diff --git a/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/branches-library.spec.js b/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/branches-library.spec.js
index 1d9c9a1354..1d4798e75f 100644
--- a/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/branches-library.spec.js
+++ b/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/branches-library.spec.js
@@ -33,10 +33,9 @@ test("on a branch of a library, the header says consumers read main", async ({
   );
   await expect(chip).toBeVisible();
 
+  // the popover says it under the main row
   await chip.click();
-  await expect(
-    page.getByText("Default branch (read by library consumers)"),
-  ).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText("Read by library consumers")).toBeVisible();
 });
 
 test("on a library, the create dialog says consumers read main", async ({
@@ -51,11 +50,11 @@ test("on a library, the create dialog says consumers read main", async ({
   await workspacePage.mockGetFile("pull-requests/get-file-blank-shared.json");
   await workspacePage.goToWorkspace();
 
-  await expect(
-    page.getByText("Default branch (read by library consumers)"),
-  ).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText("Default branch", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
 
+  // the header says only "Default branch": the popover adds the library note
   await page.getByTitle("Switch branch").click();
+  await expect(page.getByText("Read by library consumers")).toBeVisible();
   await page.getByText("New branch").click();
   await expect(
     page.getByText(
diff --git a/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/merged-and-archived-branches.spec.js b/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/merged-and-archived-branches.spec.js
index 3255f85e35..7acef87809 100644
--- a/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/merged-and-archived-branches.spec.js
+++ b/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/merged-and-archived-branches.spec.js
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ test("an archived branch opens read-only and offers its ways out", async ({
     page.getByRole("toolbar", { name: "Drawing tools" }),
   ).toBeHidden();
 
-  // restoring reopens the branch, and the banner follows its new status
+  // restoring asks first, then reopens the branch, and the banner follows
+  // its new status
   await workspacePage.mockRPC(
     "get-file-branch-info?file-id=*",
     "pull-requests/get-file-branch-info-branch.json",
@@ -71,6 +72,13 @@ test("an archived branch opens read-only and offers its ways out", async ({
       /"~:archived":\s*false/.test(req.postData() ?? ""),
   );
   await banner.getByRole("button", { name: "Restore" }).click();
+  // the confirmation is a plain modal: its title heads the box that holds
+  // the accept button
+  await page
+    .getByRole("heading", { name: "Restore branch" })
+    .locator("../..")
+    .getByRole("button", { name: "Restore" })
+    .click();
   await restore;
   await expect(banner.getByText("1 change not in main")).toBeVisible();
   await expect(
@@ -94,7 +102,7 @@ test("an archived branch asks before turning into an ordinary file", async ({
   ).toBeVisible();
 });
 
-test("the switcher groups merged and archived branches apart", async ({
+test("the switcher groups archived branches apart and lists no merged ones", async ({
   page,
 }) => {
   const workspacePage = new WorkspacePage(page);
@@ -104,8 +112,9 @@ test("the switcher groups merged and archived branches apart", async ({
   await page.getByTitle("Switch branch").click();
   const popover = page.getByRole("dialog", { name: "Branches" });
 
-  await popover.getByRole("button", { name: /^Merged/ }).click();
-  await expect(popover.getByText("shipped")).toBeVisible();
+  // a merge deletes its branch: no group lists merged branches
+  await expect(popover.getByRole("button", { name: /^Merged/ })).toBeHidden();
+  await expect(popover.getByText("shipped")).toBeHidden();
   await expect(popover.getByText("parked")).toBeHidden();
 
   await popover.getByRole("button", { name: /^Archived/ }).click();
@@ -123,17 +132,8 @@ test("the branch list offers Restore for archived branches only", async ({
   await page.getByTitle("Switch branch").click();
   await page.getByText("All branches").click();
 
-  await page.getByRole("tab", { name: "Merged (1)" }).click();
-  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Options", exact: true }).click();
-  await expect(
-    page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Branch info" }),
-  ).toBeVisible();
-  await expect(page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Restore" })).toBeHidden();
-  await expect(page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Compare" })).toBeHidden();
-  await expect(
-    page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Turn into an ordinary file" }),
-  ).toBeHidden();
-  await page.keyboard.press("Escape");
+  // a merge deletes its branch: no tab lists merged branches
+  await expect(page.getByRole("tab", { name: /^Merged/ })).toBeHidden();
 
   await page.getByRole("tab", { name: "Archived (1)" }).click();
   await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Options", exact: true }).click();
diff --git a/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/pull-requests.spec.js b/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/pull-requests.spec.js
index 0c5b3386f0..14d484457a 100644
--- a/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/pull-requests.spec.js
+++ b/frontend/playwright/ui/specs/pull-requests.spec.js
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ import { WorkspacePage } from "../pages/WorkspacePage";
 
 const PR_ID = "c7ce0794-0992-8105-8004-38f280443999";
 
+const reviewTitle = (page) =>
+  page.getByText("Reviewing the design review", { exact: true });
+
 test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
   await WorkspacePage.init(page);
   await WorkspacePage.mockConfigFlags(page, ["enable-branching"]);
@@ -30,11 +33,11 @@ test("opening a file with pr-id shows the review sandbox banner", async ({
   await setupPullRequestSandbox(workspacePage);
   await workspacePage.goToWorkspace({ extraParams: `&pr-id=${PR_ID}` });
 
-  await expect(page.getByText("Reviewing pull request")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(reviewTitle(page)).toBeVisible();
   await expect(page.getByText("Checkout redesign").first()).toBeVisible();
 
   // the route reads as two pills: the branch under review, then main
-  const banner = page.getByText("Reviewing pull request").locator("../../..");
+  const banner = reviewTitle(page).locator("../../..");
   await expect(banner.getByText("checkout", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
   await expect(banner.getByText("Main", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
 
@@ -58,7 +61,7 @@ test("the compare dialog shows the proposed changes", async ({ page }) => {
   await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Compare" }).click();
 
   // the branching compare dialog is reused to inspect the changes
-  await expect(page.getByText("Compare changes")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText("Review changes")).toBeVisible();
 });
 
 test("accepting the pull request opens the merge dialog", async ({ page }) => {
@@ -66,7 +69,7 @@ test("accepting the pull request opens the merge dialog", async ({ page }) => {
   await setupPullRequestSandbox(workspacePage);
   await workspacePage.goToWorkspace({ extraParams: `&pr-id=${PR_ID}` });
 
-  const banner = page.getByText("Reviewing pull request").locator("../../..");
+  const banner = reviewTitle(page).locator("../../..");
   await banner.getByRole("button", { name: "Options" }).click();
   await page.getByText("Merge to main").click();
 
@@ -80,7 +83,7 @@ test("the review behaves like a normal, editable file", async ({ page }) => {
   await setupPullRequestSandbox(workspacePage);
   await workspacePage.goToWorkspace({ extraParams: `&pr-id=${PR_ID}` });
 
-  await expect(page.getByText("Reviewing pull request")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(reviewTitle(page)).toBeVisible();
   // the file is the live branch, opened normally: the design toolbar is
   // available so reviewers can try and validate anything...
   await expect(workspacePage.rectShapeButton).toBeVisible();
@@ -115,7 +118,7 @@ test("closing the pull request asks for confirmation", async ({ page }) => {
   );
   await workspacePage.goToWorkspace({ extraParams: `&pr-id=${PR_ID}` });
 
-  const banner = page.getByText("Reviewing pull request").locator("../../..");
+  const banner = reviewTitle(page).locator("../../..");
   await banner.getByRole("button", { name: "Options" }).click();
   await page.getByText("Cancel review").click();
 
@@ -124,7 +127,7 @@ test("closing the pull request asks for confirmation", async ({ page }) => {
 
   // confirming closes the pull request; being inside its sandbox, the
   // user is taken back to the file (no pr-id in the url)
-  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Cancel pull request" }).click();
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Cancel design review" }).click();
   await expect(page).not.toHaveURL(/pr-id/);
 });
 
@@ -161,15 +164,15 @@ test("exiting the review takes the user back to the file", async ({ page }) => {
   await setupPullRequestSandbox(workspacePage);
   await workspacePage.goToWorkspace({ extraParams: `&pr-id=${PR_ID}` });
 
-  await expect(page.getByText("Reviewing pull request")).toBeVisible();
-  const banner = page.getByText("Reviewing pull request").locator("../../..");
+  await expect(reviewTitle(page)).toBeVisible();
+  const banner = reviewTitle(page).locator("../../..");
   await banner.getByRole("button", { name: "Options" }).click();
   await page.getByText("Exit review").click();
 
   // exiting drops the review context and the pr-id param; the file (the
   // live branch) stays as it was
   await expect(page).not.toHaveURL(/pr-id/);
-  await expect(page.getByText("Reviewing pull request")).toBeHidden();
+  await expect(reviewTitle(page)).toBeHidden();
 });
 
 test("during a review the header names the branch under review", async ({
@@ -186,7 +189,7 @@ test("during a review the header names the branch under review", async ({
 
   // the review banner replaces the branch banner, so the header loads the
   // branch context itself
-  await expect(page.getByText("Reviewing pull request")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(reviewTitle(page)).toBeVisible();
   await expect(page.getByTitle("On branch checkout from main")).toBeVisible();
 });