diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-api-tests-local-emulator.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e-api-tests-local-emulator.yaml
index c4c302257..1cf727259 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-api-tests-local-emulator.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-api-tests-local-emulator.yaml
@@ -17,7 +17,12 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubicloud-standard-8
     env:
       NODE_ENV: test
-      NEXT_PUBLIC_STACK_IS_LOCAL_EMULATOR: "true"
+      # Use the canonical HEXCLAVE_ name: the dashboard commits a differing
+      # NEXT_PUBLIC_HEXCLAVE_IS_LOCAL_EMULATOR=false in .env.development, and the
+      # dual-read conflict check throws if both spellings are set to different
+      # values. Setting the canonical name here overrides that committed default
+      # (process.env wins over dotenv) without leaving a conflicting STACK_ twin.
+      NEXT_PUBLIC_HEXCLAVE_IS_LOCAL_EMULATOR: "true"
       STACK_ENABLE_HARDCODED_PASSKEY_CHALLENGE_FOR_TESTING: yes
       STACK_DATABASE_CONNECTION_STRING: "postgres://postgres:PASSWORD-PLACEHOLDER--uqfEC1hmmv@localhost:8128/stackframe"
       STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_MAX_DURATION_MS: "20000"