diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yaml b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
index 8c046cd7d..cbfe2030a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -332,6 +332,10 @@ jobs:
           echo "$HOME/.maestro/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
           brew tap facebook/fb
           brew install facebook/fb/idb-companion
+          # applesimutils lets us pre-grant notification permission so the
+          # first-launch permission dialog never appears
+          brew tap wix/brew
+          brew install applesimutils
 
       - name: build for simulator
         run: |
@@ -364,6 +368,10 @@ jobs:
           xcrun simctl boot "$UDID"
           xcrun simctl bootstatus "$UDID" -b
           xcrun simctl install "$UDID" js/app/ios/build/Build/Products/Release-iphonesimulator/Streamplace.app
+          # Pre-grant notifications so the first-launch "would like to send
+          # you notifications" dialog (which dims the whole screen and blocks
+          # every subsequent tap) never appears.
+          applesimutils --byId "$UDID" --bundle tv.aquareum --setPermissions notifications=YES
 
       - name: download streamplace binary
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
diff --git a/.maestro/00-server-setup.yaml b/.maestro/00-server-setup.yaml
index a74dd8d0b..6344ca67d 100644
--- a/.maestro/00-server-setup.yaml
+++ b/.maestro/00-server-setup.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 ---
-- launchApp:
-    clearState: true
+# No clearState: the app is freshly installed on a fresh device in CI, so
+# there's nothing to clear, and clearState reinstalls the app — which
+# resets the notification permission we pre-granted, re-showing the
+# first-launch permission dialog that dims the screen and blocks taps.
+- launchApp
 - takeScreenshot: 00-01-launched
 # first launch on a cold CI emulator can take a while to render
 - extendedWaitUntil:
diff --git a/.maestro/03-go-live.yaml b/.maestro/03-go-live.yaml
index 2ddbb66f5..43ea6b7f0 100644
--- a/.maestro/03-go-live.yaml
+++ b/.maestro/03-go-live.yaml
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ appId: ${APP_ID}
 - tapOn:
     text: "Start streaming"
 - takeScreenshot: 03-02-after-start-streaming
-# match the modal's plain-text title ("Log in"); the "Log In" button text
-# is inside a Pressable that collapses on iOS and isn't findable
+# iOS collapses the whole login modal into one accessibility element whose
+# text is a concatenation ("Sign Up, Log In, Log in, ..."), so match the
+# login label as a substring rather than the whole element.
 - assertVisible:
-    text: "Log [Ii]n"
+    text: ".*Log [Ii]n.*"
 - takeScreenshot: 03-03-log-in