diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/persistent-agent-audience.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/persistent-agent-audience.spec.ts
index db7354873f..1b402c993c 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/persistent-agent-audience.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/persistent-agent-audience.spec.ts
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ test("primary+Shift+M favors the most recently mentioned eligible agent", async
   await expect(input).toHaveText("@Vogue draft text");
 });
 
-test("the mention button opens settings and can undo an address", async ({
+test("the mention button preserves manual rementions after undo until explicitly readdressed", async ({
   page,
 }) => {
   await installAudienceFixtures(page);
@@ -601,9 +601,9 @@ test("the mention button opens settings and can undo an address", async ({
   await expect(
     composer.getByRole("button", { name: "Mention someone" }),
   ).toBeVisible();
-  await expect(
-    composer.getByTestId(`composer-address-lock-${AGENT_A}`),
-  ).toHaveCount(0);
+  const avatar = composer.getByTestId(`composer-address-lock-${AGENT_A}`);
+  // Observe the old address exit before testing the manual selection.
+  await expect(avatar).toHaveCount(0);
   // Clear through editor transactions before selecting a manual mention.
   await input.press("ControlOrMeta+A");
   await input.press("Backspace");
@@ -615,19 +615,30 @@ test("the mention button opens settings and can undo an address", async ({
   await expect(input).toHaveText("@Morgarita ");
   // Explicitly opting out keeps subsequent mentions manual. The old avatar's
   // exit animation must not be mistaken for a newly pinned recipient.
-  await expect(
-    composer.getByTestId(`composer-address-lock-${AGENT_A}`),
-  ).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(avatar).toHaveCount(0);
 
   await input.type("later");
   await input.press("Enter");
   await expect(input).toHaveText("");
   await expect
     .poll(() => readOutgoingMentionPubkeys(page, "@Morgarita later"))
-    .toContain(AGENT_A);
+    .toEqual([AGENT_A]);
   await expect(
     composer.getByTestId(`composer-address-lock-${AGENT_A}`),
   ).toHaveCount(0);
+
+  // Only the explicit automatic action reinstates the excluded address.
+  await automaticallyMention(composer, "Morgarita");
+  await expect(avatar).toBeVisible();
+  await input.type("explicit recovery");
+  await input.press("Enter");
+  await expect
+    .poll(() =>
+      readOutgoingMentionPubkeys(page, "@Morgarita explicit recovery"),
+    )
+    .toEqual([AGENT_A]);
+  await expect(input).toHaveText("@Morgarita ");
+  await expect(avatar).toBeVisible();
 });
 
 test("always-mentioned agents remain selected without replaying their animation while Enter-send resolves", async ({
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/profile-custom-emoji-status.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/profile-custom-emoji-status.spec.ts
index 26b8b8c3da..9cc9f53f82 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/profile-custom-emoji-status.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/profile-custom-emoji-status.spec.ts
@@ -196,18 +196,39 @@ test("set status dialog uses the desktop modal with shared status choices", asyn
 test("keeps an open status draft when the saved status expires", async ({
   page,
 }) => {
+  await page.clock.install();
   await page.goto("/");
   await waitForMockGlobalKindSubscription(page, 30315);
-  const nowSeconds = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1_000);
+  const nowSeconds = await page.evaluate(() => Math.floor(Date.now() / 1_000));
   await seedMockStatus(page, {
     text: "Original draft",
     emoji: "📝",
-    expiresAt: nowSeconds + 2,
+    // Stay below the 120-second status polling backstop so a refetch cannot
+    // hide the expired status in place of the expiration timer.
+    expiresAt: nowSeconds + 60,
     createdAt: nowSeconds,
   });
   await page.getByTestId("profile-popover-set-status").click();
   const dialog = page.getByTestId("set-status-dialog");
+  await expect(dialog.getByTestId("set-status-input")).toHaveValue(
+    "Original draft",
+  );
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("sidebar-profile-user-status")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(dialog.getByText("Quick statuses", { exact: true })).toHaveCount(
+    0,
+  );
+  await expect(dialog.getByTestId("set-status-clear")).toBeVisible();
   await dialog.getByTestId("set-status-input").fill("Unsaved draft");
+  await expect(dialog.getByLabel("Save status")).toBeEnabled();
+  await expect(dialog.getByRole("alert")).toHaveCount(0);
+
+  // Expire the saved status only after the open dialog has a live, dirty
+  // baseline. Pause one second before the deadline so incidental renders that
+  // also re-check expiry run while the status is still valid, then run only
+  // the final second on a paused clock: the expiration timer must hide it.
+  await page.clock.pauseAt((nowSeconds + 59) * 1_000);
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("sidebar-profile-user-status")).toBeVisible();
+  await page.clock.runFor(1_500);
   await expect(page.getByTestId("sidebar-profile-user-status")).toHaveCount(0, {
     timeout: 5_000,
   });