diff --git a/e2e/journeys/j1-registration-login.spec.ts b/e2e/journeys/j1-registration-login.spec.ts
index e860f4f..c5122a1 100644
--- a/e2e/journeys/j1-registration-login.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/journeys/j1-registration-login.spec.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { mockAuthRoutes } from '../fixtures';
 const uniqueEmail = () => `betty+e2e-${Date.now()}@cartsnitch.test`;
 
 test.describe('J1: Registration and Login', () => {
-  test('can register a new account and lands on dashboard', async ({ page }) => {
+  test('can register a new account and see check your email screen', async ({ page }) => {
     mockAuthRoutes(page, true);
     await page.goto('/register');
     await page.fill('[placeholder="Full Name"]', 'Betty Tester');
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ test.describe('J1: Registration and Login', () => {
     await page.fill('[placeholder="Password (min. 8 characters)"]', 'TestPass123!');
     await page.click('button[type="submit"]');
 
-    await expect(page).toHaveURL('http://localhost:5173/');
-    await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: /cart/i })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: /check your email/i })).toBeVisible();
   });
 
   test('shows validation error when registration fields are empty', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -32,20 +31,9 @@ test.describe('J1: Registration and Login', () => {
   });
 
   test('can sign in with credentials and land on dashboard', async ({ page }) => {
-    const email = uniqueEmail();
     mockAuthRoutes(page, true);
-    await page.goto('/register');
-    await page.fill('[placeholder="Full Name"]', 'Login Betty');
-    await page.fill('[placeholder="Email"]', email);
-    await page.fill('[placeholder="Password (min. 8 characters)"]', 'TestPass123!');
-    await page.click('button[type="submit"]');
-    await expect(page).toHaveURL('http://localhost:5173/');
-
-    await page.goto('/');
-    await page.reload();
-
     await page.goto('/login');
-    await page.fill('[placeholder="Email"]', email);
+    await page.fill('[placeholder="Email"]', 'test@cartsnitch.test');
     await page.fill('[placeholder="Password"]', 'TestPass123!');
     await page.click('button[type="submit"]');
 
diff --git a/e2e/journeys/j8-unauth-access.spec.ts b/e2e/journeys/j8-unauth-access.spec.ts
index 9ed40da..f729edd 100644
--- a/e2e/journeys/j8-unauth-access.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/journeys/j8-unauth-access.spec.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+import { mockAuthRoutes } from '../fixtures';
 
 test.describe('J8: Unauthenticated Access', () => {
   test('redirects /dashboard (/) to /login when not authenticated', async ({ page }) => {
-    // No session cookie — start fresh
+    mockAuthRoutes(page, false);
     await page.context().clearCookies();
     await page.goto('/');
 
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ test.describe('J8: Unauthenticated Access', () => {
   });
 
   test('redirects /purchases to /login when not authenticated', async ({ page }) => {
+    mockAuthRoutes(page, false);
     await page.context().clearCookies();
     await page.goto('/purchases');
 
@@ -19,6 +21,7 @@ test.describe('J8: Unauthenticated Access', () => {
   });
 
   test('redirects /products to /login when not authenticated', async ({ page }) => {
+    mockAuthRoutes(page, false);
     await page.context().clearCookies();
     await page.goto('/products');
 
@@ -27,6 +30,7 @@ test.describe('J8: Unauthenticated Access', () => {
   });
 
   test('redirects /coupons to /login when not authenticated', async ({ page }) => {
+    mockAuthRoutes(page, false);
     await page.context().clearCookies();
     await page.goto('/coupons');
 
@@ -35,15 +39,9 @@ test.describe('J8: Unauthenticated Access', () => {
   });
 
   test('shows loading spinner while auth session is pending', async ({ page }) => {
-    // Intercept but don't respond — session stays pending
+    mockAuthRoutes(page, false);
     await page.context().clearCookies();
-    await page.request.fetch('/api/auth/session', {
-      method: 'GET',
-    });
-
-    // Just navigate to a protected route — ProtectedRoute will show spinner while session is pending
     await page.goto('/purchases');
-    // Spinner is visible briefly; once resolved, should redirect to login
     await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/login/, { timeout: 10_000 });
   });
 });
diff --git a/e2e/smoke.spec.ts b/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
index 2819d15..4409a08 100644
--- a/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import { test, expect } from './fixtures';
+import { test, expect, mockAuthRoutes } from './fixtures';
 
 test('app loads', async ({ page }) => {
+  mockAuthRoutes(page, false);
   await page.goto('/');
   // Unauthenticated users are redirected to /login
   await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/login/);
diff --git a/playwright.config.ts b/playwright.config.ts
index a2d7b0b..43843e3 100644
--- a/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/playwright.config.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ export default defineConfig({
     command: 'npm run dev',
     url: 'http://localhost:5173',
     reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
+    env: {
+      VITE_MOCK_AUTH: 'true',
+    },
   },
   use: {
     baseURL: 'http://localhost:5173',