diff --git a/extensions/browser/src/browser/cdp.ts b/extensions/browser/src/browser/cdp.ts
index d7079719c1a..230e4a6c313 100644
--- a/extensions/browser/src/browser/cdp.ts
+++ b/extensions/browser/src/browser/cdp.ts
@@ -296,6 +296,9 @@ export type AriaSnapshotNode = {
   depth: number;
 };
 
+export const AX_REF_PREFIX = "ax";
+export const AX_REF_PATTERN = new RegExp(`^${AX_REF_PREFIX}\\d+$`);
+
 export type RawAXNode = {
   nodeId?: string;
   role?: { value?: string };
@@ -362,7 +365,7 @@ export function formatAriaSnapshot(nodes: RawAXNode[], limit: number): AriaSnaps
     const name = axValue(n.name);
     const value = axValue(n.value);
     const description = axValue(n.description);
-    const ref = `ax${out.length + 1}`;
+    const ref = `${AX_REF_PREFIX}${out.length + 1}`;
     out.push({
       ref,
       role: role || "unknown",
diff --git a/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-session.test.ts b/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-session.test.ts
index a472cda6fcf..ef6f2749c7c 100644
--- a/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-session.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-session.test.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,13 @@ describe("pw-session refLocator", () => {
 
     expect(mocks.locator).toHaveBeenCalledWith("aria-ref=e1");
   });
+
+  it("rejects axN refs from format=aria snapshots instead of timing out", () => {
+    const { page, mocks } = fakePage();
+
+    expect(() => refLocator(page, "ax12")).toThrow(/format=aria snapshot/);
+    expect(mocks.locator).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
 });
 
 describe("pw-session role refs cache", () => {
diff --git a/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-session.ts b/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-session.ts
index 21dc079097e..212f3dc3a08 100644
--- a/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-session.ts
+++ b/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-session.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import {
   normalizeCdpHttpBaseForJsonEndpoints,
   withCdpSocket,
 } from "./cdp.helpers.js";
-import { normalizeCdpWsUrl } from "./cdp.js";
+import { AX_REF_PATTERN, normalizeCdpWsUrl } from "./cdp.js";
 import { getChromeWebSocketUrl } from "./chrome.js";
 import { BrowserTabNotFoundError } from "./errors.js";
 import {
@@ -884,6 +884,13 @@ export function refLocator(page: Page, ref: string) {
     return info.nth !== undefined ? locator.nth(info.nth) : locator;
   }
 
+  if (AX_REF_PATTERN.test(normalized)) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `Ref "${normalized}" comes from a format=aria snapshot and cannot be used with act. ` +
+        `Re-snapshot with format=ai and use the eN refs from that snapshot.`,
+    );
+  }
+
   return page.locator(`aria-ref=${normalized}`);
 }
 
diff --git a/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-tools-core.clamps-timeoutms-scrollintoview.test.ts b/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-tools-core.clamps-timeoutms-scrollintoview.test.ts
index 73c20bd5668..82ad1bb762c 100644
--- a/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-tools-core.clamps-timeoutms-scrollintoview.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-tools-core.clamps-timeoutms-scrollintoview.test.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@ describe("pw-tools-core", () => {
       errorMessage: 'Timeout 5000ms exceeded. waiting for locator("aria-ref=1") to be visible',
       expectedMessage: /not found or not visible/i,
     },
+    {
+      name: "bare locator timeouts into snapshot hints",
+      errorMessage:
+        "locator.click: Timeout 30000ms exceeded.\nCall log:\n  - waiting for locator('aria-ref=ax13')",
+      expectedMessage: /not found or not visible/i,
+    },
   ])("rewrites $name", async ({ errorMessage, expectedMessage }) => {
     const click = vi.fn(async () => {
       throw new Error(errorMessage);
diff --git a/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-tools-core.shared.ts b/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-tools-core.shared.ts
index 37e6f5f1197..f51503ba785 100644
--- a/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-tools-core.shared.ts
+++ b/extensions/browser/src/browser/pw-tools-core.shared.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ export function toAIFriendlyError(error: unknown, selector: string): Error {
 
   if (
     (message.includes("Timeout") || message.includes("waiting for")) &&
-    (message.includes("to be visible") || message.includes("not visible"))
+    (message.includes("to be visible") ||
+      message.includes("not visible") ||
+      message.includes("waiting for locator("))
   ) {
     return new Error(
       `Element "${selector}" not found or not visible. ` +