diff --git a/scripts/main_menu.gd b/scripts/main_menu.gd
index a38ae4e..605feee 100644
--- a/scripts/main_menu.gd
+++ b/scripts/main_menu.gd
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ extends Control
 ## back to the login form.
 
 
+## Emitted once _ready()'s session check (has_token() + the awaited
+## get_me() call) has actually resolved, whichever way -- lets a test (or
+## anything else) know the UI state is trustworthy now, rather than
+## guessing from a frame count or from UI properties that are ambiguous
+## mid-await (e.g. AuthButtonsRow.visible is true both before the check
+## resolves AND in a genuine logged-out end state).
+signal auth_state_ready
+
 # ─── UI references ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 var _auth_buttons_row: HBoxContainer
@@ -66,10 +74,12 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 			var username: String = str((me_result.data as Dictionary).get("username", ""))
 			if username != "":
 				_show_authenticated(username)
+				auth_state_ready.emit()
 				return
 
 	# Token missing or invalid — fall through to logged-out state.
 	_reset_to_logged_out()
+	auth_state_ready.emit()
 
 
 ## Restore the UI to the authenticated state (Play enabled, welcome label,
diff --git a/scripts/smoke_test_main_menu_back.gd b/scripts/smoke_test_main_menu_back.gd
index c8c6758..621a31e 100644
--- a/scripts/smoke_test_main_menu_back.gd
+++ b/scripts/smoke_test_main_menu_back.gd
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ func _run() -> void:
 		return
 
 	# 1. Establish a real, valid session exactly the way a user would.
-	var unique_id := Time.get_ticks_msec()
+	randomize()
+	var unique_id: int = int(Time.get_unix_time_from_system() * 1000) + randi() % 100000
 	var username := USERNAME % unique_id
 	var email := EMAIL % unique_id
 	print("\n=== Setup: register ", username, " ===")
@@ -59,13 +60,21 @@ func _run() -> void:
 	# 2. First visit to the main menu: should already show the authenticated
 	#    state (no login form, Play enabled).
 	change_scene_to_file("res://scenes/main_menu.tscn")
-	await _wait_for_menu_ready()
+	# change_scene_to_file defers the actual swap -- a couple frames is
+	# plenty for the scene object itself to exist (unlike the real
+	# get_me() network round-trip afterward, which is what auth_state_ready
+	# actually waits for below).
+	for i in 5:
+		await process_frame
+		if current_scene is Control:
+			break
 
 	var menu: Control = current_scene
 	if menu == null or not menu is Control:
 		printerr("FAIL: main_menu.tscn did not become current_scene")
 		_finish()
 		return
+	await menu.auth_state_ready
 	_check("first main menu visit restores authenticated state", _is_authenticated(menu))
 
 	# 3. Play -> world_list.tscn (real button press).
@@ -90,6 +99,12 @@ func _run() -> void:
 		_finish()
 		return
 
+	# The new main_menu instance's own _ready() is *also* awaiting a real
+	# get_me() call -- _wait_for_scene_change only confirms the scene
+	# object exists, not that its authenticated-state fields have been
+	# set yet. Wait for the real signal, not a guess.
+	await menu.auth_state_ready
+
 	# 5. THE regression assertion: still logged in after returning.
 	_check("main menu stays authenticated after Play -> Back", _is_authenticated(menu))
 
@@ -113,18 +128,6 @@ func _is_authenticated(menu: Control) -> bool:
 		and not auth_panel.visible
 
 
-## Wait for the main menu's _ready() to finish, including its awaited
-## ApiClient.get_me() call (which is why we wait several frames).
-func _wait_for_menu_ready() -> void:
-	for i in 20:
-		await process_frame
-		if current_scene is Control:
-			# The menu's _ready() awaits get_me(); give it time to resolve.
-			if i >= 1:
-				return
-	await process_frame
-
-
 func _wait_for_scene_change(previous_scene: Node) -> void:
 	for i in 20:
 		await process_frame