diff --git a/tests/e2e/helpers/meshTrafficTest.ts b/tests/e2e/helpers/meshTrafficTest.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d561cf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/helpers/meshTrafficTest.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/**
+ * Extended Playwright test fixture for tests that depend on receiving
+ * messages from other nodes on the mesh network.
+ *
+ * Usage:
+ *   import { test, expect } from '../helpers/meshTrafficTest';
+ *   test('my test', { tag: '@mesh-traffic' }, async ({ page }) => { ... });
+ *
+ * When a @mesh-traffic-tagged test fails, an advisory annotation is added
+ * to the HTML report and a console message is printed, letting the user
+ * know the failure may be due to low mesh traffic rather than a real bug.
+ */
+import { test as base, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+
+export { expect };
+
+const TRAFFIC_ADVISORY =
+  'This test depends on receiving messages from other nodes on the mesh ' +
+  'network. Failure may indicate insufficient mesh traffic rather than a bug.';
+
+export const test = base.extend<{ _meshTrafficAdvisory: void }>({
+  _meshTrafficAdvisory: [
+    async ({}, use, testInfo) => {
+      await use();
+      if (testInfo.status !== 'passed' && testInfo.tags.includes('@mesh-traffic')) {
+        testInfo.annotations.push({ type: 'notice', description: TRAFFIC_ADVISORY });
+        // Also print to console so it's visible in terminal output
+        console.log(`\n⚠️  ${TRAFFIC_ADVISORY}\n`);
+      }
+    },
+    { auto: true },
+  ],
+});
diff --git a/tests/e2e/specs/incoming-message.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/specs/incoming-message.spec.ts
index 7719fae..3987579 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/specs/incoming-message.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/specs/incoming-message.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect } from '../helpers/meshTrafficTest';
 import { createChannel, getChannels, getMessages } from '../helpers/api';
 
 /**
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ test.describe('Incoming mesh messages', () => {
     }
   });
 
-  test('receive an incoming message in any room', async ({ page }) => {
+  test('receive an incoming message in any room', { tag: '@mesh-traffic' }, async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/');
     await expect(page.getByText('Connected')).toBeVisible();
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ test.describe('Incoming mesh messages', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  test('incoming message with path shows hop badge and path modal', async ({ page }) => {
+  test('incoming message with path shows hop badge and path modal', { tag: '@mesh-traffic' }, async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/');
     await expect(page.getByText('Connected')).toBeVisible();
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/specs/packet-feed.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/specs/packet-feed.spec.ts
index 6dca2a7..8d84fed 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/specs/packet-feed.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/specs/packet-feed.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+import { test, expect } from '../helpers/meshTrafficTest';
 
 test.describe('Packet Feed page', () => {
   test('packet feed page loads and shows header', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ test.describe('Packet Feed page', () => {
     await expect(page.getByText('Raw Packet Feed')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10_000 });
   });
 
-  test('a packet appears in the raw packet feed', async ({ page }) => {
+  test('a packet appears in the raw packet feed', { tag: '@mesh-traffic' }, async ({ page }) => {
     // This test waits for real RF traffic — needs 180s timeout
     test.setTimeout(180_000);