diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yaml
index 9fd2b29..8ee2b96 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yaml
@@ -214,6 +214,19 @@ jobs:
           curl -fsS "http://$VPS_HOST:3100/health"
           curl -fsS "http://$VPS_HOST:3100/ready"
 
+      - name: Run VPS e2e tests
+        if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || github.ref == 'refs/heads/master'
+        env:
+          OPENBRAIN_E2E_REMOTE: "true"
+          OPENBRAIN_E2E_BASE_URL: http://${{ secrets.VPS_HOST }}:3100
+          OPENBRAIN_E2E_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.OPENBRAIN_E2E_API_KEY }}
+          OPENBRAIN__AUTH__ENABLED: "true"
+        run: |
+          set -euxo pipefail
+          : "${OPENBRAIN_E2E_API_KEY:?Set repository secret OPENBRAIN_E2E_API_KEY}"
+          . "$HOME/.cargo/env"
+          cargo test --test e2e_mcp -- --test-threads=1
+
       - name: Cleanup SSH key
         if: always()
         run: |
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c254d55..00bf5f9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -71,6 +71,24 @@ Run pending migrations explicitly before starting or restarting the service:
 
 If you use the deploy script or CI workflow in [`.gitea/deploy.sh`](/Users/bobbytables/ai/openbrain-mcp/.gitea/deploy.sh) and [`.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yaml`](/Users/bobbytables/ai/openbrain-mcp/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yaml), they already run this for you.
 
+### E2E Test Modes
+
+The end-to-end test suite supports two modes:
+
+- Local mode: default. Assumes the test process can manage schema setup against a local PostgreSQL instance and, for one auth-only test, spawn a local `openbrain-mcp` child process.
+- Remote mode: set `OPENBRAIN_E2E_REMOTE=true` and point `OPENBRAIN_E2E_BASE_URL` at a deployed server such as `http://76.13.116.52:3100` or `https://ob.ingwaz.work`. In this mode the suite does not try to create schema locally and skips the local process auth smoke test.
+
+Recommended env for VPS-backed runs:
+
+```bash
+OPENBRAIN_E2E_REMOTE=true
+OPENBRAIN_E2E_BASE_URL=https://ob.ingwaz.work
+OPENBRAIN_E2E_API_KEY=your_live_api_key
+OPENBRAIN__AUTH__ENABLED=true
+```
+
+The CI workflow uses this remote mode after `main` deploys so e2e coverage validates the VPS deployment rather than the local runner host.
+
 ## Agent Zero Developer Prompt
 
 For Agent Zero / A0, add the following section to the Developer agent role
diff --git a/tests/e2e_mcp.rs b/tests/e2e_mcp.rs
index 8003a55..3d2b178 100644
--- a/tests/e2e_mcp.rs
+++ b/tests/e2e_mcp.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ fn base_url() -> String {
     std::env::var("OPENBRAIN_E2E_BASE_URL").unwrap_or_else(|_| "http://127.0.0.1:3100".to_string())
 }
 
+fn remote_mode() -> bool {
+    std::env::var("OPENBRAIN_E2E_REMOTE")
+        .map(|v| v == "true" || v == "1")
+        .unwrap_or(false)
+}
+
 fn api_key() -> Option<String> {
     std::env::var("OPENBRAIN_E2E_API_KEY").ok()
         .or_else(|| std::env::var("OPENBRAIN__AUTH__API_KEYS").ok())
@@ -27,6 +33,10 @@ fn db_url() -> String {
 }
 
 async fn ensure_schema() {
+    if remote_mode() {
+        return;
+    }
+
     let (client, connection) = tokio_postgres::connect(&db_url(), NoTls)
         .await
         .expect("connect to postgres for e2e schema setup");
@@ -891,6 +901,11 @@ async fn wait_for_status(url: &str, expected_status: reqwest::StatusCode) {
 
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn e2e_auth_enabled_accepts_test_key() {
+    if remote_mode() {
+        println!("Skipping local auth spawn test in OPENBRAIN_E2E_REMOTE mode");
+        return;
+    }
+
     ensure_schema().await;
 
     let port = pick_free_port();