diff --git a/test/e2e/baseFixture.ts b/test/e2e/baseFixture.ts
index b4105c227..e67d09b8d 100644
--- a/test/e2e/baseFixture.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/baseFixture.ts
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ import { CodeServer, CodeServerPage } from "./models/CodeServer"
  * Wraps `test.describe` to create and manage an instance of code-server. If you
  * don't use this you will need to create your own code-server instance and pass
  * it to `test.use`.
+ *
+ * If `includeCredentials` is `true` page requests will be authenticated.
  */
-export const describe = (name: string, fn: (codeServer: CodeServer) => void) => {
+export const describe = (name: string, includeCredentials: boolean, fn: (codeServer: CodeServer) => void) => {
   test.describe(name, () => {
     // This will spawn on demand so nothing is necessary on before.
     const codeServer = new CodeServer(name)
@@ -18,14 +20,30 @@ export const describe = (name: string, fn: (codeServer: CodeServer) => void) =>
       await codeServer.close()
     })
 
-    // This makes `codeServer` available to the extend call below.
-    test.use({ codeServer })
+    const storageState = JSON.parse(process.env.STORAGE || "{}")
+
+    // Sanity check to ensure the cookie is set.
+    const cookies = storageState?.cookies
+    if (includeCredentials && (!cookies || cookies.length !== 1 || !!cookies[0].key)) {
+      logger.error("no cookies", field("storage", JSON.stringify(cookies)))
+      throw new Error("no credentials to include")
+    }
+
+    test.use({
+      // Makes `codeServer` and `authenticated` available to the extend call
+      // below.
+      codeServer,
+      authenticated: includeCredentials,
+      // This provides a cookie that authenticates with code-server.
+      storageState: includeCredentials ? storageState : {},
+    })
 
     fn(codeServer)
   })
 }
 
 interface TestFixtures {
+  authenticated: boolean
   codeServer: CodeServer
   codeServerPage: CodeServerPage
 }
@@ -35,10 +53,11 @@ interface TestFixtures {
  * ready.
  */
 export const test = base.extend<TestFixtures>({
+  authenticated: false,
   codeServer: undefined, // No default; should be provided through `test.use`.
-  codeServerPage: async ({ codeServer, page }, use) => {
+  codeServerPage: async ({ authenticated, codeServer, page }, use) => {
     const codeServerPage = new CodeServerPage(codeServer, page)
-    await codeServerPage.navigate()
+    await codeServerPage.setup(authenticated)
     await use(codeServerPage)
   },
 })
diff --git a/test/e2e/browser.test.ts b/test/e2e/browser.test.ts
index 078b4e309..3c3b2411c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/browser.test.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/browser.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, test, expect } from "./baseFixture"
 
 // This is a "gut-check" test to make sure playwright is working as expected
-describe("browser", () => {
+describe("browser", true, () => {
   test("browser should display correct userAgent", async ({ codeServerPage, browserName }) => {
     const displayNames = {
       chromium: "Chrome",
diff --git a/test/e2e/codeServer.test.ts b/test/e2e/codeServer.test.ts
index a40e30d89..cfac6f74c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/codeServer.test.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/codeServer.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
-import { storageState } from "../utils/constants"
 import { describe, test, expect } from "./baseFixture"
 
-describe("CodeServer", () => {
-  test.use({
-    storageState,
-  })
-
+describe("CodeServer", true, () => {
   test("should navigate to home page", async ({ codeServerPage }) => {
     // We navigate codeServer before each test
     // and we start the test with a storage state
diff --git a/test/e2e/globalSetup.test.ts b/test/e2e/globalSetup.test.ts
index ed3506ea9..8b4589b15 100644
--- a/test/e2e/globalSetup.test.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/globalSetup.test.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,8 @@
-import { storageState } from "../utils/constants"
 import { describe, test, expect } from "./baseFixture"
 
 // This test is to make sure the globalSetup works as expected
 // meaning globalSetup ran and stored the storageState
-describe("globalSetup", () => {
-  test.use({
-    storageState,
-  })
-
+describe("globalSetup", true, () => {
   test("should keep us logged in using the storageState", async ({ codeServerPage }) => {
     // Make sure the editor actually loaded
     expect(await codeServerPage.isEditorVisible()).toBe(true)
diff --git a/test/e2e/login.test.ts b/test/e2e/login.test.ts
index b2289740a..bc9d5e8e9 100644
--- a/test/e2e/login.test.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/login.test.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,7 @@
 import { PASSWORD } from "../utils/constants"
 import { describe, test, expect } from "./baseFixture"
 
-describe("login", () => {
-  // Reset the browser so no cookies are persisted
-  // by emptying the storageState
-  test.use({
-    storageState: {},
-  })
-
+describe("login", false, () => {
   test("should see the login page", async ({ codeServerPage }) => {
     // It should send us to the login page
     expect(await codeServerPage.page.title()).toBe("code-server login")
diff --git a/test/e2e/logout.test.ts b/test/e2e/logout.test.ts
index ec480c4f1..ac932fa47 100644
--- a/test/e2e/logout.test.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/logout.test.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,7 @@
 import { PASSWORD } from "../utils/constants"
 import { describe, test, expect } from "./baseFixture"
 
-describe("logout", () => {
-  // Reset the browser so no cookies are persisted
-  // by emptying the storageState
-  test.use({
-    storageState: {},
-  })
-
+describe("logout", false, () => {
   test("should be able login and logout", async ({ codeServerPage }) => {
     // Type in password
     await codeServerPage.page.fill(".password", PASSWORD)
diff --git a/test/e2e/models/CodeServer.ts b/test/e2e/models/CodeServer.ts
index b3e2bdafa..42600df3d 100644
--- a/test/e2e/models/CodeServer.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/models/CodeServer.ts
@@ -250,8 +250,12 @@ export class CodeServerPage {
    *
    * It is recommended to run setup before using this model in any tests.
    */
-  async setup() {
+  async setup(authenticated: boolean) {
     await this.navigate()
-    await this.reloadUntilEditorIsReady()
+    // If we aren't authenticated we'll see a login page so we can't wait until
+    // the editor is ready.
+    if (authenticated) {
+      await this.reloadUntilEditorIsReady()
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/openHelpAbout.test.ts b/test/e2e/openHelpAbout.test.ts
index 1cb030540..47daaaf14 100644
--- a/test/e2e/openHelpAbout.test.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/openHelpAbout.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
-import { storageState } from "../utils/constants"
 import { describe, test, expect } from "./baseFixture"
 
-describe("Open Help > About", () => {
-  test.use({
-    storageState,
-  })
-
+describe("Open Help > About", true, () => {
   test("should see a 'Help' then 'About' button in the Application Menu that opens a dialog", async ({
     codeServerPage,
   }) => {
diff --git a/test/e2e/terminal.test.ts b/test/e2e/terminal.test.ts
index b2b284c74..836583a8d 100644
--- a/test/e2e/terminal.test.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/terminal.test.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,10 @@ import * as cp from "child_process"
 import * as fs from "fs"
 import * as path from "path"
 import util from "util"
-import { storageState } from "../utils/constants"
 import { tmpdir } from "../utils/helpers"
 import { describe, expect, test } from "./baseFixture"
 
-describe("Integrated Terminal", () => {
+describe("Integrated Terminal", true, () => {
   // Create a new context with the saved storage state
   // so we don't have to logged in
   const testFileName = "pipe"
@@ -14,10 +13,6 @@ describe("Integrated Terminal", () => {
   let tmpFolderPath = ""
   let tmpFile = ""
 
-  test.use({
-    storageState,
-  })
-
   test.beforeAll(async () => {
     tmpFolderPath = await tmpdir("integrated-terminal")
     tmpFile = path.join(tmpFolderPath, testFileName)
diff --git a/test/utils/constants.ts b/test/utils/constants.ts
index 08acb9788..9b5c2b6e8 100644
--- a/test/utils/constants.ts
+++ b/test/utils/constants.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 export const PASSWORD = "e45432jklfdsab"
-export const storageState = JSON.parse(process.env.STORAGE || "{}")
 export const workspaceDir = "workspaces"
diff --git a/test/utils/globalSetup.ts b/test/utils/globalSetup.ts
index 8d94c7438..eace7f9b2 100644
--- a/test/utils/globalSetup.ts
+++ b/test/utils/globalSetup.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { chromium } from "playwright"
+import { Cookie } from "playwright"
 import { hash } from "../../src/node/util"
 import { PASSWORD, workspaceDir } from "./constants"
 import { clean } from "./helpers"
@@ -15,31 +15,29 @@ export default async function () {
   // Cleanup workspaces from previous tests.
   await clean(workspaceDir)
 
-  const cookieToStore = {
-    sameSite: "Lax" as const,
-    name: "key",
-    value: await hash(PASSWORD),
-    domain: "localhost",
-    path: "/",
-    expires: -1,
-    httpOnly: false,
-    secure: false,
-  }
-
-  const browser = await chromium.launch()
-  const page = await browser.newPage()
-  const storage = await page.context().storageState()
-
   if (process.env.WTF_NODE) {
     wtfnode.setup()
   }
 
-  storage.cookies = [cookieToStore]
+  // TODO: Replace this with a call to code-server to get the cookie. To avoid
+  // too much overhead we can do an http POST request and avoid spawning a
+  // browser for it.
+  const cookies: Cookie[] = [
+    {
+      domain: "localhost",
+      expires: -1,
+      httpOnly: false,
+      name: "key",
+      path: "/",
+      sameSite: "Lax",
+      secure: false,
+      value: await hash(PASSWORD),
+    },
+  ]
 
   // Save storage state and store as an env variable
   // More info: https://playwright.dev/docs/auth/#reuse-authentication-state
-  process.env.STORAGE = JSON.stringify(storage)
-  await browser.close()
+  process.env.STORAGE = JSON.stringify({ cookies })
 
   console.log("✅ Global Setup for Playwright End-to-End Tests is now complete.")
 }