diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index 1b3e612..8bb9e15 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -117,7 +117,9 @@ function notifyChange() {
 async function openBookAt(p: string): Promise<BookResult | ErrResult> {
   try {
     const meta = loadBook(p);
-    addRecent({ path: p, title: meta.title, lastOpened: new Date().toISOString() });
+    if (process.env.FOLIO_SELF_TEST !== "1") {
+      addRecent({ path: p, title: meta.title, lastOpened: new Date().toISOString() });
+    }
     bookPath = p;
     mainWindow?.setTitle(`${meta.title} — Folio`);
     refreshMenu();
@@ -138,7 +140,9 @@ ipcMain.handle("folio:newBook", async () => {
   if (hasBook(p)) return { error: "A Folio book already exists at this location." };
   const title = path.basename(p) || "Untitled";
   const meta = createBook(p, title);
-  addRecent({ path: p, title: meta.title, lastOpened: new Date().toISOString() });
+  if (process.env.FOLIO_SELF_TEST !== "1") {
+    addRecent({ path: p, title: meta.title, lastOpened: new Date().toISOString() });
+  }
   bookPath = p;
   mainWindow?.setTitle(`${meta.title} — Folio`);
   refreshMenu();
diff --git a/src/main/recents.ts b/src/main/recents.ts
index fef6914..bebbfef 100644
--- a/src/main/recents.ts
+++ b/src/main/recents.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import path from "path";
 import { app } from "electron";
-import { APP_ID, listRecents as _listRecents, addRecent as _addRecent } from "./project.js";
+import {
+  APP_ID,
+  hasBook,
+  listRecents as _listRecents,
+  addRecent as _addRecent,
+} from "./project.js";
 import type { Recent } from "./project.js";
 
 export type { Recent };
@@ -10,7 +15,11 @@ export function recentsFilePath(): string {
 }
 
 export function listRecents(): Recent[] {
-  return _listRecents(recentsFilePath());
+  // Drop entries whose book no longer exists (e.g. e2e temp books).
+  const recents = _listRecents(recentsFilePath());
+  return recents.filter(
+    (r) => r && typeof r.path === "string" && hasBook(r.path)
+  );
 }
 
 export function addRecent(recent: Recent): Recent[] {