diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/page.svelte.test.ts b/frontend/src/routes/page.svelte.test.ts
index 5e760fb0..fd3420e0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/page.svelte.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/page.svelte.test.ts
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ describe('home page (/)', () => {
 		expect(document.querySelector('main')).not.toBeNull();
 	});
 
-	it('renders without throwing when data props are undefined (uses ?? fallbacks)', async () => {
+	it('renders the main region when data props are minimal (uses ?? fallbacks)', async () => {
 		const minimalData = {
 			isReader: false,
 			user: { firstName: 'Anna' },
@@ -177,17 +177,22 @@ describe('home page (/)', () => {
 			canBlogWrite: false
 		};
 
-		expect(() => render(HomePage, { props: { data: minimalData } })).not.toThrow();
+		render(HomePage, { props: { data: minimalData } });
+
+		expect(document.querySelector('main')).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(document.querySelector('h1')).not.toBeNull();
 	});
 
-	it('renders without throwing when reader data has all undefined fields', async () => {
+	it('renders the reader dashboard main region with only required reader fields', async () => {
 		const readerData = {
 			isReader: true,
 			user: { firstName: 'Anna' },
 			canBlogWrite: false
 		};
 
-		expect(() => render(HomePage, { props: { data: readerData } })).not.toThrow();
+		render(HomePage, { props: { data: readerData } });
+
+		expect(document.querySelector('main')).not.toBeNull();
 	});
 
 	it('renders without throwing when isReader and canBlogWrite are both true (drafts module)', async () => {
@@ -213,19 +218,19 @@ describe('home page (/)', () => {
 		expect(main).not.toBeNull();
 	});
 
-	it('renders writer dashboard without throwing with weeklyStats + pulse populated', async () => {
-		// Stub-shaped objects that satisfy whichever child components expect them
-		expect(() =>
-			render(HomePage, {
-				props: {
-					data: baseData({
-						isReader: false,
-						user: { firstName: 'Anna' },
-						canWrite: true,
-						incompleteTotal: 25
-					})
-				}
-			})
-		).not.toThrow();
+	it('renders the writer dashboard main region with weeklyStats + pulse populated', async () => {
+		render(HomePage, {
+			props: {
+				data: baseData({
+					isReader: false,
+					user: { firstName: 'Anna' },
+					canWrite: true,
+					incompleteTotal: 25
+				})
+			}
+		});
+
+		expect(document.querySelector('main')).not.toBeNull();
+		expect(document.querySelector('h1')).not.toBeNull();
 	});
 });