diff --git a/tests/smoke/fresh-install-regression-qa.spec.ts b/tests/smoke/fresh-install-regression-qa.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/tests/smoke/fresh-install-regression-qa.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test'
+import { sendShortcut, openCommandPalette, findCommand } from './helpers'
+
+/**
+ * Fresh-install regression QA: verify all 7 Done tasks work on a fresh
+ * MacBook without pre-configured environment.
+ *
+ * Tasks under test:
+ * 1. Search/qmd bundling + auto-index
+ * 2. MCP server foundation + auto-registration
+ * 3. AGENTS.md vault-level instructions
+ * 4. AI Agent panel: vault-native AI
+ * 5. Claude API wiring + full agent loop
+ * 6. AI panel UI (3 layers + blue glow)
+ * 7. /api/ai/agent endpoint fix (uses Tauri invoke, not fetch)
+ */
+
+test.describe('Fresh-install regression: AI panel renders and works', () => {
+  test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.route('**/api/vault/ping', route => route.fulfill({ status: 503 }))
+    await page.goto('/')
+    await page.waitForTimeout(500)
+  })
+
+  test('AI panel opens with Ctrl+I and has 3-layer structure', async ({ page }) => {
+    // Select a note for context
+    const noteItem = page.locator('.app__note-list .cursor-pointer').first()
+    await noteItem.click()
+    await page.waitForTimeout(300)
+
+    // Open AI panel
+    await sendShortcut(page, 'i', ['Control'])
+    const panel = page.getByTestId('ai-panel')
+    await expect(panel).toBeVisible({ timeout: 3000 })
+
+    // Layer 1: Header with title and buttons
+    await expect(panel.locator('text=AI Chat')).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(panel.locator('button[title="New conversation"]')).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(panel.locator('button[title="Close AI panel"]')).toBeVisible()
+
+    // Layer 2: Message area (empty state with robot icon suggestion)
+    await expect(
+      panel.locator('text=Ask about this note').or(panel.locator('text=Open a note')),
+    ).toBeVisible()
+
+    // Layer 3: Input area with send button
+    await expect(page.getByTestId('agent-send')).toBeVisible()
+  })
+
+  test('AI panel shows context bar when note is selected', async ({ page }) => {
+    const noteItem = page.locator('.app__note-list .cursor-pointer').first()
+    await noteItem.click()
+    await page.waitForTimeout(300)
+
+    await sendShortcut(page, 'i', ['Control'])
+    await expect(page.getByTestId('ai-panel')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 3000 })
+
+    // Context bar should show active note title
+    await expect(page.getByTestId('context-bar')).toBeVisible()
+  })
+
+  test('AI panel input is focusable and sendable', async ({ page }) => {
+    const noteItem = page.locator('.app__note-list .cursor-pointer').first()
+    await noteItem.click()
+    await page.waitForTimeout(300)
+
+    await sendShortcut(page, 'i', ['Control'])
+    await expect(page.getByTestId('ai-panel')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 3000 })
+
+    // Input should auto-focus
+    const input = page.locator('input[placeholder*="Ask"]')
+    await expect(input).toBeVisible()
+    await input.fill('Test message')
+
+    // Send button should be enabled when input has text
+    const sendBtn = page.getByTestId('agent-send')
+    await expect(sendBtn).toBeEnabled()
+
+    // Click send — should produce a response (mock in dev mode)
+    await sendBtn.click()
+    const response = page.getByTestId('ai-message').last()
+    await expect(response).toBeVisible({ timeout: 5000 })
+  })
+
+  test('AI panel close with Escape key', async ({ page }) => {
+    const noteItem = page.locator('.app__note-list .cursor-pointer').first()
+    await noteItem.click()
+    await page.waitForTimeout(300)
+
+    await sendShortcut(page, 'i', ['Control'])
+    const panel = page.getByTestId('ai-panel')
+    await expect(panel).toBeVisible({ timeout: 3000 })
+
+    // Focus the panel and press Escape
+    await panel.focus()
+    await page.keyboard.press('Escape')
+    await expect(panel).not.toBeVisible({ timeout: 2000 })
+  })
+
+  test('AI panel blue glow animation CSS exists', async ({ page }) => {
+    const noteItem = page.locator('.app__note-list .cursor-pointer').first()
+    await noteItem.click()
+    await page.waitForTimeout(300)
+
+    await sendShortcut(page, 'i', ['Control'])
+    const panel = page.getByTestId('ai-panel')
+    await expect(panel).toBeVisible({ timeout: 3000 })
+
+    // Verify the ai-border-pulse keyframe is defined in the page CSS
+    const hasAnimation = await page.evaluate(() => {
+      for (const sheet of document.styleSheets) {
+        try {
+          for (const rule of sheet.cssRules) {
+            if (rule instanceof CSSKeyframesRule && rule.name === 'ai-border-pulse') {
+              return true
+            }
+          }
+        } catch { /* cross-origin sheets */ }
+      }
+      return false
+    })
+    expect(hasAnimation).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
+
+test.describe('Fresh-install regression: search and command palette', () => {
+  test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.route('**/api/vault/ping', route => route.fulfill({ status: 503 }))
+    await page.goto('/')
+    await page.waitForTimeout(500)
+  })
+
+  test('search UI renders and is accessible via Cmd+P', async ({ page }) => {
+    // Cmd+P should open search/note switcher
+    await sendShortcut(page, 'p', ['Control'])
+    await page.waitForTimeout(500)
+
+    // Search input should be visible
+    const searchInput = page.locator('input[placeholder*="Search"]').or(
+      page.locator('input[placeholder*="command"]'),
+    )
+    await expect(searchInput).toBeVisible({ timeout: 2000 })
+  })
+
+  test('Cmd+K command palette includes Repair Vault', async ({ page }) => {
+    await openCommandPalette(page)
+    const found = await findCommand(page, 'Repair Vault')
+    expect(found).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
+
+test.describe('Fresh-install regression: no /api/ai/agent endpoint', () => {
+  test('fetching /api/ai/agent returns 404 or no response', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/')
+    await page.waitForTimeout(500)
+
+    // In dev mode, the Vite proxy plugin handles /api/ai/agent,
+    // but in production Tauri there is no HTTP server at all.
+    // The key verification is that ai-agent.ts uses invoke(), not fetch().
+    // We verify this indirectly by checking the AiPanel doesn't make fetch calls.
+    const fetchCalls: string[] = []
+    page.on('request', req => {
+      if (req.url().includes('/api/ai/agent')) {
+        fetchCalls.push(req.url())
+      }
+    })
+
+    // Open AI panel and send a message
+    const noteItem = page.locator('.app__note-list .cursor-pointer').first()
+    await noteItem.click()
+    await page.waitForTimeout(300)
+    await sendShortcut(page, 'i', ['Control'])
+    await expect(page.getByTestId('ai-panel')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 3000 })
+
+    const input = page.locator('input[placeholder*="Ask"]')
+    await input.fill('Test')
+    await page.getByTestId('agent-send').click()
+    await page.waitForTimeout(1000)
+
+    // No fetch to /api/ai/agent should have been made
+    expect(fetchCalls).toHaveLength(0)
+  })
+})