diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml
index ac5b53f141..d7588faed9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yaml
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ jobs:
           path: dist
       # Not injecting the token will exclude the brand packages, but this is fine for e2e tests.
       - run: npm ci --prefer-offline --no-audit --include=optional
-      - run: npx playwright test --shard=${{ matrix.shardIndex }}/${{ matrix.shardTotal }}
+      - run: npx playwright test --reporter=blob --trace=on --shard=${{ matrix.shardIndex }}/${{ matrix.shardTotal }}
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7
         if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
         with:
@@ -184,12 +184,14 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e # v6
         with:
           node-version: lts/krypton
+          cache: 'npm'
+      - run: npm ci --prefer-offline --no-audit --include=optional
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@3e5f45b2cfb9172054b4087a40e8e0b5a5461e7c # v8
         with:
           path: all-blob-reports
           pattern: blob-report-*
           merge-multiple: true
-      - run: npx playwright merge-reports --reporter html ./all-blob-reports
+      - run: npx playwright merge-reports --reporter html,blob ./all-blob-reports
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7
         with:
           name: html-report--attempt-${{ github.run_attempt }}
diff --git a/playwright-merge.config.ts b/playwright-merge.config.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index a68545654d..0000000000
--- a/playwright-merge.config.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Copyright (c) Siemens 2016 - 2026
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
- */
-import { PlaywrightTestConfig } from '@playwright/test';
-
-/**
- * See https://playwright.dev/docs/test-configuration.
- */
-const config: PlaywrightTestConfig = {
-  testDir: './playwright/e2e/element',
-  snapshotDir: './playwright/snapshots',
-  outputDir: './playwright/results/tests',
-  reporter: [
-    ['github'],
-    [
-      'html',
-      {
-        open: 'on-failure',
-        outputFolder: './playwright/results/preview'
-      }
-    ],
-    [
-      'junit',
-      {
-        outputFile: `./playwright/results/reports/report-e2e.xml`,
-        includeProjectInTestName: true
-      }
-    ],
-    [
-      './playwright/reporters/playwright-axe-reporter.ts',
-      {
-        outputFile: './playwright/results/a11y/accessibility-report.json',
-        htmlOutputDir: './playwright/results/a11y/tests'
-      }
-    ]
-  ]
-};
-
-export default config;
diff --git a/playwright.config.ts b/playwright.config.ts
index b4272a2f26..fb88f0cbe2 100644
--- a/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/playwright.config.ts
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ const config: PlaywrightTestConfig = {
     /* Base URL to use in actions like `await page.goto('/')`. */
     baseURL: `http://${localAddress}:${port}`,
 
-    /* Collect trace when retrying the failed test. See https://playwright.dev/docs/trace-viewer */
-    trace: isCI ? 'on-first-retry' : 'retain-on-failure',
+    /* Retain a full trace from the failing attempt. See https://playwright.dev/docs/trace-viewer */
+    trace: 'retain-on-failure',
 
     viewport: baseViewport,
 
diff --git a/playwright/e2e/element-examples/si-filtered-search.spec.ts b/playwright/e2e/element-examples/si-filtered-search.spec.ts
index 9f304cbb9f..558cce57bd 100644
--- a/playwright/e2e/element-examples/si-filtered-search.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/e2e/element-examples/si-filtered-search.spec.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ test.describe('filtered search', () => {
     await expect(page.getByRole('option', { name: 'Karlsruhe' })).toHaveClass(/active/);
     await page.keyboard.type('annover');
     await expect(page.getByRole('option').first()).not.toBeVisible(); // Ensures that the view was updated by Angular after typing.
+    // Guard against dropped keystrokes under CPU load: confirm full value before committing.
+    await expect(
+      page.locator('.pill-group', { hasText: 'Location' }).getByRole('combobox')
+    ).toHaveValue('Hannover');
     await page.keyboard.press('Enter');
     await expect(freeTextSearch).toBeFocused();
     await freeTextSearch.fill('Building:House');
diff --git a/projects/element-ng/filtered-search/si-filtered-search-value.component.ts b/projects/element-ng/filtered-search/si-filtered-search-value.component.ts
index 65b3b339bc..281471b489 100644
--- a/projects/element-ng/filtered-search/si-filtered-search-value.component.ts
+++ b/projects/element-ng/filtered-search/si-filtered-search-value.component.ts
@@ -4,10 +4,13 @@
  */
 import { CdkMonitorFocus, FocusOrigin } from '@angular/cdk/a11y';
 import {
+  afterNextRender,
   ChangeDetectionStrategy,
   Component,
   computed,
   ElementRef,
+  inject,
+  Injector,
   input,
   model,
   OnInit,
@@ -48,6 +51,8 @@ import { SiFilteredSearchTypeaheadComponent } from './values/typeahead/si-filter
   changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush
 })
 export class SiFilteredSearchValueComponent implements OnInit {
+  private readonly injector = inject(Injector);
+
   readonly value = model.required<CriterionValue>();
   readonly definition = input.required<InternalCriterionDefinition>();
   readonly disabled = input.required<boolean>();
@@ -123,16 +128,19 @@ export class SiFilteredSearchValueComponent implements OnInit {
     this.active.set(true);
     this.hasPendingFocus = true;
 
-    setTimeout(() => {
-      if (field === 'value') {
-        this.valueInput()?.focus();
-      } else if (field === 'operator') {
-        this.operatorInput()?.nativeElement.focus();
-      } else {
-        (this.operatorInput()?.nativeElement ?? this.valueInput())?.focus();
-      }
-      this.hasPendingFocus = false;
-    });
+    afterNextRender(
+      () => {
+        if (field === 'value') {
+          this.valueInput()?.focus();
+        } else if (field === 'operator') {
+          this.operatorInput()?.nativeElement.focus();
+        } else {
+          (this.operatorInput()?.nativeElement ?? this.valueInput())?.focus();
+        }
+        this.hasPendingFocus = false;
+      },
+      { injector: this.injector }
+    );
   }
 
   protected backspaceOverflow(): void {