diff --git a/dotcom-rendering/playwright.config.ts b/dotcom-rendering/playwright.config.ts
index 6ee1a0b70bb..066a72d17dd 100644
--- a/dotcom-rendering/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/dotcom-rendering/playwright.config.ts
@@ -45,5 +45,8 @@ export default defineConfig({
 		reuseExistingServer: true,
 		stdout: 'pipe',
 		stderr: 'pipe',
+		env: {
+			PLAYWRIGHT: 'true',
+		},
 	},
 });
diff --git a/dotcom-rendering/src/client/decidePublicPath.test.ts b/dotcom-rendering/src/client/decidePublicPath.test.ts
index 85ebbf20e3c..3a8efbbe5fd 100644
--- a/dotcom-rendering/src/client/decidePublicPath.test.ts
+++ b/dotcom-rendering/src/client/decidePublicPath.test.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ describe('decidePublicPath', () => {
 	it('with production flag and localhost', () => {
 		process.env.NODE_ENV = 'production';
 		mockHostname('localhost');
-		expect(decidePublicPath()).toEqual('/assets/');
+		expect(decidePublicPath()).toEqual('http://localhost:3030/assets/');
 	});
 
 	it('with no flag', () => {
diff --git a/dotcom-rendering/src/client/decidePublicPath.ts b/dotcom-rendering/src/client/decidePublicPath.ts
index 41bb44db145..a723d648ed2 100644
--- a/dotcom-rendering/src/client/decidePublicPath.ts
+++ b/dotcom-rendering/src/client/decidePublicPath.ts
@@ -6,8 +6,15 @@
 export const decidePublicPath = (): string => {
 	const isDev = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development';
 	const isLocalHost = window.location.hostname === 'localhost';
-	// Use relative path if running locally or in CI
-	return isDev || isLocalHost
-		? '/assets/'
-		: `${window.guardian.config.frontendAssetsFullURL}assets/`;
+	const isPlaywright = process.env.PLAYWRIGHT === 'true';
+
+	if (isPlaywright && isDev) {
+		return `/assets/`;
+	}
+
+	if (isDev || isLocalHost) {
+		return `http://localhost:3030/assets/`;
+	}
+
+	return `${window.guardian.config.frontendAssetsFullURL}assets/`;
 };