diff --git a/faceai/apps/frontend/src/components/FaceAiUploadPanel.vue b/faceai/apps/frontend/src/components/FaceAiUploadPanel.vue
index 793214cc..cd50d481 100644
--- a/faceai/apps/frontend/src/components/FaceAiUploadPanel.vue
+++ b/faceai/apps/frontend/src/components/FaceAiUploadPanel.vue
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ const props = defineProps({
     type: Boolean,
     required: true
   },
-  fileInput: {
-    type: Object,
+  assignFileInput: {
+    type: Function,
     required: true
   },
   t: {
@@ -56,10 +56,6 @@ const props = defineProps({
   }
 });
 
-function assignFileInput(element) {
-  props.fileInput.value = element;
-}
-
 const emit = defineEmits([
   'open-file-picker',
   'file-change',
diff --git a/faceai/apps/frontend/src/composables/useFaceAiHome.js b/faceai/apps/frontend/src/composables/useFaceAiHome.js
index 96158879..2f433920 100644
--- a/faceai/apps/frontend/src/composables/useFaceAiHome.js
+++ b/faceai/apps/frontend/src/composables/useFaceAiHome.js
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ const knownServerCodes = {
   RATE_LIMITED: 'rateLimited',
   MISSING_SELFIE: 'chooseSelfie',
   RACE_PKL_UNAVAILABLE: 'raceDataUnavailable',
-  RACE_DIRECTORY_NOT_FOUND: 'invalidRaceData',
+  RACE_DIRECTORY_NOT_FOUND: 'raceDataUnavailable',
   MISSING_RACE_STORAGE: 'invalidRaceData'
 };
 
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ const simulatorUrl = legacyUrl('/faceai_simulator.php?raceId=101&lang=it');
 const legacyHomeUrl = legacyUrl('/');
 
 function isInvalidRaceAvailability(availability) {
-  return availability?.reasonCode === 'RACE_DIRECTORY_NOT_FOUND' || availability?.reasonCode === 'MISSING_RACE_STORAGE';
+  return availability?.reasonCode === 'MISSING_RACE_STORAGE';
 }
 
 function buildLegacyReturnUrl(url) {
@@ -204,8 +204,9 @@ export function useFaceAiHome() {
   }
 
   function getAvailabilityUserMessage(availability, fallbackKey = 'unavailableDefault') {
-    if (isInvalidRaceAvailability(availability)) {
-      return t('invalidRaceData');
+    const mappedCodeKey = availability?.reasonCode ? knownServerCodes[availability.reasonCode] : null;
+    if (mappedCodeKey) {
+      return t(mappedCodeKey);
     }
 
     return localizeServerMessage(availability?.message, fallbackKey);
diff --git a/faceai/apps/frontend/src/views/HomeView.vue b/faceai/apps/frontend/src/views/HomeView.vue
index 7b972e45..02a01606 100644
--- a/faceai/apps/frontend/src/views/HomeView.vue
+++ b/faceai/apps/frontend/src/views/HomeView.vue
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ const {
   submitSearch,
   t
 } = useFaceAiHome();
+
+function assignFileInput(element) {
+  fileInput.value = element;
+}
 </script>
 
 <template>
@@ -63,7 +67,7 @@ const {
             :selected-file="selectedFile"
             :selected-file-size-label="selectedFileSizeLabel"
             :can-start-search="canStartSearch"
-            :file-input="fileInput"
+            :assign-file-input="assignFileInput"
             :t="t"
             @open-file-picker="openFilePicker"
             @file-change="onFileChange"
diff --git a/faceai/tests/e2e/faceai-simulator.spec.js b/faceai/tests/e2e/faceai-simulator.spec.js
index 033cd429..03515a58 100644
--- a/faceai/tests/e2e/faceai-simulator.spec.js
+++ b/faceai/tests/e2e/faceai-simulator.spec.js
@@ -201,6 +201,13 @@ test('builds the simulator FaceAI handoff URL with the exact local race storage
 });
 
 test('shows the unsupported-race message when the current race has no PKL data and lets the user go back', async ({ page }) => {
+  const consoleErrors = [];
+  page.on('console', (message) => {
+    if (message.type() === 'error') {
+      consoleErrors.push(message.text());
+    }
+  });
+
   await launchFromSimulator(page, {
     raceId: '404',
     raceSlug: 'corsa-di-livorno',
@@ -211,6 +218,9 @@ test('shows the unsupported-race message when the current race has no PKL data a
   await expect(page.locator('.faceai-feedback')).toContainText('FaceAI non è disponibile per questa gara.');
   await expect(page.locator('input[type="file"]')).toBeDisabled();
   await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Scegli immagine' })).toBeDisabled();
+  await expect.poll(() => {
+    return consoleErrors.find((entry) => entry.includes('[FaceAI] Invalid race data:')) || null;
+  }).toBeNull();
 
   await page.waitForTimeout(2000);
   await expect(page).toHaveURL(FACEAI_HOME_URL_RE);
@@ -219,7 +229,7 @@ test('shows the unsupported-race message when the current race has no PKL data a
   await expect(page).toHaveURL(buildLegacySimulatorReturnMatcher('404'));
 });
 
-test('shows a localized invalid-race error when session race data points to a missing folder', async ({ page }) => {
+test('shows a localized invalid-race error when the handoff omits race storage metadata', async ({ page }) => {
   const consoleErrors = [];
   page.on('console', (message) => {
     if (message.type() === 'error') {
@@ -227,17 +237,18 @@ test('shows a localized invalid-race error when session race data points to a mi
     }
   });
 
-  const simulatorUrl = buildSimulatorUrl({
+  const handoffUrl = new URL(buildHandoffUrl({
     raceId: '405',
     lang: 'en',
     raceSlug: 'ghost-race',
     raceName: 'Ghost Race',
     raceFolder: 'THIS RACE DOES NOT EXIST'
-  });
+  }));
+  handoffUrl.searchParams.delete('raceYear');
+  handoffUrl.searchParams.delete('raceMonthFolder');
+  handoffUrl.searchParams.delete('raceFolder');
 
-  await page.goto(simulatorUrl, { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
-  await expect(page.locator('#faceaiLaunchButton')).toBeVisible();
-  await page.locator('#faceaiLaunchButton').click();
+  await page.goto(handoffUrl.toString(), { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
 
   await page.waitForURL(FACEAI_HOME_URL_RE, {
     timeout: SHORT_UI_TIMEOUT_MS
@@ -250,10 +261,10 @@ test('shows a localized invalid-race error when session race data points to a mi
   await expect(page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Back to the race page' })).toBeVisible();
   await expect.poll(() => {
     return consoleErrors.find((entry) => entry.includes('[FaceAI] Invalid race data:')) || null;
-  }).toContain('RACE_DIRECTORY_NOT_FOUND');
+  }).toContain('MISSING_RACE_STORAGE');
   await expect.poll(() => {
     return consoleErrors.find((entry) => entry.includes('[FaceAI] Invalid race data:')) || null;
-  }).toContain('THIS RACE DOES NOT EXIST');
+  }).toContain('MISSING_RACE_STORAGE');
 
   await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Back to the race page' }).click();
   await expect(page).toHaveURL(buildLegacySimulatorReturnMatcher('405'));
diff --git a/faceai/tests/live-site/live-race.spec.js b/faceai/tests/live-site/live-race.spec.js
index 40b0a642..67b3590c 100644
--- a/faceai/tests/live-site/live-race.spec.js
+++ b/faceai/tests/live-site/live-race.spec.js
@@ -1,30 +1,36 @@
 const { test, expect } = require('@playwright/test');
 const {
+  LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE,
   LIVE_FACEAI_BASE_URL,
   LIVE_SITE_BASE_URL,
+  LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_RACE_DATA_AVAILABLE,
+  LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_UNAVAILABLE_REASON_CODE,
   LIVE_SITE_PORTRAIT_PATH,
+  LIVE_SITE_RACE_ID,
   LIVE_SITE_RACE_URL,
   LIVE_SITE_RUN_UPLOAD_FLOW,
+  LIVE_SITE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS,
   ensureLiveAuthenticatedRacePage,
+  hasExpectedRaceStorage,
   requirePortraitFixture
 } = require('./live-site-test-utils');
 
-const LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE = {
-  year: '2026',
-  monthFolder: '03.MARZO',
-  raceFolder: 'HMF_2026',
-  relativeDir: '2026/03.MARZO/HMF_2026'
-};
-
-const LIVE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS = [
-  '21.ARRIVO_CON TEMPO\\DSC_8385.JPG',
-  '21.ARRIVO_CON TEMPO\\DSC_8295.JPG'
-];
-
 function escapeRegExp(value) {
   return String(value).replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&');
 }
 
+async function readFaceAiSession(page) {
+  return page.evaluate(async () => {
+    const response = await fetch('/api/session', { credentials: 'include' });
+    const payload = await response.json().catch(() => null);
+    return {
+      ok: response.ok,
+      status: response.status,
+      payload
+    };
+  });
+}
+
 async function openLiveFaceAi(page) {
   const consoleErrors = [];
 
@@ -35,7 +41,7 @@ async function openLiveFaceAi(page) {
   });
 
   await ensureLiveAuthenticatedRacePage(page);
-  await expect(page.locator('h1')).toContainText(/HALF MARATHON FIRENZE|Competitions|Gare/i);
+  await expect(page.locator('h1')).not.toHaveText(/^\s*$/);
 
   const launchUrl = await page.evaluate(() => {
     return typeof buildFaceAiLaunchUrl === 'function' ? buildFaceAiLaunchUrl() : '';
@@ -44,10 +50,15 @@ async function openLiveFaceAi(page) {
   expect(launchUrl, 'Expected the legacy race page script to expose a FaceAI handoff URL builder.').toBeTruthy();
 
   const parsedLaunchUrl = new URL(launchUrl, LIVE_SITE_BASE_URL);
-  expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('raceYear')).toBe(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.year);
-  expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('raceMonthFolder')).toBe(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.monthFolder);
-  expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('raceFolder')).toBe(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.raceFolder);
-  expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('raceStorageRelativeDir')).toBe(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.relativeDir);
+  expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('raceId') || '').toBeTruthy();
+  expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('returnUrl') || '').toBeTruthy();
+
+  if (hasExpectedRaceStorage()) {
+    expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('raceYear')).toBe(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.year);
+    expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('raceMonthFolder')).toBe(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.monthFolder);
+    expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('raceFolder')).toBe(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.raceFolder);
+    expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('raceStorageRelativeDir')).toBe(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.relativeDir);
+  }
 
   await expect(page.locator('#faceaiLaunchButton')).toBeVisible();
   await page.locator('#faceaiLaunchButton').click();
@@ -57,9 +68,13 @@ async function openLiveFaceAi(page) {
   });
   await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: /Trova le tue foto con un selfie|Find your photos with a selfie/i })).toBeVisible();
 
+  const sessionResponse = await readFaceAiSession(page);
+  expect(sessionResponse.ok, 'Expected the live FaceAI app to expose a readable session payload after launch.').toBe(true);
+
   return {
     consoleErrors,
-    launchUrl: parsedLaunchUrl
+    launchUrl: parsedLaunchUrl,
+    session: sessionResponse.payload
   };
 }
 
@@ -180,8 +195,10 @@ async function expectLegacyFaceAiGalleryToRemainStable(page, expectedPhotoIds, h
 }
 
 test('renders the exact live FaceAI filtered sample URL with visible thumbnails', async ({ page }) => {
-  const samplePhotoIds = LIVE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS;
-  const sampleUrl = `${LIVE_SITE_BASE_URL}/42%20HALF%20MARATHON%20FIRENZE_gara-1018545---48-1.html?faceaiMatchSource=faceai&faceaiMatchCount=2&faceaiPhotoIds=${encodeURIComponent(samplePhotoIds.join(','))}`;
+  const samplePhotoIds = LIVE_SITE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS;
+  test.skip(!samplePhotoIds.length, 'Set LIVE_SITE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS to validate a race-specific filtered sample URL.');
+
+  const sampleUrl = `${LIVE_SITE_RACE_URL}?faceaiMatchSource=faceai&faceaiMatchCount=${samplePhotoIds.length}&faceaiPhotoIds=${encodeURIComponent(samplePhotoIds.join(','))}`;
 
   await ensureLiveAuthenticatedRacePage(page);
   await page.goto(sampleUrl, {
@@ -199,7 +216,9 @@ test('renders the exact live FaceAI filtered sample URL with visible thumbnails'
   await expectLegacyFaceAiGalleryToRemainStable(page, samplePhotoIds);
 });
 
-test('keeps the live Firenze FaceAI race storage metadata pinned to the stored server path', async ({ page }) => {
+test('keeps the live FaceAI race storage metadata pinned to the stored server path', async ({ page }) => {
+  test.skip(!hasExpectedRaceStorage(), 'Set LIVE_SITE_EXPECTED_RACE_* values to validate exact race storage metadata.');
+
   await ensureLiveAuthenticatedRacePage(page);
 
   await expect(page.locator('#faceAiRaceYear')).toHaveValue(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.year);
@@ -218,15 +237,16 @@ test('keeps the live Firenze FaceAI race storage metadata pinned to the stored s
   expect(parsedLaunchUrl.searchParams.get('raceStorageRelativeDir')).toBe(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.relativeDir);
 });
 
-test('resolves the live Firenze sample photo lookups inside the current race', async ({ page }) => {
-  const samplePhotoIds = LIVE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS;
+test('resolves the live sample photo lookups inside the current race', async ({ page }) => {
+  const samplePhotoIds = LIVE_SITE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS;
+  test.skip(!samplePhotoIds.length, 'Set LIVE_SITE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS to validate race-specific photo lookups.');
 
   await ensureLiveAuthenticatedRacePage(page);
 
   for (const photoKey of samplePhotoIds) {
     const lookup = await lookupLivePhoto(page, photoKey);
     expect(lookup.status, `Expected faceai_photo_lookup.jsp to resolve ${photoKey} on the live Firenze race page.`).toBe(200);
-    expect(String(lookup.request.raceId || '')).toBe('1018545');
+    expect(String(lookup.request.raceId || '')).toBe(LIVE_SITE_RACE_ID);
     expect(lookup.payload && lookup.payload.found, `Expected ${photoKey} to resolve within the current live race.`).toBe(true);
     expect(String(lookup.payload.photoId || '')).toBe(photoKey);
     expect(basenameOfPhotoKey(String(lookup.payload.resolvedFile || ''))).toBe(basenameOfPhotoKey(photoKey));
@@ -247,9 +267,10 @@ test('loads a live race page with an authenticated session', async ({ page }) =>
 });
 
 test('launches the live FaceAI app with race storage metadata and a styled header', async ({ page }) => {
-  const { consoleErrors, launchUrl } = await openLiveFaceAi(page);
+  const { consoleErrors, launchUrl, session } = await openLiveFaceAi(page);
 
-  expect(launchUrl.searchParams.get('raceStorageRelativeDir')).toBe(LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.relativeDir);
+  expect(launchUrl.searchParams.get('raceId')).toBe(LIVE_SITE_RACE_ID);
+  expect(launchUrl.searchParams.get('raceStorageRelativeDir') || '').toBeTruthy();
   await expect(page.locator('nav.navbar')).toBeVisible();
   await expect(page.locator('link[data-legacy-href*="bootstrap.min.css"]')).toHaveCount(1);
   await expect(page.locator('link[data-legacy-href*="custom-style.css"]')).toHaveCount(1);
@@ -271,8 +292,18 @@ test('launches the live FaceAI app with race storage metadata and a styled heade
 
   expect(navComputedStyles.position).toBe('fixed');
   expect(navComputedStyles.display).not.toBe('block');
-  expect(consoleErrors.find((entry) => entry.includes('MISSING_RACE_STORAGE')) || '').toBe('');
-  expect(consoleErrors.find((entry) => entry.includes('[FaceAI] Invalid race data:')) || '').toBe('');
+
+  if (LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_RACE_DATA_AVAILABLE) {
+    expect(session?.availability?.available).toBe(true);
+    expect(consoleErrors.find((entry) => entry.includes('MISSING_RACE_STORAGE')) || '').toBe('');
+    expect(consoleErrors.find((entry) => entry.includes('[FaceAI] Invalid race data:')) || '').toBe('');
+    await expect(page.locator('input[type="file"]')).toBeEnabled();
+  } else {
+    expect(session?.availability?.available).toBe(false);
+    expect(session?.availability?.reasonCode).toBe(LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_UNAVAILABLE_REASON_CODE);
+    await expect(page.locator('input[type="file"]')).toBeDisabled();
+    await expect(page.locator('.faceai-feedback')).toContainText(/FaceAI data is not available for this race|I dati FaceAI non sono disponibili per questa gara|The race data received for this session is invalid/i);
+  }
 });
 
 test('returns to the live race page from FaceAI without leaving the legacy spinner stuck', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -304,6 +335,7 @@ test('returns to the live race page from FaceAI without leaving the legacy spinn
 test('accepts the supplied portrait image for the live upload flow', async ({ page }) => {
   test.slow();
   test.skip(!LIVE_SITE_RUN_UPLOAD_FLOW, 'Set LIVE_SITE_RUN_UPLOAD_FLOW=1 to exercise the live upload flow.');
+  test.skip(!LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_RACE_DATA_AVAILABLE, 'Set LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_RACE_DATA_AVAILABLE=1 when the target race has FaceAI data available.');
 
   requirePortraitFixture();
 
diff --git a/faceai/tests/live-site/live-site-test-utils.js b/faceai/tests/live-site/live-site-test-utils.js
index 6d646fb9..68022d60 100644
--- a/faceai/tests/live-site/live-site-test-utils.js
+++ b/faceai/tests/live-site/live-site-test-utils.js
@@ -15,8 +15,40 @@ const LIVE_SITE_USERNAME = process.env.LIVE_SITE_USERNAME || '';
 const LIVE_SITE_PASSWORD = process.env.LIVE_SITE_PASSWORD || '';
 const LIVE_SITE_PORTRAIT_PATH = process.env.LIVE_SITE_PORTRAIT_PATH || path.join(WORKSPACE_ROOT, 'test_pkl', 'live', 'test_portrait_1.png');
 const LIVE_SITE_RUN_UPLOAD_FLOW = process.env.LIVE_SITE_RUN_UPLOAD_FLOW === '1';
+const LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_RACE_DATA_AVAILABLE = process.env.LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_RACE_DATA_AVAILABLE !== '0';
+const LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_UNAVAILABLE_REASON_CODE = process.env.LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_UNAVAILABLE_REASON_CODE || 'RACE_DIRECTORY_NOT_FOUND';
 const AUTH_FILE = path.join(__dirname, '.auth', 'user.json');
 
+function parseOptionalCsv(value) {
+  return String(value || '')
+    .split(',')
+    .map((entry) => entry.trim())
+    .filter(Boolean);
+}
+
+function parseRaceIdFromUrl(value) {
+  const match = String(value || '').match(/_gara-(\d+)---/i);
+  return match ? match[1] : '';
+}
+
+const LIVE_SITE_RACE_ID = process.env.LIVE_SITE_RACE_ID || parseRaceIdFromUrl(LIVE_SITE_RACE_URL);
+const LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE = {
+  year: String(process.env.LIVE_SITE_EXPECTED_RACE_YEAR || '').trim(),
+  monthFolder: String(process.env.LIVE_SITE_EXPECTED_RACE_MONTH_FOLDER || '').trim(),
+  raceFolder: String(process.env.LIVE_SITE_EXPECTED_RACE_FOLDER || '').trim(),
+  relativeDir: String(process.env.LIVE_SITE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE_RELATIVE_DIR || '').trim()
+};
+const LIVE_SITE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS = parseOptionalCsv(process.env.LIVE_SITE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS);
+
+function hasExpectedRaceStorage() {
+  return Boolean(
+    LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.year
+    && LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.monthFolder
+    && LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.raceFolder
+    && LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE.relativeDir
+  );
+}
+
 function ensureAuthDirectory() {
   fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(AUTH_FILE), { recursive: true });
 }
@@ -155,19 +187,26 @@ function requirePortraitFixture() {
 module.exports = {
   AUTH_FILE,
   LIVE_FACEAI_BASE_URL,
+  LIVE_EXPECTED_RACE_STORAGE,
   LIVE_SITE_BASE_URL,
   LIVE_SITE_LOGIN_URL,
   LIVE_SITE_PASSWORD,
   LIVE_SITE_PORTRAIT_PATH,
+  LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_RACE_DATA_AVAILABLE,
+  LIVE_SITE_EXPECT_UNAVAILABLE_REASON_CODE,
+  LIVE_SITE_RACE_ID,
   LIVE_SITE_RACE_URL,
   LIVE_SITE_RESULT_URL_PATTERN,
   LIVE_SITE_RUN_UPLOAD_FLOW,
+  LIVE_SITE_SAMPLE_PHOTO_IDS,
   LIVE_SITE_USERNAME,
   dismissCookieBanner,
   ensureLiveAuthenticatedRacePage,
   ensureAuthDirectory,
   expectRacePageLoaded,
+  hasExpectedRaceStorage,
   loginSubmitLocator,
+  parseRaceIdFromUrl,
   performLiveLogin,
   performLiveLoginRequest,
   requirePortraitFixture,