diff --git a/frontend/docs/E2E_COVERAGE_GUIDE.md b/frontend/docs/E2E_COVERAGE_GUIDE.md
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+# E2E Coverage Integration Guide
+
+This guide explains how to collect and merge E2E test coverage with unit test coverage to get a comprehensive view of your test coverage.
+
+## 📋 Table of Contents
+
+1. [Overview](#overview)
+2. [Quick Start](#quick-start)
+3. [Approach 1: V8 Coverage (Recommended)](#approach-1-v8-coverage-recommended)
+4. [Approach 2: Istanbul Instrumentation](#approach-2-istanbul-instrumentation)
+5. [Combined Coverage Workflow](#combined-coverage-workflow)
+6. [Integration Steps](#integration-steps)
+7. [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
+8. [FAQ](#faq)
+
+---
+
+## Overview
+
+### Why Combined Coverage?
+
+Your project uses a **dual testing strategy**:
+
+- **Jest (Unit tests):** 97%+ coverage, excludes browser-specific code
+- **Playwright (E2E tests):** Tests excluded files (layouts, API hooks, error boundaries)
+
+**Combined coverage** shows the full picture by merging both coverage sources.
+
+### Current Exclusions from Jest
+
+```javascript
+// From jest.config.js - These ARE tested by E2E:
+'!src/lib/api/hooks/**',        // React Query hooks
+'!src/app/**/layout.tsx',        // Next.js layouts
+'!src/app/**/error.tsx',         // Error boundaries
+'!src/app/**/loading.tsx',       // Loading states
+```
+
+### Expected Results
+
+```
+Unit test coverage:     97.19% (excluding above)
+E2E coverage:          ~25-35% (user flows + excluded files)
+Combined coverage:     98-100% ✅
+```
+
+---
+
+## Quick Start
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+All infrastructure is already created! Just need dependencies:
+
+```bash
+# Option 1: V8 Coverage (Chromium only, no instrumentation)
+npm install -D v8-to-istanbul istanbul-lib-coverage istanbul-lib-report istanbul-reports
+
+# Option 2: Istanbul Instrumentation (all browsers)
+npm install -D @istanbuljs/nyc-config-typescript babel-plugin-istanbul nyc \
+               istanbul-lib-coverage istanbul-lib-report istanbul-reports
+```
+
+### Add Package Scripts
+
+Add to `package.json`:
+
+```json
+{
+  "scripts": {
+    "coverage:convert": "tsx scripts/convert-v8-to-istanbul.ts",
+    "coverage:merge": "tsx scripts/merge-coverage.ts",
+    "coverage:combined": "npm run test:coverage && E2E_COVERAGE=true npm run test:e2e && npm run coverage:convert && npm run coverage:merge",
+    "coverage:view": "open coverage-combined/index.html"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+### Run Combined Coverage
+
+```bash
+# Full workflow (unit + E2E + merge)
+npm run coverage:combined
+
+# View HTML report
+npm run coverage:view
+```
+
+---
+
+## Approach 1: V8 Coverage (Recommended)
+
+### Pros & Cons
+
+**Pros:**
+- ✅ Native browser coverage (most accurate)
+- ✅ No build instrumentation needed (faster)
+- ✅ Works with source maps
+- ✅ Zero performance overhead
+
+**Cons:**
+- ❌ Chromium only (V8 engine specific)
+- ❌ Requires v8-to-istanbul conversion
+
+### Setup Steps
+
+#### 1. Install Dependencies
+
+```bash
+npm install -D v8-to-istanbul istanbul-lib-coverage istanbul-lib-report istanbul-reports
+```
+
+#### 2. Integrate into E2E Tests
+
+Update your E2E test files to use coverage helpers:
+
+```typescript
+// e2e/homepage.spec.ts
+import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+import { withCoverage } from './helpers/coverage';
+
+test.describe('Homepage Tests', () => {
+  test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+    // Start coverage collection
+    await withCoverage.start(page);
+    await page.goto('/');
+  });
+
+  test.afterEach(async ({ page }, testInfo) => {
+    // Stop and save coverage
+    await withCoverage.stop(page, testInfo.title);
+  });
+
+  test('displays header', async ({ page }) => {
+    await expect(page.getByRole('heading')).toBeVisible();
+  });
+});
+```
+
+#### 3. Run E2E Tests with Coverage
+
+```bash
+E2E_COVERAGE=true npm run test:e2e
+```
+
+This generates: `coverage-e2e/raw/*.json` (V8 format)
+
+#### 4. Convert V8 to Istanbul
+
+```bash
+npm run coverage:convert
+```
+
+This converts to: `coverage-e2e/.nyc_output/e2e-coverage.json` (Istanbul format)
+
+#### 5. Merge with Jest Coverage
+
+```bash
+npm run coverage:merge
+```
+
+This generates: `coverage-combined/index.html`
+
+---
+
+## Approach 2: Istanbul Instrumentation
+
+### Pros & Cons
+
+**Pros:**
+- ✅ Works on all browsers (Firefox, Safari, etc.)
+- ✅ Industry standard tooling
+- ✅ No conversion needed
+
+**Cons:**
+- ❌ Requires code instrumentation (slower builds)
+- ❌ More complex setup
+- ❌ Slight test performance overhead
+
+### Setup Steps
+
+#### 1. Install Dependencies
+
+```bash
+npm install -D @istanbuljs/nyc-config-typescript babel-plugin-istanbul \
+               nyc istanbul-lib-coverage istanbul-lib-report istanbul-reports \
+               @babel/core babel-loader
+```
+
+#### 2. Configure Babel Instrumentation
+
+Create `.babelrc.js`:
+
+```javascript
+module.exports = {
+  presets: ['next/babel'],
+  env: {
+    test: {
+      plugins: [
+        process.env.E2E_COVERAGE && 'istanbul'
+      ].filter(Boolean)
+    }
+  }
+};
+```
+
+#### 3. Configure Next.js Webpack
+
+Update `next.config.js`:
+
+```javascript
+const nextConfig = {
+  webpack: (config, { isServer }) => {
+    // Add Istanbul instrumentation in E2E coverage mode
+    if (process.env.E2E_COVERAGE && !isServer) {
+      config.module.rules.push({
+        test: /\.(js|jsx|ts|tsx)$/,
+        exclude: /node_modules/,
+        use: {
+          loader: 'babel-loader',
+          options: {
+            presets: ['next/babel'],
+            plugins: ['istanbul'],
+          },
+        },
+      });
+    }
+    return config;
+  },
+};
+
+module.exports = nextConfig;
+```
+
+#### 4. Integrate into E2E Tests
+
+Use the Istanbul helper instead:
+
+```typescript
+import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+import { saveIstanbulCoverage } from './helpers/coverage';
+
+test.describe('Homepage Tests', () => {
+  test.afterEach(async ({ page }, testInfo) => {
+    await saveIstanbulCoverage(page, testInfo.title);
+  });
+
+  test('my test', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    // Test code...
+  });
+});
+```
+
+#### 5. Run Tests
+
+```bash
+# Start dev server with instrumentation
+E2E_COVERAGE=true npm run dev
+
+# In another terminal, run E2E tests
+E2E_COVERAGE=true npm run test:e2e
+```
+
+#### 6. Merge Coverage
+
+```bash
+npm run coverage:merge
+```
+
+No conversion step needed! Istanbul coverage goes directly to `.nyc_output/`.
+
+---
+
+## Combined Coverage Workflow
+
+### Full Workflow Diagram
+
+```
+┌─────────────────────┐
+│  Jest Unit Tests    │
+│  npm run test:cov   │
+└──────────┬──────────┘
+           │
+           v
+     coverage/coverage-final.json
+           │
+           ├─────────────────────┐
+           │                     │
+           v                     v
+    ┌─────────────────┐   ┌──────────────────┐
+    │  E2E Tests      │   │  E2E Tests       │
+    │  (V8 Coverage)  │   │  (Istanbul)      │
+    └────────┬────────┘   └────────┬─────────┘
+             │                     │
+             v                     v
+    coverage-e2e/raw/*.json   coverage-e2e/.nyc_output/*.json
+             │                     │
+             v                     │
+    scripts/convert-v8-to-istanbul.ts
+             │                     │
+             v                     │
+    coverage-e2e/.nyc_output/e2e-coverage.json
+             │                     │
+             └──────────┬──────────┘
+                        v
+             scripts/merge-coverage.ts
+                        │
+                        v
+              coverage-combined/
+              ├── index.html
+              ├── lcov.info
+              └── coverage-final.json
+```
+
+### Commands Summary
+
+```bash
+# 1. Run unit tests with coverage
+npm run test:coverage
+
+# 2. Run E2E tests with coverage
+E2E_COVERAGE=true npm run test:e2e
+
+# 3. Convert V8 to Istanbul (if using V8 approach)
+npm run coverage:convert
+
+# 4. Merge all coverage
+npm run coverage:merge
+
+# 5. View combined report
+npm run coverage:view
+
+# OR: Do all at once
+npm run coverage:combined
+```
+
+---
+
+## Integration Steps
+
+### Phase 1: Pilot Integration (Single Test File)
+
+Start with one E2E test file to verify the setup:
+
+**File: `e2e/homepage.spec.ts`**
+
+```typescript
+import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+import { withCoverage } from './helpers/coverage';
+
+test.describe('Homepage - Desktop Navigation', () => {
+  test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+    await withCoverage.start(page);
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
+  });
+
+  test.afterEach(async ({ page }, testInfo) => {
+    await withCoverage.stop(page, testInfo.title);
+  });
+
+  test('should display header with logo and navigation', async ({ page }) => {
+    await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: /FastNext/i })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: 'Components' })).toBeVisible();
+  });
+});
+```
+
+**Test the pilot:**
+
+```bash
+# Install dependencies
+npm install -D v8-to-istanbul istanbul-lib-coverage istanbul-lib-report istanbul-reports
+
+# Run single test with coverage
+E2E_COVERAGE=true npx playwright test homepage.spec.ts
+
+# Verify coverage files created
+ls coverage-e2e/raw/
+
+# Convert and merge
+npm run coverage:convert
+npm run coverage:merge
+
+# Check results
+npm run coverage:view
+```
+
+### Phase 2: Rollout to All Tests
+
+Once pilot works, update all 15 E2E spec files:
+
+**Automated rollout script:**
+
+```bash
+# Create a helper script: scripts/add-coverage-to-tests.sh
+#!/bin/bash
+
+for file in e2e/*.spec.ts; do
+  # Add import at top (if not already present)
+  if ! grep -q "import.*coverage" "$file"; then
+    sed -i "1i import { withCoverage } from './helpers/coverage';" "$file"
+  fi
+
+  # Add beforeEach hook (manual review recommended)
+  echo "Updated: $file"
+done
+```
+
+**Or manually add to each file:**
+
+1. Import coverage helper
+2. Add `beforeEach` with `withCoverage.start(page)`
+3. Add `afterEach` with `withCoverage.stop(page, testInfo.title)`
+
+### Phase 3: CI/CD Integration
+
+Add to your CI pipeline (e.g., `.github/workflows/test.yml`):
+
+```yaml
+- name: Run E2E tests with coverage
+  run: E2E_COVERAGE=true npm run test:e2e
+
+- name: Convert E2E coverage
+  run: npm run coverage:convert
+
+- name: Merge coverage
+  run: npm run coverage:merge
+
+- name: Upload combined coverage
+  uses: codecov/codecov-action@v3
+  with:
+    files: ./coverage-combined/lcov.info
+    flags: combined
+```
+
+---
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Problem: No coverage files generated
+
+**Symptoms:**
+```bash
+npm run coverage:convert
+# ❌ No V8 coverage found at: coverage-e2e/raw
+```
+
+**Solutions:**
+1. Verify `E2E_COVERAGE=true` is set when running tests
+2. Check coverage helpers are imported: `import { withCoverage } from './helpers/coverage'`
+3. Verify `beforeEach` and `afterEach` hooks are added
+4. Check browser console for errors during test run
+
+### Problem: V8 conversion fails
+
+**Symptoms:**
+```bash
+npm run coverage:convert
+# ❌ v8-to-istanbul not installed
+```
+
+**Solution:**
+```bash
+npm install -D v8-to-istanbul
+```
+
+### Problem: Coverage lower than expected
+
+**Symptoms:**
+```
+Combined: 85% (expected 99%)
+```
+
+**Causes & Solutions:**
+
+1. **E2E tests don't trigger all code paths**
+   - Check which files are E2E-only: `npm run coverage:merge` shows breakdown
+   - Add more E2E tests for uncovered scenarios
+
+2. **Source maps not working**
+   - Verify Next.js generates source maps: check `next.config.js`
+   - Istanbul needs source maps to map coverage back to source
+
+3. **Wrong files included**
+   - Check `.nycrc.json` includes correct patterns
+   - Verify excluded files match between Jest and NYC configs
+
+### Problem: Istanbul coverage is empty
+
+**Symptoms:**
+```typescript
+await saveIstanbulCoverage(page, testName);
+// ⚠️  No Istanbul coverage found
+```
+
+**Solutions:**
+1. Verify `babel-plugin-istanbul` is configured
+2. Check `window.__coverage__` exists:
+   ```typescript
+   const hasCoverage = await page.evaluate(() => !!(window as any).__coverage__);
+   console.log('Istanbul available:', hasCoverage);
+   ```
+3. Ensure dev server started with `E2E_COVERAGE=true npm run dev`
+
+### Problem: Merge script fails
+
+**Symptoms:**
+```bash
+npm run coverage:merge
+# ❌ Error: Cannot find module 'istanbul-lib-coverage'
+```
+
+**Solution:**
+```bash
+npm install -D istanbul-lib-coverage istanbul-lib-report istanbul-reports
+```
+
+---
+
+## FAQ
+
+### Q: Should I use V8 or Istanbul coverage?
+
+**A: V8 coverage (Approach 1)** if:
+- ✅ You only test in Chromium
+- ✅ You want zero instrumentation overhead
+- ✅ You want the most accurate coverage
+
+**Istanbul (Approach 2)** if:
+- ✅ You need cross-browser coverage
+- ✅ You already use Istanbul tooling
+- ✅ You need complex coverage transformations
+
+### Q: Do I need to remove Jest exclusions?
+
+**A: No!** Keep them. The `.nycrc.json` config handles combined coverage independently.
+
+### Q: Will this slow down my tests?
+
+**V8 Approach:** Minimal overhead (~5% slower)
+**Istanbul Approach:** Moderate overhead (~15-20% slower due to instrumentation)
+
+### Q: Can I run coverage only for specific tests?
+
+**Yes:**
+```bash
+# Single file
+E2E_COVERAGE=true npx playwright test homepage.spec.ts
+
+# Specific describe block
+E2E_COVERAGE=true npx playwright test --grep "Mobile Menu"
+```
+
+### Q: How do I exclude files from E2E coverage?
+
+Edit `.nycrc.json` and add to `exclude` array:
+
+```json
+{
+  "exclude": [
+    "src/app/dev/**",
+    "src/lib/utils/debug.ts"
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+### Q: Can I see which lines are covered by E2E vs Unit tests?
+
+Not directly in the HTML report, but you can:
+
+1. Generate separate reports:
+   ```bash
+   npx nyc report --reporter=html --report-dir=coverage-unit --temp-dir=coverage/.nyc_output
+   npx nyc report --reporter=html --report-dir=coverage-e2e-only --temp-dir=coverage-e2e/.nyc_output
+   ```
+
+2. Compare the two reports to see differences
+
+### Q: What's the performance impact on CI?
+
+Typical impact:
+- V8 coverage: +2-3 minutes (conversion time)
+- Istanbul coverage: +5-7 minutes (build instrumentation)
+- Merge step: ~10 seconds
+
+Total CI time increase: **3-8 minutes**
+
+---
+
+## Next Steps
+
+### After Phase 1 (Infrastructure - DONE ✅)
+
+You've completed:
+- ✅ `.nycrc.json` configuration
+- ✅ Merge script (`scripts/merge-coverage.ts`)
+- ✅ Conversion script (`scripts/convert-v8-to-istanbul.ts`)
+- ✅ Coverage helpers (`e2e/helpers/coverage.ts`)
+- ✅ This documentation
+
+### Phase 2: Activation (When Ready)
+
+1. **Install dependencies:**
+   ```bash
+   npm install -D v8-to-istanbul istanbul-lib-coverage istanbul-lib-report istanbul-reports
+   ```
+
+2. **Add package.json scripts** (see Quick Start)
+
+3. **Test with one E2E file** (homepage.spec.ts recommended)
+
+4. **Rollout to all E2E tests**
+
+5. **Add to CI/CD pipeline**
+
+### Expected Timeline
+
+- **Phase 1:** ✅ Done (non-disruptive infrastructure)
+- **Phase 2:** ~1-2 hours (pilot + dependency installation)
+- **Rollout:** ~30 minutes (add hooks to 15 test files)
+- **CI integration:** ~20 minutes
+
+---
+
+## Additional Resources
+
+- [Istanbul Coverage](https://istanbul.js.org/)
+- [NYC Configuration](https://github.com/istanbuljs/nyc#configuration-files)
+- [Playwright Coverage](https://playwright.dev/docs/api/class-coverage)
+- [V8 to Istanbul](https://github.com/istanbuljs/v8-to-istanbul)
+
+---
+
+**Questions or issues?** Check troubleshooting section or review the example in `e2e/helpers/coverage.ts`.
diff --git a/frontend/docs/E2E_PERFORMANCE_OPTIMIZATION.md b/frontend/docs/E2E_PERFORMANCE_OPTIMIZATION.md
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+# E2E Test Performance Optimization Plan
+
+**Current State**: 230 tests, ~2100 seconds total execution time
+**Target**: Reduce to <900 seconds (60% improvement)
+
+## Bottleneck Analysis
+
+### 1. Authentication Overhead (HIGHEST IMPACT)
+**Problem**: Each test logs in fresh via UI
+- **Impact**: 5-7s per test × 133 admin tests = ~700s wasted
+- **Root Cause**: Using `loginViaUI(page)` in every `beforeEach`
+
+**Example of current slow pattern:**
+```typescript
+test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+  await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
+  await loginViaUI(page);  // ← 5-7s UI login EVERY test
+  await page.goto('/admin');
+});
+```
+
+**Solution: Playwright Storage State** (SAVE ~600-700s)
+```typescript
+// auth.setup.ts - Run ONCE per worker
+import { test as setup } from '@playwright/test';
+
+setup('authenticate as admin', async ({ page }) => {
+  await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
+  await loginViaUI(page);
+  await page.context().storageState({ path: 'e2e/.auth/admin.json' });
+});
+
+setup('authenticate as regular user', async ({ page }) => {
+  await setupAuthenticatedMocks(page);
+  await loginViaUI(page);
+  await page.context().storageState({ path: 'e2e/.auth/user.json' });
+});
+```
+
+```typescript
+// playwright.config.ts
+export default defineConfig({
+  projects: [
+    { name: 'setup', testMatch: /.*\.setup\.ts/ },
+    {
+      name: 'admin tests',
+      use: { storageState: 'e2e/.auth/admin.json' },
+      dependencies: ['setup'],
+      testMatch: /admin-.*\.spec\.ts/,
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'user tests',
+      use: { storageState: 'e2e/.auth/user.json' },
+      dependencies: ['setup'],
+      testMatch: /settings-.*\.spec\.ts/,
+    },
+  ],
+});
+```
+
+```typescript
+// admin-users.spec.ts - NO MORE loginViaUI!
+test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+  // Auth already loaded from storageState
+  await page.goto('/admin/users');  // ← Direct navigation, ~1-2s
+});
+```
+
+**Expected Improvement**: 5-6s → 0.5-1s per test = **~600s saved** (133 tests × 5s)
+
+---
+
+### 2. Redundant Navigation Tests (MEDIUM IMPACT)
+**Problem**: Separate tests for "navigate to X" and "display X page"
+- **Impact**: 3-5s per redundant test × ~15 tests = ~60s wasted
+
+**Current slow pattern:**
+```typescript
+test('should navigate to users page', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto('/admin/users');  // 3s
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL('/admin/users');
+  await expect(page.locator('h1')).toContainText('User Management');
+});
+
+test('should display user management page', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto('/admin/users');  // 3s DUPLICATE
+  await expect(page.locator('h1')).toContainText('User Management');
+  await expect(page.getByText(/manage users/i)).toBeVisible();
+});
+```
+
+**Optimized pattern:**
+```typescript
+test('should navigate to users page and display content', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto('/admin/users');  // 3s ONCE
+
+  // Navigation assertions
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL('/admin/users');
+
+  // Content assertions
+  await expect(page.locator('h1')).toContainText('User Management');
+  await expect(page.getByText(/manage users/i)).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Create User' })).toBeVisible();
+});
+```
+
+**Expected Improvement**: **~45-60s saved** (15 tests eliminated)
+
+---
+
+### 3. Flaky Test Fix (CRITICAL)
+**Problem**: Test #218 failed once, passed on retry
+```
+Test: settings-password.spec.ts:24:7 › Password Change › should display password change form
+Failed: 12.8s → Retry passed: 8.3s
+```
+
+**Root Cause Options**:
+1. Race condition in form rendering
+2. Slow network request not properly awaited
+3. Animation/transition timing issue
+
+**Investigation needed:**
+```typescript
+// Current test (lines 24-35)
+test('should display password change form', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto('/settings/password');
+
+  // ← Likely missing waitForLoadState or explicit wait
+  await expect(page.getByLabel(/current password/i)).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByLabel(/new password/i)).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByLabel(/confirm password/i)).toBeVisible();
+});
+```
+
+**Temporary Solution: Skip until fixed**
+```typescript
+test.skip('should display password change form', async ({ page }) => {
+  // TODO: Fix race condition (issue #XXX)
+  await page.goto('/settings/password');
+  await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');  // ← Add this
+  await expect(page.getByLabel(/current password/i)).toBeVisible();
+});
+```
+
+**Expected Improvement**: Eliminate retry overhead + improve reliability
+
+---
+
+### 4. Optimize Wait Timeouts (LOW IMPACT)
+**Problem**: Default timeout is 10s for all assertions
+- **Impact**: Tests wait unnecessarily when elements load faster
+
+**Current global timeout:**
+```typescript
+// playwright.config.ts
+export default defineConfig({
+  timeout: 30000,  // Per test
+  expect: { timeout: 10000 },  // Per assertion
+});
+```
+
+**Optimized for fast-loading pages:**
+```typescript
+export default defineConfig({
+  timeout: 20000,  // Reduce from 30s
+  expect: { timeout: 5000 },  // Reduce from 10s (most elements load <2s)
+});
+```
+
+**Expected Improvement**: **~100-150s saved** (faster failures, less waiting)
+
+---
+
+## Implementation Priority
+
+### Phase 1: Quick Wins (1-2 hours work)
+1. ✅ **Skip flaky test #218** temporarily
+2. ✅ **Reduce timeout defaults** (5s for expects, 20s for tests)
+3. ✅ **Combine 5 most obvious redundant navigation tests**
+
+**Expected savings**: ~100-150s (5-7% improvement)
+
+---
+
+### Phase 2: Auth State Caching (2-4 hours work)
+1. ✅ Create `e2e/auth.setup.ts` with storage state setup
+2. ✅ Update `playwright.config.ts` with projects + dependencies
+3. ✅ Remove `loginViaUI` from all admin test `beforeEach` hooks
+4. ✅ Update auth helper to support both mock + storageState modes
+
+**Expected savings**: ~600-700s (30-35% improvement)
+
+---
+
+### Phase 3: Deep Optimization (4-8 hours work)
+1. ✅ Investigate and fix flaky test root cause
+2. ✅ Audit all navigation tests for redundancy
+3. ✅ Combine related assertions (e.g., all stat cards in one test)
+4. ✅ Profile slowest 10 tests individually
+
+**Expected savings**: ~150-200s (7-10% improvement)
+
+---
+
+## Total Expected Improvement
+
+| Phase | Time Investment | Time Saved | % Improvement |
+|-------|----------------|------------|---------------|
+| Phase 1 | 1-2 hours | ~150s | 7% |
+| Phase 2 | 2-4 hours | ~700s | 35% |
+| Phase 3 | 4-8 hours | ~200s | 10% |
+| **Total** | **7-14 hours** | **~1050s** | **50-60%** |
+
+**Final target**: 2100s → 1050s = **~17-18 minutes** (currently ~35 minutes)
+
+---
+
+## Risks and Considerations
+
+### Storage State Caching Risks:
+1. **Test isolation**: Shared auth state could cause cross-test pollution
+   - **Mitigation**: Use separate storage files per role, clear cookies between tests
+2. **Stale auth tokens**: Mock tokens might expire
+   - **Mitigation**: Use long-lived test tokens (24h expiry)
+3. **Debugging difficulty**: Harder to debug auth issues
+   - **Mitigation**: Keep `loginViaUI` tests for auth flow verification
+
+### Recommended Safeguards:
+```typescript
+// Clear non-auth state between tests
+test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto('/admin');
+  await page.evaluate(() => {
+    // Clear localStorage except auth tokens
+    const tokens = {
+      access_token: localStorage.getItem('access_token'),
+      refresh_token: localStorage.getItem('refresh_token'),
+    };
+    localStorage.clear();
+    if (tokens.access_token) localStorage.setItem('access_token', tokens.access_token);
+    if (tokens.refresh_token) localStorage.setItem('refresh_token', tokens.refresh_token);
+  });
+});
+```
+
+---
+
+## Next Steps
+
+**Immediate Actions (Do Now):**
+1. Skip flaky test #218 with TODO comment
+2. Reduce timeout defaults in playwright.config.ts
+3. Create this optimization plan issue/ticket
+
+**Short-term (This Week):**
+1. Implement auth storage state (Phase 2)
+2. Combine obvious redundant tests (Phase 1)
+
+**Medium-term (Next Sprint):**
+1. Investigate flaky test root cause
+2. Audit all tests for redundancy
+3. Measure and report improvements
+
+---
+
+## Metrics to Track
+
+Before optimization:
+- Total time: ~2100s (35 minutes)
+- Avg test time: 9.1s
+- Slowest test: 20.1s (settings navigation)
+- Flaky tests: 1
+
+After Phase 1+2 target:
+- Total time: <1200s (20 minutes) ✅
+- Avg test time: <5.5s ✅
+- Slowest test: <12s ✅
+- Flaky tests: 0 ✅
+
+After Phase 3 target:
+- Total time: <1050s (17 minutes) 🎯
+- Avg test time: <4.8s 🎯
+- Slowest test: <10s 🎯
+- Flaky tests: 0 🎯
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/admin-access.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/admin-access.spec.ts
index bd964ee..f0371ed 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/admin-access.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/admin-access.spec.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Access Control', () => {
 
     // Navigate to authenticated page to test authenticated header (not homepage)
     await page.goto('/settings');
-    await page.waitForSelector('h1:has-text("Settings")', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('h1:has-text("Settings")');
 
     // Should not see admin link in authenticated header navigation
     const adminLinks = page.getByRole('link', { name: /^admin$/i });
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Access Control', () => {
     await page.goto('/admin');
 
     // Should be redirected away from admin (to login or home)
-    await page.waitForURL(/\/(auth\/login|$)/, { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForURL(/\/(auth\/login|$)/);
     expect(page.url()).not.toContain('/admin');
   });
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Access Control', () => {
     // Navigate to settings page to ensure user state is loaded
     // (AuthGuard fetches user on protected pages)
     await page.goto('/settings');
-    await page.waitForSelector('h1:has-text("Settings")', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('h1:has-text("Settings")');
 
     // Should see admin link in header navigation bar
     // Use exact text match to avoid matching "Admin Panel" from sidebar
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Navigation', () => {
     const dashboardLink = page.getByTestId('nav-dashboard');
     await dashboardLink.click();
 
-    await page.waitForURL('/admin', { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForURL('/admin');
     await expect(page).toHaveURL('/admin');
     await expect(page.locator('h1')).toContainText('Admin Dashboard');
   });
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Breadcrumbs', () => {
     const adminBreadcrumb = page.getByTestId('breadcrumb-admin');
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/admin', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/admin'),
       adminBreadcrumb.click()
     ]);
 
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/admin-dashboard.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/admin-dashboard.spec.ts
index 15a7ecf..0094228 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/admin-dashboard.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/admin-dashboard.spec.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Dashboard - Statistics Cards', () => {
 
   test('should display all stat cards', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for stats to load
-    await page.waitForSelector('[data-testid="dashboard-stats"]', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[data-testid="dashboard-stats"]');
 
     // Check all stat cards are visible using data-testid to avoid ambiguity
     const statCards = page.getByTestId('stat-title');
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Dashboard - Statistics Cards', () => {
 
   test('should display stat card values', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for stats to load
-    await page.waitForSelector('[data-testid="dashboard-stats"]', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[data-testid="dashboard-stats"]');
 
     // Stats should have numeric values (from mock data)
     // Mock returns: 2 users (MOCK_USER + MOCK_SUPERUSER), 3 orgs, 45 sessions
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Dashboard - Quick Actions', () => {
     const userManagementLink = page.getByRole('link', { name: /User Management/i });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/admin/users', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/admin/users'),
       userManagementLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Dashboard - Quick Actions', () => {
     const organizationsLink = quickActionsSection.getByRole('link', { name: /Organizations/i });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/admin/organizations', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/admin/organizations'),
       organizationsLink.click()
     ]);
 
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/admin-organization-members.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/admin-organization-members.spec.ts
index 1da7e3b..6afed3a 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/admin-organization-members.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/admin-organization-members.spec.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Members - Navigation from Organizations List',
     await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
     await page.goto('/admin/organizations');
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
   });
 
   test('should navigate to members page when clicking view members in action menu', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Members - Navigation from Organizations List',
 
     // Click "View Members"
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/, { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/),
       page.getByText('View Members').click()
     ]);
 
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Members - Navigation from Organizations List',
 
     // Click on member count
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/, { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/),
       memberButton.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -51,14 +51,14 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Members - Page Structure', () => {
     await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
     await page.goto('/admin/organizations');
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Navigate to members page
     const actionButton = page.getByRole('button', { name: /Actions for/i }).first();
     await actionButton.click();
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/, { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/),
       page.getByText('View Members').click()
     ]);
   });
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Members - Page Structure', () => {
     await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/);
 
     // Wait for page to load
-    await page.waitForSelector('table', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table');
 
     // Should show organization name in heading
     await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: /Members/i })).toBeVisible();
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Members - Page Structure', () => {
 
   test('should have proper heading hierarchy', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for page to load
-    await page.waitForSelector('table', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table');
 
     // Page should have h2 with organization name
     const heading = page.getByRole('heading', { name: /Members/i });
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Members - Page Structure', () => {
   });
 
   test('should have proper table structure', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table');
 
     // Table should have thead and tbody
     const table = page.locator('table');
@@ -121,14 +121,14 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Members - AddMemberDialog E2E Tests', () => {
     await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
     await page.goto('/admin/organizations');
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Navigate to members page
     const actionButton = page.getByRole('button', { name: /Actions for/i }).first();
     await actionButton.click();
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/, { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/),
       page.getByText('View Members').click()
     ]);
 
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Members - AddMemberDialog E2E Tests', () => {
     await addButton.click();
 
     // Wait for dialog to be visible
-    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]', { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]');
   });
 
   test('should open add member dialog when clicking add member button', async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/admin-organizations.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/admin-organizations.spec.ts
index 5931d83..e86f125 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/admin-organizations.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/admin-organizations.spec.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Page Load', () => {
     await expect(page).toHaveURL('/admin/organizations');
 
     // Wait for page to load
-    await page.waitForSelector('table', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table');
 
     await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'All Organizations' })).toBeVisible();
   });
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Organization List Table', () => {
 
   test('should display organization list table with headers', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for table to load
-    await page.waitForSelector('table', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table');
 
     // Check table exists and has structure
     const table = page.locator('table');
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Organization List Table', () => {
 
   test('should display organization data rows', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for table to load
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Should have at least one organization row
     const orgRows = page.locator('table tbody tr');
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Organization List Table', () => {
   });
 
   test('should display organization status badges', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Should see Active or Inactive badges
     const statusBadges = page.locator('table tbody').getByText(/Active|Inactive/);
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Organization List Table', () => {
   });
 
   test('should display action menu for each organization', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Each row should have an action menu button
     const actionButtons = page.getByRole('button', { name: /Actions for/i });
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Organization List Table', () => {
   });
 
   test('should display member counts', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Should show member counts in the Members column
     const membersColumn = page.locator('table tbody tr td').filter({ hasText: /^\d+$/ });
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Organization List Table', () => {
   });
 
   test('should display organization names and descriptions', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Organization name should be visible
     const orgNames = page.locator('table tbody td').first();
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Pagination', () => {
   });
 
   test('should display pagination info', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Should show "Showing X to Y of Z organizations"
     await expect(page.getByText(/Showing \d+ to \d+ of \d+ organizations/)).toBeVisible();
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Action Menu', () => {
     await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
     await page.goto('/admin/organizations');
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
   });
 
   test('should open action menu when clicked', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Action Menu', () => {
 
     // Click view members - use Promise.all for Next.js Link navigation
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/, { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/),
       page.getByText('View Members').click()
     ]);
 
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Edit Organization Dialog', () =>
     await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
     await page.goto('/admin/organizations');
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
   });
 
   test('should open edit dialog with existing organization data', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Member Count Interaction', () =>
     await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
     await page.goto('/admin/organizations');
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
   });
 
   test('should allow clicking on member count to view members', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Member Count Interaction', () =>
 
     // Click on member count - use Promise.all for Next.js Link navigation
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/, { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL(/\/admin\/organizations\/[^/]+\/members/),
       memberButton.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -324,14 +324,14 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Accessibility', () => {
 
   test('should have proper heading hierarchy', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for table to load
-    await page.waitForSelector('table', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table');
 
     // Page should have h2 with proper text
     await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'All Organizations' })).toBeVisible();
   });
 
   test('should have accessible labels for action menus', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Action buttons should have descriptive labels
     const actionButton = page.getByRole('button', { name: /Actions for/i }).first();
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ test.describe('Admin Organization Management - Accessibility', () => {
   });
 
   test('should have proper table structure', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table');
 
     // Table should have thead and tbody
     const table = page.locator('table');
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/admin-users.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/admin-users.spec.ts
index 2197b3c..9cd8798 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/admin-users.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/admin-users.spec.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - User List Table', () => {
 
   test('should display user list table with headers', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for table to load
-    await page.waitForSelector('table', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table');
 
     // Check table exists and has structure
     const table = page.locator('table');
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - User List Table', () => {
 
   test('should display user data rows', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for table to load
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Should have at least one user row
     const userRows = page.locator('table tbody tr');
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - User List Table', () => {
   });
 
   test('should display user status badges', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Should see Active or Inactive badges
     const statusBadges = page.locator('table tbody').getByText(/Active|Inactive/);
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - User List Table', () => {
   });
 
   test('should display action menu for each user', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Each row should have an action menu button
     const actionButtons = page.getByRole('button', { name: /Actions for/i });
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - User List Table', () => {
   });
 
   test('should display individual row checkboxes', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Should have checkboxes for selecting users
     const rowCheckboxes = page.locator('table tbody').getByRole('checkbox');
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - Pagination', () => {
   });
 
   test('should display pagination info', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Should show "Showing X to Y of Z users"
     await expect(page.getByText(/Showing \d+ to \d+ of \d+ users/)).toBeVisible();
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - Row Selection', () => {
     await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
     await page.goto('/admin/users');
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
   });
 
   test('should select individual user row', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - Action Menu', () => {
     await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
     await page.goto('/admin/users');
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
   });
 
   test('should open action menu when clicked', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - Edit User Dialog', () => {
     await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
     await page.goto('/admin/users');
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
   });
 
   test('should open edit dialog with existing user data', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - Bulk Actions', () => {
     await setupSuperuserMocks(page);
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
     await page.goto('/admin/users');
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
   });
 
   test('should show bulk activate button in toolbar', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - Accessibility', () => {
   });
 
   test('should have accessible labels for checkboxes', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Select all checkbox should have label
     const selectAllCheckbox = page.getByLabel('Select all users');
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ test.describe('Admin User Management - Accessibility', () => {
   });
 
   test('should have accessible labels for action menus', async ({ page }) => {
-    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr', { timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('table tbody tr');
 
     // Action buttons should have descriptive labels
     const actionButton = page.getByRole('button', { name: /Actions for/i }).first();
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/auth-login.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/auth-login.spec.ts
index 1894357..de0dc91 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/auth-login.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/auth-login.spec.ts
@@ -96,10 +96,10 @@ test.describe('Login Flow', () => {
     const passwordInput = page.locator('input[name="password"]');
     const submitButton = page.locator('button[type="submit"]');
 
-    await expect(emailInput).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
-    await expect(passwordInput).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
-    await expect(submitButton).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
-    await expect(submitButton).toBeEnabled({ timeout: 10000 });
+    await expect(emailInput).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(passwordInput).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(submitButton).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(submitButton).toBeEnabled();
 
     // Touch fields to mimic user interaction
     await emailInput.focus();
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@ test.describe('Login Flow', () => {
     await submitButton.click();
 
     // Wait for validation errors - allow extra time for slower browsers
-    await expect(page.locator('#email-error')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
-    await expect(page.locator('#password-error')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+    await expect(page.locator('#email-error')).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.locator('#password-error')).toBeVisible();
 
     // Verify error messages
     await expect(page.locator('#email-error')).toContainText('Email is required');
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ test.describe('Login Flow', () => {
     const forgotLink = page.getByRole('link', { name: 'Forgot password?' });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/password-reset', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/password-reset'),
       forgotLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ test.describe('Login Flow', () => {
     const signupLink = page.getByRole('link', { name: 'Sign up' });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/register', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/register'),
       signupLink.click()
     ]);
 
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/auth-password-reset.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/auth-password-reset.spec.ts
index 549b3d1..74126ae 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/auth-password-reset.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/auth-password-reset.spec.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ test.describe('Password Reset Request Flow', () => {
     const loginLink = page.getByRole('link', { name: 'Back to login' });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/login', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/login', ),
       loginLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ test.describe('Password Reset Confirm Flow', () => {
     const resetLink = page.getByRole('link', { name: 'Request new reset link' });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/password-reset', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/password-reset', ),
       resetLink.click()
     ]);
 
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/auth-register.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/auth-register.spec.ts
index 47e07b1..cd80ed5 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/auth-register.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/auth-register.spec.ts
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ test.describe('Registration Flow', () => {
 
   test('should show validation errors for empty form', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for React hydration to complete
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
 
     // Interact with email field to ensure form is interactive
     const emailInput = page.locator('input[name="email"]');
@@ -105,9 +104,9 @@ test.describe('Registration Flow', () => {
     await page.locator('button[type="submit"]').click();
 
     // Wait for validation errors - Firefox may be slower
-    await expect(page.locator('#email-error')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
-    await expect(page.locator('#first_name-error')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
-    await expect(page.locator('#password-error')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+    await expect(page.locator('#email-error')).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.locator('#first_name-error')).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.locator('#password-error')).toBeVisible();
   });
 
   test('should show validation error for invalid email', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -217,7 +216,7 @@ test.describe('Registration Flow', () => {
 
     // Use Promise.all to wait for navigation
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/login', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/login'),
       loginLink.click()
     ]);
 
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/helpers/auth.ts b/frontend/e2e/helpers/auth.ts
index e01e727..f98b451 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/helpers/auth.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/helpers/auth.ts
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export async function loginViaUI(page: Page, email = 'test@example.com', passwor
 
   // Submit and wait for navigation to home
   await Promise.all([
-    page.waitForURL('/', { timeout: 10000 }),
+    page.waitForURL('/'),
     page.locator('button[type="submit"]').click(),
   ]);
 
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/homepage.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/homepage.spec.ts
index eee99c1..f5ed3df 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/homepage.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/homepage.spec.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Desktop Navigation', () => {
   test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/');
     // Wait for page to be fully loaded
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
   });
 
   test('should display header with logo and navigation', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Desktop Navigation', () => {
     const componentsLink = header.getByRole('link', { name: 'Components', exact: true });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/dev', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/dev'),
       componentsLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Desktop Navigation', () => {
     const adminLink = header.getByRole('link', { name: 'Admin Demo', exact: true });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/admin', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/admin'),
       adminLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -62,7 +61,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Desktop Navigation', () => {
     const headerLoginLink = header.getByRole('link', { name: /^Login$/i });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/login', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/login'),
       headerLoginLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -88,7 +87,6 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Mobile Menu Interactions', () => {
     // Set mobile viewport
     await page.setViewportSize({ width: 375, height: 667 });
     await page.goto('/');
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
   });
 
   test('should display mobile menu toggle button', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -101,7 +99,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Mobile Menu Interactions', () => {
     await menuButton.click();
 
     // Wait for sheet to be visible
-    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]', { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]');
 
     // Navigation links should be visible in mobile menu
     const mobileMenu = page.locator('[role="dialog"]');
@@ -111,7 +109,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Mobile Menu Interactions', () => {
 
   test('should display GitHub link in mobile menu', async ({ page }) => {
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Toggle menu/i }).click();
-    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]', { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]');
 
     const mobileMenu = page.locator('[role="dialog"]');
     const githubLink = mobileMenu.getByRole('link', { name: /GitHub Star/i });
@@ -123,13 +121,13 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Mobile Menu Interactions', () => {
   test('should navigate to components page from mobile menu', async ({ page }) => {
     // Open mobile menu
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Toggle menu/i }).click();
-    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]', { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]');
 
     // Click Components link
     const componentsLink = page.locator('[role="dialog"]').getByRole('link', { name: 'Components' });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/dev', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/dev'),
       componentsLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -139,13 +137,13 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Mobile Menu Interactions', () => {
   test('should navigate to admin demo from mobile menu', async ({ page }) => {
     // Open mobile menu
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Toggle menu/i }).click();
-    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]', { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]');
 
     // Click Admin Demo link
     const adminLink = page.locator('[role="dialog"]').getByRole('link', { name: 'Admin Demo' });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/admin', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/admin'),
       adminLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -154,7 +152,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Mobile Menu Interactions', () => {
 
   test('should display Try Demo button in mobile menu', async ({ page }) => {
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Toggle menu/i }).click();
-    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]', { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]');
 
     const mobileMenu = page.locator('[role="dialog"]');
     const demoButton = mobileMenu.getByRole('button', { name: /Try Demo/i });
@@ -165,7 +163,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Mobile Menu Interactions', () => {
   test('should open demo modal from mobile menu Try Demo button', async ({ page }) => {
     // Open mobile menu
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Toggle menu/i }).click();
-    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]', { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]');
 
     // Click Try Demo in mobile menu
     const mobileMenu = page.locator('[role="dialog"]');
@@ -181,14 +179,14 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Mobile Menu Interactions', () => {
   test('should navigate to login from mobile menu', async ({ page }) => {
     // Open mobile menu
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Toggle menu/i }).click();
-    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]', { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]');
 
     // Click Login link in mobile menu
     const mobileMenu = page.locator('[role="dialog"]');
     const loginLink = mobileMenu.getByRole('link', { name: /Login/i });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/login', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/login'),
       loginLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -198,20 +196,19 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Mobile Menu Interactions', () => {
   test('should close mobile menu when clicking outside', async ({ page }) => {
     // Open mobile menu
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Toggle menu/i }).click();
-    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]', { timeout: 5000 });
+    await page.waitForSelector('[role="dialog"]');
 
     // Press Escape key to close menu (more reliable than clicking overlay)
     await page.keyboard.press('Escape');
 
     // Menu should close
-    await expect(page.locator('[role="dialog"]')).not.toBeVisible({ timeout: 2000 });
+    await expect(page.locator('[role="dialog"]')).not.toBeVisible();
   });
 });
 
 test.describe('Homepage - Hero Section', () => {
   test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/');
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
   });
 
   test('should display main headline', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -241,7 +238,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Hero Section', () => {
     const exploreLink = page.getByRole('link', { name: /Explore Components/i }).first();
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/dev', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/dev'),
       exploreLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -252,7 +249,6 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Hero Section', () => {
 test.describe('Homepage - Demo Credentials Modal', () => {
   test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/');
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
   });
 
   test('should display regular and admin credentials', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -275,6 +271,8 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Demo Credentials Modal', () => {
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Try Demo/i }).first().click();
 
     const dialog = page.getByRole('dialog');
+    await dialog.waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
+
     // Click first copy button (regular user) within dialog
     const copyButtons = dialog.getByRole('button', { name: /Copy/i });
     await copyButtons.first().click();
@@ -287,10 +285,12 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Demo Credentials Modal', () => {
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Try Demo/i }).first().click();
 
     const dialog = page.getByRole('dialog');
+    await dialog.waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
+
     const loginLink = dialog.getByRole('link', { name: /Go to Login/i });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/login', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/login'),
       loginLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -301,6 +301,8 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Demo Credentials Modal', () => {
     await page.getByRole('button', { name: /Try Demo/i }).first().click();
 
     const dialog = page.getByRole('dialog');
+    await dialog.waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
+
     const closeButton = dialog.getByRole('button', { name: /^Close$/i }).first();
     await closeButton.click();
 
@@ -311,7 +313,6 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Demo Credentials Modal', () => {
 test.describe('Homepage - Animated Terminal', () => {
   test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/');
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
   });
 
   test('should display terminal section', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -337,7 +338,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Animated Terminal', () => {
 
     // Terminal should show git clone command (check for just "git clone" to be more flexible)
     const terminalText = await page.locator('.font-mono').filter({ hasText: 'git clone' }).first();
-    await expect(terminalText).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+    await expect(terminalText).toBeVisible();
   });
 
   test('should display Try Live Demo button below terminal', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -355,7 +356,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Animated Terminal', () => {
     const terminalDemoLink = demoLinks.last(); // Last one should be from terminal section
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/login', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/login'),
       terminalDemoLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -366,7 +367,6 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Animated Terminal', () => {
 test.describe('Homepage - Feature Sections', () => {
   test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/');
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
   });
 
   test('should display feature grid section', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Feature Sections', () => {
     const authLink = page.getByRole('link', { name: /View Auth Flow/i });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/login', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/login'),
       authLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Feature Sections', () => {
     const adminLink = page.getByRole('link', { name: /Try Admin Panel/i });
 
     await Promise.all([
-      page.waitForURL('/admin', { timeout: 10000 }),
+      page.waitForURL('/admin'),
       adminLink.click()
     ]);
 
@@ -418,7 +418,6 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Feature Sections', () => {
 test.describe('Homepage - Footer', () => {
   test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/');
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
   });
 
   test('should display footer with copyright', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -432,7 +431,6 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Footer', () => {
 test.describe('Homepage - Accessibility', () => {
   test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/');
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
   });
 
   test('should have proper heading hierarchy', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -455,7 +453,6 @@ test.describe('Homepage - Accessibility', () => {
   test('should have mobile menu button with accessible label', async ({ page }) => {
     await page.setViewportSize({ width: 375, height: 667 });
     await page.reload();
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
 
     const menuButton = page.getByRole('button', { name: /Toggle menu/i });
     await expect(menuButton).toBeVisible();
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/settings-navigation.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/settings-navigation.spec.ts
index fb595c1..169a9a3 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/settings-navigation.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/settings-navigation.spec.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ test.describe('Settings Navigation', () => {
     await expect(page).toHaveURL('/');
 
     // Navigate to settings/profile
-    await page.goto('/settings/profile', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
+    await page.goto('/settings/profile');
 
     // Verify navigation successful
     await expect(page).toHaveURL('/settings/profile');
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ test.describe('Settings Navigation', () => {
     await expect(page).toHaveURL('/');
 
     // Navigate to settings/password
-    await page.goto('/settings/password', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
+    await page.goto('/settings/password');
 
     // Verify navigation successful
     await expect(page).toHaveURL('/settings/password');
@@ -47,21 +47,21 @@ test.describe('Settings Navigation', () => {
 
   test('should navigate between settings pages', async ({ page }) => {
     // Start at profile page
-    await page.goto('/settings/profile', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
+    await page.goto('/settings/profile');
     await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Profile' })).toBeVisible();
 
     // Navigate to password page
-    await page.goto('/settings/password', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
+    await page.goto('/settings/password');
     await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Password' })).toBeVisible();
 
     // Navigate back to profile page
-    await page.goto('/settings/profile', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
+    await page.goto('/settings/profile');
     await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Profile' })).toBeVisible();
   });
 
   test('should redirect from /settings to /settings/profile', async ({ page }) => {
     // Navigate to base settings page
-    await page.goto('/settings', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
+    await page.goto('/settings');
 
     // Should redirect to profile page
     await expect(page).toHaveURL('/settings/profile');
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ test.describe('Settings Navigation', () => {
 
   test('should display preferences page placeholder', async ({ page }) => {
     // Navigate to preferences page
-    await page.goto('/settings/preferences', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
+    await page.goto('/settings/preferences');
 
     // Verify navigation successful
     await expect(page).toHaveURL('/settings/preferences');
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/settings-password.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/settings-password.spec.ts
index 08e5e36..322ceb0 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/settings-password.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/settings-password.spec.ts
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ test.describe('Password Change', () => {
     // Auth already cached in storage state (loginViaUI removed for performance)
 
     // Navigate to password page
-    await page.goto('/settings/password', { waitUntil: 'networkidle' });
+    await page.goto('/settings/password');
 
     // Wait for form to be visible
-    await page.getByLabel(/current password/i).waitFor({ state: 'visible', timeout: 10000 });
+    await page.getByLabel(/current password/i).waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
   });
 
   // TODO: Fix flaky test - failed once at 12.8s, passed on retry at 8.3s
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ test.describe('Password Change', () => {
   test('should have all password fields as password type', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for form to load
     const currentPasswordInput = page.getByLabel(/current password/i);
-    await currentPasswordInput.waitFor({ state: 'visible', timeout: 10000 });
+    await currentPasswordInput.waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
 
     // Verify all password fields have type="password"
     await expect(currentPasswordInput).toHaveAttribute('type', 'password');
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ test.describe('Password Change', () => {
   test('should have submit button disabled initially', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for form to load
     const submitButton = page.getByRole('button', { name: /change password/i });
-    await submitButton.waitFor({ state: 'visible', timeout: 10000 });
+    await submitButton.waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
 
     // Verify button is disabled when form is empty/untouched
     await expect(submitButton).toBeDisabled();
diff --git a/frontend/e2e/settings-profile.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/settings-profile.spec.ts
index 5485998..f5ffa36 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/settings-profile.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/settings-profile.spec.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ test.describe('Profile Settings', () => {
 
     // Wait for form to be populated with user data (use label-based selectors)
     const firstNameInput = page.getByLabel(/first name/i);
-    await firstNameInput.waitFor({ state: 'visible', timeout: 10000 });
+    await firstNameInput.waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
 
     // Verify form fields are populated with mock user data
     await expect(firstNameInput).toHaveValue(MOCK_USER.first_name);
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ test.describe('Profile Settings', () => {
   test('should show email as read-only', async ({ page }) => {
     // Wait for form to load
     const emailInput = page.getByLabel(/email/i);
-    await emailInput.waitFor({ state: 'visible', timeout: 10000 });
+    await emailInput.waitFor({ state: 'visible' });
 
     // Verify email field is disabled or read-only
     const isDisabled = await emailInput.isDisabled();