diff --git a/.actrc b/.actrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..73d744a7ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.actrc
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+-P depot-ubuntu-latest=catthehacker/ubuntu:act-latest
+-P depot-ubuntu-latest-4=catthehacker/ubuntu:act-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml
index fd3b3f9938..8710aaf3be 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ jobs:
           overwrite: true
 
   functional:
-    name: Functional (shard ${{ matrix.shard }}/3)
+    name: Functional (shard ${{ matrix.shard }}/${{ vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3' }})
     runs-on: depot-ubuntu-latest-4
     needs: build-web
     strategy:
@@ -83,10 +83,16 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: desktop-client-build
           path: packages/desktop-client/build/
+      - name: Set E2E port
+        if: ${{ matrix.shard <= fromJson(vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3') }}
+        run: echo "E2E_PORT=$((3000 + ${{ matrix.shard }}))" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
       - name: Run E2E Tests
-        run: yarn e2e --shard=${{ matrix.shard }}/3
+        if: ${{ matrix.shard <= fromJson(vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3') }}
+        env:
+          SHARD_TOTAL: ${{ vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3' }}
+        run: yarn e2e --shard=${{ matrix.shard }}/$SHARD_TOTAL
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
-        if: failure()
+        if: ${{ failure() && matrix.shard <= fromJson(vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3') }}
         with:
           name: desktop-client-test-results-shard-${{ matrix.shard }}
           path: packages/desktop-client/test-results/
@@ -94,7 +100,7 @@ jobs:
           overwrite: true
       - name: Upload E2E JUnit report
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+        if: ${{ !cancelled() && matrix.shard <= fromJson(vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3') }}
         with:
           name: e2e-junit-${{ matrix.shard }}
           path: packages/desktop-client/test-results/junit.xml
@@ -162,7 +168,7 @@ jobs:
           path: packages/desktop-electron/e2e/test-results/junit.xml
 
   vrt:
-    name: Visual regression (shard ${{ matrix.shard }}/3)
+    name: Visual regression (shard ${{ matrix.shard }}/${{ vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3' }})
     runs-on: depot-ubuntu-latest
     needs: build-web
     strategy:
@@ -188,10 +194,16 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: desktop-client-build
           path: packages/desktop-client/build/
+      - name: Set E2E port
+        if: ${{ matrix.shard <= fromJson(vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3') }}
+        run: echo "E2E_PORT=$((3000 + ${{ matrix.shard }}))" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
       - name: Run VRT Tests
-        run: yarn vrt --shard=${{ matrix.shard }}/3
+        if: ${{ matrix.shard <= fromJson(vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3') }}
+        env:
+          SHARD_TOTAL: ${{ vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3' }}
+        run: yarn vrt --shard=${{ matrix.shard }}/$SHARD_TOTAL
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
-        if: always()
+        if: ${{ always() && matrix.shard <= fromJson(vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3') }}
         with:
           name: vrt-blob-report-${{ matrix.shard }}
           path: packages/desktop-client/blob-report/
@@ -199,7 +211,7 @@ jobs:
           overwrite: true
       - name: Upload VRT JUnit report
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+        if: ${{ !cancelled() && matrix.shard <= fromJson(vars.E2E_SHARD_TOTAL || '3') }}
         with:
           name: vrt-junit-${{ matrix.shard }}
           path: packages/desktop-client/test-results/junit.xml
diff --git a/packages/desktop-client/playwright.config.ts b/packages/desktop-client/playwright.config.ts
index a2366fe646..b48b6db452 100644
--- a/packages/desktop-client/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop-client/playwright.config.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@ import path from 'node:path';
 
 import { defineConfig } from '@playwright/test';
 
+const e2ePort = Number(process.env.E2E_PORT) || 3001;
+
 export default defineConfig({
   timeout: 60000, // 60 seconds
   retries: 1,
   fullyParallel: true,
-  workers: process.env.CI ? 4 : undefined,
+  workers: Number(process.env.E2E_WORKERS) || (process.env.CI ? 4 : undefined),
   testDir: 'e2e/',
   reporter: process.env.CI
     ? [['blob'], ['list'], ['junit', { outputFile: 'test-results/junit.xml' }]]
@@ -15,7 +17,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
     userAgent: 'playwright',
     screenshot: 'only-on-failure',
     browserName: 'chromium',
-    baseURL: process.env.E2E_START_URL ?? 'http://localhost:3001',
+    baseURL: process.env.E2E_START_URL ?? `http://localhost:${e2ePort}`,
     trace: 'on-first-retry',
     ignoreHTTPSErrors: true,
   },
@@ -39,9 +41,9 @@ export default defineConfig({
     : {
         cwd: path.join(__dirname, '..', '..'),
         command: process.env.E2E_USE_BUILD
-          ? 'node packages/desktop-client/bin/serve-build.mjs'
+          ? `PORT=${e2ePort} node packages/desktop-client/bin/serve-build.mjs`
           : 'yarn start',
-        url: 'http://localhost:3001',
+        url: `http://localhost:${e2ePort}`,
         reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
         stdout: 'ignore',
         stderr: 'pipe',
diff --git a/upcoming-release-notes/ci-e2e-shard-guard.md b/upcoming-release-notes/ci-e2e-shard-guard.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ae87ac287f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/upcoming-release-notes/ci-e2e-shard-guard.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+category: Maintenance
+authors: [StephenBrown2]
+---
+
+E2E test fixes for easier local runs