diff --git a/website/cypress/README.md b/website/cypress/README.md
index 7f2c5d53..4750cbf6 100644
--- a/website/cypress/README.md
+++ b/website/cypress/README.md
@@ -58,13 +58,13 @@ under test.
 When running `npm run cypress` and selecting e2e testing, we assume you have the
 NextJS site running at `localhost:3000`.
 
-An example test from this time of writing, could look as follows:
+An example test could look as follows:
 
 ```typescript
 describe("signin flow", () => {
   it("redirects to a confirmation page on submit of valid email address", () => {
     cy.visit("/auth/signin");
-    cy.get(".chakra-input").type(`test@example.com{enter}`);
+    cy.get('[data-cy="email-address"]').type(`test@example.com{enter}`);
     cy.url().should("contain", "/auth/verify");
   });
 });
@@ -82,10 +82,49 @@ Cypress will
 [automatically await](https://docs.cypress.io/guides/core-concepts/introduction-to-cypress#Timeouts)
 almost anything you do, but fail if the default timeout is reached.
 
-Then we get the email input field and type our email address. Notice the
-`{enter}` keyword, this will cause Cypress to hit the return key which we expect
-to submit the form.
+Then we get the email input field and type our email address. We find the input
+field using the data-cy attribute that we added in the source code of the
+element on the page.
+
+```jsx
+<Input data-cy="email-address" placeholder="Email Address" />
+```
+
+Using `data-cy` is how we ensure that selecting the element is robust to changes
+in page design or function and is one of the
+[best practices recommended by Cypress](https://docs.cypress.io/guides/references/best-practices#Selecting-Elements).
+
+Next we call `type()` to use the keyboard, cypress will automatically focus the
+element and send the keypress events. Notice the `{enter}` keyword, this will
+cause Cypress to hit the return key which we expect to submit the form.
 
 We then assert that the URL should contain `/auth/verify`. Again the timeout
 will make sure we are not waiting forever, and the test will fail if we do not
 manage to get there in a reasonable time.
+
+## Authenticating in e2e tests
+
+For end-to-end tests almost every test will need to first sign in to the
+website. To make this easier we have a custom command for Cypress that makes
+logging in with an email address a single command, `cy.signInWithEmail()`.
+
+```typescript
+describe("replying as the assistant", () => {
+  it("completes the current task on submit", () => {
+    cy.signInWithEmail("cypress@example.com");
+
+    cy.visit("/create/assistant_reply");
+
+    cy.get('[data-cy="reply"').type(
+      "You need to run pre-commit to make the reviewer happy."
+    );
+    cy.get('[data-cy="submit"]').click();
+  });
+});
+```
+
+In this example we sign in as `cypress@example.com` before visiting the
+`/create/assistant_reply` page that is only available when authenticated. We can
+then continue on with our test as normal. Note: using `cy.signInWithEmail()`
+requires that the maildev is running, which should have been started as part of
+the `docker compose up` command that is required to do any end-to-end testing.
diff --git a/website/cypress/e2e/auth/signin.cy.ts b/website/cypress/e2e/auth/signin.cy.ts
index e87d4b88..6d57d1f9 100644
--- a/website/cypress/e2e/auth/signin.cy.ts
+++ b/website/cypress/e2e/auth/signin.cy.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,8 @@ import { faker } from "@faker-js/faker";
 describe("signin flow", () => {
   it("redirects to a confirmation page on submit of valid email address", () => {
     cy.visit("/auth/signin");
-    cy.get('form[data-cy="signin-email"').within(() => {
-      cy.get(".chakra-input").type(`test@example.com`);
-      cy.get(".chakra-stack > .chakra-button").click();
-    });
+    cy.get('[data-cy="email-address"]').type(`test@example.com`);
+    cy.get('[data-cy="signin-email-button"]').click();
     cy.url().should("contain", "/auth/verify");
   });
   it("emails a login link to the user when signing in with email", () => {
diff --git a/website/src/pages/auth/signin.tsx b/website/src/pages/auth/signin.tsx
index a1af2326..5bfeeb3b 100644
--- a/website/src/pages/auth/signin.tsx
+++ b/website/src/pages/auth/signin.tsx
@@ -41,10 +41,16 @@ export default function Signin({ csrfToken, providers }) {
             </form>
           )}
           {email && (
-            <form data-cy="signin-email" onSubmit={signinWithEmail}>
+            <form onSubmit={signinWithEmail}>
               <Stack>
-                <Input variant="outline" size="lg" placeholder="Email Address" ref={emailEl} />
-                <Button size={"lg"} leftIcon={<FaEnvelope />} colorScheme="gray" type="submit">
+                <Input data-cy="email-address" variant="outline" size="lg" placeholder="Email Address" ref={emailEl} />
+                <Button
+                  data-cy="signin-email-button"
+                  size={"lg"}
+                  leftIcon={<FaEnvelope />}
+                  colorScheme="gray"
+                  type="submit"
+                >
                   Continue with Email
                 </Button>
               </Stack>