diff --git a/tests/e2e/file-explorer-watch-refresh.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/file-explorer-watch-refresh.spec.ts
index d8a1bc1e4e7..85fbd66409e 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/file-explorer-watch-refresh.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/file-explorer-watch-refresh.spec.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ test('refreshes the visible tree after external Windows file changes', async ({
   const row = (name: string) =>
     orcaPage
       .locator('[data-file-explorer-row]')
-      .filter({ hasText: new RegExp(`^${name.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&')}$`) })
+      .filter({ has: orcaPage.getByText(name, { exact: true }) })
 
   rmSync(originalPath, { force: true })
   rmSync(renamedPath, { force: true })
diff --git a/tests/e2e/helpers/ssh-config-host-picker.ts b/tests/e2e/helpers/ssh-config-host-picker.ts
index 9b7d7b2d34a..1ad35ad7699 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/helpers/ssh-config-host-picker.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/helpers/ssh-config-host-picker.ts
@@ -73,11 +73,19 @@ export async function closeSettingsPage(page: Page): Promise<void> {
 
 export async function closeOpenDialogs(page: Page): Promise<void> {
   for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 5; attempt += 1) {
+    // Nested dialogs can finish their exit animations in different frames.
+    await expect(page.locator('[role="dialog"][data-state="closed"]')).toHaveCount(0, {
+      timeout: 3_000
+    })
     const dialogCount = await page.getByRole('dialog').count()
     if (dialogCount === 0) {
       return
     }
-    const dialog = page.getByRole('dialog').last()
+    const dialogId = await page.getByRole('dialog').last().getAttribute('id')
+    if (!dialogId) {
+      throw new Error('Open dialog is missing its Radix identity')
+    }
+    const dialog = page.locator(`[role="dialog"][id=${JSON.stringify(dialogId)}]`)
     const cancelOrBack = dialog.getByRole('button', { name: /^(Cancel|Back)$/ })
     await ((await cancelOrBack
       .first()
@@ -85,11 +93,10 @@ export async function closeOpenDialogs(page: Page): Promise<void> {
       .catch(() => false))
       ? cancelOrBack.first().click()
       : page.keyboard.press('Escape'))
-    await expect
-      .poll(async () => page.getByRole('dialog').count(), { timeout: 3_000 })
-      .toBeLessThan(dialogCount)
-      .catch(() => undefined)
+    // Back can replace the picker with its parent without reducing the dialog count.
+    await expect(dialog).toBeHidden({ timeout: 3_000 })
   }
+  await expect(page.getByRole('dialog')).toHaveCount(0, { timeout: 3_000 })
 }
 
 /** Leave settings / overlays so the main shell (Add Project) is reachable. */
diff --git a/tests/e2e/tabs.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/tabs.spec.ts
index d5106ce4dd2..50d02e507a4 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/tabs.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/tabs.spec.ts
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@ test.describe('Tabs', () => {
     await orcaPage.getByRole('button', { name: 'New tab' }).click({ force: true })
     const newMarkdownMenuItem = orcaPage.getByRole('menuitem', { name: /New Markdown/i }).first()
     await newMarkdownMenuItem.click()
-    await expect(newMarkdownMenuItem).toBeHidden({ timeout: 3_000 })
 
     // Why: require an id that did not exist before the click, so an already-open
     // Markdown file can't satisfy the assertions (or be deleted by cleanup), and
@@ -179,6 +178,7 @@ test.describe('Tabs', () => {
 
     const editor = orcaPage.locator('.rich-markdown-editor')
     await expect(editor).toBeVisible({ timeout: 25_000 })
+    await expect(newMarkdownMenuItem).toBeHidden({ timeout: 3_000 })
 
     await expect
       .poll(() => editor.evaluate((element) => document.activeElement === element), {