diff --git a/e2e/e2e-utils/package.json b/e2e/e2e-utils/package.json
index 3dfbb0b2f..4d3a71a17 100644
--- a/e2e/e2e-utils/package.json
+++ b/e2e/e2e-utils/package.json
@@ -11,13 +11,15 @@
     "./widget": "./src/widget.ts"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "typecheck": "tsc -p tsconfig.json --noEmit"
+    "typecheck": "tsc -p tsconfig.json --noEmit",
+    "deploy": "tsx src/deploy-cli.ts"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@playwright/test": "^1.61.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/node": "^26.1.0",
+    "tsx": "^4.22.4",
     "typescript": "^6.0.3"
   }
 }
diff --git a/e2e/e2e-utils/src/config.ts b/e2e/e2e-utils/src/config.ts
index 24dff332d..79671c517 100644
--- a/e2e/e2e-utils/src/config.ts
+++ b/e2e/e2e-utils/src/config.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,33 @@
+import {tmpdir} from 'node:os'
+import {join} from 'node:path'
 import {defineConfig, devices, type ReporterDescription} from '@playwright/test'
 import {E2E_PORTS, HARNESS_E2E_PORTS, type E2EApp, type HarnessApp} from './ports.js'
 
+const DEFAULT_WEB_SERVER_TIMEOUT = 180_000
+
 function reporters(): ReporterDescription[] {
   if (!process.env.GITHUB_ACTIONS) return [['line']]
   return [['line'], ['json', {outputFile: 'test-results.json'}]]
 }
 
-function serverEntry(command: string, port: number) {
+function serverEntry(command: string, port: number, webServerTimeout: number) {
   return {
     command,
     url: `http://localhost:${port}`,
     reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
     stdout: 'pipe' as const,
-    timeout: 180_000,
+    timeout: webServerTimeout,
     env: {CONCIV_E2E: '1'},
   }
 }
 
+export function deployDir(app: E2EApp): string {
+  return join(tmpdir(), 'conciv-e2e-deploy', app)
+}
+
 export function e2eConfig(
   app: E2EApp,
-  opts: {command: (port: number) => string; timeout?: number},
+  opts: {command: (port: number) => string; timeout?: number; webServerTimeout?: number},
 ): ReturnType<typeof defineConfig> {
   const port = E2E_PORTS[app]
   const timeout = opts.timeout ?? 90_000
@@ -30,7 +38,11 @@ export function e2eConfig(
     expect: {timeout},
     reporter: reporters(),
     use: {baseURL: `http://localhost:${port}`},
-    webServer: serverEntry(`rm -rf .conciv && ${opts.command(port)}`, port),
+    webServer: serverEntry(
+      `rm -rf .conciv && ${opts.command(port)}`,
+      port,
+      opts.webServerTimeout ?? DEFAULT_WEB_SERVER_TIMEOUT,
+    ),
     projects: [{name: 'chromium', use: {...devices['Desktop Chrome']}}],
   })
 }
@@ -61,7 +73,7 @@ export function harnessMatrixConfig(opts: {
     timeout: 150_000,
     reporter: reporters(),
     webServer: entries.map(([harness, port]) =>
-      serverEntry(`rm -rf .conciv-${harness} && ${opts.command(harness, port)}`, port),
+      serverEntry(`rm -rf .conciv-${harness} && ${opts.command(harness, port)}`, port, DEFAULT_WEB_SERVER_TIMEOUT),
     ),
     projects: entries.map(([harness, port]) => ({
       name: harness,
diff --git a/e2e/e2e-utils/src/deploy-cli.ts b/e2e/e2e-utils/src/deploy-cli.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4bb32a5d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/e2e-utils/src/deploy-cli.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import {deployPackedApp} from './deploy.js'
+import {isE2EApp} from './ports.js'
+
+async function main(): Promise<void> {
+  const [, , app, pnpmFilter] = process.argv
+  if (app === undefined || pnpmFilter === undefined) {
+    throw new Error('usage: deploy-cli.ts <app> <pnpmFilter>')
+  }
+  if (!isE2EApp(app)) {
+    throw new Error(`"${app}" is not a known e2e app`)
+  }
+  const target = await deployPackedApp(app, pnpmFilter)
+  console.log(`deployed ${pnpmFilter} to ${target}`)
+}
+
+main().catch((error: unknown) => {
+  console.error(error)
+  process.exitCode = 1
+})
diff --git a/e2e/e2e-utils/src/deploy.ts b/e2e/e2e-utils/src/deploy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..519d201e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/e2e-utils/src/deploy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import {execFile} from 'node:child_process'
+import {existsSync, mkdirSync, rmSync} from 'node:fs'
+import {dirname, join} from 'node:path'
+import {promisify} from 'node:util'
+import {deployDir} from './config.js'
+import type {E2EApp} from './ports.js'
+
+const execFileAsync = promisify(execFile)
+
+function findWorkspaceRoot(startDir: string): string {
+  let dir = startDir
+  for (let depth = 0; depth < 12; depth++) {
+    if (existsSync(join(dir, 'pnpm-workspace.yaml'))) return dir
+    const parent = dirname(dir)
+    if (parent === dir) break
+    dir = parent
+  }
+  throw new Error(`workspace root (pnpm-workspace.yaml) not found above ${startDir}`)
+}
+
+function resolveFresh(): boolean {
+  return process.env.CONCIV_DEPLOY_FRESH === '1'
+}
+
+export async function deployPackedApp(app: E2EApp, pnpmFilter: string): Promise<string> {
+  const target = deployDir(app)
+  rmSync(target, {recursive: true, force: true})
+  mkdirSync(dirname(target), {recursive: true})
+  const resolveFlags = resolveFresh() ? [] : ['--prefer-offline']
+  const workspaceRoot = findWorkspaceRoot(process.cwd())
+  await execFileAsync('pnpm', ['--filter', pnpmFilter, 'deploy', '--legacy', '--prod=false', ...resolveFlags, target], {
+    cwd: workspaceRoot,
+    maxBuffer: 64 * 1024 * 1024,
+  })
+  return target
+}
diff --git a/e2e/e2e-utils/src/ports.ts b/e2e/e2e-utils/src/ports.ts
index 06e9622c9..d5012133c 100644
--- a/e2e/e2e-utils/src/ports.ts
+++ b/e2e/e2e-utils/src/ports.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ export const E2E_PORTS = {
 
 export type E2EApp = keyof typeof E2E_PORTS
 
+export function isE2EApp(name: string): name is E2EApp {
+  return Object.hasOwn(E2E_PORTS, name)
+}
+
 export const HARNESS_E2E_PORTS = {
   claude: 5271,
   codex: 5272,
diff --git a/e2e/nextjs-component/package.json b/e2e/nextjs-component/package.json
index fa3af59bb..8d4975847 100644
--- a/e2e/nextjs-component/package.json
+++ b/e2e/nextjs-component/package.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     "dev": "next dev",
     "build": "next build",
     "start": "next start",
-    "test:e2e": "playwright test"
+    "test:e2e": "pnpm --filter @conciv/e2e-utils run deploy nextjs-component conciv-e2e-nextjs-component && playwright test"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@conciv/extension-terminal": "workspace:*",
diff --git a/e2e/nextjs-component/playwright.config.ts b/e2e/nextjs-component/playwright.config.ts
index 312d39264..07b9fcd97 100644
--- a/e2e/nextjs-component/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/e2e/nextjs-component/playwright.config.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
-import {e2eConfig} from '@conciv/e2e-utils/config'
+import {deployDir, e2eConfig} from '@conciv/e2e-utils/config'
 
 export default e2eConfig('nextjs-component', {
-  command: (port) =>
-    [
-      'DEPLOY_DIR="$(mktemp -d)/app"',
-      `pnpm --filter conciv-e2e-nextjs-component deploy --legacy --prod=false "$DEPLOY_DIR"`,
-      `cd "$DEPLOY_DIR"`,
-      `pnpm exec next dev --port ${port}`,
-    ].join(' && '),
+  command: (port) => `cd "${deployDir('nextjs-component')}" && pnpm exec next dev --port ${port}`,
+  webServerTimeout: 60_000,
 })
diff --git a/e2e/nextjs/package.json b/e2e/nextjs/package.json
index c72c8e153..bb585b74e 100644
--- a/e2e/nextjs/package.json
+++ b/e2e/nextjs/package.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     "dev": "next dev",
     "build": "next build",
     "start": "next start",
-    "test:e2e": "playwright test",
+    "test:e2e": "pnpm --filter @conciv/e2e-utils run deploy nextjs conciv-e2e-nextjs && playwright test",
     "update-packed-lockfile": "tsx packed/update-lockfile.ts"
   },
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/e2e/nextjs/playwright.config.ts b/e2e/nextjs/playwright.config.ts
index f9039e67d..5bbc146a5 100644
--- a/e2e/nextjs/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/e2e/nextjs/playwright.config.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
-import {e2eConfig} from '@conciv/e2e-utils/config'
+import {deployDir, e2eConfig} from '@conciv/e2e-utils/config'
 
 export default e2eConfig('nextjs', {
-  command: (port) =>
-    [
-      'DEPLOY_DIR="$(mktemp -d)/app"',
-      `pnpm --filter conciv-e2e-nextjs deploy --legacy --prod=false "$DEPLOY_DIR"`,
-      `cd "$DEPLOY_DIR"`,
-      `pnpm exec next dev --port ${port}`,
-    ].join(' && '),
+  command: (port) => `cd "${deployDir('nextjs')}" && pnpm exec next dev --port ${port}`,
+  webServerTimeout: 60_000,
 })
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index d76ef670b..8770d30e2 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -755,6 +755,9 @@ importers:
       '@types/node':
         specifier: ^26.1.0
         version: 26.1.0
+      tsx:
+        specifier: ^4.22.4
+        version: 4.22.4
       typescript:
         specifier: ^6.0.3
         version: 6.0.3
diff --git a/turbo.json b/turbo.json
index 6ee92555a..761ca010c 100644
--- a/turbo.json
+++ b/turbo.json
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
     "test:e2e": {
       "dependsOn": ["^build"],
       "cache": false,
-      "env": ["CI", "GITHUB_ACTIONS", "CONCIV_E2E", "VITEST_MAX_FORKS", "VITEST_MAX_WORKERS"]
+      "env": ["CI", "GITHUB_ACTIONS", "CONCIV_E2E", "CONCIV_DEPLOY_FRESH", "VITEST_MAX_FORKS", "VITEST_MAX_WORKERS"]
     }
   }
 }