ce3cd3..bd82292 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/reader-page-deep-link.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/reader-page-deep-link.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // E2E for the `?page=N` deep-link path in both reader modes. The
 // single-mode case has been working since v0.x; the continuous-mode
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/reader.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/reader.spec.ts
index a98bd47..02ed820 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/reader.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/reader.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 const mangaId = '11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111';
 const chapterId = 'c1111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111';
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/search.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/search.spec.ts
index 460feab..55f34d8 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/search.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/search.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 // E2E for the /search page shipped in v0.62.0. Five scenarios against
 // mocked endpoints — no backend needed.
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/upload.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/upload.spec.ts
index 0b3c161..6143196 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/upload.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/upload.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect, type Page } from './fixtures';
 
 const userFixture = {
     id: 'u1',
diff --git a/frontend/playwright.config.ts b/frontend/playwright.config.ts
index bd489b5..3bb4a2d 100644
--- a/frontend/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/frontend/playwright.config.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,13 @@ const E2E_PORT = 5174;
 export default defineConfig({
     testDir: 'e2e',
     timeout: 30_000,
+    // The specs are deterministic in isolation, but a full parallel run
+    // has a cold-start window: Vite compiles each route on first request,
+    // so the first tests across 8 workers contend on the dev server and
+    // can trip the timeout. One retry re-runs those on the now-warm server.
+    // (The `/api/v1` fallback in e2e/fixtures.ts removes the other flake
+    // source — unmocked calls stalling against the dead dev proxy.)
+    retries: 1,
     use: {
         baseURL: process.env.E2E_BASE_URL ?? `http://localhost:${E2E_PORT}`,
         trace: 'retain-on-failure'