diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/commands/upload.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/commands/upload.ts
index 60024abf7..0d9195e70 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/commands/upload.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/commands/upload.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import type { UserEventUploadOptions } from '@vitest/browser/context'
 import type { UserEventCommand } from './utils'
 import { dirname, resolve } from 'pathe'
 import { PlaywrightBrowserProvider } from '../providers/playwright'
@@ -7,10 +8,11 @@ export const upload: UserEventCommand<(element: string, files: Array<string | {
   name: string
   mimeType: string
   base64: string
-}>) => void> = async (
+}>, options: UserEventUploadOptions) => void> = async (
   context,
   selector,
   files,
+  options,
 ) => {
   const testPath = context.testPath
   if (!testPath) {
@@ -30,7 +32,7 @@ export const upload: UserEventCommand<(element: string, files: Array<string | {
         buffer: Buffer.from(file.base64, 'base64'),
       }
     })
-    await iframe.locator(selector).setInputFiles(playwrightFiles as string[])
+    await iframe.locator(selector).setInputFiles(playwrightFiles as string[], options)
   }
   else if (context.provider instanceof WebdriverBrowserProvider) {
     for (const file of files) {
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/index.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/index.ts
index 79d5eec64..3dc3c672a 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/index.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/index.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ export async function createBrowserServer(
   const vite = await createViteServer({
     ...project.options, // spread project config inlined in root workspace config
     base: '/',
+    root: project.config.root,
     logLevel,
     customLogger: {
       ...logger,
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/pool.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/pool.ts
index 9a6177cea..b7eecff86 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/pool.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/pool.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ export function createBrowserPool(vitest: Vitest): ProcessPool {
           return
         }
 
+        debug?.('provider is ready for %s project', project.name)
+
         const pool = ensurePool(project)
         vitest.state.clearFiles(project, files)
         providers.add(project.browser!.provider)
@@ -112,12 +114,14 @@ export function createBrowserPool(vitest: Vitest): ProcessPool {
     name: 'browser',
     async close() {
       await Promise.all([...providers].map(provider => provider.close()))
+      vitest._browserSessions.sessionIds.clear()
       providers.clear()
       vitest.projects.forEach((project) => {
         project.browser?.state.orchestrators.forEach((orchestrator) => {
           orchestrator.$close()
         })
       })
+      debug?.('browser pool closed all providers')
     },
     runTests: files => runWorkspaceTests('run', files),
     collectTests: files => runWorkspaceTests('collect', files),
@@ -161,6 +165,7 @@ class BrowserPool {
     this._promise ??= createDefer<void>()
 
     if (!files.length) {
+      debug?.('no tests found, finishing test run immediately')
       this._promise.resolve()
       return this._promise
     }
@@ -177,6 +182,7 @@ class BrowserPool {
     })
 
     if (this.orchestrators.size >= this.options.maxWorkers) {
+      debug?.('all orchestrators are ready, not creating more')
       return this._promise
     }
 
@@ -190,6 +196,9 @@ class BrowserPool {
     const promises: Promise<void>[] = []
     for (let i = 0; i < workerCount; i++) {
       const sessionId = crypto.randomUUID()
+      this.project.vitest._browserSessions.sessionIds.add(sessionId)
+      const project = this.project.name
+      debug?.('[%s] creating session for %s', sessionId, project)
       const page = this.openPage(sessionId).then(() => {
         // start running tests on the page when it's ready
         this.runNextTest(method, sessionId)
@@ -197,6 +206,7 @@ class BrowserPool {
       promises.push(page)
     }
     await Promise.all(promises)
+    debug?.('all sessions are created')
     return this._promise
   }
 
@@ -230,7 +240,14 @@ class BrowserPool {
     if (this.readySessions.size === this.orchestrators.size) {
       this._promise?.resolve()
       this._promise = undefined
-      debug?.('all tests finished running')
+      debug?.('[%s] all tests finished running', sessionId)
+    }
+    else {
+      debug?.(
+        `did not finish sessions for ${sessionId}: |ready - %s| |overall - %s|`,
+        [...this.readySessions].join(', '),
+        [...this.orchestrators.keys()].join(', '),
+      )
     }
   }
 
@@ -288,6 +305,7 @@ class BrowserPool {
             this.cancel()
             this._promise?.resolve()
             this._promise = undefined
+            debug?.('[%s] browser connection was closed', sessionId)
             return
           }
           debug?.('[%s] error during %s test run: %s', sessionId, file, error)
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/projectParent.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/projectParent.ts
index 7b4e3a085..ff6f2373a 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/projectParent.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/projectParent.ts
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ export class ParentBrowserProject {
         if (mod) {
           return id
         }
-        const resolvedPath = resolve(project.config.root, id.slice(1))
+        const resolvedPath = resolve(this.vite.config.root, id.slice(1))
         const modUrl = this.vite.moduleGraph.getModuleById(resolvedPath)
         if (modUrl) {
           return resolvedPath
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/providers/playwright.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/providers/playwright.ts
index 8b2943582..3045d959d 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/providers/playwright.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/providers/playwright.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ import type {
   TestProject,
 } from 'vitest/node'
 import { createManualModuleSource } from '@vitest/mocker/node'
+import { createDebugger } from 'vitest/node'
+
+const debug = createDebugger('vitest:browser:playwright')
 
 export const playwrightBrowsers = ['firefox', 'webkit', 'chromium'] as const
 export type PlaywrightBrowser = (typeof playwrightBrowsers)[number]
@@ -48,6 +51,8 @@ export class PlaywrightBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
 
   public mocker: BrowserModuleMocker | undefined
 
+  private closing = false
+
   getSupportedBrowsers(): readonly string[] {
     return playwrightBrowsers
   }
@@ -56,6 +61,7 @@ export class PlaywrightBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
     project: TestProject,
     { browser, options }: PlaywrightProviderOptions,
   ): void {
+    this.closing = false
     this.project = project
     this.browserName = browser
     this.options = options as any
@@ -63,11 +69,15 @@ export class PlaywrightBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
   }
 
   private async openBrowser() {
+    await this._throwIfClosing()
+
     if (this.browserPromise) {
+      debug?.('[%s] the browser is resolving, reusing the promise', this.browserName)
       return this.browserPromise
     }
 
     if (this.browser) {
+      debug?.('[%s] the browser is resolved, reusing it', this.browserName)
       return this.browser
     }
 
@@ -103,8 +113,8 @@ export class PlaywrightBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
         }
       }
 
-      const browser = await playwright[this.browserName].launch(launchOptions)
-      this.browser = browser
+      debug?.('[%s] initializing the browser with launch options: %O', this.browserName, launchOptions)
+      this.browser = await playwright[this.browserName].launch(launchOptions)
       this.browserPromise = null
       return this.browser
     })()
@@ -243,11 +253,15 @@ export class PlaywrightBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
   }
 
   private async createContext(sessionId: string) {
+    await this._throwIfClosing()
+
     if (this.contexts.has(sessionId)) {
+      debug?.('[%s][%s] the context already exists, reusing it', sessionId, this.browserName)
       return this.contexts.get(sessionId)!
     }
 
     const browser = await this.openBrowser()
+    await this._throwIfClosing(browser)
     const { actionTimeout, ...contextOptions } = this.options?.context ?? {}
     const options = {
       ...contextOptions,
@@ -257,9 +271,11 @@ export class PlaywrightBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
       options.viewport = null
     }
     const context = await browser.newContext(options)
+    await this._throwIfClosing(context)
     if (actionTimeout) {
       context.setDefaultTimeout(actionTimeout)
     }
+    debug?.('[%s][%s] the context is ready', sessionId, this.browserName)
     this.contexts.set(sessionId, context)
     return context
   }
@@ -306,7 +322,10 @@ export class PlaywrightBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
   }
 
   private async openBrowserPage(sessionId: string) {
+    await this._throwIfClosing()
+
     if (this.pages.has(sessionId)) {
+      debug?.('[%s][%s] the page already exists, closing the old one', sessionId, this.browserName)
       const page = this.pages.get(sessionId)!
       await page.close()
       this.pages.delete(sessionId)
@@ -314,6 +333,8 @@ export class PlaywrightBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
 
     const context = await this.createContext(sessionId)
     const page = await context.newPage()
+    debug?.('[%s][%s] the page is ready', sessionId, this.browserName)
+    await this._throwIfClosing(page)
     this.pages.set(sessionId, page)
 
     if (process.env.VITEST_PW_DEBUG) {
@@ -333,9 +354,24 @@ export class PlaywrightBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
   }
 
   async openPage(sessionId: string, url: string, beforeNavigate?: () => Promise<void>): Promise<void> {
+    debug?.('[%s][%s] creating the browser page for %s', sessionId, this.browserName, url)
     const browserPage = await this.openBrowserPage(sessionId)
     await beforeNavigate?.()
+    debug?.('[%s][%s] browser page is created, opening %s', sessionId, this.browserName, url)
     await browserPage.goto(url, { timeout: 0 })
+    await this._throwIfClosing(browserPage)
+  }
+
+  private async _throwIfClosing(disposable?: { close: () => Promise<void> }) {
+    if (this.closing) {
+      debug?.('[%s] provider was closed, cannot perform the action on %s', this.browserName, String(disposable))
+      await disposable?.close()
+      this.pages.clear()
+      this.contexts.clear()
+      this.browser = null
+      this.browserPromise = null
+      throw new Error(`[vitest] The provider was closed.`)
+    }
   }
 
   async getCDPSession(sessionid: string): Promise<CDPSession> {
@@ -359,13 +395,20 @@ export class PlaywrightBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
   }
 
   async close(): Promise<void> {
+    debug?.('[%s] closing provider', this.browserName)
+    this.closing = true
     const browser = this.browser
     this.browser = null
+    if (this.browserPromise) {
+      await this.browserPromise
+      this.browserPromise = null
+    }
     await Promise.all([...this.pages.values()].map(p => p.close()))
     this.pages.clear()
     await Promise.all([...this.contexts.values()].map(c => c.close()))
     this.contexts.clear()
     await browser?.close()
+    debug?.('[%s] provider is closed', this.browserName)
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/providers/webdriver.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/providers/webdriver.ts
index c13440577..6d8287dbd 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/providers/webdriver.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/providers/webdriver.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ import type {
   BrowserProviderInitializationOptions,
   TestProject,
 } from 'vitest/node'
+import { createDebugger } from 'vitest/node'
+
+const debug = createDebugger('vitest:browser:wdio')
 
 const webdriverBrowsers = ['firefox', 'chrome', 'edge', 'safari'] as const
 type WebdriverBrowser = (typeof webdriverBrowsers)[number]
@@ -24,6 +27,8 @@ export class WebdriverBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
 
   private options?: Capabilities.WebdriverIOConfig
 
+  private closing = false
+
   getSupportedBrowsers(): readonly string[] {
     return webdriverBrowsers
   }
@@ -32,6 +37,7 @@ export class WebdriverBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
     ctx: TestProject,
     { browser, options }: WebdriverProviderOptions,
   ): Promise<void> {
+    this.closing = false
     this.project = ctx
     this.browserName = browser
     this.options = options as Capabilities.WebdriverIOConfig
@@ -71,7 +77,10 @@ export class WebdriverBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
   }
 
   async openBrowser(): Promise<WebdriverIO.Browser> {
+    await this._throwIfClosing('opening the browser')
+
     if (this.browser) {
+      debug?.('[%s] the browser is already opened, reusing it', this.browserName)
       return this.browser
     }
 
@@ -87,12 +96,16 @@ export class WebdriverBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
 
     const { remote } = await import('webdriverio')
 
-    // TODO: close everything, if browser is closed from the outside
-    this.browser = await remote({
+    const remoteOptions: Capabilities.WebdriverIOConfig = {
       ...this.options,
       logLevel: 'error',
       capabilities: this.buildCapabilities(),
-    })
+    }
+
+    debug?.('[%s] opening the browser with options: %O', this.browserName, remoteOptions)
+    // TODO: close everything, if browser is closed from the outside
+    this.browser = await remote(remoteOptions)
+    await this._throwIfClosing()
 
     return this.browser
   }
@@ -134,12 +147,26 @@ export class WebdriverBrowserProvider implements BrowserProvider {
     return capabilities
   }
 
-  async openPage(_sessionId: string, url: string): Promise<void> {
+  async openPage(sessionId: string, url: string): Promise<void> {
+    await this._throwIfClosing('creating the browser')
+    debug?.('[%s][%s] creating the browser page for %s', sessionId, this.browserName, url)
     const browserInstance = await this.openBrowser()
+    debug?.('[%s][%s] browser page is created, opening %s', sessionId, this.browserName, url)
     await browserInstance.url(url)
+    await this._throwIfClosing('opening the url')
+  }
+
+  private async _throwIfClosing(action?: string) {
+    if (this.closing) {
+      debug?.(`[%s] provider was closed, cannot perform the action${action ? ` ${action}` : ''}`, this.browserName)
+      await (this.browser?.sessionId ? this.browser?.deleteSession?.() : null)
+      throw new Error(`[vitest] The provider was closed.`)
+    }
   }
 
   async close(): Promise<void> {
+    debug?.('[%s] closing provider', this.browserName)
+    this.closing = true
     await Promise.all([
       this.browser?.sessionId ? this.browser?.deleteSession?.() : null,
     ])
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/rpc.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/rpc.ts
index 01ae82d4e..ec856c7b9 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/rpc.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/rpc.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,13 @@ export function setupBrowserRpc(globalServer: ParentBrowserProject, defaultMocke
       )
     }
 
+    if (!vitest._browserSessions.sessionIds.has(sessionId)) {
+      const ids = [...vitest._browserSessions.sessionIds].join(', ')
+      return error(
+        new Error(`[vitest] Unknown session id "${sessionId}". Expected one of ${ids}.`),
+      )
+    }
+
     if (type === 'orchestrator') {
       const session = vitest._browserSessions.getSession(sessionId)
       // it's possible the session was already resolved by the preview provider
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/serverOrchestrator.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/serverOrchestrator.ts
index 3290f0c85..6dc899e59 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/serverOrchestrator.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/serverOrchestrator.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ export async function resolveOrchestrator(
     return
   }
 
+  // ignore uknown pages
+  if (sessionId && sessionId !== 'none' && !globalServer.vitest._browserSessions.sessionIds.has(sessionId)) {
+    return
+  }
+
   const injectorJs = typeof globalServer.injectorJs === 'string'
     ? globalServer.injectorJs
     : await globalServer.injectorJs
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/browser/sessions.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/browser/sessions.ts
index c197a56c9..7ac214e71 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/browser/sessions.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/browser/sessions.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import { createDefer } from '@vitest/utils'
 export class BrowserSessions {
   private sessions = new Map<string, BrowserServerStateSession>()
 
+  public sessionIds: Set<string> = new Set()
+
   getSession(sessionId: string): BrowserServerStateSession | undefined {
     return this.sessions.get(sessionId)
   }
diff --git a/test/browser/fixtures/browser-crash/vitest.config.ts b/test/browser/fixtures/browser-crash/vitest.config.ts
index f6fec5a38..099e62941 100644
--- a/test/browser/fixtures/browser-crash/vitest.config.ts
+++ b/test/browser/fixtures/browser-crash/vitest.config.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
       commands: { forceCrash },
       enabled: true,
       provider,
-      instances: instances.map(instance => ({
+      instances: instances.filter(i => i.browser !== 'webkit').map(instance => ({
         ...instance,
         context: {
           actionTimeout: 500,
diff --git a/test/browser/test/failing.snaphot.test.ts b/test/browser/fixtures/failing/failing.snaphot.test.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from test/browser/test/failing.snaphot.test.ts
rename to test/browser/fixtures/failing/failing.snaphot.test.ts
diff --git a/test/browser/test/failing.test.ts b/test/browser/fixtures/failing/failing.test.ts
similarity index 93%
rename from test/browser/test/failing.test.ts
rename to test/browser/fixtures/failing/failing.test.ts
index 2f88b0d1f..7dc7689a8 100644
--- a/test/browser/test/failing.test.ts
+++ b/test/browser/fixtures/failing/failing.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { page } from '@vitest/browser/context'
 import { index } from '@vitest/bundled-lib'
 import { expect, it } from 'vitest'
-import { throwError } from '../src/error'
+import { throwError } from './src/error'
 
 document.body.innerHTML = `
   <button>Click me!</button>
diff --git a/test/browser/src/error.ts b/test/browser/fixtures/failing/src/error.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from test/browser/src/error.ts
rename to test/browser/fixtures/failing/src/error.ts
diff --git a/test/browser/fixtures/failing/vitest.config.ts b/test/browser/fixtures/failing/vitest.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..93c18a527
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/browser/fixtures/failing/vitest.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+import { instances, provider } from '../../settings'
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  cacheDir: fileURLToPath(new URL("./node_modules/.vite", import.meta.url)),
+  test: {
+    browser: {
+      enabled: true,
+      provider,
+      instances,
+      isolate: false,
+    },
+  },
+})
diff --git a/test/browser/fixtures/mocking-out-of-root/project1/vitest.config.ts b/test/browser/fixtures/mocking-out-of-root/project1/vitest.config.ts
index 15b50b920..87ea3c9c9 100644
--- a/test/browser/fixtures/mocking-out-of-root/project1/vitest.config.ts
+++ b/test/browser/fixtures/mocking-out-of-root/project1/vitest.config.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ export default defineConfig({
       screenshotFailures: false,
       headless: true,
       instances,
-      headless: true,
     },
   },
 })
diff --git a/test/browser/test/dialog.test.ts b/test/browser/fixtures/print-logs/test/dialog.test.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from test/browser/test/dialog.test.ts
rename to test/browser/fixtures/print-logs/test/dialog.test.ts
diff --git a/test/browser/test/logs.test.ts b/test/browser/fixtures/print-logs/test/logs.test.ts
similarity index 86%
rename from test/browser/test/logs.test.ts
rename to test/browser/fixtures/print-logs/test/logs.test.ts
index 6bd985ade..036373aff 100644
--- a/test/browser/test/logs.test.ts
+++ b/test/browser/fixtures/print-logs/test/logs.test.ts
@@ -59,3 +59,12 @@ test('logging the stack', () => {
   console.error('error with a stack')
   console.trace('trace with a stack')
 })
+
+test('console.time', async () => {
+  vi.useFakeTimers({
+    toFake: ['Date', 'performance'],
+  })
+  console.time('[console-time-fake]')
+  await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 500))
+  console.timeEnd('[console-time-fake]')
+})
diff --git a/test/browser/fixtures/print-logs/vitest.config.ts b/test/browser/fixtures/print-logs/vitest.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..93c18a527
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/browser/fixtures/print-logs/vitest.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+import { instances, provider } from '../../settings'
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  cacheDir: fileURLToPath(new URL("./node_modules/.vite", import.meta.url)),
+  test: {
+    browser: {
+      enabled: true,
+      provider,
+      instances,
+      isolate: false,
+    },
+  },
+})
diff --git a/test/browser/specs/browser-crash.test.ts b/test/browser/specs/browser-crash.test.ts
index daaa1865b..a7410855a 100644
--- a/test/browser/specs/browser-crash.test.ts
+++ b/test/browser/specs/browser-crash.test.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
 import { expect, test } from 'vitest'
-import { instances, runBrowserTests } from './utils'
+import { runBrowserTests } from './utils'
 
 test('fails gracefully when browser crashes', async () => {
   const { stderr } = await runBrowserTests({
     root: './fixtures/browser-crash',
     reporters: [['verbose', { isTTY: false }]],
-    browser: {
-      // webkit has no support for simulating browser crash
-      instances: instances.filter(item => item.name !== 'webkit'),
-    },
   })
 
   expect(stderr).toContain('Browser connection was closed while running tests. Was the page closed unexpectedly?')
diff --git a/test/browser/specs/fix-4686.test.ts b/test/browser/specs/fix-4686.test.ts
index bbc1846d9..56eb30b35 100644
--- a/test/browser/specs/fix-4686.test.ts
+++ b/test/browser/specs/fix-4686.test.ts
@@ -12,8 +12,5 @@ test('tests run in presence of config.base', async () => {
   )
 
   expect(stderr).toBe('')
-
-  instances.forEach(({ browser }) => {
-    expect(stdout).toContain(`✓ |${browser}| test/basic.test.ts`)
-  })
+  expect(stdout).toReportPassedTest('test/basic.test.ts', instances)
 })
diff --git a/test/browser/specs/runner.test.ts b/test/browser/specs/runner.test.ts
index cfcb9e5d7..f2d091edc 100644
--- a/test/browser/specs/runner.test.ts
+++ b/test/browser/specs/runner.test.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ describe('running browser tests', async () => {
       stdout,
       ctx: vitest,
     } = await runBrowserTests({
+      allowOnly: true,
       reporters: [
         {
           onBrowserInit(project) {
@@ -53,9 +54,7 @@ describe('running browser tests', async () => {
   })
 
   test('tests are actually running', () => {
-    onTestFailed(() => {
-      console.error(stderr)
-    })
+    expect(stderr).toBe('')
 
     const testFiles = browserResultJson.testResults.map(t => t.name)
 
@@ -71,13 +70,9 @@ describe('running browser tests', async () => {
     // This should match the number of actual tests from browser.json
     // if you added new tests, these assertion will fail and you should
     // update the numbers
-    expect(browserResultJson.testResults).toHaveLength(20 * instances.length)
-    expect(passedTests).toHaveLength(18 * instances.length)
-    expect(failedTests).toHaveLength(2 * instances.length)
-
-    expect(stderr).not.toContain('optimized dependencies changed')
-    expect(stderr).not.toContain('has been externalized for browser compatibility')
-    expect(stderr).not.toContain('Unhandled Error')
+    expect(browserResultJson.testResults).toHaveLength(16 * instances.length)
+    expect(passedTests).toHaveLength(browserResultJson.testResults.length)
+    expect(failedTests).toHaveLength(0)
   })
 
   test('runs in-source tests', () => {
@@ -86,14 +81,18 @@ describe('running browser tests', async () => {
     expect(actionsTest).toBeDefined()
     expect(actionsTest.assertionResults).toHaveLength(1)
   })
+})
 
-  test('correctly prints error', () => {
-    expect(stderr).toContain('expected 1 to be 2')
-    expect(stderr).toMatch(/- 2\s+\+ 1/)
-    expect(stderr).toContain('Expected to be')
-    expect(stderr).toContain('But got')
-    expect(stderr).toContain('Failure screenshot')
-    expect(stderr).toContain('__screenshots__/failing')
+describe('console logging tests', async () => {
+  let stderr: string
+  let stdout: string
+  beforeAll(async () => {
+    ({
+      stderr,
+      stdout,
+    } = await runBrowserTests({
+      root: './fixtures/print-logs',
+    }))
   })
 
   test('logs are redirected to stdout', () => {
@@ -161,34 +160,43 @@ error with a stack
     }
   })
 
-  test(`stack trace points to correct file in every browser`, () => {
-    // depending on the browser it references either `.toBe()` or `expect()`
-    expect(stderr).toMatch(/test\/failing.test.ts:11:(12|17)/)
-
-    // column is 18 in safari, 8 in others
-    expect(stderr).toMatch(/throwError src\/error.ts:8:(18|8)/)
-
-    expect(stderr).toContain('The call was not awaited. This method is asynchronous and must be awaited; otherwise, the call will not start to avoid unhandled rejections.')
-    expect(stderr).toMatch(/test\/failing.test.ts:19:(27|36)/)
-    expect(stderr).toMatch(/test\/failing.test.ts:20:(27|33)/)
-    expect(stderr).toMatch(/test\/failing.test.ts:21:(27|39)/)
-
-    expect(stderr).toMatch(/bundled-lib\/src\/b.js:2:(8|18)/)
-    expect(stderr).toMatch(/bundled-lib\/src\/index.js:5:(15|17)/)
-
-    // index() is called from a bundled file
-    expect(stderr).toMatch(/test\/failing.test.ts:25:(2|8)/)
-  })
-
   test('popup apis should log a warning', () => {
     expect(stderr).toContain('Vitest encountered a `alert("test")`')
     expect(stderr).toContain('Vitest encountered a `confirm("test")`')
     expect(stderr).toContain('Vitest encountered a `prompt("test")`')
   })
+})
 
-  test('snapshot inaccessible file debuggability', () => {
-    expect(stderr).toContain('Access denied to "/inaccesible/path".')
+test(`stack trace points to correct file in every browser when failed`, async () => {
+  const { stderr } = await runBrowserTests({
+    root: './fixtures/failing',
   })
+
+  expect(stderr).toContain('expected 1 to be 2')
+  expect(stderr).toMatch(/- 2\s+\+ 1/)
+  // expect(stderr).toContain('Expected to be')
+  // expect(stderr).toContain('But got')
+  expect(stderr).toContain('Failure screenshot')
+  expect(stderr).toContain('__screenshots__/failing')
+
+  expect(stderr).toContain('Access denied to "/inaccesible/path".')
+
+  // depending on the browser it references either `.toBe()` or `expect()`
+  expect(stderr).toMatch(/failing.test.ts:11:(12|17)/)
+
+  // column is 18 in safari, 8 in others
+  expect(stderr).toMatch(/throwError src\/error.ts:8:(18|8)/)
+
+  expect(stderr).toContain('The call was not awaited. This method is asynchronous and must be awaited; otherwise, the call will not start to avoid unhandled rejections.')
+  expect(stderr).toMatch(/failing.test.ts:19:(27|36)/)
+  expect(stderr).toMatch(/failing.test.ts:20:(27|33)/)
+  expect(stderr).toMatch(/failing.test.ts:21:(27|39)/)
+
+  expect(stderr).toMatch(/bundled-lib\/src\/b.js:2:(9|19)/)
+  expect(stderr).toMatch(/bundled-lib\/src\/index.js:5:(16|18)/)
+
+  // index() is called from a bundled file
+  expect(stderr).toMatch(/failing.test.ts:25:(2|8)/)
 })
 
 test('user-event', async () => {
diff --git a/test/browser/specs/setup-file.test.ts b/test/browser/specs/setup-file.test.ts
index 4542555a8..0d17e7337 100644
--- a/test/browser/specs/setup-file.test.ts
+++ b/test/browser/specs/setup-file.test.ts
@@ -8,12 +8,6 @@ test('setup file imports the same modules', async () => {
     {
       root: './fixtures/setup-file',
     },
-    undefined,
-    {},
-    {
-      // TODO 2025-03-26 remove after debugging
-      std: 'inherit',
-    },
   )
 
   expect(stderr).toReportNoErrors()
diff --git a/test/browser/test/commands.test.ts b/test/browser/test/commands.test.ts
index 7ac2c57f4..246bf0ae1 100644
--- a/test/browser/test/commands.test.ts
+++ b/test/browser/test/commands.test.ts
@@ -60,5 +60,7 @@ declare module '@vitest/browser/context' {
     }>
 
     stripVTControlCharacters: (text: string) => Promise<string>
+    startTrace: () => Promise<void>
+    stopTrace: () => Promise<void>
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/browser/test/timers.test.ts b/test/browser/test/timers.test.ts
index eff593353..c2e30b7d9 100644
--- a/test/browser/test/timers.test.ts
+++ b/test/browser/test/timers.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-/* eslint-disable no-console */
 import { afterEach, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 afterEach(() => {
@@ -18,12 +17,3 @@ it('only runs a setTimeout callback once (ever)', () => {
   vi.runAllTimers()
   expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
 })
-
-it('console.time', async () => {
-  vi.useFakeTimers({
-    toFake: ['Date', 'performance'],
-  })
-  console.time('[console-time-fake]')
-  await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 500))
-  console.timeEnd('[console-time-fake]')
-})
diff --git a/test/browser/vitest.config.mts b/test/browser/vitest.config.mts
index ae2b2ec1a..6353140dd 100644
--- a/test/browser/vitest.config.mts
+++ b/test/browser/vitest.config.mts
@@ -93,6 +93,12 @@ export default defineConfig({
       commands: {
         myCustomCommand,
         stripVTControlCharacters,
+        async startTrace(ctx) {
+          await ctx.page.context().tracing.start({ screenshots: true, snapshots: true })
+        },
+        async stopTrace(ctx) {
+          await ctx.page.context().tracing.stop({ path: 'trace.zip' })
+        },
       },
     },
     alias: {
@@ -107,6 +113,11 @@ export default defineConfig({
     env: {
       BROWSER: browser,
     },
+    onConsoleLog(log) {
+      if (log.includes('MESSAGE ADDED')) {
+        return false
+      }
+    },
   },
   plugins: [
     {
diff --git a/test/browser/vitest.config.unit.mts b/test/browser/vitest.config.unit.mts
index e217ab15c..1affddbd9 100644
--- a/test/browser/vitest.config.unit.mts
+++ b/test/browser/vitest.config.unit.mts
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
+import type { TestSpecification } from 'vitest/node'
 import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config'
 
 export default defineConfig({
   test: {
     include: ['specs/**/*.{spec,test}.ts'],
+    pool: 'threads',
     poolOptions: {
-      forks: {
-        singleFork: true,
+      threads: {
+        singleThread: true,
       },
     },
     reporters: 'verbose',
@@ -13,5 +15,19 @@ export default defineConfig({
     // 3 is the maximum of browser instances - in a perfect world they will run in parallel
     hookTimeout: process.env.CI ? 120_000 * 3 : 20_000,
     testTimeout: process.env.CI ? 120_000 * 3 : 20_000,
+    sequence: {
+      sequencer: class Sequencer {
+        sort(specifications: TestSpecification[]) {
+          return specifications.sort((spec1, spec2) => {
+            // just sort by name, ignore the cache optimization
+            return spec1.moduleId.localeCompare(spec2.moduleId)
+          })
+        }
+
+        shard(): TestSpecification[] {
+          throw new Error('not supported')
+        }
+      },
+    },
   },
 })