diff --git a/e2e/tests/app-features/focus-mode-break.spec.ts b/e2e/tests/app-features/focus-mode-break.spec.ts
index 20e04e88d..dd63a49a6 100644
--- a/e2e/tests/app-features/focus-mode-break.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/tests/app-features/focus-mode-break.spec.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ test.describe('Focus Mode - Break Controls (Issue #5995)', () => {
   }) => {
     const focusModeOverlay = page.locator('focus-mode-overlay');
     const focusModeBreak = page.locator('focus-mode-break');
+    const focusModeCountdown = page.locator('focus-mode-countdown');
     const mainFocusButton = page
       .getByRole('button')
       .filter({ hasText: 'center_focus_strong' });
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ test.describe('Focus Mode - Break Controls (Issue #5995)', () => {
     await expect(focusModeOverlay).toBeVisible({ timeout: 5000 });
     await pomodoroModeButton.click();
     await playButton.click();
+    await expect(focusModeCountdown).not.toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
     await expect(completeSessionButton).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
     await completeSessionButton.click();
     await expect(focusModeBreak).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ test.describe('Focus Mode - Break Controls (Issue #5995)', () => {
     const focusModeOverlay = page.locator('focus-mode-overlay');
     const focusModeBreak = page.locator('focus-mode-break');
     const focusModeMain = page.locator('focus-mode-main');
+    const focusModeCountdown = page.locator('focus-mode-countdown');
     const mainFocusButton = page
       .getByRole('button')
       .filter({ hasText: 'center_focus_strong' });
@@ -85,6 +88,9 @@ test.describe('Focus Mode - Break Controls (Issue #5995)', () => {
     // Start a focus session
     await playButton.click();
 
+    // Wait for countdown animation to complete
+    await expect(focusModeCountdown).not.toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+
     // Wait for session to be in progress, then complete it
     await expect(completeSessionButton).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
     await completeSessionButton.click();
@@ -122,6 +128,7 @@ test.describe('Focus Mode - Break Controls (Issue #5995)', () => {
     // Locators
     const focusModeOverlay = page.locator('focus-mode-overlay');
     const focusModeBreak = page.locator('focus-mode-break');
+    const focusModeCountdown = page.locator('focus-mode-countdown');
     const mainFocusButton = page
       .getByRole('button')
       .filter({ hasText: 'center_focus_strong' });
@@ -143,6 +150,9 @@ test.describe('Focus Mode - Break Controls (Issue #5995)', () => {
     await pomodoroModeButton.click();
     await playButton.click();
 
+    // Wait for countdown animation to complete
+    await expect(focusModeCountdown).not.toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+
     // Complete the session
     await expect(completeSessionButton).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
     await completeSessionButton.click();
@@ -160,6 +170,7 @@ test.describe('Focus Mode - Break Controls (Issue #5995)', () => {
     const focusModeOverlay = page.locator('focus-mode-overlay');
     const focusModeBreak = page.locator('focus-mode-break');
     const focusModeMain = page.locator('focus-mode-main');
+    const focusModeCountdown = page.locator('focus-mode-countdown');
     const mainFocusButton = page
       .getByRole('button')
       .filter({ hasText: 'center_focus_strong' });
@@ -181,6 +192,9 @@ test.describe('Focus Mode - Break Controls (Issue #5995)', () => {
     await pomodoroModeButton.click();
     await playButton.click();
 
+    // Wait for countdown animation to complete
+    await expect(focusModeCountdown).not.toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+
     // Complete the session
     await expect(completeSessionButton).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
     await completeSessionButton.click();
@@ -203,6 +217,7 @@ test.describe('Focus Mode - Break Controls (Issue #5995)', () => {
     const focusModeOverlay = page.locator('focus-mode-overlay');
     const focusModeBreak = page.locator('focus-mode-break');
     const focusModeMain = page.locator('focus-mode-main');
+    const focusModeCountdown = page.locator('focus-mode-countdown');
     const mainFocusButton = page
       .getByRole('button')
       .filter({ hasText: 'center_focus_strong' });
@@ -224,6 +239,9 @@ test.describe('Focus Mode - Break Controls (Issue #5995)', () => {
     await pomodoroModeButton.click();
     await playButton.click();
 
+    // Wait for countdown animation to complete
+    await expect(focusModeCountdown).not.toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+
     // Complete the session
     await expect(completeSessionButton).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
     await completeSessionButton.click();
diff --git a/e2e/tests/focus-mode/flowtime-timer-bug-5117.spec.ts b/e2e/tests/focus-mode/flowtime-timer-bug-5117.spec.ts
index 6b5cfd64f..45d2723d4 100644
--- a/e2e/tests/focus-mode/flowtime-timer-bug-5117.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/tests/focus-mode/flowtime-timer-bug-5117.spec.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ test.describe('Bug #5117: Flowtime timer stops at Countdown duration', () => {
 
     // Wait for the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown animation to complete
     const countdownComponent = page.locator('focus-mode-countdown');
+    const completeSessionButton = page.locator(
+      'focus-mode-main button.complete-session-btn',
+    );
 
     // Wait for countdown to appear and then disappear
     try {
@@ -132,10 +135,10 @@ test.describe('Bug #5117: Flowtime timer stops at Countdown duration', () => {
       console.log('Countdown animation not visible (may be skipped in settings)');
     }
 
-    // Wait for the timer to start running
-    await page.waitForTimeout(2000);
+    // Wait for session to be in progress (complete session button becomes visible)
+    await expect(completeSessionButton).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
 
-    // Wait for clock-time to show a non-zero value (indicating session has started)
+    // Wait for clock-time to show a non-zero value (indicating timer has started ticking)
     await expect(async () => {
       const text = await clockTime.textContent();
       const trimmed = text?.trim() || '';
@@ -241,6 +244,10 @@ test.describe('Bug #5117: Flowtime timer stops at Countdown duration', () => {
 
     // Wait for countdown animation to complete
     const countdownComponent = page.locator('focus-mode-countdown');
+    const completeSessionButton = page.locator(
+      'focus-mode-main button.complete-session-btn',
+    );
+
     try {
       await expect(countdownComponent).toBeVisible({ timeout: 2000 });
       console.log('Countdown animation started...');
@@ -250,8 +257,8 @@ test.describe('Bug #5117: Flowtime timer stops at Countdown duration', () => {
       console.log('Countdown animation not visible (may be skipped)');
     }
 
-    // Wait for session to start
-    await page.waitForTimeout(2000);
+    // Wait for session to be in progress (complete session button becomes visible)
+    await expect(completeSessionButton).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
 
     // Wait for clock-time to show a non-zero value
     await expect(async () => {
diff --git a/src/app/features/focus-mode/focus-mode-countdown/focus-mode-countdown.component.scss b/src/app/features/focus-mode/focus-mode-countdown/focus-mode-countdown.component.scss
index 68aa7994b..e5d79acc7 100644
--- a/src/app/features/focus-mode/focus-mode-countdown/focus-mode-countdown.component.scss
+++ b/src/app/features/focus-mode/focus-mode-countdown/focus-mode-countdown.component.scss
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
   gap: var(--s3);
   padding: var(--s4);
   z-index: var(--z-focus-mode-countdown);
+  pointer-events: none;
 }
 
 .message-stack {