diff --git a/e2e/stacks.spec.ts b/e2e/stacks.spec.ts
index c9a55fc6..f37a6eb5 100644
--- a/e2e/stacks.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/stacks.spec.ts
@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@ import { loginAs } from './helpers';
 
 const TEST_STACK = 'e2e-test-stack';
 
-/** Wait for the stacks sidebar to be ready (Create Stack button is always rendered). */
+/** Wait for the stacks sidebar to finish loading (skeletons replaced with actual stack list). */
 async function waitForStacksLoaded(page: import('@playwright/test').Page) {
   await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Create Stack' })).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
+  // The CommandList has data-stacks-loaded="true" once the async refreshStacks() completes.
+  // Without this, tests can race against the loading state and miss newly created stacks.
+  await expect(page.locator('[data-stacks-loaded="true"]')).toBeAttached({ timeout: 15_000 });
 }
 
 /** Delete the test stack via the browser's authenticated fetch (so cookies are included). */
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout.tsx b/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout.tsx
index 2dcd357c..aaa62b73 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/EditorLayout.tsx
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ export default function EditorLayout() {
           </div>
           <h3 className="text-sm font-semibold text-muted-foreground px-4 py-2 mt-2 flex-none">STACKS</h3>
           <ScrollArea className="flex-1 px-2 pb-2">
-            <CommandList className="max-h-none overflow-visible">
+            <CommandList className="max-h-none overflow-visible" data-stacks-loaded={!isLoading}>
               {isLoading ? (
                 <div className="space-y-2 px-2 mt-2">
                   <Skeleton className="h-12 w-full" />