diff --git a/packages/e2e/playwright.config.ts b/packages/e2e/playwright.config.ts
index a46b602c7d..2c33df99bb 100644
--- a/packages/e2e/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/packages/e2e/playwright.config.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ config()
 const isCI = Boolean(process.env.CI)
 
 export default defineConfig({
+  globalSetup: './setup/global-auth.ts',
   testDir: './tests',
   fullyParallel: false,
   forbidOnly: isCI,
diff --git a/packages/e2e/setup/auth.ts b/packages/e2e/setup/auth.ts
index 9a8bb1054b..21bbe65151 100644
--- a/packages/e2e/setup/auth.ts
+++ b/packages/e2e/setup/auth.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,21 @@
-import {CLI_TIMEOUT, BROWSER_TIMEOUT} from './constants.js'
 import {browserFixture} from './browser.js'
-import {executables} from './env.js'
+import {CLI_TIMEOUT, BROWSER_TIMEOUT} from './constants.js'
+import {globalLog, executables} from './env.js'
 import {stripAnsi} from '../helpers/strip-ansi.js'
 import {waitForText} from '../helpers/wait-for-text.js'
 import {completeLogin} from '../helpers/browser-login.js'
 import {execa} from 'execa'
+import * as fs from 'fs'
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+const log = {log: (_ctx: any, msg: string) => globalLog('auth', msg)}
 
 /**
- * Worker-scoped fixture that performs OAuth login using the shared browser page.
+ * Worker-scoped fixture that provides an authenticated CLI session.
  *
- * Extends browserFixture — the browser is already running when auth starts.
- * After login, the CLI session is stored in XDG dirs and the browser page
- * remains available for other browser-based actions (dashboard navigation, etc.).
+ * If globalSetup already ran auth (E2E_AUTH_CONFIG_DIR is set), copies the
+ * pre-authenticated session files into this worker's isolated XDG dirs.
+ * Otherwise falls back to running auth login directly (single-worker mode).
  *
  * Fixture chain: envFixture → cliFixture → browserFixture → authFixture
  */
@@ -26,22 +30,38 @@ export const authFixture = browserFixture.extend<{}, {authLogin: void}>({
         return
       }
 
-      process.stdout.write('[e2e] Authenticating automatically — no action required.\n')
+      const authConfigDir = process.env.E2E_AUTH_CONFIG_DIR
+      const authDataDir = process.env.E2E_AUTH_DATA_DIR
+      const authStateDir = process.env.E2E_AUTH_STATE_DIR
+      const authCacheDir = process.env.E2E_AUTH_CACHE_DIR
+
+      if (authConfigDir && authDataDir && authStateDir && authCacheDir) {
+        // Copy pre-authenticated session from global setup
+        log.log(env, 'copying session from global setup')
+
+        fs.cpSync(authConfigDir, env.processEnv.XDG_CONFIG_HOME!, {recursive: true})
+        fs.cpSync(authDataDir, env.processEnv.XDG_DATA_HOME!, {recursive: true})
+        fs.cpSync(authStateDir, env.processEnv.XDG_STATE_HOME!, {recursive: true})
+        fs.cpSync(authCacheDir, env.processEnv.XDG_CACHE_HOME!, {recursive: true})
+
+        await use()
+        return
+      }
+
+      // Fallback: run auth login directly (single-worker / no global setup)
+      log.log(env, 'authenticating automatically')
 
-      // Clear any existing session
       await execa('node', [executables.cli, 'auth', 'logout'], {
         env: env.processEnv,
         reject: false,
       })
 
-      // Spawn auth login via PTY (must not have CI=1)
       const nodePty = await import('node-pty')
       const spawnEnv: {[key: string]: string} = {}
       for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(env.processEnv)) {
         if (value !== undefined) spawnEnv[key] = value
       }
       spawnEnv.CI = ''
-      // Print login URL directly instead of opening system browser
       spawnEnv.CODESPACES = 'true'
 
       const ptyProcess = nodePty.spawn('node', [executables.cli, 'auth', 'login'], {
diff --git a/packages/e2e/setup/browser.ts b/packages/e2e/setup/browser.ts
index ff3fa20dc7..e0270fc711 100644
--- a/packages/e2e/setup/browser.ts
+++ b/packages/e2e/setup/browser.ts
@@ -28,10 +28,12 @@ export const browserFixture = cliFixture.extend<{}, {browserPage: Page}>({
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-empty-pattern
     async ({}, use) => {
       const browser = await chromium.launch({headless: !process.env.E2E_HEADED})
+      const storageStatePath = process.env.E2E_BROWSER_STATE_PATH
       const context = await browser.newContext({
         extraHTTPHeaders: {
           'X-Shopify-Loadtest-Bf8d22e7-120e-4b5b-906c-39ca9d5499a9': 'true',
         },
+        ...(storageStatePath ? {storageState: storageStatePath} : {}),
       })
       context.setDefaultTimeout(BROWSER_TIMEOUT.max)
       context.setDefaultNavigationTimeout(BROWSER_TIMEOUT.max)
diff --git a/packages/e2e/setup/env.ts b/packages/e2e/setup/env.ts
index a6a4a2c9ac..0d862a8299 100644
--- a/packages/e2e/setup/env.ts
+++ b/packages/e2e/setup/env.ts
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ export function requireEnv(env: E2EEnv, ...keys: (keyof Pick<E2EEnv, 'storeFqdn'
   }
 }
 
+/** Log a message during global setup (before workers start). Only prints when DEBUG=1. */
+export function globalLog(tag: string, msg: string): void {
+  if (process.env.DEBUG === '1') {
+    process.stdout.write(`[e2e][${tag}] ${msg}\n`)
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Worker-scoped fixture providing environment configuration.
  * Env vars are optional — tests that need them should call requireEnv().
diff --git a/packages/e2e/setup/global-auth.ts b/packages/e2e/setup/global-auth.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d09472522b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/e2e/setup/global-auth.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+/**
+ * Playwright globalSetup — authenticates once before any workers start.
+ *
+ * Performs CLI `auth login` with a dedicated temp dir, then stores the
+ * path in E2E_AUTH_CONFIG_DIR so each worker can copy the session files
+ * into its own isolated XDG dirs.
+ */
+
+/* eslint-disable no-restricted-imports */
+import {createIsolatedEnv, directories, executables, globalLog} from './env.js'
+import {CLI_TIMEOUT, BROWSER_TIMEOUT} from './constants.js'
+import {stripAnsi} from '../helpers/strip-ansi.js'
+import {waitForText} from '../helpers/wait-for-text.js'
+import {completeLogin} from '../helpers/browser-login.js'
+import {execa} from 'execa'
+import {chromium} from '@playwright/test'
+import * as path from 'path'
+import * as fs from 'fs'
+
+function isAccountsShopifyUrl(rawUrl: string): boolean {
+  try {
+    return new URL(rawUrl).hostname === 'accounts.shopify.com'
+    // eslint-disable-next-line no-catch-all/no-catch-all
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
+export default async function globalSetup() {
+  const email = process.env.E2E_ACCOUNT_EMAIL
+  const password = process.env.E2E_ACCOUNT_PASSWORD
+
+  if (!email || !password) return
+
+  const debug = process.env.DEBUG === '1'
+  globalLog('auth', 'global setup starting')
+
+  // Create a temp dir for the auth session
+  const tmpBase = process.env.E2E_TEMP_DIR ?? path.join(directories.root, '.e2e-tmp')
+  fs.mkdirSync(tmpBase, {recursive: true})
+  const {xdgEnv} = createIsolatedEnv(tmpBase)
+
+  const processEnv: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = {
+    ...process.env,
+    ...xdgEnv,
+    SHOPIFY_RUN_AS_USER: '0',
+    NODE_OPTIONS: '',
+    CI: '1',
+    SHOPIFY_CLI_1P_DEV: undefined,
+    SHOPIFY_FLAG_CLIENT_ID: undefined,
+  }
+
+  // Clear any existing session
+  await execa('node', [executables.cli, 'auth', 'logout'], {
+    env: processEnv,
+    reject: false,
+  })
+
+  // Spawn auth login via PTY
+  const nodePty = await import('node-pty')
+  const spawnEnv: {[key: string]: string} = {}
+  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(processEnv)) {
+    if (value !== undefined) spawnEnv[key] = value
+  }
+  spawnEnv.CI = ''
+  spawnEnv.CODESPACES = 'true'
+
+  const ptyProcess = nodePty.spawn('node', [executables.cli, 'auth', 'login'], {
+    name: 'xterm-color',
+    cols: 120,
+    rows: 30,
+    env: spawnEnv,
+  })
+
+  let output = ''
+  ptyProcess.onData((data: string) => {
+    output += data
+    if (debug) process.stdout.write(data)
+  })
+
+  await waitForText(() => output, 'Open this link to start the auth process', CLI_TIMEOUT.short)
+
+  const stripped = stripAnsi(output)
+  const urlMatch = stripped.match(/https:\/\/accounts\.shopify\.com\S+/)
+  if (!urlMatch) {
+    throw new Error(`[e2e] global-auth: could not find login URL in output:\n${stripped}`)
+  }
+
+  // Complete login in a headless browser
+  const browser = await chromium.launch({headless: !process.env.E2E_HEADED})
+  const context = await browser.newContext({
+    extraHTTPHeaders: {
+      'X-Shopify-Loadtest-Bf8d22e7-120e-4b5b-906c-39ca9d5499a9': 'true',
+    },
+  })
+  const page = await context.newPage()
+
+  await completeLogin(page, urlMatch[0], email, password)
+
+  await waitForText(() => output, 'Logged in', BROWSER_TIMEOUT.max)
+  try {
+    ptyProcess.kill()
+    // eslint-disable-next-line no-catch-all/no-catch-all
+  } catch (_error) {
+    // Process may already be dead
+  }
+
+  // Visit admin.shopify.com and dev.shopify.com to establish session cookies
+  // (completeLogin only authenticates on accounts.shopify.com)
+  const orgId = (process.env.E2E_ORG_ID ?? '').trim()
+  if (orgId) {
+    // Establish admin.shopify.com cookies
+    await page.goto('https://admin.shopify.com/', {waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded'})
+    await page.waitForTimeout(BROWSER_TIMEOUT.medium)
+
+    // Handle account picker if shown
+    if (isAccountsShopifyUrl(page.url())) {
+      const accountButton = page.locator(`text=${email}`).first()
+      if (await accountButton.isVisible({timeout: BROWSER_TIMEOUT.long}).catch(() => false)) {
+        await accountButton.click()
+        await page.waitForTimeout(BROWSER_TIMEOUT.medium)
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Establish dev.shopify.com cookies
+    await page.goto(`https://dev.shopify.com/dashboard/${orgId}/apps`, {waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded'})
+    await page.waitForTimeout(BROWSER_TIMEOUT.medium)
+
+    if (isAccountsShopifyUrl(page.url())) {
+      const accountButton = page.locator(`text=${email}`).first()
+      if (await accountButton.isVisible({timeout: BROWSER_TIMEOUT.long}).catch(() => false)) {
+        await accountButton.click()
+        await page.waitForTimeout(BROWSER_TIMEOUT.medium)
+      }
+    }
+
+    globalLog('auth', 'browser sessions established for admin + dev dashboard')
+  }
+
+  // Save browser cookies/storage so workers can reuse the session
+  // Now includes cookies for both accounts.shopify.com AND admin.shopify.com
+  const storageStatePath = path.join(tmpBase, 'browser-storage-state.json')
+  await context.storageState({path: storageStatePath})
+  await browser.close()
+
+  // Store paths so workers can copy CLI auth + load browser state
+  /* eslint-disable require-atomic-updates */
+  process.env.E2E_AUTH_CONFIG_DIR = xdgEnv.XDG_CONFIG_HOME
+  process.env.E2E_AUTH_DATA_DIR = xdgEnv.XDG_DATA_HOME
+  process.env.E2E_AUTH_STATE_DIR = xdgEnv.XDG_STATE_HOME
+  process.env.E2E_AUTH_CACHE_DIR = xdgEnv.XDG_CACHE_HOME
+  process.env.E2E_BROWSER_STATE_PATH = storageStatePath
+  /* eslint-enable require-atomic-updates */
+
+  globalLog('auth', `global setup done, config at ${xdgEnv.XDG_CONFIG_HOME}`)
+}