diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
index d06bbeb298b..1f717df74e4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
@@ -70,12 +70,13 @@ jobs:
 
       # Why: building here avoids parallel builds inside Playwright globalSetup;
       # paired-browser specs also need the standalone web bundle.
-      - name: Build Electron app for E2E
+      - name: Build E2E outputs
         env:
           VITE_EXPOSE_STORE: 'true'
         run: |
           npx electron-vite build --mode e2e
           pnpm run build:web-from-renderer
+          pnpm run build:relay
 
       - name: Upload E2E build output
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
@@ -174,7 +175,7 @@ jobs:
       # ORCA_E2E_FORWARD_APP_LOGS keeps startup failures visible when Electron
       # launches but never creates a BrowserWindow.
       - name: Run E2E tests (${{ matrix.shard_name }})
-        run: xvfb-run --auto-servernum env SKIP_BUILD=1 ORCA_E2E_FORWARD_APP_LOGS=1 ORCA_E2E_WEB_CLIENT=1 pnpm run test:e2e --shard=${{ matrix.shard }}
+        run: xvfb-run --auto-servernum env SKIP_BUILD=1 ORCA_E2E_FORWARD_APP_LOGS=1 ORCA_E2E_WEB_CLIENT=1 ORCA_RELAY_PATH="$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/out/relay" pnpm run test:e2e --shard=${{ matrix.shard }}
 
       # Why: Playwright retains traces/screenshots only on failure. Uploading
       # them as an artifact makes post-mortem debugging on CI possible without
@@ -240,7 +241,7 @@ jobs:
             echo "Changed startup-readiness specs are owned by the dedicated live lane."
             exit 0
           fi
-          E2E_ENV=(SKIP_BUILD=1 ORCA_E2E_FORWARD_APP_LOGS=1 ORCA_E2E_WEB_CLIENT=1)
+          E2E_ENV=(SKIP_BUILD=1 ORCA_E2E_FORWARD_APP_LOGS=1 ORCA_E2E_WEB_CLIENT=1 ORCA_RELAY_PATH="$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/out/relay")
           if printf '%s\n' "${TEST_FILES[@]}" | grep -qx 'tests/e2e/ephemeral-vm-provisioned-root.spec.ts'; then
             E2E_ENV+=(ORCA_E2E_SSH_DOCKER=1)
           fi
diff --git a/tests/e2e/global-setup.ts b/tests/e2e/global-setup.ts
index 77e4e22079d..cd5d9b3c4e0 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/global-setup.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/global-setup.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export default function globalSetup(): void {
   const outMain = path.join(root, 'out', 'main', 'index.js')
   const outCli = path.join(root, 'out', 'cli', 'index.js')
   const outWeb = path.join(root, 'out', 'web', 'web-index.html')
+  const outLinuxRelay = path.join(root, 'out', 'relay', 'linux-x64', 'relay.js')
 
   // ── 1. Build the Electron app ──────────────────────────────────────
   if (process.env.SKIP_BUILD && existsSync(outMain)) {
@@ -83,15 +84,17 @@ export default function globalSetup(): void {
     process.env.ORCA_E2E_NESTED_RUNTIME_SSH === '1' ||
     (process.env.ORCA_E2E_SKILL_STAGING === '1' && Boolean(process.env.ORCA_E2E_SKILL_SSH_HOST))
   ) {
-    // Why: the SSH specs deploy Orca's relay from out/relay. The
-    // normal Electron E2E build does not produce that bundle, so build it only
-    // for explicit SSH runs.
-    console.error('[e2e] Building SSH relay bundle for SSH E2E...')
-    execSync('pnpm run build:relay', {
-      cwd: root,
-      stdio: 'inherit',
-      timeout: 120_000
-    })
+    if (process.env.SKIP_BUILD && existsSync(outLinuxRelay)) {
+      console.error('[e2e] SKIP_BUILD set and SSH relay bundle exists — skipping relay build')
+    } else {
+      // Why: explicit SSH specs need deployable Relay outputs in source-tree runs.
+      console.error('[e2e] Building SSH relay bundle for SSH E2E...')
+      execSync('pnpm run build:relay', {
+        cwd: root,
+        stdio: 'inherit',
+        timeout: 120_000
+      })
+    }
   }
   if (process.env.ORCA_E2E_SSH_DOCKER === '1' || process.env.ORCA_E2E_NESTED_RUNTIME_SSH === '1') {
     console.error('[e2e] Preparing Docker OpenSSH fixture image...')