diff --git a/apps/desktop/e2e/window-input.unit.test.ts b/apps/desktop/e2e/window-input.unit.test.ts
index d9da8da466..a15b2b32ba 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/e2e/window-input.unit.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/e2e/window-input.unit.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,28 @@ const { prepareWindowForInput } = createRequire(import.meta.url)(
   '../../../tests/install/e2e-assets/window-input.cjs',
 )
 
+test('does not finish when IPC reports 100% before the window factor settles', async () => {
+  let observations = 0
+  const previous = (globalThis as any).hermesDesktop
+  ;(globalThis as any).hermesDesktop = { zoom: {
+    setPercent: () => undefined,
+    get: async () => ({ percent: 100 }),
+  } }
+  const appWindow = { evaluate: async (fn: any) => fn({ webContents: {
+    getZoomFactor: () => ++observations === 1 ? 0.9 : 1,
+  } }) }
+  const page = {
+    evaluate: async (fn: any) => fn(),
+    waitForTimeout: async () => undefined,
+  }
+  try {
+    await prepareWindowForInput({ browserWindow: async () => appWindow }, page)
+    expect(observations).toBeGreaterThan(1)
+  } finally {
+    ;(globalThis as any).hermesDesktop = previous
+  }
+})
+
 test('reapplies zoom when startup overwrites the first request', async () => {
   let requests = 0
   let factor = 0.9
diff --git a/tests/install/e2e-assets/drive-update.cjs b/tests/install/e2e-assets/drive-update.cjs
index ffb33d2658..1473d01ae2 100644
--- a/tests/install/e2e-assets/drive-update.cjs
+++ b/tests/install/e2e-assets/drive-update.cjs
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ async function main() {
   let iter = 0
 
   while (!openedSettings) {
+    // A boot-time restore or focus event can move the scale after preparation.
+    await prepareWindowForInput(app, page)
     iter++
     for (const make of laterLocators) {
       try {
diff --git a/tests/install/e2e-assets/install-and-launch.ahk b/tests/install/e2e-assets/install-and-launch.ahk
index 960a740bb3..31a14eb7a7 100644
--- a/tests/install/e2e-assets/install-and-launch.ahk
+++ b/tests/install/e2e-assets/install-and-launch.ahk
@@ -199,14 +199,16 @@ if launchFound {
 }
 Log("Launch clicked; waiting for the Hermes desktop app window")
 
-; The installer spawns Hermes.exe detached and exits itself.
+; WinWait returns 0 on timeout; it does not throw. The old unchecked return
+; led to WinGetPos throwing "Target window not found." Reuse the bounded
+; real-window poll so transient handles are ignored and failures name the wait.
+; CI's installer remained on LAUNCHING past 120s after a successful bootstrap.
 try {
-    WinWait(appWin, , 120)
+    appRect := WaitForRealWindow(appWin, 300000)
 } catch {
-    throw Error("Hermes.exe window did not appear within 120s of clicking Launch")
+    throw Error("Hermes.exe real-sized window did not appear within 300s of clicking Launch")
 }
-WinGetPos(&ax, &ay, &aw, &ah, appWin)
-Log(Format("App window appeared at x={1} y={2} w={3} h={4}", ax, ay, aw, ah))
+Log(Format("App window appeared at x={1} y={2} w={3} h={4}", appRect.x, appRect.y, appRect.w, appRect.h))
 
 Sleep(8000)   ; let the renderer paint (recorded as proof)
 Log("done")
diff --git a/tests/install/e2e-assets/launch-from-spec.mjs b/tests/install/e2e-assets/launch-from-spec.mjs
index 49db869218..bfe372e08c 100644
--- a/tests/install/e2e-assets/launch-from-spec.mjs
+++ b/tests/install/e2e-assets/launch-from-spec.mjs
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ async function main() {
     }
   }).then((d) => JSON.stringify(d)).catch((e) => `hit-dump failed: ${e.message}`)
   for (let iter = 1; ; iter++) {
+    await prepareWindowForInput(app, window);
     await later
       .click({ timeout: 2_000 })
       .then(async () => {
@@ -225,6 +226,9 @@ async function main() {
       .catch((e) => log(`[overlay] iter ${iter} chooseLater click failed: ${brief(e)}`))
     try {
       await settingsButton.click({ timeout: 4_000 })
+      // A landed click during shell hydration can be lost on a remount.
+      // Confirm the destination before looking for its About control.
+      await window.waitForURL(/[#/]settings(?:[/?]|$)/, { timeout: 4_000 })
       settingsOpened = true
       break
     } catch (e) {
diff --git a/tests/install/e2e-assets/window-input.cjs b/tests/install/e2e-assets/window-input.cjs
index a15dea187d..5fbbb76355 100644
--- a/tests/install/e2e-assets/window-input.cjs
+++ b/tests/install/e2e-assets/window-input.cjs
@@ -21,8 +21,13 @@ async function prepareWindowForInput(app, page) {
         globalThis.hermesDesktop.zoom.setPercent(100)
         return globalThis.hermesDesktop.zoom.get()
       })
-      if (state.percent === 100) break
-      if (Date.now() >= deadline) throw new Error('timed out waiting for 100% app window zoom')
+      // The renderer IPC and BrowserWindow can observe different moments of
+      // startup restoration. Both must agree before the driver sends input.
+      const factor = await window.evaluate(win => win.webContents.getZoomFactor())
+      if (state.percent === 100 && Math.abs(factor - 1) < 0.001) return
+      if (Date.now() >= deadline) {
+        throw new Error(`timed out waiting for 100% app window zoom (IPC ${state.percent}%, factor ${factor})`)
+      }
       await page.waitForTimeout(100)
     }
   } else {