diff --git a/e2e/local-homeserver.spec.ts b/e2e/local-homeserver.spec.ts
index bae50395d..5dda97090 100644
--- a/e2e/local-homeserver.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/local-homeserver.spec.ts
@@ -109,9 +109,17 @@ test.describe('local homeserver regression', () => {
     );
     await loginUI(page, alice);
     await openRoom(page, room);
+    // Wait for the timeline to settle at the newest message first: a wheel
+    // during the initial jump-to-bottom gets snapped back (test race, seen
+    // ~1 in 5 runs once matrix-js-sdk 44 changed the load timing).
+    await expect(page.getByText('filler 39')).toBeInViewport();
     await page.mouse.move(600, 350);
-    await page.mouse.wheel(0, -600);
-    await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: /Jump to Latest/ })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(async () => {
+      await page.mouse.wheel(0, -600);
+      await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: /Jump to Latest/ })).toBeVisible({
+        timeout: 2000,
+      });
+    }).toPass({ timeout: 20_000 });
     await page.locator('[data-slate-editor]').first().click();
     await page.keyboard.type('sent while scrolled up');
     await page.keyboard.press('Enter');