diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 130b06d5..ea6b6295 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -17,16 +17,22 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-      - name: Install Python deps
+      - name: Upgrade pip and install Python deps
         run: |
           python -m pip install --upgrade pip
           pip install -e .[dev]
-      - name: Install Playwright browsers
-        if: matrix.tier == 'e2e'
-        uses: microsoft/playwright-github-action@v1
       - name: Prepare repo-local temp directories
         run: |
           mkdir -p dev/test-runs/{tmp,pytest-tmp,artifacts,downloads,pw-browsers}
+      - name: Install Playwright browsers (python CLI, repo-local)
+        if: matrix.tier == 'e2e'
+        env:
+          PLAYWRIGHT_BROWSERS_PATH: ${{ github.workspace }}/dev/test-runs/pw-browsers
+          TMPDIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/dev/test-runs/tmp
+          TMP: ${{ github.workspace }}/dev/test-runs/tmp
+          TEMP: ${{ github.workspace }}/dev/test-runs/tmp
+        run: |
+          python -m playwright install chromium
       - name: Run tests by tier
         env:
           SCIDK_E2E: ${{ matrix.tier == 'e2e' && '1' || '0' }}
@@ -42,7 +48,7 @@ jobs:
               pytest -m integration -q
               ;;
             e2e)
-              pytest -m e2e tests/e2e -v --maxfail=1 --suppress-no-test-exit-code
+              pytest -m e2e tests/e2e -v --maxfail=1
               ;;
           esac
       - name: Upload Playwright report (on failure)