diff --git a/frontend/e2e/notification-deep-link.spec.ts b/frontend/e2e/notification-deep-link.spec.ts
index fd301f4f..68fdee1f 100644
--- a/frontend/e2e/notification-deep-link.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/e2e/notification-deep-link.spec.ts
@@ -25,15 +25,13 @@ let commentId: string;
 
 test.describe('Notification deep-link scroll', () => {
 	test.beforeAll(async ({ request }) => {
-		const baseURL = process.env.E2E_BASE_URL ?? 'http://localhost:3000';
-
 		const createRes = await request.post('/api/documents', {
 			multipart: { title: 'E2E Deep-Link Test', documentDate: '1945-05-08' }
 		});
 		if (!createRes.ok()) throw new Error(`Create document failed: ${createRes.status()}`);
 		const doc = await createRes.json();
 		docId = doc.id;
-		docHref = `${baseURL}/documents/${docId}`;
+		docHref = `/documents/${docId}`;
 
 		const uploadRes = await request.put(`/api/documents/${docId}`, {
 			multipart: {
@@ -74,6 +72,10 @@ test.describe('Notification deep-link scroll', () => {
 		commentId = comment.id;
 	});
 
+	test.afterAll(async ({ request }) => {
+		if (docId) await request.delete(`/api/documents/${docId}`);
+	});
+
 	async function openDeepLink(page: Page) {
 		const url = `${docHref}?commentId=${commentId}&annotationId=${annotationId}`;
 		await page.goto(url);
@@ -119,16 +121,17 @@ test.describe('Notification deep-link scroll', () => {
 // ── Notification bell — J10 ────────────────────────────────────────────────
 //
 // Verifies the notification bell in the global header: clicking it opens the
-// dropdown, an unread notification is visible, clicking it marks it as read
-// and navigates to the target document.
+// dropdown and it closes on Escape. Full mark-as-read and navigation flows are
+// tracked in a follow-up issue.
 
 test.describe('Notification bell', () => {
 	let bellDocId: string;
 
 	test.beforeAll(async ({ request }) => {
+		const stamp = Date.now().toString(36);
 		// Seed a document + comment to ensure the notification list has content to render.
 		const createRes = await request.post('/api/documents', {
-			multipart: { title: 'E2E Bell Test Doc', documentDate: '1930-01-01' }
+			multipart: { title: `E2E Bell Test Doc ${stamp}`, documentDate: '1930-01-01' }
 		});
 		if (!createRes.ok()) throw new Error(`Create document failed: ${createRes.status()}`);
 		const doc = await createRes.json();
@@ -140,6 +143,10 @@ test.describe('Notification bell', () => {
 		if (!commentRes.ok()) throw new Error(`Create comment failed: ${commentRes.status()}`);
 	});
 
+	test.afterAll(async ({ request }) => {
+		if (bellDocId) await request.delete(`/api/documents/${bellDocId}`);
+	});
+
 	test('bell opens dropdown, shows notifications list', async ({ page }) => {
 		test.setTimeout(30_000);