diff --git a/tests/ui/post/post-form-ux.spec.js b/tests/ui/post/post-form-ux.spec.js
index f1768b0..2d3688a 100644
--- a/tests/ui/post/post-form-ux.spec.js
+++ b/tests/ui/post/post-form-ux.spec.js
@@ -49,11 +49,10 @@ test('AE1: a HEIC photo is converted to JPEG client-side and posted', async ({ p
     expect(files.some(f => /\.heic$/i.test(f)), 'the original HEIC must NOT be posted').toBe(false);
 });
 
-// ── AE4: corrupt HEIC fails closed; Submit + other photos stay usable ─────────
-test('AE4: a corrupt HEIC is blocked (fail-closed) and never posted', async ({ page }) => {
-    const tag = `heicfail-${Date.now()}`;
+// ── AE4: corrupt HEIC fails closed — it is the only "photo", so submit blocks ──
+test('AE4: a corrupt HEIC is blocked (fail-closed) and cannot be posted alone', async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto('/post');
-    await page.fill('input[name="data[title]"]', `UI Test ${tag}`);
+    await page.fill('input[name="data[title]"]', `UI Test heicfail-${Date.now()}`);
     await fillEditor(page, 'HEIC failure test. Safe to delete.');
 
     await page.locator('input.filepond--browser').setInputFiles(TEST_CORRUPT_HEIC);
@@ -61,14 +60,31 @@ test('AE4: a corrupt HEIC is blocked (fail-closed) and never posted', async ({ p
     await expect(page.locator('.photo-convert-status.form-status--err')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 15_000 });
     await expect(page.locator('.btn-post')).toBeEnabled(); // Submit still usable
 
+    // The corrupt file was never added, so there are zero photos — the ≥1-photo
+    // requirement blocks submit, which is exactly what keeps the corrupt HEIC
+    // (fail-closed) from ever being posted. No entry is created.
     await page.locator('.btn-post').evaluate(el => el.click());
-    await expect(page.locator('.notices')).toContainText('Entry posted successfully!', { timeout: 15_000 });
-    created.push(tag);
+    await expect(page.locator('.photos-collapse .field-error')).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.locator('.notices.success, .notices.green')).toHaveCount(0);
+});
 
-    const dir = findEntry(tag);
-    expect(dir).toBeTruthy();
-    const files = fs.readdirSync(dir);
-    expect(files.some(f => /\.heic$/i.test(f)), 'the corrupt HEIC must never be posted').toBe(false);
+// ── Photo count: at least one is required; the picker caps at 6 ────────────────
+test('a post requires at least one photo and the picker allows at most 6', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/post');
+
+    // FilePond is configured from the blueprint limit (6).
+    await page.waitForFunction(
+        () => window.GravFilePond && window.GravFilePond.getInstances().length > 0,
+        { timeout: 10_000 });
+    expect(await page.evaluate(() => window.GravFilePond.getInstances()[0].maxFiles)).toBe(6);
+
+    // Title + content filled, date prefilled, but no photo → submit is blocked
+    // with an error on the photo section and no success notice.
+    await page.fill('input[name="data[title]"]', `UI photoreq-${Date.now()}`);
+    await fillEditor(page, 'photo-required test');
+    await page.locator('.btn-post').evaluate(el => el.click());
+    await expect(page.locator('.photos-collapse .field-error')).toContainText('at least one photo');
+    await expect(page.locator('.notices.success, .notices.green')).toHaveCount(0);
 });
 
 // ── Photo section collapses to a summary after upload, re-expands on tap ──────
@@ -179,6 +195,9 @@ test('post success shows a confirmation with a working "View your journal" link'
     await page.goto('/post');
     await page.fill('input[name="data[title]"]', `UI Test ${tag}`);
     await fillEditor(page, `success cta test ${tag}`);
+    // A photo is required to post.
+    await page.locator('input.filepond--browser').setInputFiles(TEST_JPG);
+    await waitForPhotoUpload(page, 1);
     await page.locator('.btn-post').evaluate(el => el.click());
     await expect(page.locator('.notices')).toContainText('Entry posted successfully!', { timeout: 15_000 });
     created.push(tag);