diff --git a/scripts/ci/ios-sim/smoke-test.sh b/scripts/ci/ios-sim/smoke-test.sh
index b3a7f7e7db..357e5af473 100755
--- a/scripts/ci/ios-sim/smoke-test.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/ios-sim/smoke-test.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 # Installs the app in a new iPhone simulator and runs the scripted UI cases with the ui helper:
-# onboarding to the chat list, typing in the search field, and searching the test directory.
+# onboarding to the chat list, typing in the search field, and searching the test directory, whose results
+# must have the Directory header above them in both layouts. It leaves the app in the one-hand UI.
 # Usage: scripts/ci/ios-sim/smoke-test.sh <path to SimpleX.app> <output dir>
 # Each step saves a screenshot and an accessibility tree to the output dir and prints the tree to the log.
 # Later steps of the job get SIM_UDID and UI_OUT, with the simulator still running.
@@ -59,6 +60,25 @@ expect_in_tree() {
   fi
 }
 
+# the y of the first element with exactly this label
+element_y() {
+  local tree
+  tree=$("$ui" tree)
+  grep -F "\"$1\" value=" <<< "$tree" | head -n 1 | sed -E 's/.* at [0-9-]+,([0-9-]+) .*/\1/'
+}
+
+expect_header_above_results() {
+  local header group channel
+  header=$(element_y Directory)
+  group=$(element_y "#ci_group")
+  channel=$(element_y "#ci_channel")
+  if [ -z "$header" ] || [ -z "$group" ] || [ -z "$channel" ] || [ "$header" -ge "$group" ] || [ "$header" -ge "$channel" ]; then
+    echo "error: in the $1 layout the Directory header (y=$header) is not above its results (#ci_group y=$group, #ci_channel y=$channel)"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "in the $1 layout the Directory header (y=$header) is above its results (#ci_group y=$group, #ci_channel y=$channel)"
+}
+
 xcrun simctl install "$SIM_UDID" "$app"
 xcrun simctl launch "$SIM_UDID" "$bundle_id"
 
@@ -114,4 +134,22 @@ expect_in_tree -F '#ci_group'
 expect_in_tree -F 'Join group'
 expect_in_tree -F '#ci_channel'
 expect_in_tree -F 'Join channel'
-echo "smoke test passed: the directory search for \"$search_text\" shows #ci_group (Join group) and #ci_channel (Join channel)"
+expect_header_above_results reachable
+
+# a layout the helper cannot set is a problem of the harness, not of the app, so it is reported rather than failed
+if "$ui" layout top; then
+  "$ui" tap-value "Search or paste SimpleX link"
+  "$ui" type "$search_text"
+  sleep 2
+  "$ui" tap "Search in Directory"
+  if "$ui" wait "Search in Directory?" 10; then
+    "$ui" tap "Search"
+  fi
+  "$ui" wait "Join channel" 60
+  "$ui" shot directory-results-top
+  expect_header_above_results top
+  "$ui" layout reachable
+else
+  echo "::warning::the top bar layout could not be set, so its Directory header was not checked"
+fi
+echo "smoke test passed: the directory search for \"$search_text\" shows #ci_group (Join group) and #ci_channel (Join channel), with the Directory header above them"