diff --git a/apps/web/e2e/search.spec.ts b/apps/web/e2e/search.spec.ts
index 0a48f38..a5c89b5 100644
--- a/apps/web/e2e/search.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/web/e2e/search.spec.ts
@@ -39,8 +39,13 @@ test('search finds page content, highlights it, and is keyboard-operable', async
   await page.keyboard.type(`the unique ${word} lives in this body`);
   await page.reload();
   await expect(page.locator('.editor-content')).toContainText(word);
-  // Leave edit mode so "/" is a shortcut, not editor input.
-  await page.locator('.editor-page__mode-toggle').click();
+  // The reload already landed back in read mode (the mode state resets), so
+  // "/" acts as the global shortcut here. This spec used to click the mode
+  // toggle again "to leave edit mode" — which actually RE-ENTERED it; that
+  // passed only while entering edit mode left focus on the toggle button.
+  // Since the editor grabs focus on entering edit mode (PR #140), "/" would
+  // become ordinary editor input there, racing the deferred focus — the
+  // intermittent-then-persistent failure of this pack.
 
   // Open search with the "/" shortcut.
   await page.keyboard.press('/');
diff --git a/apps/web/src/styles/base.css b/apps/web/src/styles/base.css
index d217318..44ad026 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/styles/base.css
+++ b/apps/web/src/styles/base.css
@@ -1638,6 +1638,13 @@ ul[data-type='task_list'] li > label {
   margin-top: 0.25em;
 }
 
+/* Editor/auth NodeView only (the bare-input shape has no label): its line
+   metrics sit the checkbox ~3px lower than in the public view, so pull the
+   label up by that much — tuned to Stefan's eye on the live stage (#137). */
+ul[data-type='task_list'] li > label {
+  margin-top: calc(0.25em - 3px);
+}
+
 ul[data-type='task_list'] li p:first-of-type {
   margin-top: 0;
 }