diff --git a/pkg/e2e/build_test.go b/pkg/e2e/build_test.go
index 3097a261d5..01e84f6a05 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/build_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/build_test.go
@@ -410,6 +410,25 @@ func TestBuildPlatformsStandardErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("builder does not support multi-arch", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Docker Desktop with containerd image store uses the docker driver
+		// but supports multi-platform builds, so this error won't occur.
+		inspect := c.RunDockerCmd(t, "buildx", "inspect", "--bootstrap")
+		output := inspect.Stdout()
+		isDockerDriver := false
+		platforms := ""
+		for _, line := range strings.Split(output, "\n") {
+			trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(line)
+			if strings.HasPrefix(trimmed, "Driver:") {
+				isDockerDriver = strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(trimmed, "Driver:")) == "docker"
+			}
+			if strings.HasPrefix(trimmed, "Platforms:") {
+				platforms = trimmed
+			}
+		}
+		if isDockerDriver && strings.Contains(platforms, "linux/amd64") && strings.Contains(platforms, "linux/arm64") {
+			t.Skip("docker driver supports multi-platform (containerd image store enabled)")
+		}
+
 		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmdNoCheck(t, "--project-directory", "fixtures/build-test/platforms", "build")
 		res.Assert(t, icmd.Expected{
 			ExitCode: 1,
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/compose_run_build_once_test.go b/pkg/e2e/compose_run_build_once_test.go
index 24fead8c04..c1d9f24177 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/compose_run_build_once_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/compose_run_build_once_test.go
@@ -36,8 +36,11 @@ func TestRunBuildOnce(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("dependency with pull_policy build is built only once", func(t *testing.T) {
 		projectName := randomProjectName("build-once")
-		_ = c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once.yaml", "down", "--rmi", "local", "--remove-orphans", "-v")
-		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once.yaml", "--verbose", "run", "--build", "--rm", "curl")
+		composeFile := "./fixtures/run-test/build-once.yaml"
+		t.Cleanup(func() {
+			c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", composeFile, "down", "--rmi", "local", "--remove-orphans", "-v")
+		})
+		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", composeFile, "--verbose", "run", "--build", "--rm", "curl")
 
 		output := res.Stdout()
 
@@ -45,14 +48,15 @@ func TestRunBuildOnce(t *testing.T) {
 
 		assert.Equal(t, nginxBuilds, 1, "nginx should build once, built %d times\nOutput:\n%s", nginxBuilds, output)
 		assert.Assert(t, strings.Contains(res.Stdout(), "curl service"))
-
-		c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once.yaml", "down", "--remove-orphans")
 	})
 
 	t.Run("nested dependencies build only once each", func(t *testing.T) {
 		projectName := randomProjectName("build-nested")
-		_ = c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-nested.yaml", "down", "--rmi", "local", "--remove-orphans", "-v")
-		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-nested.yaml", "--verbose", "run", "--build", "--rm", "app")
+		composeFile := "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-nested.yaml"
+		t.Cleanup(func() {
+			c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", composeFile, "down", "--rmi", "local", "--remove-orphans", "-v")
+		})
+		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", composeFile, "--verbose", "run", "--build", "--rm", "app")
 
 		output := res.Stdout()
 
@@ -64,14 +68,15 @@ func TestRunBuildOnce(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, apiBuilds, 1, "api should build once, built %d times\nOutput:\n%s", apiBuilds, output)
 		assert.Equal(t, appBuilds, 1, "app should build once, built %d times\nOutput:\n%s", appBuilds, output)
 		assert.Assert(t, strings.Contains(output, "App running"))
-
-		c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-nested.yaml", "down", "--rmi", "local", "--remove-orphans", "-v")
 	})
 
 	t.Run("service with no dependencies builds once", func(t *testing.T) {
 		projectName := randomProjectName("build-simple")
-		_ = c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-no-deps.yaml", "down", "--rmi", "local", "--remove-orphans")
-		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-no-deps.yaml", "run", "--build", "--rm", "simple")
+		composeFile := "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-no-deps.yaml"
+		t.Cleanup(func() {
+			c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", composeFile, "down", "--rmi", "local", "--remove-orphans", "-v")
+		})
+		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", composeFile, "run", "--build", "--rm", "simple")
 
 		output := res.Stdout()
 
@@ -79,8 +84,6 @@ func TestRunBuildOnce(t *testing.T) {
 
 		assert.Equal(t, simpleBuilds, 1, "simple should build once, built %d times\nOutput:\n%s", simpleBuilds, output)
 		assert.Assert(t, strings.Contains(res.Stdout(), "Simple service"))
-
-		c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/build-once-no-deps.yaml", "down", "--remove-orphans")
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/compose_run_test.go b/pkg/e2e/compose_run_test.go
index 44c797cb14..9c44009895 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/compose_run_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/compose_run_test.go
@@ -20,9 +20,11 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"gotest.tools/v3/assert"
 	"gotest.tools/v3/icmd"
+	"gotest.tools/v3/poll"
 )
 
 func TestLocalComposeRun(t *testing.T) {
@@ -207,8 +209,14 @@ func TestLocalComposeRun(t *testing.T) {
 
 		res = c.RunDockerCmd(t, "stop", containerID)
 		res.Assert(t, icmd.Success)
-		res = c.RunDockerCmd(t, "ps", "--all", "--filter", "name=run-test-nginx", "--format", "'{{.Names}}'")
-		assert.Assert(t, !strings.Contains(res.Stdout(), "run-test-nginx"), res.Stdout())
+		// --rm auto-removal is async, wait for the container to be removed
+		poll.WaitOn(t, func(l poll.LogT) poll.Result {
+			res = c.RunDockerCmd(t, "ps", "--all", "--filter", "name=run-test-nginx", "--format", "'{{.Names}}'")
+			if strings.Contains(res.Stdout(), "run-test-nginx") {
+				return poll.Continue("container still present: %s", res.Stdout())
+			}
+			return poll.Success()
+		}, poll.WithTimeout(10*time.Second), poll.WithDelay(500*time.Millisecond))
 	})
 
 	t.Run("compose run --env", func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/compose_test.go b/pkg/e2e/compose_test.go
index 5d7c78c229..41e2a89d7a 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/compose_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/compose_test.go
@@ -140,16 +140,13 @@ func TestDownComposefileInParentFolder(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestAttachRestart(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Skip("Skipping test until we can fix it")
-
-	if _, ok := os.LookupEnv("CI"); ok {
-		t.Skip("Skipping test on CI... flaky")
-	}
 	c := NewParallelCLI(t)
 
 	cmd := c.NewDockerComposeCmd(t, "--ansi=never", "--project-directory", "./fixtures/attach-restart", "up")
 	res := icmd.StartCmd(cmd)
-	defer c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", "attach-restart", "down")
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", "attach-restart", "down")
+	})
 
 	c.WaitForCondition(t, func() (bool, string) {
 		debug := res.Combined()
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/env_file_test.go b/pkg/e2e/env_file_test.go
index d9ea1d4c2b..f41723b88b 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/env_file_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/env_file_test.go
@@ -46,8 +46,9 @@ func TestUnusedMissingEnvFile(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestRunEnvFile(t *testing.T) {
 	c := NewParallelCLI(t)
-	defer c.cleanupWithDown(t, "run_dotenv")
+	const projectName = "run-dotenv"
+	defer c.cleanupWithDown(t, projectName)
 
-	res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "--project-directory", "./fixtures/env_file", "run", "serviceC", "env")
+	res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "--project-directory", "./fixtures/env_file", "run", "--rm", "serviceC", "env")
 	res.Assert(t, icmd.Expected{Out: "FOO=BAR"})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/model_test.go b/pkg/e2e/model_test.go
index f30d7c5bb0..3545bf4a5d 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/model_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/model_test.go
@@ -21,9 +21,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestComposeModel(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Skip("waiting for docker-model release")
+	if _, err := findPluginExecutable(DockerModelExecutableName); err != nil {
+		t.Skip("docker-model plugin not available")
+	}
 	c := NewParallelCLI(t)
 	defer c.cleanupWithDown(t, "model-test")
 
-	c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-f", "./fixtures/model/compose.yaml", "run", "test", "sh", "-c", "curl ${FOO_URL}")
+	c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", "model-test", "-f", "./fixtures/model/compose.yaml", "run", "--rm", "test", "sh", "-c", "curl ${FOO_URL}")
 }
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/networks_test.go b/pkg/e2e/networks_test.go
index d4fbc36599..88cbf27c04 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/networks_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/networks_test.go
@@ -147,7 +147,6 @@ func TestNetworkModes(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestNetworkConfigChanged(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Skip("unstable")
 	// fixture is shared with TestNetworks and is not safe to run concurrently
 	c := NewCLI(t)
 	const projectName = "network_config_change"
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/pause_test.go b/pkg/e2e/pause_test.go
index 005407b556..8b94e4653b 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/pause_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/pause_test.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
-	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -31,9 +30,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestPause(t *testing.T) {
-	if _, ok := os.LookupEnv("CI"); ok {
-		t.Skip("Skipping test on CI... flaky")
-	}
 	cli := NewParallelCLI(t, WithEnv(
 		"COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME=e2e-pause",
 		"COMPOSE_FILE=./fixtures/pause/compose.yaml"))
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/ps_test.go b/pkg/e2e/ps_test.go
index 34eb380fbc..26e799d679 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/ps_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/ps_test.go
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ func TestPs(t *testing.T) {
 	c := NewParallelCLI(t)
 	const projectName = "e2e-ps"
 
+	// ensure clean state from any previous failed run
+	c.RunDockerComposeCmdNoCheck(t, "--project-name", projectName, "down", "--remove-orphans")
+
 	res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-f", "./fixtures/ps-test/compose.yaml", "--project-name", projectName, "up", "-d")
 	assert.NilError(t, res.Error)
 	t.Cleanup(func() {
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/publish_test.go b/pkg/e2e/publish_test.go
index 1dd83d031e..7c8455822f 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/publish_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/publish_test.go
@@ -18,11 +18,14 @@ package e2e
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"gotest.tools/v3/assert"
 	"gotest.tools/v3/icmd"
+	"gotest.tools/v3/poll"
 )
 
 func TestPublishChecks(t *testing.T) {
@@ -136,6 +139,20 @@ func TestPublish(t *testing.T) {
 		c.RunDockerCmd(t, "rm", "--force", registryName)
 	})
 
+	// Wait for registry to be ready
+	registryURL := "http://" + registry + "/v2/"
+	poll.WaitOn(t, func(l poll.LogT) poll.Result {
+		resp, err := http.Get(registryURL) //nolint:gosec,noctx
+		if err != nil {
+			return poll.Continue("registry not ready: %v", err)
+		}
+		_ = resp.Body.Close()
+		if resp.StatusCode < 500 {
+			return poll.Success()
+		}
+		return poll.Continue("registry not ready, status %d", resp.StatusCode)
+	}, poll.WithTimeout(10*time.Second), poll.WithDelay(100*time.Millisecond))
+
 	res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-f", "./fixtures/publish/oci/compose.yaml", "-f", "./fixtures/publish/oci/compose-override.yaml",
 		"-p", projectName, "publish", "--with-env", "--yes", "--insecure-registry", registry+"/test:test")
 	res.Assert(t, icmd.Expected{ExitCode: 0})
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/watch_test.go b/pkg/e2e/watch_test.go
index 5fd59a9fd8..1716be05d0 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/watch_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/watch_test.go
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ func TestWatchMultiServices(t *testing.T) {
 	testFile := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "test")
 	assert.NilError(t, os.WriteFile(testFile, []byte("test"), 0o600))
 
-	cmd := c.NewDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", composeFilePath, "up", "--watch")
+	cmd := c.NewDockerComposeCmd(t, "-p", projectName, "-f", composeFilePath, "up", "--build", "--watch")
 	buffer := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 	cmd.Stdout = buffer
 	watch := icmd.StartCmd(cmd)
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ func TestWatchMultiServices(t *testing.T) {
 			return poll.Success()
 		}
 		return poll.Continue("%v", watch.Stdout())
-	})
+	}, poll.WithTimeout(90*time.Second))
 
 	waitRebuild := func(service string, expected string) {
 		poll.WaitOn(t, func(l poll.LogT) poll.Result {
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ func TestWatchMultiServices(t *testing.T) {
 				return poll.Success()
 			}
 			return poll.Continue("%v", cat.Combined())
-		})
+		}, poll.WithTimeout(90*time.Second))
 	}
 	waitRebuild("a", "test")
 	waitRebuild("b", "test")
diff --git a/pkg/utils/safebuffer.go b/pkg/utils/safebuffer.go
index 8623f8ca99..dd0f976fe8 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/safebuffer.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/safebuffer.go
@@ -79,7 +79,9 @@ func (b *SafeBuffer) RequireEventuallyContains(t testing.TB, v string) {
 		}
 		return poll.Success()
 	},
-		poll.WithTimeout(2*time.Second),
+		// 10s: container startup on Docker Desktop (macOS) with VM overhead
+		// can take 3-8s vs <1s on native Linux CI
+		poll.WithTimeout(10*time.Second),
 		poll.WithDelay(20*time.Millisecond),
 	)
 }