diff --git a/tests/test_chat_api.py b/tests/test_chat_api.py
index 2aeacb5..d6cb100 100644
--- a/tests/test_chat_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_chat_api.py
@@ -138,74 +138,6 @@ def test_autocomplete_invalid_kind_400(client: TestClient) -> None:
     assert r.status_code == 422  # FastAPI pattern-match → 422
 
 
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# HTML routes (HTMX)
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
-def test_html_chat_orchestrator_renders(client: TestClient) -> None:
-    r = client.get("/chat")
-    assert r.status_code == 200
-    assert "clare" in r.text
-    # The hidden cursor input is on the page even with no messages.
-    assert 'id="chat-after-rowid"' in r.text
-
-
-def test_html_chat_project_renders_after_creation(client: TestClient) -> None:
-    client.post("/api/v1/projects", json={"name": "alpha"})
-    r = client.get("/chat/project/alpha")
-    assert r.status_code == 200
-    assert "alpha" in r.text
-
-
-def test_html_chat_project_missing_404(client: TestClient) -> None:
-    client.post("/api/v1/projects", json={"name": "alpha"})  # need at least one
-    r = client.get("/chat/project/nope")
-    assert r.status_code == 404
-
-
-def test_html_chat_post_returns_partial(client: TestClient) -> None:
-    r = client.post(
-        "/chat/post",
-        data={"scope": "orchestrator", "scope_ref": "", "body": "/help"},
-    )
-    assert r.status_code == 200
-    assert "chat-msg-user" in r.text
-    assert "chat-msg-clare" in r.text
-    # OOB hidden input present so the next poll resumes from the new rowid.
-    assert 'hx-swap-oob="true"' in r.text
-
-
-def test_html_chat_post_nl_unavailable_for_bare_text_in_project_scope(
-    client: TestClient, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
-) -> None:
-    # NL fallback fires in project/session scopes only — orchestrator scope
-    # talks to the managed Claude session instead.
-    monkeypatch.delenv("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", raising=False)
-    client.post("/api/v1/projects", json={"name": "alpha"})
-    r = client.post(
-        "/chat/post",
-        data={"scope": "project", "scope_ref": "alpha", "body": "what is happening"},
-    )
-    assert r.status_code == 200
-    assert "Natural-language parsing unavailable" in r.text
-
-
-def test_html_chat_log_poll_returns_only_new(client: TestClient) -> None:
-    # Post two messages.
-    r1 = client.post(
-        "/api/v1/chat",
-        json={"scope": "orchestrator", "scope_ref": None, "body": "/status"},
-    )
-    last = r1.json()["replies"][-1]["rowid"]
-    r2 = client.post(
-        "/api/v1/chat",
-        json={"scope": "orchestrator", "scope_ref": None, "body": "/status"},
-    )
-    poll = client.get(
-        "/chat/log",
-        params={"scope": "orchestrator", "scope_ref": "", "after_rowid": last},
-    )
-    assert poll.status_code == 200
-    # /status posts user + reply → 2 new bubbles since `last`.
-    assert poll.text.count("chat-msg ") >= 2
+# HTML routes were deleted in R6 — the React SPA owns all browser-facing
+# views. JSON API + SSE are the only server-rendered surfaces; everything
+# else goes through the catch-all that serves dist/index.html.
diff --git a/tests/test_chat_nl.py b/tests/test_chat_nl.py
index 737aa6b..c862725 100644
--- a/tests/test_chat_nl.py
+++ b/tests/test_chat_nl.py
@@ -179,9 +179,11 @@ def test_json_api_posts_preview_for_bare_text(
     assert "project(s)" in payload["replies"][1]["body"]
 
 
-def test_html_route_dispatches_after_preview(
+def test_json_route_dispatches_after_preview(
     client: TestClient, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
 ) -> None:
+    # The old HTMX /chat/post route was deleted in R6. JSON API covers the
+    # same flow: NL preview at replies[0], auto-dispatched result at replies[1].
     def fake_interpret(text: str, ctx: ScopeCtx, *, client=None) -> nl.ProposedAction:
         return nl.ProposedAction(
             slash="/status", explanation="fleet check", confidence=1.0,
@@ -190,10 +192,11 @@ def test_html_route_dispatches_after_preview(
     monkeypatch.setattr("clare.web.chat.nl.interpret", fake_interpret)
     client.post("/api/v1/projects", json={"name": "alpha"})
     r = client.post(
-        "/chat/post",
-        data={"scope": "project", "scope_ref": "alpha", "body": "any news?"},
+        "/api/v1/chat",
+        json={"scope": "project", "scope_ref": "alpha", "body": "any news?"},
     )
-    assert r.status_code == 200
-    assert "Interpreted as" in r.text
-    assert "project(s)" in r.text
-    assert "session(s)" in r.text
+    assert r.status_code == 201
+    payload = r.json()
+    assert payload["replies"][0]["meta"]["kind"] == "nl_preview"
+    assert "project(s)" in payload["replies"][1]["body"]
+    assert "session(s)" in payload["replies"][1]["body"]
diff --git a/tests/test_chat_stream.py b/tests/test_chat_stream.py
index 2d34560..1f8333e 100644
--- a/tests/test_chat_stream.py
+++ b/tests/test_chat_stream.py
@@ -87,11 +87,18 @@ def _collect_until(resp, marker: str, timeout: float = 3.0) -> str:
 
 
 def test_stream_yields_existing_backlog(client: TestClient) -> None:
-    """Initial flush: messages already past after_rowid arrive immediately."""
-    client.post(
+    """Initial flush: rowids already past after_rowid arrive immediately.
+
+    Post-R6 the SSE payload is `{"new_rowids": [...]}` JSON, not HTML.
+    The React client uses the event as a wake-up signal and refetches via
+    `GET /api/v1/chat`.
+    """
+    r = client.post(
         "/api/v1/chat",
         json={"scope": "orchestrator", "scope_ref": None, "body": "hello-backlog"},
     )
+    user_rowid = r.json()["user_message"]["rowid"]
+    marker = f"{user_rowid}"
     with client.stream(
         "GET",
         "/chat/stream",
@@ -101,9 +108,10 @@ def test_stream_yields_existing_backlog(client: TestClient) -> None:
         },
     ) as resp:
         assert resp.status_code == 200
-        text = _collect_until(resp, "hello-backlog", timeout=2.0)
+        text = _collect_until(resp, marker, timeout=2.0)
     assert "event: chat" in text
-    assert "hello-backlog" in text
+    assert "new_rowids" in text
+    assert marker in text
 
 
 def test_stream_pushes_new_message(client: TestClient) -> None:
@@ -115,16 +123,18 @@ def test_stream_pushes_new_message(client: TestClient) -> None:
     )
     baseline = r0.json()["user_message"]["rowid"]
 
-    # Background poster: fires a message a moment after we start streaming.
+    target_rowid: list[int] = []
+
     def post_later() -> None:
         time.sleep(0.3)
-        client.post(
+        r = client.post(
             "/api/v1/chat",
             json={
                 "scope": "orchestrator", "scope_ref": None,
                 "body": "live-update-marker",
             },
         )
+        target_rowid.append(r.json()["user_message"]["rowid"])
 
     poster = threading.Thread(target=post_later, daemon=True)
     poster.start()
@@ -138,8 +148,10 @@ def test_stream_pushes_new_message(client: TestClient) -> None:
         },
     ) as resp:
         assert resp.status_code == 200
-        text = _collect_until(resp, "live-update-marker", timeout=4.0)
+        poster.join(timeout=2.0)
+        assert target_rowid, "background poster failed to deliver"
+        text = _collect_until(resp, str(target_rowid[0]), timeout=4.0)
 
-    poster.join(timeout=1.0)
-    assert "live-update-marker" in text
     assert "event: chat" in text
+    assert "new_rowids" in text
+    assert str(target_rowid[0]) in text