diff --git a/meshchatx/src/frontend/js/KeyboardShortcuts.js b/meshchatx/src/frontend/js/KeyboardShortcuts.js
index 45c2593..d6bd99d 100644
--- a/meshchatx/src/frontend/js/KeyboardShortcuts.js
+++ b/meshchatx/src/frontend/js/KeyboardShortcuts.js
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ class KeyboardShortcuts {
         // Check for matches
         for (const shortcut of this.shortcuts) {
             if (this.matches(shortcut.keys, e)) {
+                if (shortcut.action === "command_palette") {
+                    continue;
+                }
                 // Check if we should ignore because we're in an input
                 const isInput =
                     ["INPUT", "TEXTAREA"].includes(document.activeElement.tagName) ||
diff --git a/tests/e2e/helpers.js b/tests/e2e/helpers.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..592f1f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/helpers.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+const { expect } = require("@playwright/test");
+
+const E2E_BACKEND_PORT = process.env.E2E_BACKEND_PORT || "8000";
+const E2E_BACKEND_ORIGIN = `http://127.0.0.1:${E2E_BACKEND_PORT}`;
+
+const PALETTE_PLACEHOLDER = "Search commands, navigate, or find peers...";
+
+/**
+ * Marks tutorial and changelog as seen on the E2E backend so first-load modals
+ * (v-overlay scrim) do not block pointer clicks on the shell.
+ */
+async function prepareE2eSession(request) {
+    const tutorial = await request.post(`${E2E_BACKEND_ORIGIN}/api/v1/app/tutorial/seen`);
+    expect(tutorial.ok()).toBeTruthy();
+    const changelog = await request.post(`${E2E_BACKEND_ORIGIN}/api/v1/app/changelog/seen`, {
+        data: { version: "999.999.999" },
+    });
+    expect(changelog.ok()).toBeTruthy();
+}
+
+async function openCommandPalette(page) {
+    await page.keyboard.press("Control+K");
+    let input = page.getByPlaceholder(PALETTE_PLACEHOLDER);
+    if ((await input.count()) === 0) {
+        await page.evaluate(() => {
+            window.dispatchEvent(
+                new KeyboardEvent("keydown", {
+                    key: "k",
+                    code: "KeyK",
+                    ctrlKey: true,
+                    bubbles: true,
+                    cancelable: true,
+                }),
+            );
+        });
+        input = page.getByPlaceholder(PALETTE_PLACEHOLDER);
+    }
+    await expect(input).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15000 });
+}
+
+module.exports = { E2E_BACKEND_ORIGIN, PALETTE_PLACEHOLDER, openCommandPalette, prepareE2eSession };