diff --git a/tests/DuskTestCase.php b/tests/DuskTestCase.php
index 88062f9f..7b1f1498 100644
--- a/tests/DuskTestCase.php
+++ b/tests/DuskTestCase.php
@@ -12,16 +12,26 @@ abstract class DuskTestCase extends BaseTestCase
 {
     use CreatesApplication;
 
+    /**
+     * Keep the local Laravel server process alive for the Dusk run.
+     *
+     * @var resource|null
+     */
+    private static $laravelServerProcess = null;
+
     /**
      * Prepare for Dusk test execution.
      */
     #[BeforeClass]
     public static function prepare(): void
     {
+        static::configureDuskBaseUrl();
+        static::ensureLaravelServerIsReachable();
+
         if (! static::runningInSail()) {
             static::ensureChromeDriverBinaryAlias();
             static::startChromeDriver(['--port=9515']);
-            static::waitForChromeDriver();
+            static::waitForTcpPort('127.0.0.1', 9515, 8.0, 'ChromeDriver');
         }
     }
 
@@ -39,10 +49,11 @@ abstract class DuskTestCase extends BaseTestCase
             '--disable-search-engine-choice-screen',
             '--ignore-certificate-errors',
             '--allow-insecure-localhost',
+            '--disable-features=Translate,BackForwardCache,AcceptCHFrame',
         ]);
 
         return RemoteWebDriver::create(
-            $_ENV['DUSK_DRIVER_URL'] ?? 'http://localhost:9515',
+            $_ENV['DUSK_DRIVER_URL'] ?? 'http://127.0.0.1:9515',
             DesiredCapabilities::chrome()->setCapability(
                 ChromeOptions::CAPABILITY,
                 $options
@@ -50,6 +61,108 @@ abstract class DuskTestCase extends BaseTestCase
         );
     }
 
+    private static function configureDuskBaseUrl(): void
+    {
+        $url = rtrim((string) ($_ENV['DUSK_APP_URL'] ?? getenv('DUSK_APP_URL') ?: 'http://127.0.0.1:8000'), '/');
+
+        $_ENV['APP_URL'] = $url;
+        $_SERVER['APP_URL'] = $url;
+        putenv('APP_URL='.$url);
+
+        if (property_exists(BaseTestCase::class, 'baseUrl')) {
+            static::$baseUrl = $url;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static function ensureLaravelServerIsReachable(): void
+    {
+        $url = rtrim((string) ($_ENV['APP_URL'] ?? 'http://127.0.0.1:8000'), '/');
+        $parts = parse_url($url);
+
+        $scheme = $parts['scheme'] ?? 'http';
+        $host = $parts['host'] ?? '127.0.0.1';
+        $port = (int) ($parts['port'] ?? ($scheme === 'https' ? 443 : 80));
+
+        if (static::canConnect($host, $port)) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Dusk should be deterministic in local/CI runs. If no reachable app
+        // server is already running, start Laravel's built-in server for the
+        // browser suite instead of failing every test with ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED.
+        if (! in_array($host, ['127.0.0.1', 'localhost'], true)) {
+            $fallbackUrl = 'http://127.0.0.1:8000';
+            $_ENV['APP_URL'] = $fallbackUrl;
+            $_SERVER['APP_URL'] = $fallbackUrl;
+            putenv('APP_URL='.$fallbackUrl);
+
+            if (property_exists(BaseTestCase::class, 'baseUrl')) {
+                static::$baseUrl = $fallbackUrl;
+            }
+
+            $host = '127.0.0.1';
+            $port = 8000;
+        }
+
+        if (static::canConnect($host, $port)) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        static::startLaravelServer($host, $port);
+        static::waitForTcpPort($host, $port, 15.0, 'Laravel Dusk application server');
+    }
+
+    private static function startLaravelServer(string $host, int $port): void
+    {
+        $root = dirname(__DIR__);
+        $logPath = $root.'/storage/logs/dusk-server.log';
+
+        if (! is_dir(dirname($logPath))) {
+            @mkdir(dirname($logPath), 0775, true);
+        }
+
+        $php = escapeshellarg(PHP_BINARY);
+        $artisan = escapeshellarg($root.'/artisan');
+        $hostArg = escapeshellarg($host);
+        $portArg = (string) $port;
+        $log = escapeshellarg($logPath);
+
+        $command = "{$php} {$artisan} serve --host={$hostArg} --port={$portArg} > {$log} 2>&1";
+
+        self::$laravelServerProcess = proc_open($command, [], $pipes, $root);
+    }
+
+    private static function canConnect(string $host, int $port): bool
+    {
+        $connection = @fsockopen($host, $port, $errno, $errstr, 0.25);
+
+        if (! is_resource($connection)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        fclose($connection);
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    private static function waitForTcpPort(string $host, int $port, float $seconds, string $service): void
+    {
+        $deadline = microtime(true) + $seconds;
+
+        do {
+            if (static::canConnect($host, $port)) {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            usleep(100_000);
+        } while (microtime(true) < $deadline);
+
+        $log = dirname(__DIR__).'/storage/logs/dusk-server.log';
+        $hint = is_file($log) ? " Check {$log}." : '';
+
+        throw new \RuntimeException("{$service} is not reachable at {$host}:{$port}.{$hint}");
+    }
+
     /**
      * Dusk may install a differently named macOS Apple Silicon binary.
      *
@@ -95,24 +208,4 @@ abstract class DuskTestCase extends BaseTestCase
             @chmod($expected, 0755);
         }
     }
-
-    /**
-     * Wait until ChromeDriver is listening before the first browser session starts.
-     */
-    private static function waitForChromeDriver(): void
-    {
-        $deadline = microtime(true) + 5.0;
-
-        do {
-            $connection = @fsockopen('127.0.0.1', 9515);
-
-            if (is_resource($connection)) {
-                fclose($connection);
-
-                return;
-            }
-
-            usleep(100_000);
-        } while (microtime(true) < $deadline);
-    }
 }