diff --git a/canvas/e2e/staging-tabs.spec.ts b/canvas/e2e/staging-tabs.spec.ts
index 412953a5..fa99fa5e 100644
--- a/canvas/e2e/staging-tabs.spec.ts
+++ b/canvas/e2e/staging-tabs.spec.ts
@@ -73,10 +73,15 @@ test.describe("staging canvas tabs", () => {
     await page.goto(tenantURL, { waitUntil: "networkidle" });
 
     // Canvas hydration races WebSocket connect + /workspaces fetch.
-    // Wait for the tablist element (appears after a workspace is
-    // selected) or the hydration-error banner — whichever wins first.
+    // Wait for the React Flow canvas wrapper (always present once
+    // hydrated, even with zero workspaces) or the hydration-error
+    // banner — whichever wins first. Previous version of this wait
+    // used `[role="tablist"]`, but that selector only appears AFTER
+    // a workspace node is clicked (which happens below at L100), so
+    // the wait would always time out at 45s before any meaningful
+    // failure surfaced.
     await page.waitForSelector(
-      '[role="tablist"], [data-testid="hydration-error"]',
+      '[aria-label="Molecule AI workspace canvas"], [data-testid="hydration-error"]',
       { timeout: 45_000 },
     );
 
diff --git a/canvas/src/app/page.tsx b/canvas/src/app/page.tsx
index 74291409..8b79ef83 100644
--- a/canvas/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/canvas/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ export default function Home() {
       {hydrationError && (
         <div
           role="alert"
+          // Stable testid so the staging E2E (canvas/e2e/staging-tabs.spec.ts)
+          // can detect this banner without depending on the role="alert"
+          // selector that's used by other transient toasts. Don't rename
+          // without updating that spec.
+          data-testid="hydration-error"
           className="fixed inset-0 flex flex-col items-center justify-center bg-zinc-950 text-zinc-300 gap-4 z-[9999]"
         >
           <p className="text-zinc-400 text-sm">{hydrationError}</p>