diff --git a/playwright.smoke.config.ts b/playwright.smoke.config.ts
index 369d394e..cc250cef 100644
--- a/playwright.smoke.config.ts
+++ b/playwright.smoke.config.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test'
 
 const baseURL = process.env.BASE_URL || 'http://127.0.0.1:41741'
 const port = new URL(baseURL).port || '41741'
-const reuseExistingServer = process.env.PLAYWRIGHT_REUSE_SERVER === '1'
+const reuseExistingServer = process.env.PLAYWRIGHT_REUSE_SERVER
+  ? process.env.PLAYWRIGHT_REUSE_SERVER === '1'
+  : process.env.CI !== 'true'
 const claudeCodeOnboardingStorageState = {
   cookies: [],
   origins: [