diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index b2d6e21e..2caf3638 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -532,6 +532,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           NEXT_PUBLIC_BASE_URL: ${{ needs.prepare.outputs.next_public_url }}
           GATEKEEPER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.GATEKEEPER_PASSWORD || 'klz2026' }}
+          PAYLOAD_SECRET: ${{ secrets.PAYLOAD_SECRET || vars.PAYLOAD_SECRET }}
           PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH: /usr/bin/chromium
         run: pnpm run check:forms
 
diff --git a/scripts/check-forms.ts b/scripts/check-forms.ts
index ce877c45..8ccb5ba0 100644
--- a/scripts/check-forms.ts
+++ b/scripts/check-forms.ts
@@ -348,13 +348,23 @@ async function main() {
 
   // 5. Cleanup: Delete test submissions from Payload CMS
   console.log(`\n🧹 Starting cleanup of test submissions...`);
+  const payloadSecret = process.env.PAYLOAD_SECRET;
+  
+  if (!payloadSecret) {
+    console.warn(`   ⚠️ PAYLOAD_SECRET not found in environment. Cleanup will likely fail with 403.`);
+  }
+
   try {
     const apiUrl = `${targetUrl.replace(/\/$/, '')}/api/form-submissions`;
-    const searchUrl = `${apiUrl}?where[email][equals]=testing@mintel.me`;
+    // We fetch ALL submissions matching the test email to clean up potential lefovers from previous runs
+    const searchUrl = `${apiUrl}?where[email][equals]=testing@mintel.me&limit=100`;
 
-    // Fetch test submissions
+    // Fetch test submissions with bypass header
     const searchResponse = await axios.get(searchUrl, {
-      headers: { Cookie: `klz_gatekeeper_session=${gatekeeperPassword}` },
+      headers: { 
+        Cookie: `klz_gatekeeper_session=${gatekeeperPassword}`,
+        'x-e2e-secret': payloadSecret || '',
+      },
     });
 
     const testSubmissions = searchResponse.data.docs || [];
@@ -363,25 +373,30 @@ async function main() {
     for (const doc of testSubmissions) {
       try {
         await axios.delete(`${apiUrl}/${doc.id}`, {
-          headers: { Cookie: `klz_gatekeeper_session=${gatekeeperPassword}` },
+          headers: { 
+            Cookie: `klz_gatekeeper_session=${gatekeeperPassword}`,
+            'x-e2e-secret': payloadSecret || '',
+          },
         });
-        console.log(`   ✅ Deleted submission: ${doc.id}`);
+        console.log(`   ✅ Deleted submission: ${doc.id} (${doc.name})`);
       } catch (delErr: any) {
-        // Log but don't fail, 403s on Directus / Payload APIs for guest Gatekeeper sessions are normal
         console.warn(
-          `   ⚠️ Cleanup attempt on ${doc.id} returned an error, typically due to API Auth separation: ${delErr.message}`,
+          `   ⚠️ Cleanup attempt on ${doc.id} failed: ${delErr.message}`,
         );
       }
     }
+    
+    if (testSubmissions.length > 0) {
+      console.log(`✅ Cleanup completed successfully.`);
+    }
   } catch (err: any) {
     if (err.response?.status === 403) {
-      console.warn(
-        `   ⚠️ Cleanup fetch failed with 403 Forbidden. This is expected if the runner lacks admin API credentials. Test submissions remain in the database.`,
+      console.error(
+        `   ❌ Cleanup failed with 403 Forbidden. Ensure FormSubmissions access control and PAYLOAD_SECRET are aligned.`,
       );
     } else {
       console.error(`   ❌ Cleanup fetch failed: ${err.message}`);
     }
-    // Don't mark the whole test as failed just because cleanup failed
   }
 
   await browser.close();
diff --git a/src/payload/collections/FormSubmissions.ts b/src/payload/collections/FormSubmissions.ts
index eee43c7f..17ea1d72 100644
--- a/src/payload/collections/FormSubmissions.ts
+++ b/src/payload/collections/FormSubmissions.ts
@@ -9,9 +9,19 @@ export const FormSubmissions: CollectionConfig = {
   },
   access: {
     // Only Admins can view and delete leads via dashboard.
-    read: ({ req: { user } }) => Boolean(user) || process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development',
-    update: ({ req: { user } }) => Boolean(user) || process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development',
-    delete: ({ req: { user } }) => Boolean(user) || process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development',
+    // E2E scripts can bypass if they provide the correct secret header.
+    read: ({ req }) => {
+      const isE2E = req.headers.get('x-e2e-secret') === process.env.PAYLOAD_SECRET;
+      return Boolean(req.user) || isE2E || process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development';
+    },
+    update: ({ req }) => {
+      const isE2E = req.headers.get('x-e2e-secret') === process.env.PAYLOAD_SECRET;
+      return Boolean(req.user) || isE2E || process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development';
+    },
+    delete: ({ req }) => {
+      const isE2E = req.headers.get('x-e2e-secret') === process.env.PAYLOAD_SECRET;
+      return Boolean(req.user) || isE2E || process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development';
+    },
     // Next.js server actions handle secure inserts natively. No public client create access.
     create: () => false,
   },