diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/e2e.yml b/.gitea/workflows/e2e.yml
index 1cfa3fe..199f7a0 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/e2e.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/e2e.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,12 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Build the e2e stack
-        run: docker compose -f e2e/compose.e2e.yml build
+        # --profile test pulls in the playwright service which is
+        # otherwise gated. --pull refreshes base images so a bump
+        # to the Dockerfile's FROM tag (e.g. mcr.microsoft.com/
+        # playwright:vX.Y.Z-jammy) isn't masked by a stale runner
+        # cache that still has the old tag's layers.
+        run: docker compose --profile test -f e2e/compose.e2e.yml build --pull
 
       - name: Bring up the stack
         run: docker compose -f e2e/compose.e2e.yml up -d server rest-server source-fixture