diff --git a/tests/e2e/admin-ui-smoke.spec.js b/tests/e2e/admin-ui-smoke.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ebf7902b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/admin-ui-smoke.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+/**
+ * WordPress dependencies
+ */
+import { test, expect } from '@wordpress/e2e-test-utils-playwright';
+
+/**
+ * Admin UI smoke test for the Stream plugin.
+ *
+ * Loads the main Stream admin screens and asserts that core
+ * jQuery-dependent widgets render and that no uncaught JS errors
+ * are emitted. Intended to catch regressions from upstream jQuery,
+ * jQuery UI, or select2 version bumps that the unit / integration
+ * suites do not exercise.
+ */
+
+const ADMIN = 'http://stream.wpenv.net/wp-admin';
+
+test.describe.configure( { mode: 'serial' } );
+
+let page;
+const consoleErrors = [];
+const pageErrors = [];
+
+test.beforeAll( async ( { browser } ) => {
+	page = await browser.newPage();
+
+	page.on( 'console', ( msg ) => {
+		if ( msg.type() === 'error' ) {
+			consoleErrors.push( msg.text() );
+		}
+	} );
+	page.on( 'pageerror', ( err ) => {
+		pageErrors.push( err.message );
+	} );
+
+	// The setup fixture deactivates Stream network-wide before the suite.
+	// Reactivate it so the Stream admin pages are reachable.
+	await page.goto( `${ ADMIN }/network/plugins.php` );
+	const activate = page.getByLabel( 'Network Activate Stream' );
+	if ( await activate.isVisible() ) {
+		// eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+		console.log( 'Activating Stream for admin UI smoke tests.' );
+		await activate.click();
+	}
+} );
+
+test.afterAll( async () => {
+	// Deactivate Stream again so other suites start from the same state
+	// as the shared setup fixture.
+	await page.goto( `${ ADMIN }/network/plugins.php` );
+	const deactivate = page.getByLabel( 'Network Deactivate Stream' );
+	if ( await deactivate.isVisible() ) {
+		// eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+		console.log( 'Deactivating Stream after admin UI smoke tests.' );
+		await deactivate.click();
+	}
+
+	// eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+	console.log( `Console errors captured: ${ consoleErrors.length }` );
+	consoleErrors.forEach( ( e, i ) => {
+		// eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+		console.log( `  ${ i + 1 }. ${ e }` );
+	} );
+
+	expect(
+		pageErrors,
+		`No uncaught JS errors expected on Stream admin UI, got: ${ pageErrors.join(
+			' | ',
+		) }`,
+	).toEqual( [] );
+} );
+
+test.describe( 'Admin UI smoke', () => {
+	test( 'exposes window.jQuery on the Stream records page', async () => {
+		await page.goto( `${ ADMIN }/admin.php?page=wp_stream` );
+		const version = await page.evaluate(
+			() => window.jQuery && window.jQuery.fn && window.jQuery.fn.jquery,
+		);
+		// eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+		console.log( `window.jQuery.fn.jquery = ${ version }` );
+		expect( version ).toBeTruthy();
+	} );
+
+	test( 'renders the records list table', async () => {
+		await page.goto( `${ ADMIN }/admin.php?page=wp_stream` );
+		await expect( page.locator( 'table.wp-list-table' ) ).toBeVisible();
+	} );
+
+	test( 'opens the jQuery UI date range picker', async () => {
+		await page.goto( `${ ADMIN }/admin.php?page=wp_stream` );
+
+		// The date inputs are revealed only when the "Custom" range is selected.
+		// The visible UI is a select2 widget on top of the real <select>, so set
+		// the value on the native element and dispatch the change event jQuery
+		// listens for.
+		await page.evaluate( () => {
+			const select = document.querySelector(
+				'select[name="date_predefined"]',
+			);
+			select.value = 'custom';
+			select.dispatchEvent( new Event( 'change', { bubbles: true } ) );
+		} );
+
+		const dateField = page.locator( 'input.date-picker.field-from' );
+		await expect( dateField ).toBeVisible();
+		await dateField.click();
+		await expect( page.locator( '#ui-datepicker-div' ) ).toBeVisible();
+	} );
+
+	test( 'opens a select2 dropdown', async () => {
+		await page.goto( `${ ADMIN }/admin.php?page=wp_stream` );
+		const select2 = page.locator( '.select2-selection' ).first();
+		await expect( select2 ).toBeVisible();
+		await select2.click();
+		await expect( page.locator( '.select2-dropdown' ) ).toBeVisible();
+		await page.keyboard.press( 'Escape' );
+	} );
+
+	test( 'loads the Settings tab', async () => {
+		await page.goto( `${ ADMIN }/admin.php?page=wp_stream_settings` );
+		await expect( page.locator( 'form' ).first() ).toBeVisible();
+	} );
+
+	test( 'loads the Alerts tab', async () => {
+		await page.goto( `${ ADMIN }/edit.php?post_type=wp_stream_alerts` );
+		const list = page.locator( '.wp-list-table' );
+		const empty = page.locator( '.no-items, .post-state' );
+		await expect( list.or( empty ).first() ).toBeVisible();
+	} );
+} );