diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-linux-app.yml b/.github/workflows/test-linux-app.yml
index 906228114..db3d54f83 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-linux-app.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-linux-app.yml
@@ -47,8 +47,10 @@ jobs:
             patchelf \
             gstreamer1.0-plugins-base \
             gstreamer1.0-plugins-good \
+            xwayland-run \
             xvfb \
-            imagemagick
+            imagemagick \
+            xdotool
 
       - name: Install frontend dependencies
         run: npm ci
@@ -80,24 +82,100 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
           chmod +x "$APPIMAGE"
-          Xvfb :99 -screen 0 1440x900x24 &
-          export DISPLAY=:99
-          sleep 2
-          "$APPIMAGE" --no-sandbox &
+          APPIMAGE_ABS=$(realpath "$APPIMAGE")
+
+          # Write the inner test script (runs inside the display server)
+          cat > /tmp/smoke-test.sh <<'SCRIPT'
+          #!/bin/bash
+          set -x
+          echo "DISPLAY=$DISPLAY WAYLAND_DISPLAY=${WAYLAND_DISPLAY:-unset}"
+
+          GDK_BACKEND=x11 "$APPIMAGE_ABS" --no-sandbox 2>&1 | tee /tmp/app.log &
           APP_PID=$!
-          sleep 15
-          import -window root screenshot.png || true
+          sleep 20
+
+          # Screenshot via X11
+          import -window root /tmp/screenshot.png 2>/dev/null || true
+
+          # Verify app is still running
           if kill -0 $APP_PID 2>/dev/null; then
-            echo "✅ AppImage launched successfully"
-            kill $APP_PID || true
+            echo "APP_STATUS=running"
           else
+            echo "APP_STATUS=crashed"
+            echo "--- App log ---"
+            tail -50 /tmp/app.log || true
+          fi
+
+          # Window info
+          xdotool search --name "" getwindowname 2>/dev/null | head -5 || true
+
+          kill $APP_PID 2>/dev/null || true
+          SCRIPT
+          chmod +x /tmp/smoke-test.sh
+
+          export APPIMAGE_ABS
+          RESULT=0
+
+          # --- Try 1: xwfb-run (Xwayland on headless Wayland compositor) ---
+          if command -v xwfb-run &>/dev/null; then
+            echo "=== Using xwfb-run (Xwayland + headless compositor) ==="
+            timeout 90 xwfb-run -- bash /tmp/smoke-test.sh 2>&1 | tee /tmp/display-server.log || RESULT=$?
+          else
+            echo "xwfb-run not found, skipping"
+            RESULT=1
+          fi
+
+          # --- Fallback: plain Xvfb ---
+          if [ $RESULT -ne 0 ] || [ ! -f /tmp/screenshot.png ]; then
+            echo "=== Falling back to Xvfb ==="
+            Xvfb :99 -screen 0 1440x900x24 &
+            XVFB_PID=$!
+            export DISPLAY=:99
+            sleep 2
+            bash /tmp/smoke-test.sh 2>&1 | tee /tmp/display-server.log
+            kill $XVFB_PID 2>/dev/null || true
+          fi
+
+          # --- Copy screenshot to workspace ---
+          cp /tmp/screenshot.png screenshot.png 2>/dev/null || true
+
+          # --- Check results ---
+          if grep -q "APP_STATUS=crashed" /tmp/display-server.log 2>/dev/null; then
             echo "❌ AppImage crashed during startup"
             exit 1
           fi
 
+          if grep -q "APP_STATUS=running" /tmp/display-server.log 2>/dev/null; then
+            echo "✅ AppImage launched successfully"
+          else
+            echo "⚠️ Could not determine app status"
+          fi
+
+          # --- Check screenshot has non-black content ---
+          if [ -f screenshot.png ]; then
+            COLORS=$(identify -verbose screenshot.png 2>/dev/null | grep "Colors:" | awk '{print $2}')
+            echo "Screenshot unique colors: ${COLORS:-unknown}"
+            if [ "${COLORS:-0}" -le 5 ]; then
+              echo "⚠️ Screenshot appears blank (only $COLORS colors). App may not have rendered."
+            else
+              echo "✅ Screenshot has content ($COLORS unique colors)"
+            fi
+          fi
+
       - name: Upload smoke test screenshot
+        if: always()
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: linux-smoke-test-screenshot
           path: screenshot.png
           if-no-files-found: warn
+
+      - name: Upload logs
+        if: always()
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: linux-smoke-test-logs
+          path: |
+            /tmp/display-server.log
+            /tmp/app.log
+          if-no-files-found: warn