diff --git a/test/e2e/support/scenarios/combobox.mjs b/test/e2e/support/scenarios/combobox.mjs
index 0c91ff0..ee40a23 100644
--- a/test/e2e/support/scenarios/combobox.mjs
+++ b/test/e2e/support/scenarios/combobox.mjs
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 //     carries role="status" but is a direct child of role="listbox". ARIA does
 //     not permit role="status" as a listbox child; axe flags this as
 //     aria-required-children (critical). This is tracked in FOLLOWUPS.md.
-//     The fixme flag on that case is set in scenarios.spec.mjs.
+//     That case carries `fixme: true` below; scenarios.spec.mjs reads the flag
+//     and runs it via test.fixme so the defect is tracked, not silenced.
 
 const preview = (page) => page.locator("[data-shadix-preview]").first();
 const trigger = (page) => preview(page).locator("[data-slot='combobox-trigger']").first();
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@ const content = (page) => preview(page).locator("[data-slot='combobox-content']"
 const search = (page) => content(page).locator("[data-slot='combobox-input']");
 // Visible options: the hook adds class="hidden" to non-matching items.
 const visibleOption = (page) => content(page).locator("[role='option']:visible").first();
+// Active option: the hook marks the keyboard-active item with [data-active].
+const activeOption = (page) => content(page).locator("[role='option'][data-active]").first();
 const empty = (page) => content(page).locator("[data-slot='combobox-empty']");
 
 export default [
@@ -50,11 +53,14 @@ export default [
     run: async (page) => {
       await trigger(page).click();
       await content(page).waitFor({ state: "visible" });
-      // ArrowDown from the search input activates the first visible option.
-      // The hook focuses the search input on open, so ArrowDown works immediately.
+      // ArrowDown from the search input activates the first visible option
+      // (the hook marks it [data-active] + points aria-activedescendant at it).
+      // keyboard nav is synchronous here; for a component with async focus, wait
+      // for the active option's [aria-selected]/[data-active] before returning.
       await search(page).press("ArrowDown");
-      await visibleOption(page).waitFor({ state: "visible" });
-      return content(page);
+      await activeOption(page).waitFor({ state: "visible" });
+      // Return the active option itself — it is the element that signals the state.
+      return activeOption(page);
     },
   },
   {