diff --git a/app/src/androidTest/java/app/hermes/mobile/feature/chat/ChatViewModelScopeTest.kt b/app/src/androidTest/java/app/hermes/mobile/feature/chat/ChatViewModelScopeTest.kt
index 73c5759..6ff09c0 100644
--- a/app/src/androidTest/java/app/hermes/mobile/feature/chat/ChatViewModelScopeTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/androidTest/java/app/hermes/mobile/feature/chat/ChatViewModelScopeTest.kt
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 package app.hermes.mobile.feature.chat
 
+import androidx.compose.ui.test.assertExists
 import androidx.compose.ui.test.junit4.createAndroidComposeRule
+import androidx.compose.ui.test.onAllNodesWithText
 import androidx.compose.ui.test.onNodeWithText
 import androidx.compose.ui.test.performClick
 import androidx.compose.ui.test.performTextInput
-import androidx.compose.ui.test.assertIsDisplayed
-import androidx.compose.ui.test.hasText
 import androidx.test.ext.junit.runners.AndroidJUnit4
 import app.hermes.mobile.MainActivity
 import org.junit.Rule
@@ -20,11 +20,25 @@ class ChatViewModelScopeTest {
 
     @Test
     fun testChatStateSurvivesRecreation() {
-        // Create session
+        // Wait for New Session button and click
+        composeTestRule.waitUntil(5000) {
+            composeTestRule.onAllNodesWithText("New Session", substring = true, ignoreCase = true)
+                .fetchSemanticsNodes().isNotEmpty()
+        }
         composeTestRule.onNodeWithText("New Session", ignoreCase = true).performClick()
+
+        // Wait for Create dialog button and click
+        composeTestRule.waitUntil(5000) {
+            composeTestRule.onAllNodesWithText("Create", substring = true, ignoreCase = true)
+                .fetchSemanticsNodes().isNotEmpty()
+        }
         composeTestRule.onNodeWithText("Create", ignoreCase = true).performClick()
         
-        composeTestRule.onNodeWithText("Message Hermes…", ignoreCase = true).assertIsDisplayed()
+        // Wait for ChatScreen input placeholder
+        composeTestRule.waitUntil(5000) {
+            composeTestRule.onAllNodesWithText("Message Hermes…", substring = true, ignoreCase = true)
+                .fetchSemanticsNodes().isNotEmpty()
+        }
         
         composeTestRule.onNodeWithText("Message Hermes…", ignoreCase = true)
             .performTextInput("Draft prompt before rotation")
@@ -33,6 +47,11 @@ class ChatViewModelScopeTest {
         composeTestRule.activityRule.scenario.recreate()
         composeTestRule.waitForIdle()
         
+        // Verify text state persisted across recreation
+        composeTestRule.waitUntil(5000) {
+            composeTestRule.onAllNodesWithText("Draft prompt before rotation", substring = true)
+                .fetchSemanticsNodes().isNotEmpty()
+        }
         composeTestRule.onNodeWithText("Draft prompt before rotation", substring = true).assertExists()
     }
 }