diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/workflow-local-controls.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/workflow-local-controls.spec.ts
index 6a8319082c..97f70051c9 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/workflow-local-controls.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/workflow-local-controls.spec.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,12 @@ async function addMessageStep(
 ) {
   await dialog.getByRole("button", { name: "Add step", exact: true }).click();
   await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Send Message" }).click();
-  await dialog.getByLabel("Message text").fill("Workflow notification");
+  // The outgoing trigger inspector also labels its input "Message text".
+  const stepText = dialog
+    .getByLabel("Message text", { exact: true })
+    .and(dialog.locator("#wf-step-0-text"));
+  await stepText.fill("Workflow notification");
+  await expect(stepText).toHaveValue("Workflow notification");
 }
 
 async function createEnabled(
@@ -288,6 +293,7 @@ test("round-trips and reopens structured message-text conditions", async ({
   await openTriggerInspector(dialog);
   const matchControls = dialog.getByRole("group", { name: "Match" });
   const operatorButtons = matchControls.getByRole("button");
+  await waitForAnimations(page);
   const firstOperatorBox = await operatorButtons.nth(0).boundingBox();
   const secondOperatorBox = await operatorButtons.nth(1).boundingBox();
   const thirdOperatorBox = await operatorButtons.nth(2).boundingBox();
@@ -299,7 +305,6 @@ test("round-trips and reopens structured message-text conditions", async ({
     Math.abs((secondOperatorBox?.y ?? 0) - (firstOperatorBox?.y ?? 0)),
   ).toBeLessThan(1);
   expect(thirdOperatorBox?.y).toBeGreaterThan(firstOperatorBox?.y ?? 0);
-  await waitForAnimations(page);
   await matchControls.screenshot({
     path: "test-results/workflow-message-condition-operators.png",
   });
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/workflows.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/workflows.spec.ts
index 16844a2f3e..38e95034f0 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/workflows.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/workflows.spec.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,11 @@ async function createWorkflow(
 
   await dialog.getByRole("button", { name: "Add step", exact: true }).click();
   await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Send Message" }).click();
-  await dialog.getByLabel("Message text").fill("Workflow notification");
+  const messageText = dialog
+    .getByLabel("Message text")
+    .and(dialog.locator("#wf-step-0-text"));
+  await messageText.fill("Workflow notification");
+  await expect(messageText).toHaveValue("Workflow notification");
   if (options?.stepName) {
     await dialog.getByRole("button", { name: "Step details" }).click();
     await dialog.getByLabel("Name (optional)").fill(options.stepName);
@@ -700,7 +704,11 @@ test("captures the built editor at desktop and narrow widths", async ({
   await editWorkflowName(dialog, "editor_screenshot");
   await dialog.getByRole("button", { name: "Add step", exact: true }).click();
   await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Send Message" }).click();
-  await dialog.getByLabel("Message text").fill("Notify the workflow channel");
+  const messageText = dialog
+    .getByLabel("Message text")
+    .and(dialog.locator("#wf-step-0-text"));
+  await messageText.fill("Notify the workflow channel");
+  await expect(messageText).toHaveValue("Notify the workflow channel");
   const inspector = dialog.getByTestId("workflow-node-inspector");
 
   for (const viewport of [
@@ -805,7 +813,11 @@ test("pane routes use stable IDs and Form/YAML changes stay synchronized", async
 
   await dialog.getByRole("button", { name: "Add step", exact: true }).click();
   await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Send Message" }).click();
-  await dialog.getByLabel("Message text").fill("first message");
+  const messageText = dialog
+    .getByLabel("Message text")
+    .and(dialog.locator("#wf-step-0-text"));
+  await messageText.fill("first message");
+  await expect(messageText).toHaveValue("first message");
   await expect(page).toHaveURL(/pane=step%3Astep_1/);
 
   await dialog.getByRole("button", { name: "Add after Step 1" }).click();