diff --git a/frontend/playwright.config.ts b/frontend/playwright.config.ts
index 625d59b427..18613e3b37 100644
--- a/frontend/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/frontend/playwright.config.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ export default defineConfig({
   webServer: {
     command: 'ftl dev --recreate',
     url: 'http://localhost:8892',
-    reuseExistingServer: true,
+    reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
   },
 });