diff --git a/app/components/AppHeader.vue b/app/components/AppHeader.vue
index 6bafe78bd5..91758dd5b5 100644
--- a/app/components/AppHeader.vue
+++ b/app/components/AppHeader.vue
@@ -30,6 +30,19 @@ function expandMobileSearch() {
   })
 }
 
+watch(
+  isOnSearchPage,
+  visible => {
+    if (!visible) return
+
+    searchBoxRef.value?.focus()
+    nextTick(() => {
+      searchBoxRef.value?.focus()
+    })
+  },
+  { flush: 'sync' },
+)
+
 function handleSearchBlur() {
   showFullSearch.value = false
   // Collapse expanded search on mobile after blur (with delay for click handling)
diff --git a/app/components/SearchBox.vue b/app/components/SearchBox.vue
index 840d4ebf6e..cbb5d2d747 100644
--- a/app/components/SearchBox.vue
+++ b/app/components/SearchBox.vue
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { debounce } from 'perfect-debounce'
 
-const isMobile = useIsMobile()
-
 withDefaults(
   defineProps<{
     inputClass?: string
@@ -107,7 +105,6 @@ defineExpose({ focus })
           <input
             id="header-search"
             ref="inputRef"
-            :autofocus="!isMobile"
             v-model="searchQuery"
             type="search"
             name="q"
diff --git a/app/pages/index.vue b/app/pages/index.vue
index df36aefe3f..375d47738d 100644
--- a/app/pages/index.vue
+++ b/app/pages/index.vue
@@ -1,25 +1,26 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { debounce } from 'perfect-debounce'
 
-const router = useRouter()
 const searchQuery = shallowRef('')
 const searchInputRef = useTemplateRef('searchInputRef')
 const { focused: isSearchFocused } = useFocus(searchInputRef)
 
-const isMobile = useIsMobile()
-
-const debouncedNavigate = debounce(() => {
-  router.push({
+async function search() {
+  const query = searchQuery.value.trim()
+  await navigateTo({
     path: '/search',
-    query: searchQuery.value.trim() ? { q: searchQuery.value.trim() } : undefined,
+    query: query ? { q: query } : undefined,
   })
-}, 250)
-
-function handleSearch() {
-  // If input is empty, navigate immediately (no need to debounce)
-  return searchQuery.value.trim() ? debouncedNavigate() : router.push('/search')
+  const newQuery = searchQuery.value.trim()
+  if (newQuery !== query) {
+    await search()
+  }
 }
 
+const handleInput = isTouchDevice()
+  ? search
+  : debounce(search, 250, { leading: true, trailing: true })
+
 useSeoMeta({
   title: () => $t('seo.home.title'),
   description: () => $t('seo.home.description'),
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ defineOgImageComponent('Default', {
         class="w-full max-w-xl motion-safe:animate-slide-up motion-safe:animate-fill-both"
         style="animation-delay: 0.2s"
       >
-        <form method="GET" action="/search" class="relative" @submit.prevent="handleSearch">
+        <form method="GET" action="/search" class="relative" @submit.prevent.trim="search">
           <label for="home-search" class="sr-only">
             {{ $t('search.label') }}
           </label>
@@ -89,11 +90,11 @@ defineOgImageComponent('Default', {
                 v-model="searchQuery"
                 type="search"
                 name="q"
+                autofocus
                 :placeholder="$t('search.placeholder')"
                 v-bind="noCorrect"
-                :autofocus="!isMobile"
                 class="w-full bg-bg-subtle border border-border rounded-lg ps-8 pe-24 py-4 font-mono text-base text-fg placeholder:text-fg-subtle transition-border-color duration-300 focus:border-accent focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-accent/50"
-                @input="handleSearch"
+                @input="handleInput"
               />
 
               <button
diff --git a/app/utils/responsive.ts b/app/utils/responsive.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b1d07538d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/utils/responsive.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+/** @public */
+export function isTouchDevice() {
+  if (import.meta.server) {
+    return false
+  }
+  return 'ontouchstart' in window || navigator.maxTouchPoints > 0
+}
diff --git a/test/e2e/create-command.spec.ts b/test/e2e/create-command.spec.ts
index bac1e54b77..194c5d54d8 100644
--- a/test/e2e/create-command.spec.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/create-command.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import { expect, test } from '@nuxt/test-utils/playwright'
 
 test.describe('Create Command', () => {
+  // TODO: these tests depend on external npm registry API - we should add data fixtures
+  test.describe.configure({ retries: 2 })
+
   test.describe('Visibility', () => {
     test('/vite - should show create command (same maintainers)', async ({ page, goto }) => {
       await goto('/vite', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' })
@@ -80,13 +83,15 @@ test.describe('Create Command', () => {
     test('hovering create command shows copy button', async ({ page, goto }) => {
       await goto('/vite', { waitUntil: 'hydration' })
 
-      // Wait for package analysis API to load (create command requires this)
-      // First ensure the package page has loaded
-      await expect(page.locator('h1')).toContainText('vite')
+      await expect(page.locator('h1')).toContainText('vite', { timeout: 15000 })
+
+      await expect(page.locator('main header').locator('text=/v\\d+\\.\\d+/')).toBeVisible({
+        timeout: 15000,
+      })
 
       // Find the create command container (wait longer for API response)
       const createCommandContainer = page.locator('.group\\/createcmd').first()
-      await expect(createCommandContainer).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15000 })
+      await expect(createCommandContainer).toBeVisible({ timeout: 20000 })
 
       // Copy button should initially be hidden (opacity-0)
       const copyButton = createCommandContainer.locator('button')
@@ -108,9 +113,15 @@ test.describe('Create Command', () => {
       await context.grantPermissions(['clipboard-read', 'clipboard-write'])
 
       await goto('/vite', { waitUntil: 'hydration' })
+      await expect(page.locator('h1')).toContainText('vite', { timeout: 15000 })
+
+      await expect(page.locator('main header').locator('text=/v\\d+\\.\\d+/')).toBeVisible({
+        timeout: 15000,
+      })
 
-      // Find and hover over the create command container
       const createCommandContainer = page.locator('.group\\/createcmd').first()
+      await expect(createCommandContainer).toBeVisible({ timeout: 20000 })
+
       await createCommandContainer.hover()
 
       // Click the copy button
diff --git a/test/e2e/interactions.spec.ts b/test/e2e/interactions.spec.ts
index 76ceac8676..6db7789215 100644
--- a/test/e2e/interactions.spec.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/interactions.spec.ts
@@ -1,50 +1,78 @@
 import { expect, test } from '@nuxt/test-utils/playwright'
 
 test.describe('Search Pages', () => {
+  // TODO: these tests depend on external npm registry API - we should add data fixtures
+  test.describe.configure({ retries: 2 })
   test('/search?q=vue → keyboard navigation (arrow keys + enter)', async ({ page, goto }) => {
-    await goto('/search?q=vue', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' })
+    await goto('/search?q=vue', { waitUntil: 'hydration' })
 
-    await expect(page.locator('text=/found \\d+/i')).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(page.locator('text=/found \\d+|showing \\d+/i').first()).toBeVisible({
+      timeout: 15000,
+    })
 
     const firstResult = page.locator('[data-result-index="0"]').first()
     await expect(firstResult).toBeVisible()
 
-    const searchInput = page.locator('input[type="search"]')
-
-    // ArrowDown changes visual selection but keeps focus in input
+    // Global keyboard navigation works regardless of focus
+    // ArrowDown selects the next result
     await page.keyboard.press('ArrowDown')
-    await expect(searchInput).toBeFocused()
 
-    // ArrowUp goes back to first result
+    // ArrowUp selects the previous result
     await page.keyboard.press('ArrowUp')
-    await expect(searchInput).toBeFocused()
 
-    // First result is selected, Enter navigates to it
+    // Enter navigates to the selected result
     // URL is /vue not /package/vue (cleaner URLs)
     await page.keyboard.press('Enter')
     await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/vue/)
   })
 
   test('/search?q=vue → "/" focuses the search input from results', async ({ page, goto }) => {
-    await goto('/search?q=vue', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' })
+    await goto('/search?q=vue', { waitUntil: 'hydration' })
 
-    await expect(page.locator('text=/found \\d+/i')).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(page.locator('text=/found \\d+|showing \\d+/i').first()).toBeVisible({
+      timeout: 15000,
+    })
 
     await page.locator('[data-result-index="0"]').first().focus()
     await page.keyboard.press('/')
     await expect(page.locator('input[type="search"]')).toBeFocused()
   })
 
+  test('/ (homepage) → search, keeps focus on search input', async ({ page, goto }) => {
+    await goto('/', { waitUntil: 'hydration' })
+
+    const homeSearchInput = page.locator('#home-search')
+    await homeSearchInput.click()
+    await page.keyboard.type('vue')
+
+    // Wait for navigation to /search (debounce is 250ms)
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/search/, { timeout: 10000 })
+
+    await expect(page.locator('[data-result-index="0"]').first()).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15000 })
+
+    // Home search input should be gone (we're on /search now)
+    await expect(homeSearchInput).not.toBeVisible()
+
+    // Header search input should now exist and be focused
+    const headerSearchInput = page.locator('#header-search')
+    await expect(headerSearchInput).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(headerSearchInput).toBeFocused()
+  })
+
   test('/settings → search, keeps focus on search input', async ({ page, goto }) => {
-    await goto('/settings', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' })
+    await goto('/settings', { waitUntil: 'hydration' })
 
     const searchInput = page.locator('input[type="search"]')
+    await expect(searchInput).toBeVisible()
+
+    await searchInput.click()
     await searchInput.fill('vue')
 
-    await page.waitForURL(/\/search/)
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/search/, { timeout: 10000 })
 
-    await expect(page.locator('text=/found \\d+/i')).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(page.locator('[data-result-index="0"]').first()).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15000 })
 
-    await expect(searchInput).toBeFocused()
+    const headerSearchInput = page.locator('#header-search')
+    await expect(headerSearchInput).toBeFocused()
   })
 })
diff --git a/test/e2e/package-manager-select.spec.ts b/test/e2e/package-manager-select.spec.ts
index e26d61eb75..b03e7cf7e0 100644
--- a/test/e2e/package-manager-select.spec.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/package-manager-select.spec.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ import { expect, test } from '@nuxt/test-utils/playwright'
 
 test.describe('Package Page', () => {
   test('/vue → package manager select dropdown works', async ({ page, goto }) => {
-    await goto('/vue', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' })
+    await goto('/vue', { waitUntil: 'hydration' })
+
+    await expect(page.locator('h1')).toContainText('vue', { timeout: 15000 })
 
     const packageManagerButton = page.locator('button[aria-haspopup="listbox"]').first()
     await expect(packageManagerButton).toBeVisible()
@@ -10,7 +12,7 @@ test.describe('Package Page', () => {
     // Open dropdown
     await packageManagerButton.click()
     const packageManagerDropdown = page.locator('[role="listbox"]')
-    await expect(packageManagerDropdown).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(packageManagerDropdown).toBeVisible({ timeout: 5000 })
 
     // Arrow keys navigate the listbox
     await packageManagerButton.press('ArrowDown')
@@ -26,6 +28,7 @@ test.describe('Package Page', () => {
 
     // Enter selects option and closes dropdown
     await packageManagerButton.click()
+    await expect(packageManagerDropdown).toBeVisible({ timeout: 5000 })
     await packageManagerButton.press('ArrowDown')
     await packageManagerButton.press('Enter')
     await expect(packageManagerDropdown).not.toBeVisible()
diff --git a/test/e2e/url-compatibility.spec.ts b/test/e2e/url-compatibility.spec.ts
index c8b22cc51c..9e3f1b8ad8 100644
--- a/test/e2e/url-compatibility.spec.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/url-compatibility.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import { expect, test } from '@nuxt/test-utils/playwright'
 
 test.describe('npmjs.com URL Compatibility', () => {
+  // TODO: these tests depend on external npm registry API - we should add data fixtures
+  test.describe.configure({ retries: 2 })
+
   test.describe('Package Pages', () => {
     test('/package/vue → package page', async ({ page, goto }) => {
       await goto('/package/vue', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' })
@@ -73,12 +76,14 @@ test.describe('npmjs.com URL Compatibility', () => {
 
   test.describe('User Profile Pages', () => {
     test('/~sindresorhus → user profile', async ({ page, goto }) => {
-      await goto('/~sindresorhus', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' })
+      await goto('/~sindresorhus', { waitUntil: 'hydration' })
 
       // Should show username
       await expect(page.locator('h1')).toContainText('~sindresorhus')
-      // Should show packages heading (user has packages)
-      await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Packages' })).toBeVisible()
+
+      await expect(page.locator('text=/\\d+\\s+public\\s+package/i').first()).toBeVisible({
+        timeout: 15000,
+      })
     })
 
     test('/~nonexistent-user-12345 → empty user handling', async ({ page, goto }) => {