diff --git a/tests/test_live_workflow.py b/tests/test_live_workflow.py
index b31043fc..a3b7777b 100644
--- a/tests/test_live_workflow.py
+++ b/tests/test_live_workflow.py
@@ -53,16 +53,28 @@ def test_full_live_workflow(live_gui) -> None:
   except: pass
  print(f"[TEST] Creating new project at {temp_project_path}...")
  client.click("btn_project_new_automated", user_data=temp_project_path)
- 
- # Wait for project to be active
- success = False
- for _ in range(10):
-  proj = client.get_project()
-  if proj.get('project', {}).get('project', {}).get('name') == 'temp_project':
-   success = True
+ # Defensive: fail fast if the click was dropped or the handler crashed
+ # before writing the project file.
+ import time as _time
+ _start = _time.time()
+ while _time.time() - _start < 5.0:
+  if os.path.exists(temp_project_path):
    break
-  time.sleep(1)
- assert success, "Project failed to activate"
+  _time.sleep(0.1)
+ assert os.path.exists(temp_project_path), (
+  f"temp_project.toml not created within 5s of click. "
+  f"Click may have been dropped or _cb_new_project_automated crashed."
+ )
+
+ # Wait for project switch to complete (deterministic, condition-based).
+ # Replaces the prior 10x1s blind poll of derived state.
+ status = client.wait_for_project_switch(expected_path=temp_project_path, timeout=30.0)
+ assert not status.get("timeout"), (
+  f"Project switch did not complete in 30s. Last status: {status}"
+ )
+ assert not status.get("error"), (
+  f"Project switch failed with error: {status.get('error')}"
+ )
 
  test_git = os.path.abspath(".")
  print(f"[TEST] Setting project_git_dir to {test_git}...")