diff --git a/app/api/debug/reset/route.ts b/app/api/debug/reset/route.ts
index 4b3082fd9a..48ce28d164 100644
--- a/app/api/debug/reset/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/debug/reset/route.ts
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ import fs from 'fs'
 import path from 'path'
 import logger from '@/utils/logger'
 import { resetSocketManager } from '@/utils/socketManager'
+import { env } from '@/lib/env'
 
 export async function POST() {
-  if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'development') {
+  if (env.NODE_ENV === 'production' && !env.ALLOW_DEBUG_RESET) {
     return NextResponse.json(
       { message: 'This feature is only available in development mode.' },
       { status: 403 }
diff --git a/next.config.js b/next.config.js
index 86f2ecf157..21fbede4f6 100644
--- a/next.config.js
+++ b/next.config.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ const nextConfig = {
     ],
   },
   env: {
-    NEXT_PUBLIC_TESTING: process.env.TESTING,
+    NEXT_PUBLIC_TESTING: process.env.TESTING ?? process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_TESTING,
   },
   async redirects() {
     return [
diff --git a/playwright.config.ts b/playwright.config.ts
index e06dfc8e60..6d5d6f3a1b 100644
--- a/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/playwright.config.ts
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
   // Fail build on CI if you accidentally left test.only
   forbidOnly: !!process.env.CI,
 
-  retries: 0,
+  retries: process.env.CI_RETRIES ? parseInt(process.env.CI_RETRIES) : 0,
 
   // Test execution optimizations - Fail Fast Strategy
   expect: {
diff --git a/tests/playwright/lib/visual.ts b/tests/playwright/lib/visual.ts
index 9895b78655..5a01b7b341 100644
--- a/tests/playwright/lib/visual.ts
+++ b/tests/playwright/lib/visual.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export async function waitForVRTReady(
   targetWidth?: number
 ): Promise<void> {
   await page.evaluateHandle(() => document.fonts.ready)
-  await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle')
+  await page.waitForLoadState('domcontentloaded')
   await page.evaluate(() => document.body.offsetHeight)
   if (targetWidth !== undefined) {
     await page.waitForFunction(
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ export async function takeScreenshot(
   const { skipA11y = false, ...screenshotOptions } = options
 
   const isLocator = 'scrollIntoViewIfNeeded' in target
+  if (isLocator) {
+    await (target as Locator).evaluate((node) => node.getBoundingClientRect())
+  }
 
   // Only scroll to top for full-page targets: MUI portals detach if scrolled.
   if (!isLocator) {
diff --git a/tests/playwright/vrt-dashboard.spec.ts b/tests/playwright/vrt-dashboard.spec.ts
index 7fe4fc4d99..75acc63975 100644
--- a/tests/playwright/vrt-dashboard.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/playwright/vrt-dashboard.spec.ts
@@ -155,6 +155,20 @@ test.describe('Visual Regression Tests', () => {
 
     test('mobile viewport', async () => {
       await dashboardPage.setViewportSize(MOBILE_VIEWPORT)
+      await dashboardPage
+        .getByTestId('main-content-layout')
+        .waitFor({ state: 'visible' })
+      await dashboardPage
+        .getByTestId('timer-display-container')
+        .waitFor({ state: 'visible' })
+      await Promise.race([
+        dashboardPage
+          .getByTestId('spotify-auth-container')
+          .waitFor({ state: 'visible' }),
+        dashboardPage
+          .getByTestId('spotify-display-container')
+          .waitFor({ state: 'visible' }),
+      ])
       await waitForVRTReady(dashboardPage, MOBILE_VIEWPORT.width)
       const dashboard = dashboardPage.getByTestId('dashboard')
       await takeScreenshot(dashboard, 'dashboard-mobile.png', {
@@ -165,6 +179,20 @@ test.describe('Visual Regression Tests', () => {
 
     test('tablet viewport', async () => {
       await dashboardPage.setViewportSize(TABLET_VIEWPORT)
+      await dashboardPage
+        .getByTestId('main-content-layout')
+        .waitFor({ state: 'visible' })
+      await dashboardPage
+        .getByTestId('timer-display-container')
+        .waitFor({ state: 'visible' })
+      await Promise.race([
+        dashboardPage
+          .getByTestId('spotify-auth-container')
+          .waitFor({ state: 'visible' }),
+        dashboardPage
+          .getByTestId('spotify-display-container')
+          .waitFor({ state: 'visible' }),
+      ])
       await waitForVRTReady(dashboardPage, TABLET_VIEWPORT.width)
       const dashboard = dashboardPage.getByTestId('dashboard')
       await takeScreenshot(dashboard, 'dashboard-tablet.png', {
diff --git a/tests/playwright/vrt-dashboard.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-mobile-chromium-linux.png b/tests/playwright/vrt-dashboard.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-mobile-chromium-linux.png
index 4e65530b21..0223c576a6 100644
Binary files a/tests/playwright/vrt-dashboard.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-mobile-chromium-linux.png and b/tests/playwright/vrt-dashboard.spec.ts-snapshots/dashboard-mobile-chromium-linux.png differ
diff --git a/tests/playwright/vrt-timer-controls.spec.ts b/tests/playwright/vrt-timer-controls.spec.ts
index 56f6a4cb61..d338f8053c 100644
--- a/tests/playwright/vrt-timer-controls.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/playwright/vrt-timer-controls.spec.ts
@@ -77,9 +77,6 @@ test.describe('Visual Regression Tests', () => {
       await takeScreenshot(timerControls, 'timer-controls-active.png', {
         mask: [controlPage.getByTestId('timer-countdown')],
       })
-
-      // Stop the timer to reset for the next test
-      await controlPage.getByTestId('stop-timer-button').click()
     })
 
     test('start button hover state', async () => {