diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
index add37a77..9e70c6b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ jobs:
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1204-live-panel-structure-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1234-live-chrome-pass2-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1206-vcr-overlap-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
+          CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1224-channels-mobile-ux-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1236-map-mobile-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
           CHROMIUM_REQUIRE=1 BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1206-resize-observer-leak-e2e.js 2>&1 | tee -a e2e-output.txt
diff --git a/test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js b/test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..74bf0631
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+/**
+ * E2E for #1244 — Live mobile (375x800):
+ *   A) VCR controls must lay out as a single row of children inside
+ *      `.vcr-bar` (no wrap) — all direct children share a common top
+ *      coordinate (within tolerance).
+ *   B) First-visit gesture hints (`.gesture-hint`, "Got it" pills from
+ *      PR #1186) must NOT be present on the /live route — they get
+ *      buried below the VCR bar + safe-area + (potential) bottom nav
+ *      and read as orphan litter. Fixed by disabling gesture hints
+ *      on /live entirely (option (a) in the issue).
+ *
+ * Desktop (1280x800) sanity: VCR still renders, no regression to the
+ * existing single-row desktop layout.
+ *
+ * Run: BASE_URL=http://localhost:13581 node test-issue-1244-live-vcr-row-hints-e2e.js
+ */
+'use strict';
+const { chromium } = require('playwright');
+
+const BASE = process.env.BASE_URL || 'http://localhost:13581';
+
+let passed = 0, failed = 0;
+async function step(name, fn) {
+  try { await fn(); passed++; console.log('  \u2713 ' + name); }
+  catch (e) { failed++; console.error('  \u2717 ' + name + ': ' + e.message); }
+}
+function assert(c, m) { if (!c) throw new Error(m || 'assertion failed'); }
+
+async function gotoLive(page) {
+  // Reset gesture-hint localStorage so the first-visit pills WOULD fire
+  // (they're suppressed once "seen"). Otherwise the test is a no-op for
+  // sub-issue B on a previously-visited fixture.
+  await page.goto(BASE + '/', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+  await page.evaluate(() => {
+    try {
+      Object.keys(localStorage)
+        .filter(k => k.indexOf('meshcore-gesture-hints-') === 0)
+        .forEach(k => localStorage.removeItem(k));
+    } catch (_e) {}
+  });
+  await page.goto(BASE + '/#/live', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+  await page.waitForSelector('#vcrBar', { timeout: 10000 });
+  // Wait past gesture-hints SHOW_DELAY_MS (800ms) so any hint that
+  // _would_ render has had its chance to appear.
+  await page.waitForTimeout(1500);
+}
+
+(async () => {
+  const browser = await chromium.launch({
+    headless: true,
+    executablePath: process.env.CHROMIUM_PATH || undefined,
+    args: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-gpu', '--disable-dev-shm-usage'],
+  });
+
+  console.log(`\n=== #1244 Live mobile VCR single row + no orphan hints E2E against ${BASE} ===`);
+
+  // ── Mobile 375x800 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+  {
+    const ctx = await browser.newContext({ viewport: { width: 375, height: 800 } });
+    const page = await ctx.newPage();
+    page.setDefaultTimeout(10000);
+    page.on('pageerror', (e) => console.error('[pageerror]', e.message));
+    await step('[375x800] navigate to /live', async () => { await gotoLive(page); });
+
+    // (A) VCR-bar direct children share one row (no wrap).
+    await step('[375x800] .vcr-bar direct children share top coordinate (single row, no wrap)', async () => {
+      const r = await page.evaluate(() => {
+        const bar = document.getElementById('vcrBar');
+        if (!bar) return { found: false };
+        const cs = getComputedStyle(bar);
+        const kids = Array.from(bar.children).filter(el => {
+          const k = getComputedStyle(el);
+          if (k.display === 'none' || k.visibility === 'hidden') return false;
+          if (el.id === 'panelPositionAnnounce') return false; // sr-only sibling
+          if (el.classList && el.classList.contains('sr-only')) return false;
+          if (el.id === 'vcrPrompt' && el.classList.contains('hidden')) return false;
+          const rr = el.getBoundingClientRect();
+          return rr.width > 0 && rr.height > 0;
+        });
+        const tops = kids.map(el => Math.round(el.getBoundingClientRect().top));
+        const minTop = Math.min.apply(null, tops);
+        const maxTop = Math.max.apply(null, tops);
+        return {
+          found: true,
+          flexWrap: cs.flexWrap,
+          flexDirection: cs.flexDirection,
+          tops, minTop, maxTop,
+          spread: maxTop - minTop,
+          kidTags: kids.map(el => (el.tagName + (el.id ? '#' + el.id : '') + '.' +
+                                   (typeof el.className === 'string' ? el.className : '')).trim()),
+        };
+      });
+      assert(r.found, '#vcrBar element missing');
+      // Either nowrap is set (canonical fix) OR all children genuinely share
+      // the same top (≤8px spread for sub-pixel + line-height jitter).
+      const sharedRow = r.spread <= 8;
+      assert(r.flexWrap === 'nowrap' || sharedRow,
+        '#vcr-bar must lay children out on a single row at 375x800 ' +
+        '(flexWrap=' + r.flexWrap + ', topSpread=' + r.spread + 'px, ' +
+        'tops=' + JSON.stringify(r.tops) + ', children=' + JSON.stringify(r.kidTags) + ')');
+    });
+
+    // (B) No orphan gesture-hint pills on /live.
+    await step('[375x800] no .gesture-hint pills on /live route (option (a) — disabled on Live)', async () => {
+      const r = await page.evaluate(() => {
+        const hints = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('.gesture-hint, [data-gesture-hint]'));
+        const vh = window.innerHeight;
+        return {
+          count: hints.length,
+          buried: hints.filter(el => {
+            const rr = el.getBoundingClientRect();
+            return rr.height > 0 && rr.top > vh; // below the fold
+          }).length,
+          texts: hints.map(el => (el.textContent || '').trim().slice(0, 60)),
+        };
+      });
+      assert(r.count === 0,
+        'no .gesture-hint elements may exist on /live (found ' + r.count +
+        ', buried-below-fold=' + r.buried + ', texts=' + JSON.stringify(r.texts) + ')');
+    });
+
+    await ctx.close();
+  }
+
+  // ── Desktop 1280x800 sanity ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+  {
+    const ctx = await browser.newContext({ viewport: { width: 1280, height: 800 } });
+    const page = await ctx.newPage();
+    page.setDefaultTimeout(10000);
+    await step('[1280x800] navigate to /live', async () => { await gotoLive(page); });
+
+    await step('[1280x800] VCR bar renders, controls + LCD still inline (no desktop regression)', async () => {
+      const r = await page.evaluate(() => {
+        const bar = document.getElementById('vcrBar');
+        const ctrl = document.querySelector('.vcr-controls');
+        const lcd = document.querySelector('.vcr-lcd');
+        const cr = ctrl.getBoundingClientRect();
+        const lr = lcd.getBoundingClientRect();
+        // Same row check (vertical overlap).
+        const sameRow = !(cr.bottom <= lr.top || cr.top >= lr.bottom);
+        return { hasBar: !!bar, sameRow, ctrl: { top: cr.top, bottom: cr.bottom }, lcd: { top: lr.top, bottom: lr.bottom } };
+      });
+      assert(r.hasBar, '#vcrBar missing on desktop');
+      assert(r.sameRow,
+        'desktop regression — controls and LCD must share a row ' +
+        '(ctrl=' + JSON.stringify(r.ctrl) + ', lcd=' + JSON.stringify(r.lcd) + ')');
+    });
+
+    await ctx.close();
+  }
+
+  await browser.close();
+  console.log(`\n=== Results: passed ${passed} failed ${failed} ===`);
+  process.exit(failed > 0 ? 1 : 0);
+})().catch(e => { console.error(e); process.exit(1); });