diff --git a/test_smoke_sync.sh b/test_smoke_sync.sh
index 888acde..e09eb65 100755
--- a/test_smoke_sync.sh
+++ b/test_smoke_sync.sh
@@ -22,8 +22,16 @@ echo ":: Health"
 curl -sf "http://localhost:$SERVER_PORT/api/v1/health" | grep -q '"ok"' && echo "  OK"
 
 echo ":: Register device"
+# Register user first
+curl -sf -X POST "http://localhost:$SERVER_PORT/api/v1/auth/register" \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d '{"username":"smokeuser","email":"smoke@test.local","password":"mypass123"}' > /dev/null
+# Confirm email
+TOKEN=$(sqlite3 "$SDIR/server.db" "SELECT token FROM server_email_tokens WHERE purpose='confirm' LIMIT 1")
+curl -sf "http://localhost:$SERVER_PORT/api/v1/auth/confirm?token=$TOKEN" > /dev/null
+# Register device with user creds
 REG=$(curl -sf -X POST "http://localhost:$SERVER_PORT/api/v1/device/register" \
-  -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"name":"smoke","username":"admin","password":"pass"}')
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"name":"smoke","username":"smokeuser","password":"mypass123"}')
 DID=$(echo "$REG" | python3 -c "import sys,json;print(json.load(sys.stdin)['device_id'])")
 AKEY=$(echo "$REG" | python3 -c "import sys,json;print(json.load(sys.stdin)['api_key'])")
 echo "  device=$DID"