diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/host-confirmation.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/host-confirmation.spec.ts
index 6de8da14ce..10ca88392f 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/host-confirmation.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/host-confirmation.spec.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {
   expectHostInHostPicker,
   hostConfirmation,
   openPairingLink,
-  saveLinkedHostBeforeLoad,
+  reopenPairingLinkWithSavedHosts,
   type LinkedHost,
 } from "../support/helpers/host-confirmation";
 
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ const linkedHost: LinkedHost = {
   daemonPublicKeyB64: "bGlua0NvbmZpcm1hdGlvbktleQ",
 };
 
-test("a pairing link for a new host asks before saving it", async ({ page }) => {
+test("a pairing link asks before saving a host and reconnects without asking again", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
   const link = buildPairingLink(linkedHost);
 
   await test.step("Cancel saves nothing and stays on the page", async () => {
@@ -39,13 +41,10 @@ test("a pairing link for a new host asks before saving it", async ({ page }) =>
     await openSettings(page);
     await expectHostInHostPicker(page, linkedHost.serverId, "listed");
   });
-});
 
-test("a pairing link for a saved host connects without asking", async ({ page }) => {
-  await saveLinkedHostBeforeLoad(page, linkedHost);
-
-  await openPairingLink(page, buildPairingLink(linkedHost));
-
-  await expectAppRoute(page, "/open-project", { timeout: 30_000 });
-  await expect(hostConfirmation(page)).toHaveCount(0);
+  await test.step("reopening the saved host link connects without asking", async () => {
+    await reopenPairingLinkWithSavedHosts(page, link);
+    await expectAppRoute(page, "/open-project", { timeout: 30_000 });
+    await expect(hostConfirmation(page)).toHaveCount(0);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/host-confirmation.ts b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/host-confirmation.ts
index f6de576fc0..ea2e2f8a17 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/host-confirmation.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/host-confirmation.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 import { expect, type Locator, type Page } from "@playwright/test";
 
-const EXTRA_HOSTS_KEY = "@paseo:e2e-extra-hosts";
-
 export interface LinkedHost {
   serverId: string;
   relayEndpoint: string;
@@ -31,31 +29,17 @@ export async function openPairingLink(page: Page, link: string): Promise<void> {
   await page.goto(link);
 }
 
-/** Saves a relay host before the app loads, as if it had been paired in an earlier session. */
-export async function saveLinkedHostBeforeLoad(page: Page, host: LinkedHost): Promise<void> {
-  await page.goto("/");
-  const nowIso = new Date().toISOString();
-  const connectionId = `relay:${host.relayEndpoint}`;
-  const savedHost = {
-    serverId: host.serverId,
-    label: host.serverId,
-    connections: [
-      {
-        id: connectionId,
-        type: "relay",
-        relayEndpoint: host.relayEndpoint,
-        useTls: false,
-        daemonPublicKeyB64: host.daemonPublicKeyB64,
-      },
-    ],
-    preferredConnectionId: connectionId,
-    createdAt: nowIso,
-    updatedAt: nowIso,
-  };
-  await page.evaluate(({ key, hosts }) => localStorage.setItem(key, JSON.stringify(hosts)), {
-    key: EXTRA_HOSTS_KEY,
-    hosts: [savedHost],
-  });
+/** Reopens a link from a fresh document while retaining hosts saved through the UI. */
+export async function reopenPairingLinkWithSavedHosts(page: Page, link: string): Promise<void> {
+  for (const target of ["/", link]) {
+    // The fixture otherwise replaces the registry on every document load.
+    await page.evaluate(() => {
+      const nonce = localStorage.getItem("@paseo:e2e-seed-nonce");
+      if (!nonce) throw new Error("Expected the e2e seed nonce before reopening a pairing link.");
+      localStorage.setItem("@paseo:e2e-disable-default-seed-once", nonce);
+    });
+    await page.goto(target);
+  }
 }
 
 export function hostConfirmation(page: Page): Locator {