diff --git a/e2e/smoke.spec.ts b/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
index 9c783da..fc7d4e0 100644
--- a/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/smoke.spec.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ test('game template tabs render (scificn-ui component layer wired in)', async ({
 test('tabs switch panels client-side (event log terminal)', async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto('/');
   await page.getByRole('tab', { name: 'EVENT LOG' }).click();
-  await expect(page.getByText('SHIP LOG // PLACEHOLDER FEED')).toBeVisible();
+  // The placeholder feed was replaced by the real log (v0.9.0): at least one T<turn> // <MESSAGE> line
+  // must render — every save has the turn-0 new_game event, so this holds on a fresh stack and across retries.
+  await expect(page.getByText(/T\d+ \/\/ /).first()).toBeVisible();
 });
 
 test('world map shows the generated starting system and its neighbours', async ({ page }) => {