diff --git a/.github/workflows/template-connect-popup-test-params.yml b/.github/workflows/template-connect-popup-test-params.yml
index 5efcf459942b..f94318fc3523 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/template-connect-popup-test-params.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/template-connect-popup-test-params.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ on:
         type: "boolean"
         required: false
         default: true
+      run-core-in-popup:
+        description: "Flag to indicate whether to run the core-in-popup job"
+        type: "boolean"
+        required: false
+        default: false
       build-overview:
         description: "Flag to indicate whether to build connect-popup-overview.html"
         type: "boolean"
@@ -68,7 +73,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         if: ${{ inputs.build-overview }}
         with:
-          name: static-overview-${{ inputs.test-name }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}
+          name: core-in-popup-static-overview-${{ inputs.test-name }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}
           path: |
             tmp_overview_directory/
 
@@ -146,3 +151,64 @@ jobs:
             echo "Tests failed"
             exit 1
           fi
+
+  core_in_popup:
+    name: core_in_popup
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: ${{ inputs.run-core-in-popup }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: true
+
+      - name: Extract branch name
+        run: echo "branch=${GITHUB_HEAD_REF:-${GITHUB_REF#refs/heads/}}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+        id: extract_branch
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          echo -e "\nenableScripts: false" >> .yarnrc.yml
+          yarn workspaces focus @trezor/connect-popup
+
+      - name: Run connect popup test
+        env:
+          URL: https://${{ inputs.DEV_SERVER_HOSTNAME }}/connect/${{ steps.extract_branch.outputs.branch }}/?core-in-popup=true
+          CORE_IN_POPUP: true
+          # skip settings page, this url is set at build time anyway
+          #TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC: https://${{ inputs.DEV_SERVER_HOSTNAME }}/connect/${{ steps.extract_branch.outputs.branch }}/
+          CI_COMMIT_BRANCH: ${{ steps.extract_branch.outputs.branch }}
+          CI_JOB_NAME: ${{ inputs.test-name }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}
+        run: |
+          ./docker/docker-connect-popup-ci.sh ${{ inputs.test-name }}
+
+      - name: Prepare static overview
+        if: ${{ inputs.build-overview }}
+        run: |
+          echo "Preparing static overview"
+          mkdir -p tmp_overview_directory
+          cp -R ./packages/connect-popup/e2e/screenshots/* tmp_overview_directory/
+          cp packages/connect-popup/connect-popup-overview.html  tmp_overview_directory/connect-popup-overview.html
+
+      - name: Upload static overview artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        if: ${{ inputs.build-overview }}
+        with:
+          name: static-overview-${{ inputs.test-name }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}
+          path: |
+            tmp_overview_directory/
+
+      - name: Upload artifacts
+        if: failure()
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: core-in-popup-test-artifacts-${{ inputs.test-name }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}-${{ github.run_id }}
+          path: |
+            packages/connect-popup/test-results
+
+      - name: Check Test Success
+        run: |
+          # If there is `test-results` it means it has failed.
+          if [ -f "packages/connect-popup/test-results" ]; then
+            echo "Tests failed"
+            exit 1
+          fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-connect-popup.yml b/.github/workflows/test-connect-popup.yml
index 5a6dad786e69..cd87b986d79d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-connect-popup.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-connect-popup.yml
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ jobs:
       test-name: methods.test
       DEV_SERVER_HOSTNAME: dev.suite.sldev.cz
       run-webextension: ${{ github.event_name == 'schedule' }}
+      run-core-in-popup: true
       build-overview: true
 
   popup-close:
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ jobs:
       test-name: popup-close.test
       DEV_SERVER_HOSTNAME: dev.suite.sldev.cz
       run-webextension: true
+      run-core-in-popup: true
 
   passphrase:
     needs: [build-deploy]
@@ -87,6 +89,7 @@ jobs:
       test-name: passphrase.test
       DEV_SERVER_HOSTNAME: dev.suite.sldev.cz
       run-webextension: true
+      run-core-in-popup: true
 
   popup-pages:
     needs: [build-deploy]
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.connect-popup-ci.yml b/docker/docker-compose.connect-popup-ci.yml
index 6d0a1a0a4628..daed8d3104c8 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.connect-popup-ci.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.connect-popup-ci.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ services:
       - CI_JOB_NAME=$CI_JOB_NAME
       - TEST_FILE=$TEST_FILE
       - IS_WEBEXTENSION=$IS_WEBEXTENSION
+      - CORE_IN_POPUP=$CORE_IN_POPUP
       - TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC=$TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC
     working_dir: /e2e
     command: bash -c "npx playwright install && yarn workspace @trezor/connect-popup test:e2e $TEST_FILE"
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.connect-popup-test.yml b/docker/docker-compose.connect-popup-test.yml
index e04908083f54..ed96e165b8a1 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.connect-popup-test.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.connect-popup-test.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ services:
       - PWDEBUG=console
       - TEST_FILE=$TEST_FILE
       - IS_WEBEXTENSION=$IS_WEBEXTENSION
+      - CORE_IN_POPUP=$CORE_IN_POPUP
       - TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC=$TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC
     working_dir: /trezor-suite
     command: bash -c "docker/wait-for-200.sh http://localhost:8088/index.html && yarn workspace @trezor/connect-popup test:e2e $TEST_FILE"
diff --git a/docker/docker-connect-popup-ci.sh b/docker/docker-connect-popup-ci.sh
index 1bcb133eab5b..fc50d9d366a0 100755
--- a/docker/docker-connect-popup-ci.sh
+++ b/docker/docker-connect-popup-ci.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export LOCAL_USER_ID
 export TEST_FILE=$1
 export URL=$URL
 export TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC=$TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC
+export CORE_IN_POPUP=$CORE_IN_POPUP
 export IS_WEBEXTENSION=$IS_WEBEXTENSION
 
 docker compose -f ./docker/docker-compose.connect-popup-ci.yml up --build --abort-on-container-exit
diff --git a/docker/docker-connect-popup-test.sh b/docker/docker-connect-popup-test.sh
index 208e428e4b4a..a1105f6979fc 100755
--- a/docker/docker-connect-popup-test.sh
+++ b/docker/docker-connect-popup-test.sh
@@ -6,5 +6,7 @@ LOCAL_USER_ID="$(id -u "$USER")"
 export LOCAL_USER_ID
 export TEST_FILE=$1
 export TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC=http://localhost:8088/
+export CORE_IN_POPUP=$CORE_IN_POPUP
+export IS_WEBEXTENSION=$IS_WEBEXTENSION
 
 docker compose -f ./docker/docker-compose.connect-popup-test.yml up --build --abort-on-container-exit
diff --git a/packages/connect-explorer/src/actions/trezorConnectActions.ts b/packages/connect-explorer/src/actions/trezorConnectActions.ts
index 963a78038e4e..26c579406e7d 100644
--- a/packages/connect-explorer/src/actions/trezorConnectActions.ts
+++ b/packages/connect-explorer/src/actions/trezorConnectActions.ts
@@ -90,9 +90,12 @@ export const init =
             console.log('using @trezor/connect hosted on: ', window.__TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC);
         }
 
+        // Get default useCoreInPopup from URL params (?core-in-popup=true)
+        const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
+        const useCoreInPopup = urlParams.get('core-in-popup') === 'true';
+
         const connectOptions = {
-            // Example with core mode enabled
-            useCoreInPopup: true,
+            useCoreInPopup,
             transportReconnect: true,
             popup: true,
             debug: true,
diff --git a/packages/connect-popup/e2e/support/helpers.ts b/packages/connect-popup/e2e/support/helpers.ts
index 4f5f5850c3f1..b548aee390ae 100644
--- a/packages/connect-popup/e2e/support/helpers.ts
+++ b/packages/connect-popup/e2e/support/helpers.ts
@@ -160,6 +160,9 @@ export const setConnectSettings = async (
             connectSrc,
         );
     }
+    if (process.env.CORE_IN_POPUP) {
+        await waitAndClick(explorerPage, ['@checkbox/useCoreInPopup']);
+    }
     await waitAndClick(explorerPage, ['@submit-button']);
 };
 
diff --git a/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/methods.test.ts b/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/methods.test.ts
index 3c8394179d16..8e7d2fd8ebd5 100644
--- a/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/methods.test.ts
+++ b/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/methods.test.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ let device = {};
 let context: any = null;
 
 const isWebExtension = process.env.IS_WEBEXTENSION === 'true';
+const isCoreInPopup = process.env.CORE_IN_POPUP === 'true';
 
 const screenshotEmu = async (path: string) => {
     const { response } = await TrezorUserEnvLink.send({
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ filteredFixtures.forEach(f => {
         });
         await popup.click("button[data-test='@analytics/continue-button']");
 
-        if (isWebExtension) {
+        if (isWebExtension || isCoreInPopup) {
             log(f.url, 'waiting for select device');
             await popup.waitForSelector('.select-device-list button.list', { state: 'visible' });
             await popup.click('.select-device-list button.list');
diff --git a/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/passphrase.test.ts b/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/passphrase.test.ts
index 42dfdbfbed77..c1f04e53454e 100644
--- a/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/passphrase.test.ts
+++ b/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/passphrase.test.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ const url = process.env.URL || 'http://localhost:8088/';
 const bridgeVersion = '2.0.31';
 
 const isWebExtension = process.env.IS_WEBEXTENSION === 'true';
+const isCoreInPopup = process.env.CORE_IN_POPUP === 'true';
+const skipCheck = isWebExtension || isCoreInPopup;
 const connectSrc = process.env.TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC;
 
 let context: any = null;
@@ -102,7 +104,7 @@ test('input passphrase in popup and device accepts it', async () => {
     log('clicking on analytics continue button');
     await waitAndClick(popup, ['@analytics/continue-button']);
 
-    if (isWebExtension) {
+    if (isWebExtension || isCoreInPopup) {
         log('waiting for device list');
         await popup.waitForSelector('.select-device-list button.list');
         await popup.click('.select-device-list button.list');
@@ -149,7 +151,7 @@ test('introduce passphrase in popup and device rejects it', async () => {
     }
     await waitAndClick(popup, ['@analytics/continue-button']);
 
-    if (isWebExtension) {
+    if (isWebExtension || isCoreInPopup) {
         log('waiting for device list');
         await popup.waitForSelector('.select-device-list button.list');
         await popup.click('.select-device-list button.list');
@@ -174,7 +176,7 @@ test('introduce passphrase in popup and device rejects it', async () => {
 });
 
 test('introduce passphrase successfully next time should not ask for it', async () => {
-    test.skip(isWebExtension, 'test does not apply for webextension');
+    test.skip(skipCheck, 'test does not apply for webextension');
 
     log(`test: ${test.info().title}`);
 
@@ -220,7 +222,7 @@ test('introduce passphrase successfully next time should not ask for it', async
 });
 
 test('introduce passphrase successfully reload 3rd party it should ask again for passphrase', async () => {
-    test.skip(isWebExtension, 'test does not apply for webextension');
+    test.skip(skipCheck, 'test does not apply for webextension');
 
     log(`test: ${test.info().title}`);
 
@@ -270,7 +272,7 @@ test('introduce passphrase successfully reload 3rd party it should ask again for
 
 test('passphrase mismatch', async ({ page }) => {
     // This test uses addScriptTag so we cannot run it in web extension.
-    test.skip(isWebExtension);
+    test.skip(skipCheck);
     log(`test: ${test.info().title}`);
 
     log('start', test.info().title);
@@ -356,6 +358,18 @@ test('passphrase mismatch', async ({ page }) => {
 
     [popup] = await Promise.all([page.waitForEvent('popup')]);
 
+    // Acquire device if not acquired
+    try {
+        log('handling if unacquired');
+        await popup.waitForSelector('.explain.unacquired', {
+            state: 'visible',
+            timeout: 10000,
+        });
+        await popup.click('.explain.unacquired');
+    } catch (error) {
+        // May appear or not
+    }
+
     log('waiting and click confirm permissions button');
     await waitAndClick(popup, ['@permissions/confirm-button', '@export-address/confirm-button']);
 
diff --git a/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/popup-close.test.ts b/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/popup-close.test.ts
index ab22b016c7cc..8a6884a46b4c 100644
--- a/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/popup-close.test.ts
+++ b/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/popup-close.test.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ import {
 
 const url = process.env.URL || 'http://localhost:8088/';
 const isWebExtension = process.env.IS_WEBEXTENSION === 'true';
+const isCoreInPopup = process.env.CORE_IN_POPUP === 'true';
+const skipCheck = isWebExtension || isCoreInPopup;
 const connectSrc = process.env.TREZOR_CONNECT_SRC;
 
 const WAIT_AFTER_TEST = 3000; // how long test should wait for more potential trezord requests
@@ -62,7 +64,7 @@ const setup = async ({ page, context }: { page: Page; context?: BrowserContext }
     explorerUrl = contexts.explorerUrl;
 
     const logPage = await browserContext!.newPage();
-    await logPage.goto(`${url}log.html`);
+    await logPage.goto(formatUrl(url, 'log.html'));
 
     await setConnectSettings(
         explorerPage,
@@ -100,7 +102,7 @@ const setup = async ({ page, context }: { page: Page; context?: BrowserContext }
     log('beforeEach', 'waiting for popup load state');
     await popup.waitForLoadState('load');
 
-    if (isWebExtension) {
+    if (isWebExtension || isCoreInPopup) {
         log('beforeEach', 'waiting for select device');
         await popup.waitForSelector('.select-device-list button.list', { state: 'visible' });
         await popup.click('.select-device-list button.list');
@@ -224,6 +226,11 @@ test('when user cancels permissions in popup it closes automatically', async ({
 
     await popup.waitForLoadState('load');
 
+    if (isCoreInPopup) {
+        await popup.waitForSelector('.select-device-list button.list', { state: 'visible' });
+        await popup.click('.select-device-list button.list');
+    }
+
     await popup.waitForSelector('button.confirm', { state: 'visible', timeout: 40000 });
     await popup.waitForSelector("button[data-test='@permissions/confirm-button']");
     // We are testing that when cancel permissions, popup is closed automatically.
@@ -234,7 +241,7 @@ test('when user cancels permissions in popup it closes automatically', async ({
 
 test('device dialogue cancelled IN POPUP by user', async ({ page, context }) => {
     // TODO: this test should also work with webextension and for some reason it does not work in CI but it works locally.
-    test.skip(isWebExtension, 'todo: skip for now');
+    test.skip(skipCheck, 'todo: skip for now');
     log(`test: ${test.info().title}`);
     await setup({ page, context });
 
@@ -276,7 +283,7 @@ test('popup should close and open new one when popup is in error state and user
     context,
 }) => {
     // TODO: this test should also work with webextension and for some reason it does not work in CI but it works locally.
-    test.skip(isWebExtension, 'todo: skip for now');
+    test.skip(skipCheck, 'todo: skip for now');
 
     log(`test: ${test.info().title}`);
     await setup({ page, context });
@@ -309,7 +316,7 @@ test('popup should be focused when a call is in progress and user triggers new c
     context,
 }) => {
     // TODO: this test should also work with webextension and for some reason it does not work in CI but it works locally.
-    test.skip(isWebExtension, 'todo: skip for now');
+    test.skip(skipCheck, 'todo: skip for now');
     log(`test: ${test.info().title}`);
     await setup({ page, context });
 
@@ -356,7 +363,7 @@ test('popup should be focused when a call is in progress and user triggers new c
 test('popup should close when third party is closed', async ({ page, context }) => {
     // This test should be skipped in webextension with service-worker, due to the fact that in that case
     // that serviceworker is persistent and does not necessarily has to be over if the page that initiated the call is closed.
-    test.skip(isWebExtension, 'test does not apply for webextension');
+    test.skip(skipCheck, 'test does not apply for webextension');
 
     log(`test: ${test.info().title}`);
     await setup({ page, context });
diff --git a/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/popup-pages.test.ts b/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/popup-pages.test.ts
index 4d7aa7a1af7a..07baf253729a 100644
--- a/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/popup-pages.test.ts
+++ b/packages/connect-popup/e2e/tests/popup-pages.test.ts
@@ -136,10 +136,11 @@ test('log page should contain logs from shared worker', async ({ page, context }
     // Open new tab to go to log.html
     const logsPage = await persistentContext.newPage();
 
-    log(`go to: ${url}log.html`);
-    await logsPage.goto(`${url}log.html`);
+    const logsUrl = `${url.split('?')[0]}log.html`;
+    log(`go to: ${logsUrl}`);
+    await logsPage.goto(logsUrl);
     await logsPage.waitForLoadState('load');
-    log(`loaded: ${url}log.html`);
+    log(`loaded: ${logsUrl}`);
 
     log('waiting for download-button to be visible');
     await logsPage.waitForSelector("button[data-test='@log-container/download-button']", {
diff --git a/packages/connect-popup/src/index.tsx b/packages/connect-popup/src/index.tsx
index 46e09e7beb08..8544a43db9e9 100644
--- a/packages/connect-popup/src/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/connect-popup/src/index.tsx
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ const escapeHtml = (payload: any) => {
 };
 
 export const handleUIAffectingMessage = (message: CoreEventMessage) => {
+    // WIP debug
+    console.log('popup UI message', message.type, message.payload);
     switch (message.type) {
         case POPUP.METHOD_INFO:
             setState({
diff --git a/packages/connect-web/src/index.ts b/packages/connect-web/src/index.ts
index d27cd0e7b3ee..9001ee4ba2c3 100644
--- a/packages/connect-web/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/connect-web/src/index.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ const selectMethodImpl =
 
 const TrezorConnect = factory({
     init: (settings: Partial<ConnectSettings> = {}) => {
-        console.log('TrezorConnect.init', settings);
         useCoreInPopup = settings?.useCoreInPopup === true;
 
         return selectMethodImpl('init')(settings);