diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 90e7f7b5f..f668762bd 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
     "inso-start": "npm start --prefix packages/insomnia-inso",
     "inso-package": "npm run build:sr --prefix packages/insomnia-app && npm run package --prefix packages/insomnia-inso",
     "inso-package:artifacts": "npm run artifacts --prefix packages/insomnia-inso",
-    "app-start-playwright": "npm run build:main.min.js --prefix packages/insomnia-app && npm run start:dev-server --prefix packages/insomnia-app",
+    "watch:app": "npm run build:main.min.js --prefix packages/insomnia-app && npm run start:dev-server --prefix packages/insomnia-app",
     "app-start": "npm start --prefix packages/insomnia-app",
     "app-build": "npm run build --prefix packages/insomnia-app",
     "app-package": "npm run package --prefix packages/insomnia-app",
diff --git a/packages/insomnia-smoke-test/README.md b/packages/insomnia-smoke-test/README.md
index ca0e240c9..8cffcda22 100644
--- a/packages/insomnia-smoke-test/README.md
+++ b/packages/insomnia-smoke-test/README.md
@@ -6,45 +6,78 @@ Tests for the Electron app are written using [Playwright](https://github.com/mic
 
 ## Structure
 
-| Folder      | Purpose                           |
-| ----------- | --------------------------------- |
-| `/cli`      | tests for inso                    |
-| `/tests`    | tests for Insomnia                |
-| `/server`   | Express server used by the tests  |
-| `/fixtures` | data used by tests and the server |
+| Folder       | Purpose                           |
+| ------------ | --------------------------------- |
+| `/cli`       | tests for inso                    |
+| `/tests`     | tests for Insomnia                |
+| `/playwright`| test helpers                      |
+| `/server`    | Express server used by the tests  |
+| `/fixtures`  | data used by tests and the server |
 
-## How to run
+## Run Insomnia app smoke tests
 
-There are several ways to run a test but the first step is to bootstrap and build or package the relevant application.
+### Development method
 
-From the root of this repository:
+In one terminal run the watcher
 
 ```shell
-npm run bootstrap                   # Install packages and compile inso
-npm run app-build:smoke             # Compile Insomnia
-npm run inso-package                # Package the Inso CLI binaries
+npm run watch:app   # Run watcher
 ```
 
-You can then run the smoke tests, again from the root:
+In a second terminal run/debug/step through smoke tests
 
 ```shell
-npm run app-start-playwright                    # Run Insomnia tests
-PWDEBUG=1 npm run test:smoke:dev                # Write Insomnia tests with the playwrite recorder
-DEBUG=pw:browser,pw:api npm run test:smoke:dev  # Run Insomnia tests, with verbose output
+# Run tests
+npm run test:smoke:dev
+# Debug tests with playwright logs
+DEBUG=pw:api npm run test:smoke:dev
+# Debug tests with insomnia console logs
+DEBUG=pw:browser npm run test:smoke:dev
+# Step through tests with playwright inspector
+PWDEBUG=1 npm run test:smoke:dev
 ```
 
-Sometimes, you might need to run tests against a _packaged_ application. A packaged application is the final artifact which bundles all of the various resources together, and is created for distribution in the form of a `.dmg` or `.exe`, etc. Packaging takes longer to do and is only required for edge cases, so we typically run tests against a build. To run packaged tests, from the root:
+### Build and package methods
+
+It's possible to run the smoke tests for:
+
+- A `build`, the JS bundle that is loaded into an electron client
+- A `package`, the executable binary (e.g. `.dmg` or `.exe`)
+  
+For `build`:
 
 ```shell
-npm run app-package:smoke      # Package Insomnia
-npm run test:smoke:package     # Run Insomnia tests
+npm run app-build:smoke             # Transpile js bundle
+npm run test:smoke:build            # Run tests
+```
+
+For `package`:
+
+```shell
+npm run app-package:smoke           # Build executable in /packages/insomnia-app/dist
+npm run test:smoke:package          # Run tests
 ```
 
 Each of the above commands will automatically run the Express server, so you do not need to take any extra steps.
 
-## How to write
+### Show trace viewer
 
-When writing tests, it is recommended to use the scripts in this project directly (instead of from the root, as per the section above). After building and/or packaging your application under test, it will be available under `packages/insomnia-app/{build|dist}` and you can begin writing your test.
+Each time you run a playwright test a trace.zip will be generated, this is useful for debugging CI. [docs](https://playwright.dev/docs/trace-viewer)
+
+```shell
+# Open a trace viewer for a given test output
+npx playwright show-trace packages/insomnia-smoke-test/screenshots/app-can-send-requests/trace.zip
+# Alternatively you can upload this trace to https://trace.playwright.dev/
+```
+
+## Run Inso CLI smoke tests
+
+```shell
+npm run inso-package                # Package the Inso CLI binaries
+npm run test:smoke:cli              # Run CLI tests
+```
+
+### Write Inso CLI smoke tests
 
 In order to run CLI tests for development, open two terminal tabs in `packages/insomnia-smoke-test`:
 
diff --git a/packages/insomnia-smoke-test/playwright/paths.ts b/packages/insomnia-smoke-test/playwright/paths.ts
index 315494d6a..90de04b36 100644
--- a/packages/insomnia-smoke-test/playwright/paths.ts
+++ b/packages/insomnia-smoke-test/playwright/paths.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const hasBinaryBeenBuilt = fs.existsSync(path.resolve(cwd, insomniaBinary));
 // NOTE: guard against missing build artifacts
 if (process.env.BUNDLE === 'dev' && !hasMainBeenBuilt) {
   console.error(`ERROR: ${mainPath} not found at ${path.resolve(cwd, mainPath)}
-  Have you run "npm run app-start-playwright"?`);
+  Have you run "npm run watch:app"?`);
   exit(1);
 }
 if (process.env.BUNDLE === 'build' && !hasMainBeenBuilt) {