diff --git a/playwright/e2e/app-loading/guest-registration.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/app-loading/guest-registration.spec.ts
index e7cf6c6c14..1c38177ec7 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/app-loading/guest-registration.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/app-loading/guest-registration.spec.ts
@@ -16,13 +16,6 @@ test.use({
     synapseConfigOptions: {
         allow_guest_access: true,
     },
-    config: async ({ homeserver }, use) => {
-        await use({
-            default_server_config: {
-                "m.homeserver": { base_url: homeserver.baseUrl },
-            },
-        });
-    },
 });
 
 test("Shows the welcome page by default", async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/crypto/complete-security.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/crypto/complete-security.spec.ts
index 44eb70355c..9d85f85356 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/crypto/complete-security.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/crypto/complete-security.spec.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,15 @@ import { logIntoElement } from "./utils";
 test.describe("Complete security", () => {
     test.use({
         displayName: "Jeff",
+        config: {
+            // The only thing that we really *need* (otherwise Element refuses to load) is a default homeserver.
+            // We point that to a guaranteed-invalid domain.
+            default_server_config: {
+                "m.homeserver": {
+                    base_url: "https://server.invalid",
+                },
+            },
+        },
     });
 
     test("should go straight to the welcome screen if we have no signed device", async ({
@@ -19,7 +28,7 @@ test.describe("Complete security", () => {
         homeserver,
         credentials,
     }) => {
-        await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, credentials);
+        await logIntoElement(page, credentials);
         await expect(page.getByText("Welcome Jeff", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
     });
 
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/crypto/decryption-failure-messages.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/crypto/decryption-failure-messages.spec.ts
index b9199ef9fd..e1952bfec6 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/crypto/decryption-failure-messages.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/crypto/decryption-failure-messages.spec.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ test.describe("Cryptography", function () {
             await logOutOfElement(page, true);
 
             // Log in again, and see how the message looks.
-            await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, credentials);
+            await logIntoElement(page, credentials);
             await app.viewRoomByName("Test room");
             const lastTile = page.locator(".mx_EventTile").last();
             await expect(lastTile).toContainText("Historical messages are not available on this device");
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ test.describe("Cryptography", function () {
 
             // Finally, log out again, and back in, skipping verification for now, and see what we see.
             await logOutOfElement(page);
-            await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, credentials);
+            await logIntoElement(page, credentials);
             await page.locator(".mx_AuthPage").getByRole("button", { name: "Skip verification for now" }).click();
             await page.locator(".mx_AuthPage").getByRole("button", { name: "I'll verify later" }).click();
             await app.viewRoomByName("Test room");
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/crypto/dehydration.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/crypto/dehydration.spec.ts
index fe0aad51b9..7d05d71ae1 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/crypto/dehydration.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/crypto/dehydration.spec.ts
@@ -30,11 +30,9 @@ test.describe("Dehydration", () => {
                 msc3814_enabled: true,
             },
         },
-        config: async ({ homeserver, context }, use) => {
+        config: async ({ config, context }, use) => {
             const wellKnown = {
-                "m.homeserver": {
-                    base_url: homeserver.baseUrl,
-                },
+                ...config.default_server_config,
                 "org.matrix.msc3814": true,
             };
 
@@ -42,9 +40,7 @@ test.describe("Dehydration", () => {
                 await route.fulfill({ json: wellKnown });
             });
 
-            await use({
-                default_server_config: wellKnown,
-            });
+            await use(config);
         },
     });
 
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/crypto/device-verification.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/crypto/device-verification.spec.ts
index ddd564139f..a028bfb70c 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/crypto/device-verification.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/crypto/device-verification.spec.ts
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ test.describe("Device verification", { tag: "@no-webkit" }, () => {
     }
 
     test("Verify device with SAS during login", async ({ page, app, credentials, homeserver }) => {
-        await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, credentials);
+        await logIntoElement(page, credentials);
 
         // Launch the verification request between alice and the bot
         const verificationRequest = await initiateAliceVerificationRequest(page);
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ test.describe("Device verification", { tag: "@no-webkit" }, () => {
 
     test("Verify device with QR code during login", async ({ page, app, credentials, homeserver }) => {
         // A mode 0x02 verification: "self-verifying in which the current device does not yet trust the master key"
-        await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, credentials);
+        await logIntoElement(page, credentials);
 
         // Launch the verification request between alice and the bot
         const verificationRequest = await initiateAliceVerificationRequest(page);
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ test.describe("Device verification", { tag: "@no-webkit" }, () => {
     });
 
     test("Verify device with Security Phrase during login", async ({ page, app, credentials, homeserver }) => {
-        await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, credentials);
+        await logIntoElement(page, credentials);
 
         // Select the security phrase
         await page.locator(".mx_AuthPage").getByRole("button", { name: "Verify with Security Key or Phrase" }).click();
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ test.describe("Device verification", { tag: "@no-webkit" }, () => {
     });
 
     test("Verify device with Security Key during login", async ({ page, app, credentials, homeserver }) => {
-        await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, credentials);
+        await logIntoElement(page, credentials);
 
         // Select the security phrase
         await page.locator(".mx_AuthPage").getByRole("button", { name: "Verify with Security Key or Phrase" }).click();
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ test.describe("Device verification", { tag: "@no-webkit" }, () => {
     });
 
     test("Handle incoming verification request with SAS", async ({ page, credentials, homeserver, toasts }) => {
-        await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, credentials);
+        await logIntoElement(page, credentials);
 
         /* Dismiss "Verify this device" */
         const authPage = page.locator(".mx_AuthPage");
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/crypto/event-shields.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/crypto/event-shields.spec.ts
index f680f340c3..3811c2819e 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/crypto/event-shields.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/crypto/event-shields.spec.ts
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ test.describe("Cryptography", function () {
                 window.localStorage.clear();
             });
             await page.reload();
-            await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, aliceCredentials, securityKey);
+            await logIntoElement(page, aliceCredentials, securityKey);
 
             /* go back to the test room and find Bob's message again */
             await app.viewRoomById(testRoomId);
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/crypto/logout.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/crypto/logout.spec.ts
index 8e408dc634..2bafe0ece8 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/crypto/logout.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/crypto/logout.spec.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { createRoom, enableKeyBackup, logIntoElement, sendMessageInCurrentRoom }
 
 test.describe("Logout tests", () => {
     test.beforeEach(async ({ page, homeserver, credentials }) => {
-        await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, credentials);
+        await logIntoElement(page, credentials);
     });
 
     test("Ask to set up recovery on logout if not setup", async ({ page, app }) => {
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/crypto/utils.ts b/playwright/e2e/crypto/utils.ts
index f7f00ef387..48da798f1a 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/crypto/utils.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/crypto/utils.ts
@@ -138,22 +138,9 @@ export async function checkDeviceIsConnectedKeyBackup(
  *
  * If a `securityKey` is given, verifies the new device using the key.
  */
-export async function logIntoElement(
-    page: Page,
-    homeserver: HomeserverInstance,
-    credentials: Credentials,
-    securityKey?: string,
-) {
+export async function logIntoElement(page: Page, credentials: Credentials, securityKey?: string) {
     await page.goto("/#/login");
 
-    // select homeserver
-    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Edit" }).click();
-    await page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Other homeserver" }).fill(homeserver.baseUrl);
-    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Continue", exact: true }).click();
-
-    // wait for the dialog to go away
-    await expect(page.locator(".mx_ServerPickerDialog")).not.toBeVisible();
-
     await page.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Username" }).fill(credentials.userId);
     await page.getByPlaceholder("Password").fill(credentials.password);
     await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Sign in" }).click();
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/forgot-password/forgot-password.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/forgot-password/forgot-password.spec.ts
index cf7a5d738c..621cf3fd3c 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/forgot-password/forgot-password.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/forgot-password/forgot-password.spec.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,17 @@ const email = "user@nowhere.dummy";
 test.describe("Forgot Password", () => {
     test.skip(isDendrite, "not yet wired up");
     test.use(emailHomeserver);
+    test.use({
+        config: {
+            // The only thing that we really *need* (otherwise Element refuses to load) is a default homeserver.
+            // We point that to a guaranteed-invalid domain.
+            default_server_config: {
+                "m.homeserver": {
+                    base_url: "https://server.invalid",
+                },
+            },
+        },
+    });
 
     test("renders properly", { tag: "@screenshot" }, async ({ page, homeserver }) => {
         await page.goto("/");
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/login/login.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/login/login.spec.ts
index 2adf61f2c5..24b23fdbd8 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/login/login.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/login/login.spec.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,18 @@ async function login(page: Page, homeserver: HomeserverInstance) {
 }
 
 test.describe("Login", () => {
+    test.use({
+        config: {
+            // The only thing that we really *need* (otherwise Element refuses to load) is a default homeserver.
+            // We point that to a guaranteed-invalid domain.
+            default_server_config: {
+                "m.homeserver": {
+                    base_url: "https://server.invalid",
+                },
+            },
+        },
+    });
+
     test.describe("Password login", () => {
         test.use(consentHomeserver);
 
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/login/overwrite_login.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/login/overwrite_login.spec.ts
index 7fa1ccc7ec..4beed00d12 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/login/overwrite_login.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/login/overwrite_login.spec.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ test.describe("Overwrite login action", () => {
     // This seems terminally flakey: https://github.com/element-hq/element-web/issues/27363
     // I tried verious things to try & deflake it, to no avail: https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-react-sdk/pull/12506
     test.skip("Try replace existing login with new one", async ({ page, app, credentials, homeserver }) => {
-        await logIntoElement(page, homeserver, credentials);
+        await logIntoElement(page, credentials);
 
         const userMenu = await app.openUserMenu();
         await expect(userMenu.getByText(credentials.userId)).toBeVisible();
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/login/soft_logout.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/login/soft_logout.spec.ts
index 371740c41b..d90c6d402d 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/login/soft_logout.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/login/soft_logout.spec.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,15 @@ import { legacyOAuthHomeserver } from "../../plugins/homeserver/synapse/legacyOA
 test.describe("Soft logout", () => {
     test.use({
         displayName: "Alice",
+        config: {
+            // The only thing that we really *need* (otherwise Element refuses to load) is a default homeserver.
+            // We point that to a guaranteed-invalid domain.
+            default_server_config: {
+                "m.homeserver": {
+                    base_url: "https://server.invalid",
+                },
+            },
+        },
     });
 
     test.describe("with password user", () => {
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/register/email.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/register/email.spec.ts
index e5417bfb24..01c8f03487 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/register/email.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/register/email.spec.ts
@@ -16,10 +16,9 @@ test.describe("Email Registration", async () => {
     test.use({
         config: ({ homeserver }, use) =>
             use({
+                ...config,
                 default_server_config: {
-                    "m.homeserver": {
-                        base_url: homeserver.baseUrl,
-                    },
+                    ...config.default_server_config,
                     "m.identity_server": {
                         base_url: "https://server.invalid",
                     },
diff --git a/playwright/element-web-test.ts b/playwright/element-web-test.ts
index 6ccbf6ed6f..a56114b96e 100644
--- a/playwright/element-web-test.ts
+++ b/playwright/element-web-test.ts
@@ -25,18 +25,8 @@ import { test as base } from "./services.ts";
 // See https://playwright.dev/docs/service-workers-experimental#how-to-enable
 process.env["PW_EXPERIMENTAL_SERVICE_WORKER_NETWORK_EVENTS"] = "1";
 
+// This is deliberately quite a minimal config.json, so that we can test that the default settings actually work.
 const CONFIG_JSON: Partial<IConfigOptions> = {
-    // This is deliberately quite a minimal config.json, so that we can test that the default settings
-    // actually work.
-    //
-    // The only thing that we really *need* (otherwise Element refuses to load) is a default homeserver.
-    // We point that to a guaranteed-invalid domain.
-    default_server_config: {
-        "m.homeserver": {
-            base_url: "https://server.invalid",
-        },
-    },
-
     // The default language is set here for test consistency
     setting_defaults: {
         language: "en-GB",
@@ -120,10 +110,18 @@ export const test = base.extend<Fixtures>({
         );
         await use(context);
     },
-    config: CONFIG_JSON,
-    page: async ({ context, page, config, labsFlags }, use) => {
+    config: {}, // We merge this atop the default CONFIG_JSON in the page fixture to make extending it easier
+    page: async ({ homeserver, context, page, config, labsFlags }, use) => {
         await context.route(`http://localhost:8080/config.json*`, async (route) => {
-            const json = { ...CONFIG_JSON, ...config };
+            const json = {
+                ...CONFIG_JSON,
+                default_server_config: {
+                    "m.homeserver": {
+                        base_url: homeserver.baseUrl,
+                    },
+                },
+                ...config,
+            };
             json["features"] = {
                 ...json["features"],
                 // Enable the lab features