diff --git a/app/[locale]/layout.tsx b/app/[locale]/layout.tsx
index 24b1905..d6330b6 100644
--- a/app/[locale]/layout.tsx
+++ b/app/[locale]/layout.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { NextIntlClientProvider } from "next-intl";
 import { getMessages, setRequestLocale } from "next-intl/server";
 import React from "react";
+import ConsentBanner from "../components/ConsentBanner";
 
 export default async function LocaleLayout({
   children,
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ export default async function LocaleLayout({
   return (
     <NextIntlClientProvider locale={locale} messages={messages}>
       {children}
+      <ConsentBanner />
     </NextIntlClientProvider>
   );
 }
diff --git a/app/components/ActivityFeed.tsx b/app/components/ActivityFeed.tsx
index bc9ea79..103cbc7 100644
--- a/app/components/ActivityFeed.tsx
+++ b/app/components/ActivityFeed.tsx
@@ -1490,20 +1490,20 @@ export default function ActivityFeed() {
         <motion.div
           initial={false}
           animate={{ scale: 1, opacity: 1 }}
-          className="pointer-events-auto bg-white/90 backdrop-blur-2xl border border-white/60 rounded-2xl shadow-xl overflow-hidden w-full"
+          className="pointer-events-auto bg-black/95 backdrop-blur-2xl border border-white/10 rounded-2xl shadow-2xl overflow-hidden w-full"
         >
           <div className="px-4 py-3 flex items-center justify-between">
             <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
-              <Activity size={18} className="text-stone-900" />
+              <Activity size={18} className="text-white" />
               <div className="text-left">
-                <h3 className="text-sm font-bold text-stone-900">Live Activity</h3>
-                <p className="text-[10px] text-stone-500">Tracking disabled</p>
+                <h3 className="text-sm font-bold text-white">Live Activity</h3>
+                <p className="text-[10px] text-white/50">Tracking disabled</p>
               </div>
             </div>
             <button
               type="button"
               onClick={toggleTracking}
-              className="text-xs font-semibold px-3 py-1.5 rounded-full bg-stone-900 text-white hover:bg-stone-800 transition-colors"
+              className="text-xs font-semibold px-3 py-1.5 rounded-full bg-white/10 text-white hover:bg-white/15 transition-colors border border-white/10"
               title="Enable activity tracking"
             >
               Enable
@@ -1521,20 +1521,20 @@ export default function ActivityFeed() {
         <motion.div
           initial={false}
           animate={{ scale: 1, opacity: 1 }}
-          className="pointer-events-auto bg-white/90 backdrop-blur-2xl border border-white/60 rounded-2xl shadow-xl overflow-hidden w-full"
+          className="pointer-events-auto bg-black/95 backdrop-blur-2xl border border-white/10 rounded-2xl shadow-2xl overflow-hidden w-full"
         >
           <div className="px-4 py-3 flex items-center justify-between">
             <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
-              <Activity size={18} className="text-stone-900" />
+              <Activity size={18} className="text-white" />
               <div className="text-left">
-                <h3 className="text-sm font-bold text-stone-900">Live Activity</h3>
-                <p className="text-[10px] text-stone-500">Tracking disabled</p>
+                <h3 className="text-sm font-bold text-white">Live Activity</h3>
+                <p className="text-[10px] text-white/50">Tracking disabled</p>
               </div>
             </div>
             <button
               type="button"
               onClick={toggleTracking}
-              className="text-xs font-semibold px-3 py-1.5 rounded-full bg-stone-900 text-white hover:bg-stone-800 transition-colors"
+              className="text-xs font-semibold px-3 py-1.5 rounded-full bg-white/10 text-white hover:bg-white/15 transition-colors border border-white/10"
               title="Enable activity tracking"
             >
               Enable
diff --git a/app/components/ClientProviders.tsx b/app/components/ClientProviders.tsx
index c94c9b9..406b600 100644
--- a/app/components/ClientProviders.tsx
+++ b/app/components/ClientProviders.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import { ToastProvider } from "@/components/Toast";
 import ErrorBoundary from "@/components/ErrorBoundary";
 import { AnalyticsProvider } from "@/components/AnalyticsProvider";
 import { ConsentProvider, useConsent } from "./ConsentProvider";
-import ConsentBanner from "./ConsentBanner";
 
 // Dynamic import with SSR disabled to avoid framer-motion issues
 const BackgroundBlobs = dynamic(() => import("@/components/BackgroundBlobs").catch(() => ({ default: () => null })), {
@@ -105,7 +104,6 @@ function GatedProviders({
       <ToastProvider>
         {mounted && <BackgroundBlobs />}
         <div className="relative z-10">{children}</div>
-        {mounted && !isAdminRoute && <ConsentBanner />}
         {mounted && !is404Page && !isAdminRoute && chatEnabled && <ChatWidget />}
       </ToastProvider>
     </ErrorBoundary>
diff --git a/e2e/i18n.spec.ts b/e2e/i18n.spec.ts
index 54b9f49..d5a0e0a 100644
--- a/e2e/i18n.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/i18n.spec.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,14 @@ test.describe("i18n routing", () => {
     // Buttons are "EN"/"DE" in the header
     const deButton = page.getByRole("button", { name: "DE" });
     if (await deButton.count()) {
+      // Verify an EN label is present before switching (nav.home)
+      await expect(page.getByRole("link", { name: "Home" })).toBeVisible();
+
       await deButton.click();
       await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/de(\/|$)/);
+
+      // Verify the nav label updates after switching
+      await expect(page.getByRole("link", { name: "Start" })).toBeVisible();
     } else {
       test.skip();
     }
diff --git a/playwright.config.ts b/playwright.config.ts
index 0f8a941..70a7096 100644
--- a/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/playwright.config.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ export default defineConfig({
   ],
 
   webServer: {
-    command: 'npm run dev',
+    // Use plain Next.js dev server for E2E (no Docker dependency)
+    command: 'npm run dev:next',
     url: 'http://localhost:3000',
     reuseExistingServer: true, // Always reuse if server is running
     timeout: 120 * 1000,