diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index 91b4252..a1c1e0b 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ jobs:
       - run: npm run build
 
       - name: Install Playwright browser
-        run: npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
+        run: bash scripts/install-playwright-chromium.sh
 
       - name: E2E mock suite
         run: npm run test:e2e
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/e2e-ift.yml b/.gitea/workflows/e2e-ift.yml
index 8f694b2..118d400 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/e2e-ift.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/e2e-ift.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
       - run: npm ci
 
       - name: Install Playwright browser
-        run: npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
+        run: bash scripts/install-playwright-chromium.sh
 
       - name: Load smoke credentials from IFT .env
         env:
diff --git a/scripts/install-playwright-chromium.sh b/scripts/install-playwright-chromium.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e89d121
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/install-playwright-chromium.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Install Playwright Chromium for CI on self-hosted act_runner/WSL.
+# --with-deps runs apt and can fail when openssh-server dpkg is half-configured
+# (systemctl unavailable in WSL job container).
+set -euo pipefail
+
+if npx playwright install --with-deps chromium; then
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+echo "::warning::playwright --with-deps failed; installing browser binary only (system libs expected on runner)"
+npx playwright install chromium