diff --git a/global-setup.ts b/global-setup.ts
index 099b896..b4f36a5 100644
--- a/global-setup.ts
+++ b/global-setup.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,28 @@ async function setupWizard() {
     } else {
       console.log('⚠️ Wizard already configured or on main page');
     }
+
+    // Wait for backend to be ready (it starts after config file is written)
+    const backendURL = process.env.BACKEND_URL || 'http://backend:8000';
+    console.log('⏳ Waiting for backend to be ready...');
+    const maxRetries = 30;
+    for (let i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) {
+      try {
+        const resp = await page.request.get(`${backendURL}/docs`, { timeout: 3000 });
+        if (resp.ok()) {
+          console.log('✅ Backend is ready!');
+          break;
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // backend not ready yet
+      }
+      if (i === maxRetries - 1) {
+        console.warn('⚠️ Backend did not respond after retries, proceeding anyway...');
+      } else {
+        console.log(`  Waiting for backend... (${i + 1}/${maxRetries})`);
+        await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2000));
+      }
+    }
     
     await browser.close();
     return;
diff --git a/tests/milestone.spec.ts b/tests/milestone.spec.ts
index f9c71d3..20e089c 100644
--- a/tests/milestone.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/milestone.spec.ts
@@ -7,42 +7,54 @@ const ADMIN_PASSWORD = 'admin123';
 
 test.describe('Milestone Editor', () => {
   test('login -> create project -> create milestone through frontend form', async ({ page }) => {
-    // Step 1: Login
+    // Step 1: Login (with retry — backend may still be warming up)
     console.log('🔐 Logging in...');
 
-    page.on('requestfailed', request => {
-      if (request.url().includes('/auth/token')) {
-        console.log('Login request failed:', request.failure()?.errorText);
+    const MAX_LOGIN_RETRIES = 3;
+    for (let attempt = 1; attempt <= MAX_LOGIN_RETRIES; attempt++) {
+      console.log(`Login attempt ${attempt}/${MAX_LOGIN_RETRIES}`);
+
+      await page.goto(`${BASE_URL}/login`);
+      await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
+
+      if (attempt === 1) {
+        const backendBase = await page.evaluate(() => localStorage.getItem('HF_BACKEND_BASE_URL'));
+        console.log('HF_BACKEND_BASE_URL:', backendBase);
       }
-    });
 
-    await page.goto(`${BASE_URL}/login`);
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
-    
-    await page.fill('input[type="text"], input[name="username"]', ADMIN_USERNAME);
-    await page.fill('input[type="password"], input[name="password"]', ADMIN_PASSWORD);
+      await page.fill('input[type="text"], input[name="username"]', ADMIN_USERNAME);
+      await page.fill('input[type="password"], input[name="password"]', ADMIN_PASSWORD);
 
-    const loginPromise = page.waitForResponse(response => 
-      response.url().includes('/auth/token') && response.request().method() === 'POST'
-    , { timeout: 10000 }).catch(() => null);
+      const loginPromise = page.waitForResponse(response =>
+        response.url().includes('/auth/token') && response.request().method() === 'POST'
+      , { timeout: 15000 }).catch(() => null);
 
-    await page.click('button[type="submit"], button:has-text("Sign in")');
+      await page.click('button[type="submit"], button:has-text("Sign in")');
 
-    const loginResponse = await loginPromise;
-    if (loginResponse) {
-      console.log('Login response status:', loginResponse.status());
-      console.log('Login response:', (await loginResponse.text()).substring(0, 200));
-    } else {
-      console.log('No /auth/token response');
+      const loginResponse = await loginPromise;
+      if (loginResponse) {
+        console.log('Login response status:', loginResponse.status());
+        if (loginResponse.status() === 200) {
+          // Wait for navigation after successful login
+          await page.waitForURL(`${BASE_URL}/**`, { timeout: 10000 }).catch(() => {});
+          await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
+          break;
+        }
+        console.log('Login response:', (await loginResponse.text()).substring(0, 200));
+      } else {
+        console.log('No /auth/token response (backend may not be ready)');
+      }
+
+      if (attempt < MAX_LOGIN_RETRIES) {
+        console.log(`Retrying login in 3s...`);
+        await page.waitForTimeout(3000);
+      }
     }
-    
-    // Wait for navigation
-    await page.waitForURL(`${BASE_URL}/**`, { timeout: 10000 });
-    await page.waitForLoadState('networkidle');
 
     const token = await page.evaluate(() => localStorage.getItem('token'));
     console.log('Token after login:', token ? 'present' : 'missing');
     console.log('Current URL:', page.url());
+    expect(token, 'Login failed — no token obtained after retries').toBeTruthy();
 
     await page.waitForSelector('a:has-text("📁 Projects")', { timeout: 10000 });
     console.log('✅ Logged in');