diff --git a/apps/web/tests/navigation-panes.e2e.ts b/apps/web/tests/navigation-panes.e2e.ts
index 87e19a6915..60b4596f1f 100644
--- a/apps/web/tests/navigation-panes.e2e.ts
+++ b/apps/web/tests/navigation-panes.e2e.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ describe('web e2e: navigation & panes over a rich seeded session', () => {
 
   it.skipIf(MODE === 'record')('finds an unopened seeded session by message content and opens it', async () => {
     onTestFailed(() => saveFailureShot(page, 'web-e2e-navigation-search'))
+    // The search input mounts before the asynchronous session inventory.
+    // Wait for the seeded row so hydration cannot overwrite the query.
+    await page.getByText('1 session', { exact: true }).waitFor({ timeout: 30_000 })
     const search = page.getByPlaceholder('Search name, keywords', { exact: false })
     // The cold row has not been opened, so only the persisted log can satisfy
     // this query. First search lazily reconciles the SQLite content index.