diff --git a/veza-backend-api/cmd/tools/seed/config.go b/veza-backend-api/cmd/tools/seed/config.go
index e26ce76cc..3ea225bc0 100644
--- a/veza-backend-api/cmd/tools/seed/config.go
+++ b/veza-backend-api/cmd/tools/seed/config.go
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@ import "flag"
 
 // Config holds all seed volume parameters.
 type Config struct {
+	// CIMode: when true, main.go only runs SeedUsers / SeedTracks /
+	// SeedPlaylists and skips Chat/Live/Marketplace/Analytics/Content/
+	// Moderation/Notifications/Misc. Used by E2E CI to avoid the ~60s
+	// full seed when all the suite needs is the 5 test accounts and a
+	// handful of tracks/playlists.
+	CIMode bool
+
 	// Users
 	TotalUsers  int
 	NormalUsers int
@@ -163,10 +170,43 @@ func MinimalConfig() Config {
 	}
 }
 
+// CIConfig returns the bare-minimum configuration for E2E CI:
+// just the 5 hardcoded test accounts (admin/artist/user/mod/new) plus
+// a small fixture set of tracks and playlists. main.go skips the
+// non-essential seeders when CIMode is true.
+func CIConfig() Config {
+	return Config{
+		CIMode: true,
+
+		// 5 test accounts only — TotalUsers == len(testAccounts) so
+		// SeedUsers' "remaining" branch is a no-op.
+		TotalUsers:  5,
+		NormalUsers: 2,
+		Artists:     1,
+		Labels:      0,
+		Moderators:  1,
+		Admins:      1,
+
+		// Small fixture set so player / playlist tests have content.
+		Tracks:            10,
+		Albums:            0,
+		Playlists:         3,
+		PlaylistMinTracks: 1,
+		PlaylistMaxTracks: 3,
+
+		// Everything else stays at zero — corresponding seeders are
+		// either skipped via CIMode or run as no-ops on zero counts.
+	}
+}
+
 // ParseFlags parses CLI flags and returns the appropriate config.
 func ParseFlags() Config {
 	minimal := flag.Bool("minimal", false, "Use reduced volumes (50 users, 200 tracks) for fast dev")
+	ci := flag.Bool("ci", false, "Bare-minimum seed for E2E CI (5 test accounts + 10 tracks + 3 playlists, skips chat/live/marketplace/analytics)")
 	flag.Parse()
+	if *ci {
+		return CIConfig()
+	}
 	if *minimal {
 		return MinimalConfig()
 	}
diff --git a/veza-backend-api/cmd/tools/seed/main.go b/veza-backend-api/cmd/tools/seed/main.go
index 1f52a8e2e..a9198d664 100644
--- a/veza-backend-api/cmd/tools/seed/main.go
+++ b/veza-backend-api/cmd/tools/seed/main.go
@@ -72,51 +72,58 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("seed playlists: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	// Level 2: Social (depends on users, tracks)
-	if err := SeedSocial(db, cfg, users, tracks); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("seed social: %v", err)
-	}
+	// CI mode stops here — the E2E suite only needs the test accounts
+	// + a fixture set of tracks/playlists. Skipping the remaining
+	// seeders shaves ~50s off the typical CI seed time.
+	if cfg.CIMode {
+		fmt.Println("\n═══ CI MODE: skipping social/chat/live/marketplace/analytics/content/moderation/notifications/misc ═══")
+	} else {
+		// Level 2: Social (depends on users, tracks)
+		if err := SeedSocial(db, cfg, users, tracks); err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("seed social: %v", err)
+		}
 
-	// Level 2: Chat (depends on users)
-	_, err = SeedChat(db, cfg, users)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("seed chat: %v", err)
-	}
+		// Level 2: Chat (depends on users)
+		_, err = SeedChat(db, cfg, users)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("seed chat: %v", err)
+		}
 
-	// Level 2: Live streams (depends on users)
-	if err := SeedLive(db, cfg, users, tracks); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("seed live: %v", err)
-	}
+		// Level 2: Live streams (depends on users)
+		if err := SeedLive(db, cfg, users, tracks); err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("seed live: %v", err)
+		}
 
-	// Level 2: Marketplace (depends on users, tracks)
-	_, err = SeedMarketplace(db, cfg, users, tracks)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("seed marketplace: %v", err)
-	}
+		// Level 2: Marketplace (depends on users, tracks)
+		_, err = SeedMarketplace(db, cfg, users, tracks)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("seed marketplace: %v", err)
+		}
 
-	// Level 3: Analytics (depends on users, tracks — heaviest step)
-	if err := SeedAnalytics(db, cfg, users, tracks); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("seed analytics: %v", err)
-	}
+		// Level 3: Analytics (depends on users, tracks — heaviest step)
+		if err := SeedAnalytics(db, cfg, users, tracks); err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("seed analytics: %v", err)
+		}
 
-	// Level 2: Content (depends on users, tracks)
-	if err := SeedContent(db, cfg, users, tracks); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("seed content: %v", err)
-	}
+		// Level 2: Content (depends on users, tracks)
+		if err := SeedContent(db, cfg, users, tracks); err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("seed content: %v", err)
+		}
 
-	// Level 2: Moderation (depends on users, tracks)
-	if err := SeedModeration(db, cfg, users, tracks); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("seed moderation: %v", err)
-	}
+		// Level 2: Moderation (depends on users, tracks)
+		if err := SeedModeration(db, cfg, users, tracks); err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("seed moderation: %v", err)
+		}
 
-	// Level 2: Notifications (depends on users)
-	if err := SeedNotifications(db, cfg, users); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("seed notifications: %v", err)
-	}
+		// Level 2: Notifications (depends on users)
+		if err := SeedNotifications(db, cfg, users); err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("seed notifications: %v", err)
+		}
 
-	// Level 2: Misc (depends on users)
-	if err := SeedMisc(db, cfg, users); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("seed misc: %v", err)
+		// Level 2: Misc (depends on users)
+		if err := SeedMisc(db, cfg, users); err != nil {
+			log.Fatalf("seed misc: %v", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// ── VALIDATION ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -170,6 +177,9 @@ func main() {
 }
 
 func modeName(cfg Config) string {
+	if cfg.CIMode {
+		return "CI"
+	}
 	if cfg.TotalUsers <= 100 {
 		return "MINIMAL"
 	}