diff --git a/e2e/vendors/vendors.spec.ts b/e2e/vendors/vendors.spec.ts
index ad1a89e8..181711d6 100644
--- a/e2e/vendors/vendors.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/vendors/vendors.spec.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ interface MockState {
   createdBody?: Record<string, unknown>;
   updatedBody?: Record<string, unknown>;
   deletedId?: string;
+  deleteConfirmedOpenWorkOrders?: boolean;
 }
 
 async function fulfillJson(route: Route, body: unknown, status = 200) {
@@ -259,8 +260,9 @@ async function mockVendorApi(
       },
     }),
   );
-  await page.route(/\/api\/vendors\/\d+$/, async (route) => {
-    const id = route.request().url().split("/").pop() ?? "";
+  await page.route(/\/api\/vendors\/\d+(\?.*)?$/, async (route) => {
+    const requestUrl = new URL(route.request().url());
+    const id = requestUrl.pathname.split("/").pop() ?? "";
     if (route.request().method() === "PUT") {
       state.updatedBody = route.request().postDataJSON();
       const vendor = vendorRecords.find((item) => String(item.Id) === id);
@@ -273,6 +275,8 @@ async function mockVendorApi(
       return;
     }
     if (route.request().method() === "DELETE") {
+      state.deleteConfirmedOpenWorkOrders =
+        requestUrl.searchParams.get("confirmOpenWorkOrders") === "true";
       if (options.deleteConflict) {
         await fulfillJson(
           route,
@@ -517,20 +521,28 @@ test.describe("Vendor directory prototype parity", () => {
     await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Close drawer" })).toHaveCount(0);
   });
 
-  test("blocks deactivation for linked work orders and preserves the vendor on a raced 409", async ({
+  test("confirms deactivation past linked work orders and preserves the vendor on a raced 409", async ({
     page,
   }) => {
-    const blockedState = await mockVendorApi(page, { deactivationBlocked: true });
+    const confirmState = await mockVendorApi(page, { deactivationBlocked: true });
     await page.goto("/vendors");
 
     await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Edit vendor Gateway Plumbing" }).click();
     await page.getByRole("switch", { name: "Active status" }).click();
-    const blockedDialog = page.getByRole("dialog", { name: "Deactivate Vendor" });
-    await expect(blockedDialog).toContainText("WO-501 — Emergency boiler repair");
-    await expect(blockedDialog.getByRole("button", { name: /^Deactivate$/ })).toBeDisabled();
-    expect(blockedState.deletedId).toBeUndefined();
+    const dialog = page.getByRole("dialog", { name: "Deactivate this vendor?" });
+    await expect(dialog).toContainText("It still has 1 open work order");
+    await expect(
+      dialog.getByRole("link", { name: /WO-501 — Emergency boiler repair/ }),
+    ).toHaveAttribute("href", "/workorders/501");
+
+    // SH-254: the open work orders inform the decision, they no longer block it.
+    const confirm = dialog.getByRole("button", { name: "Deactivate anyway" });
+    await expect(confirm).toBeEnabled();
+    await confirm.click();
+
+    await expect.poll(() => confirmState.deletedId).toBe("1");
+    expect(confirmState.deleteConfirmedOpenWorkOrders).toBe(true);
 
-    await blockedDialog.getByRole("button", { name: "Cancel" }).click();
     await page.unrouteAll({ behavior: "wait" });
 
     const racedState = await mockVendorApi(page, { deleteConflict: true });
@@ -538,13 +550,13 @@ test.describe("Vendor directory prototype parity", () => {
     await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Edit vendor Gateway Plumbing" }).click();
     await page.getByRole("switch", { name: "Active status" }).click();
     await page
-      .getByRole("dialog", { name: "Deactivate Vendor" })
+      .getByRole("dialog", { name: "Deactivate this vendor?" })
       .getByRole("button", {
         name: /^Deactivate$/,
       })
       .click();
 
-    await expect(page.getByRole("dialog", { name: "Deactivate Vendor" })).toContainText(
+    await expect(page.getByRole("dialog", { name: "Deactivate this vendor?" })).toContainText(
       /open work orders|conflict/i,
     );
     expect(racedState.deletedId).toBeUndefined();