diff --git a/tests/e2e/sidebar-measured-row-scroll.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/sidebar-measured-row-scroll.spec.ts
index a328d9fac70..84c21cd92d1 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/sidebar-measured-row-scroll.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/sidebar-measured-row-scroll.spec.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ test('keeps a collapsed group visible when an idle card below it grows', async (
   orcaPage,
   registerPostElectronShutdownCleanup
 }, testInfo) => {
+  // Why: the fixture's collapse slides rows in from their old position; a hidden window can freeze that mid-flight baseline.
+  await orcaPage.emulateMedia({ reducedMotion: 'reduce' })
   await waitForSessionReady(orcaPage)
   await orcaPage.setViewportSize({ width: 1200, height: 900 })
   const root = realpathSync(mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'orca-sidebar-measured-row-')))