diff --git a/qa/_oracle_e2e.mjs b/qa/_oracle_e2e.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b7e61ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qa/_oracle_e2e.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+// Full end-to-end live verification of the user's specific bugs.
+import { chromium } from "playwright";
+import { writeFileSync, mkdirSync } from "node:fs";
+
+const URL = "https://canvas.flow-master.ai/";
+const OUT = "/tmp/canvas-evidence/oracle-e2e";
+mkdirSync(OUT, { recursive: true });
+
+const results = [];
+function pass(name, detail = "") { results.push({ name, ok: true, detail }); console.log(`✅ PASS  ${name}${detail ? "  — " + detail : ""}`); }
+function fail(name, detail = "") { results.push({ name, ok: false, detail }); console.log(`❌ FAIL  ${name}${detail ? "  — " + detail : ""}`); }
+
+const calls = [];
+const consoleErrs = [];
+
+const b = await chromium.launch({ headless: true });
+const ctx = await b.newContext({ viewport: { width: 1440, height: 900 } });
+const p = await ctx.newPage();
+p.on("response", (r) => {
+  const u = r.url();
+  if (u.includes("/api/")) calls.push({ status: r.status(), method: r.request().method(), url: u.replace("https://canvas.flow-master.ai", "") });
+});
+p.on("console", (m) => { if (m.type() === "error") consoleErrs.push(m.text().slice(0, 200)); });
+await ctx.addInitScript(() => localStorage.setItem("fm.canvas.tour.seen", String(Date.now())));
+
+// 1. Login → mission
+await p.goto(URL, { waitUntil: "domcontentloaded" });
+await p.waitForTimeout(2500);
+await p.locator(".persona-chip").filter({ hasText: /Mariana/ }).click();
+await p.waitForSelector(".topbar", { timeout: 30000 });
+await p.waitForTimeout(2000);
+const shell = await p.evaluate(() => document.querySelector("[class*='shell-']")?.className);
+if (shell?.includes("mission")) pass("login_lands_on_mission", shell);
+else fail("login_lands_on_mission", shell);
+await p.screenshot({ path: `${OUT}/01-mission.png` });
+
+// 2. Topbar count
+const tabCount = await p.locator(".tab").count();
+const tabs = await p.locator(".tab").allTextContents();
+if (tabCount === 6) pass("topbar_has_6_tabs", tabs.map(t => t.trim()).join(", "));
+else fail("topbar_has_6_tabs", `count=${tabCount}, tabs=${tabs.join(",")}`);
+
+// 3. User menu opens with 5 items
+await p.locator(".user-avatar").click();
+await p.waitForTimeout(700);
+const menuItems = await p.locator(".user-menu-item").allTextContents();
+if (menuItems.length >= 4) pass("user_menu_has_items", menuItems.map(m => m.trim().slice(0, 30)).join(" | "));
+else fail("user_menu_has_items", JSON.stringify(menuItems));
+await p.screenshot({ path: `${OUT}/02-user-menu.png` });
+await p.keyboard.press("Escape");
+await p.waitForTimeout(500);
+
+// 4. Open Studio → fill → start drafting → confirm structure
+await p.locator(".tab").filter({ hasText: /Studio/i }).first().click();
+await p.waitForTimeout(2500);
+// Clear any stale draft from localStorage
+await p.evaluate(() => localStorage.removeItem("fm.mc.wizard.draft"));
+await p.reload({ waitUntil: "domcontentloaded" });
+await p.waitForTimeout(2500);
+await p.locator(".tab").filter({ hasText: /Studio/i }).first().click();
+await p.waitForSelector("textarea", { timeout: 10000 }).catch(() => {});
+await p.waitForTimeout(1500);
+const ta = p.locator("textarea").first();
+if (await ta.count()) {
+  await ta.fill("Oracle e2e: when a manager requests a laptop, run procurement approval.");
+  const draftBtn = p.locator("button.btn-primary").filter({ hasText: /draft/i }).first();
+  if (await draftBtn.count()) {
+    await draftBtn.click();
+    await p.waitForTimeout(8000);
+
+    const studioCallsBefore = calls.length;
+    const confirmBtn = p.locator("button.btn-primary").filter({ hasText: /Confirm structure/i }).first();
+    if (await confirmBtn.count()) {
+      await confirmBtn.click();
+      await p.waitForTimeout(12000);
+      const studioFails = calls.slice(studioCallsBefore).filter(c => c.url.includes("apply-batch") && c.status >= 400);
+      const studioOks = calls.slice(studioCallsBefore).filter(c => c.url.includes("apply-batch") && c.status >= 200 && c.status < 300);
+      if (studioFails.length === 0 && studioOks.length > 0) pass("studio_confirm_structure_no_502", `${studioOks.length} OK applies`);
+      else fail("studio_confirm_structure_no_502", `${studioFails.length} fails, ${studioOks.length} OK`);
+      await p.screenshot({ path: `${OUT}/03-studio-after-confirm.png` });
+    } else fail("studio_confirm_structure_button_visible");
+  } else fail("studio_start_drafting_button");
+} else fail("studio_intake_visible");
+
+// 5. Assistant list processes
+await p.locator(".tab").filter({ hasText: /Assistant/i }).first().click();
+await p.waitForTimeout(2500);
+const agentInput = p.locator(".agent-input, input[placeholder*='Ask']").first();
+await agentInput.fill("list processes");
+await agentInput.press("Enter");
+await p.waitForTimeout(6000);
+const replies = await p.locator(".agent-msg-text, .agent-msg-body").allTextContents();
+const lastReply = replies.slice(-1)[0] || "";
+const mentionsProcess = /purchase|laptop|procurement|requisition|process/i.test(lastReply);
+if (mentionsProcess) pass("assistant_lists_processes", lastReply.slice(0, 100));
+else fail("assistant_lists_processes", lastReply.slice(0, 150));
+await p.screenshot({ path: `${OUT}/04-assistant.png` });
+
+// 6. Chat opens
+await p.locator(".tab").filter({ hasText: /Chat/i }).first().click();
+await p.waitForTimeout(4000);
+const chatErr = await p.locator(".chat-err").count();
+const chatEmpty = await p.locator(".chat-empty").count();
+const chatShell = await p.locator(".chat-shell, .chat-scene, .scene").first().innerText().catch(() => "");
+if (chatErr > 0) fail("chat_opens_without_error", "chat-err visible");
+else if (chatShell.includes("Conversations") || chatShell.includes("Talk to your team") || chatShell.includes("No conversations")) pass("chat_opens_without_error", "chat surface visible");
+else fail("chat_opens_without_error", chatShell.slice(0, 200));
+await p.screenshot({ path: `${OUT}/05-chat.png` });
+
+// 7. No snapshot mode anywhere
+const hasSnapshot = await p.evaluate(() => document.body.innerText.toLowerCase().includes("snapshot"));
+if (!hasSnapshot) pass("no_snapshot_text_anywhere");
+else fail("no_snapshot_text_anywhere", "found 'snapshot' in body");
+
+// 8. LLM gateway: ask the assistant something non-tool
+await p.locator(".tab").filter({ hasText: /Assistant/i }).first().click();
+await p.waitForTimeout(1500);
+const llmInput = p.locator(".agent-input, input[placeholder*='Ask']").first();
+await llmInput.fill("What is the difference between a flow and a view in EA2?");
+await llmInput.press("Enter");
+await p.waitForTimeout(8000);
+const llmReplies = await p.locator(".agent-msg-text, .agent-msg-body").allTextContents();
+const llmLast = llmReplies.slice(-1)[0] || "";
+const llmCallsList = calls.filter(c => c.url.includes("/api/v1/llm/generate"));
+if (llmCallsList.length > 0) {
+  const status = llmCallsList.slice(-1)[0].status;
+  if (status === 200) pass("llm_gateway_responds", `200 with ${llmLast.length} char reply`);
+  else if (status === 503 || status === 500) {
+    if (llmLast.toLowerCase().includes("unavailable") || llmLast.toLowerCase().includes("not configured")) pass("llm_gateway_shows_clear_error", llmLast.slice(0, 100));
+    else fail("llm_gateway_shows_clear_error", `status=${status} reply=${llmLast.slice(0, 100)}`);
+  } else fail("llm_gateway_responds", `unexpected status ${status}`);
+} else fail("llm_gateway_responds", "no calls to /api/v1/llm/generate");
+await p.screenshot({ path: `${OUT}/06-llm-reply.png` });
+
+// 9. Network health summary
+const byStatus = {};
+for (const c of calls) byStatus[c.status] = (byStatus[c.status] || 0) + 1;
+const fivexx = calls.filter(c => c.status >= 500).length;
+const fast502 = calls.filter(c => c.status === 502).length;
+if (fast502 === 0) pass("no_502_anywhere", `5xx total=${fivexx}`);
+else fail("no_502_anywhere", `${fast502} 502s seen`);
+
+await b.close();
+
+// Write
+writeFileSync(`${OUT}/results.json`, JSON.stringify(results, null, 2));
+writeFileSync(`${OUT}/network.json`, JSON.stringify(calls, null, 2));
+writeFileSync(`${OUT}/console-errors.json`, JSON.stringify(consoleErrs, null, 2));
+
+const passed = results.filter(r => r.ok).length;
+console.log(`\n=== ${passed}/${results.length} checks passed ===`);
+console.log(`api calls: ${calls.length}  by status: ${JSON.stringify(byStatus)}`);
+process.exit(passed === results.length ? 0 : 1);
diff --git a/qa/_studio_state.mjs b/qa/_studio_state.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6bfab47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qa/_studio_state.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// Just Studio
+import { chromium } from "playwright";
+
+const b = await chromium.launch({ headless: true });
+const ctx = await b.newContext({ viewport: { width: 1440, height: 900 } });
+const p = await ctx.newPage();
+const calls = [];
+p.on("response", (r) => { if (r.url().includes("/api/")) calls.push({ status: r.status(), method: r.request().method(), url: r.url().replace("https://canvas.flow-master.ai", "") }); });
+await ctx.addInitScript(() => localStorage.setItem("fm.canvas.tour.seen", String(Date.now())));
+
+await p.goto("https://canvas.flow-master.ai/", { waitUntil: "domcontentloaded" });
+await p.waitForTimeout(2500);
+await p.locator(".persona-chip").filter({ hasText: /Mariana/ }).click();
+await p.waitForSelector(".topbar", { timeout: 30000 });
+await p.waitForTimeout(2000);
+
+console.log("on mission");
+await p.locator(".tab").filter({ hasText: /Studio/i }).first().click();
+await p.waitForTimeout(3000);
+const sceneText1 = await p.evaluate(() => document.querySelector(".scene")?.innerText?.slice(0, 600) || "?");
+console.log("Studio scene:", sceneText1);
+
+const buttons = await p.locator("button").allTextContents();
+console.log("buttons:", buttons.map(b => b.trim()).filter(Boolean).slice(0, 20));
+
+await p.screenshot({ path: "/tmp/canvas-evidence/studio-state.png" });
+await b.close();
diff --git a/src/lib/wizardApi.ts b/src/lib/wizardApi.ts
index 38ad8a9..7131a35 100644
--- a/src/lib/wizardApi.ts
+++ b/src/lib/wizardApi.ts
@@ -67,17 +67,31 @@ function authHeaders(): Record<string, string> {
 
 export const wizardApi = {
   async createDraft(payload: CreateDraftPayload, signal?: AbortSignal) {
-    const res = await fetch(`${api.config.baseUrl}/api/ea2/flow`, {
-      method: "POST",
-      headers: authHeaders(),
-      body: JSON.stringify({ kind: "definition", status: "draft", ...payload }),
-      signal,
-    });
-    if (!res.ok) {
-      const detail = await res.text().catch(() => "");
-      throw new Error(`createDraft ${res.status}: ${detail.slice(0, 200)}`);
+    const body = JSON.stringify({ kind: "definition", status: "draft", ...payload });
+    const transient = new Set([500, 502, 503, 504]);
+    let lastDetail = "";
+    let lastStatus = 0;
+    for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 2; attempt++) {
+      try {
+        const res = await fetch(`${api.config.baseUrl}/api/ea2/flow`, {
+          method: "POST",
+          headers: authHeaders(),
+          body,
+          signal,
+        });
+        if (res.ok) return await res.json() as { _key: string; name: string };
+        lastStatus = res.status;
+        lastDetail = await res.text().catch(() => "");
+        if (!transient.has(res.status)) break;
+      } catch (e) {
+        lastDetail = (e as Error).message;
+      }
+      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 600 * (attempt + 1)));
     }
-    return res.json() as Promise<{ _key: string; name: string }>;
+    if (transient.has(lastStatus)) {
+      throw new Error(`The EA2 backend is temporarily unable to create new processes (status ${lastStatus}). Try again in a moment, or report this if it keeps happening.`);
+    }
+    throw new Error(`createDraft ${lastStatus}: ${lastDetail.slice(0, 200)}`);
   },
 
   async updateDraftConfig(key: string, patch: Record<string, any>, signal?: AbortSignal) {