diff --git a/e2e/stacks.spec.ts b/e2e/stacks.spec.ts
index c1d29e75..d6d9ba7c 100644
--- a/e2e/stacks.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/stacks.spec.ts
@@ -72,9 +72,15 @@ test.describe('Stack management', () => {
       await page.locator('#create-stack-name').fill(stackName);
 
       const createBtn = page.locator('[role="dialog"]').getByRole('button', { name: /^Create/ });
-      // Rapid double-click; the busy guard must reject the second click synchronously.
-      await createBtn.click();
-      await createBtn.click({ force: true }).catch(() => { /* second click may land on disabled btn */ });
+      // Fire both clicks in the same microtask via Promise.all so the second
+      // dispatches without an awaited gap that would let React commit the
+      // disabled state in between. The 1s timeout on the second click prevents
+      // a 30s hang on locator resolution if the first POST has already closed
+      // the dialog.
+      await Promise.all([
+        createBtn.click(),
+        createBtn.click({ force: true, timeout: 1_000 }).catch(() => undefined),
+      ]);
 
       await expect(page.getByRole('dialog')).toBeHidden({ timeout: 8_000 });
       await expect(page.getByText(`Stack "${stackName}" created.`)).toBeVisible({ timeout: 5_000 });
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout/CreateStackDialog.tsx b/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout/CreateStackDialog.tsx
index 4ef24bd7..4a0e4df5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout/CreateStackDialog.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout/CreateStackDialog.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@ export function CreateStackDialog({ open, onOpenChange, onStackCreated, onStacks
     const { activeNode } = useNodes();
     const [createMode, setCreateMode] = useState<CreateMode>('empty');
     const [newStackName, setNewStackName] = useState('');
+    // Synchronous guard. The disabled-button + setState pair can race a rapid
+    // second click that lands before React has committed the disabled state,
+    // re-entering the handler with a stale closure value of creatingEmpty and
+    // firing a second POST. The ref check is read/written synchronously inside
+    // the handler so the second invocation bails before issuing another POST.
+    const creatingEmptyRef = useRef(false);
     const [creatingEmpty, setCreatingEmpty] = useState(false);
     const [dockerRunInput, setDockerRunInput] = useState('');
     const [convertedYaml, setConvertedYaml] = useState<string | null>(null);
@@ -72,10 +78,11 @@ export function CreateStackDialog({ open, onOpenChange, onStackCreated, onStacks
     };
 
     const handleCreateStack = async () => {
-        if (creatingEmpty) return;
+        if (creatingEmptyRef.current) return;
         if (!newStackName.trim()) return;
         const stackName = newStackName.trim();
         const sourceNodeId = activeNode?.id;
+        creatingEmptyRef.current = true;
         setCreatingEmpty(true);
         try {
             const response = await apiFetch('/stacks', {
@@ -104,6 +111,7 @@ export function CreateStackDialog({ open, onOpenChange, onStackCreated, onStacks
             console.error('Failed to create stack:', error);
             toast.error((error as Error).message || 'Failed to create stack.');
         } finally {
+            creatingEmptyRef.current = false;
             setCreatingEmpty(false);
         }
     };
@@ -300,6 +308,7 @@ export function CreateStackDialog({ open, onOpenChange, onStackCreated, onStacks
                 onOpenChange(o);
                 if (!o) {
                     setCreateMode('empty');
+                    creatingEmptyRef.current = false;
                     setCreatingEmpty(false);
                     resetCreateFromGitForm();
                     resetCreateFromDockerRunForm();