diff --git a/src/PostIt.Tests/FakeAuthorizingBrowser.cs b/src/PostIt.Tests/FakeAuthorizingBrowser.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fca1726c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/PostIt.Tests/FakeAuthorizingBrowser.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+using System;
+using System.Net.Http;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using IdentityModel.OidcClient.Browser;
+
+namespace PostIt.Tests;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// A minimal <see cref="IBrowser"/> for tests. Captures the authorize
+/// URL emitted by OidcClient, extracts its <c>state</c>, and returns a
+/// BrowserResult that mimics the OIDC redirect-with-code callback.
+///
+/// The paired <see cref="OidcStubAuthority"/>'s token endpoint accepts
+/// any authorization code, so we don't need to mint a real one here.
+/// </summary>
+public sealed class FakeAuthorizingBrowser
+{
+    private readonly string _loopbackRedirectUri;
+    private readonly HttpClient _http = new();
+
+    public FakeAuthorizingBrowser(string loopbackRedirectUri)
+    {
+        _loopbackRedirectUri = loopbackRedirectUri;
+    }
+
+    public IdentityModel.OidcClient.Browser.IBrowser CreateBrowser() => new Impl(_loopbackRedirectUri, _http);
+
+    private sealed class Impl : IdentityModel.OidcClient.Browser.IBrowser
+    {
+        private readonly string _loopbackRedirectUri;
+        private readonly HttpClient _http;
+
+        public Impl(string loopbackRedirectUri, HttpClient http)
+        {
+            _loopbackRedirectUri = loopbackRedirectUri;
+            _http = http;
+        }
+
+        public async Task<BrowserResult> InvokeAsync(BrowserOptions options, System.Threading.CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
+        {
+            // Touch the authorize URL so any 4xx/5xx surfaces; we don't
+            // actually need its response body because we synthesize the
+            // redirect below from the original URL's query string.
+            var startUri = new Uri(options.StartUrl);
+            try
+            {
+                using var resp = await _http.GetAsync(startUri, cancellationToken);
+                // Ignore the status: the stub has no real /connect/authorize.
+            }
+            catch
+            {
+                // Network errors are expected against the stub; continue.
+            }
+
+            // Pull `state` from the authorize URL so the OidcClient can
+            // verify it against its own nonces.
+            var state = ParseQuery(startUri.Query).GetValueOrDefault("state");
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(state))
+            {
+                return new BrowserResult
+                {
+                    ResultType = BrowserResultType.UserCancel,
+                    ErrorDescription = "no state in authorize URL"
+                };
+            }
+
+            var redirectUri =
+                $"{_loopbackRedirectUri.TrimEnd('/')}/?code=test-auth-code&state={Uri.EscapeDataString(state)}";
+
+            return new BrowserResult
+            {
+                ResultType = BrowserResultType.Success,
+                Response = redirectUri
+            };
+        }
+
+        private static System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<string, string> ParseQuery(string query)
+        {
+            var dict = new System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary<string, string>(StringComparer.Ordinal);
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(query)) return dict;
+            if (query.StartsWith("?")) query = query[1..];
+            foreach (var pair in query.Split('&', StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries))
+            {
+                var eq = pair.IndexOf('=');
+                if (eq < 0) { dict[pair] = ""; continue; }
+                dict[pair[..eq]] = Uri.UnescapeDataString(pair[(eq + 1)..]);
+            }
+            return dict;
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/PostIt.Tests/LoginPageViewModelTests.cs b/src/PostIt.Tests/LoginPageViewModelTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..42390121
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/PostIt.Tests/LoginPageViewModelTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+using System;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using PostIt.ViewModels;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace PostIt.Tests;
+
+public class LoginPageViewModelTests
+{
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task LoginAsync_acquires_access_token_from_stubbed_yavsc_authority()
+    {
+        // Arrange: spin up a stub OIDC authority and a fake browser that
+        // short-circuits the system browser. The authority signs its
+        // access_token with RS256; the fake browser captures the redirect
+        // URI so the authority can complete the token exchange.
+        using var authority = await OidcStubAuthority.StartAsync();
+        var browser = new FakeAuthorizingBrowser(authority.LoopbackRedirectUri);
+
+        var settings = new PostIt.Settings
+        {
+            Authentication = new AuthenticationSettings
+            {
+                Authority = authority.Issuer,
+                ClientId = "postit-tests"
+            },
+            RedirectUri = authority.LoopbackRedirectUri,
+            Scopes = new[] { "openid", "profile", "blog" }
+        };
+
+        var vm = new LoginPageViewModel(settings, browser.CreateBrowser);
+
+        // Act
+        await vm.LoginAsync();
+
+        // Assert: the ViewModel surfaced a token, not an error.
+        Assert.True(
+            !string.IsNullOrEmpty(vm.AccessToken),
+            $"Login did not produce a token. StatusMessage={vm.StatusMessage ?? "<null>"}");
+        Assert.False(
+            vm.StatusMessage?.StartsWith("Error") == true,
+            $"Login reported error: {vm.StatusMessage}");
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/PostIt.Tests/OidcStubAuthority.cs b/src/PostIt.Tests/OidcStubAuthority.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9c6948cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/PostIt.Tests/OidcStubAuthority.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,252 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Net;
+using System.Net.Sockets;
+using System.Security.Cryptography;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Text.Json;
+using System.Threading;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+
+namespace PostIt.Tests;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Minimal in-process OIDC authority used by LoginPageViewModelTests.
+/// It serves the discovery document, jwks, and a token endpoint that
+/// accepts any authorization code and returns a signed RS256 JWT.
+///
+/// Designed to be used together with <see cref="FakeAuthorizingBrowser"/>:
+/// the browser intercepts the authorize redirect, the server completes
+/// the token exchange.
+/// </summary>
+public sealed class OidcStubAuthority : IAsyncDisposable, IDisposable
+{
+    private readonly HttpListener _listener;
+    private readonly RSA _rsa;
+    private readonly string _kid;
+    private readonly CancellationTokenSource _cts = new();
+
+    public string Issuer { get; }
+    public string LoopbackRedirectUri { get; }
+
+    private OidcStubAuthority(HttpListener listener, RSA rsa, string kid, string issuer, string loopback)
+    {
+        _listener = listener;
+        _rsa = rsa;
+        _kid = kid;
+        Issuer = issuer;
+        LoopbackRedirectUri = loopback;
+    }
+
+    public static async Task<OidcStubAuthority> StartAsync()
+    {
+        // Pick a free loopback port.
+        var port = GetFreePort();
+        var prefix = $"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/";
+        var loopback = "http://127.0.0.1:7890/"; // matches PostIt.Settings.DefaultLoopbackRedirectUri
+
+        var listener = new HttpListener();
+        listener.Prefixes.Add(prefix);
+        listener.Start();
+
+        var rsa = RSA.Create(2048);
+        var kid = "test-key-1";
+
+        var authority = new OidcStubAuthority(listener, rsa, kid, prefix.TrimEnd('/'), loopback);
+        _ = Task.Run(() => authority.AcceptLoopAsync(authority._cts.Token));
+        return authority;
+    }
+
+    private async Task AcceptLoopAsync(CancellationToken ct)
+    {
+        while (!ct.IsCancellationRequested)
+        {
+            HttpListenerContext ctx;
+            try { ctx = await _listener.GetContextAsync().WaitAsync(ct); }
+            catch (OperationCanceledException) { return; }
+            catch (HttpListenerException) { return; }
+
+            try { await DispatchAsync(ctx); }
+            catch { /* swallow per-request */ }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private async Task DispatchAsync(HttpListenerContext ctx)
+    {
+        var path = ctx.Request.Url?.AbsolutePath ?? "/";
+        switch (path)
+        {
+            case "/.well-known/openid-configuration":
+                await WriteJsonAsync(ctx.Response, BuildDiscovery());
+                break;
+            case "/.well-known/jwks":
+                await WriteJsonAsync(ctx.Response, BuildJwks());
+                break;
+            case "/connect/token":
+                await HandleTokenAsync(ctx);
+                break;
+            case "/connect/userinfo":
+                await WriteJsonAsync(ctx.Response, new { sub = "test-user" });
+                break;
+            default:
+                ctx.Response.StatusCode = 404;
+                ctx.Response.Close();
+                break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private Dictionary<string, object> BuildDiscovery() => new()
+    {
+        ["issuer"] = Issuer,
+        ["authorization_endpoint"] = $"{Issuer}/connect/authorize",
+        ["token_endpoint"] = $"{Issuer}/connect/token",
+        ["userinfo_endpoint"] = $"{Issuer}/connect/userinfo",
+        ["jwks_uri"] = $"{Issuer}/.well-known/jwks",
+        ["response_types_supported"] = new[] { "code" },
+        ["subject_types_supported"] = new[] { "public" },
+        ["id_token_signing_alg_values_supported"] = new[] { "RS256" },
+        ["grant_types_supported"] = new[] { "authorization_code" },
+        ["code_challenge_methods_supported"] = new[] { "S256" },
+    };
+
+    private Dictionary<string, object> BuildJwks()
+    {
+        var p = _rsa.ExportParameters(false);
+        return new Dictionary<string, object>
+        {
+            ["keys"] = new[]
+            {
+                new Dictionary<string, object>
+                {
+                    ["kty"] = "RSA",
+                    ["use"] = "sig",
+                    ["alg"] = "RS256",
+                    ["kid"] = _kid,
+                    ["n"] = Base64UrlEncoder.Encode(p.Modulus!),
+                    ["e"] = Base64UrlEncoder.Encode(p.Exponent!),
+                }
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    private async Task HandleTokenAsync(HttpListenerContext ctx)
+    {
+        // Read form-encoded body.
+        string body;
+        using (var reader = new StreamReader(ctx.Request.InputStream, Encoding.UTF8))
+            body = await reader.ReadToEndAsync();
+
+        var form = ParseForm(body);
+        // We accept any code and don't validate PKCE on the stub side;
+        // the OidcClient itself validates the redirect_uri match.
+        var now = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow.ToUnixTimeSeconds();
+        var claims = new Dictionary<string, object>
+        {
+            ["iss"] = Issuer,
+            ["sub"] = "test-user",
+            ["aud"] = form.TryGetValue("client_id", out var cid) ? cid : "postit-tests",
+            ["exp"] = now + 600,
+            ["iat"] = now,
+        };
+
+        var accessToken = SignJwt(claims);
+        var response = new
+        {
+            access_token = accessToken,
+            id_token = accessToken,
+            token_type = "Bearer",
+            expires_in = 600,
+            scope = form.TryGetValue("scope", out var s) ? s : "openid",
+        };
+        await WriteJsonAsync(ctx.Response, response);
+    }
+
+    private string SignJwt(Dictionary<string, object> claims)
+    {
+        var header = new Dictionary<string, object>
+        {
+            ["alg"] = "RS256",
+            ["typ"] = "JWT",
+            ["kid"] = _kid,
+        };
+        var headerJson = JsonSerializer.Serialize(header);
+        var payloadJson = JsonSerializer.Serialize(claims);
+        var headerB64 = Base64UrlEncoder.Encode(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(headerJson));
+        var payloadB64 = Base64UrlEncoder.Encode(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(payloadJson));
+        var signingInput = $"{headerB64}.{payloadB64}";
+        var signature = _rsa.SignData(
+            Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(signingInput),
+            HashAlgorithmName.SHA256,
+            RSASignaturePadding.Pkcs1);
+        return $"{signingInput}.{Base64UrlEncoder.Encode(signature)}";
+    }
+
+    private static Dictionary<string, string> ParseForm(string body)
+    {
+        var dict = new Dictionary<string, string>(StringComparer.Ordinal);
+        foreach (var pair in body.Split('&', StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries))
+        {
+            var eq = pair.IndexOf('=');
+            if (eq < 0) continue;
+            var key = Uri.UnescapeDataString(pair[..eq]);
+            var val = Uri.UnescapeDataString(pair[(eq + 1)..]);
+            dict[key] = val;
+        }
+        return dict;
+    }
+
+    private static async Task WriteJsonAsync(HttpListenerResponse response, object payload)
+    {
+        response.ContentType = "application/json";
+        response.StatusCode = 200;
+        var bytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(JsonSerializer.Serialize(payload));
+        await response.OutputStream.WriteAsync(bytes);
+        response.Close();
+    }
+
+    private static int GetFreePort()
+    {
+        var l = new TcpListener(IPAddress.Loopback, 0);
+        l.Start();
+        var port = ((IPEndPoint)l.LocalEndpoint).Port;
+        l.Stop();
+        return port;
+    }
+
+    public async ValueTask DisposeAsync()
+    {
+        _cts.Cancel();
+        try { _listener.Stop(); } catch { }
+        _listener.Close();
+        _rsa.Dispose();
+        _cts.Dispose();
+        await Task.CompletedTask;
+    }
+
+    public void Dispose()
+    {
+        // Synchronous dispose: cancels the accept loop and tears down
+        // resources. The accept task will exit on its own once the
+        // listener is closed.
+        try { _cts.Cancel(); } catch { }
+        try { _listener.Stop(); } catch { }
+        try { _listener.Close(); } catch { }
+        try { _rsa.Dispose(); } catch { }
+        try { _cts.Dispose(); } catch { }
+    }
+}
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Minimal base64url encoder (no padding). RFC 7515 §2.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class Base64UrlEncoder
+{
+    public static string Encode(byte[] data)
+    {
+        return Convert.ToBase64String(data)
+            .TrimEnd('=')
+            .Replace('+', '-')
+            .Replace('/', '_');
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/PostIt/PostIt/ViewModels/LoginPageViewModel.cs b/src/PostIt/PostIt/ViewModels/LoginPageViewModel.cs
index 82bb1833..f7fb25bc 100644
--- a/src/PostIt/PostIt/ViewModels/LoginPageViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/PostIt/PostIt/ViewModels/LoginPageViewModel.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Input;
 using IdentityModel.OidcClient;
+using IdentityModel.OidcClient.Browser;
 using PostIt.Services;
 using System;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
@@ -26,9 +27,26 @@ public partial class LoginPageViewModel : ViewModelBase
     private bool _IsBusy;
     public bool IsBusy { get=> _IsBusy; private set=> this.SetProperty(ref _IsBusy, value); }
 
-    public LoginPageViewModel()
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Optional override used by tests. When set, this factory is called
+    /// instead of <see cref="Platform.CreateBrowser"/> to obtain the
+    /// <see cref="IBrowser"/> instance.
+    /// </summary>
+    public Func<IBrowser?>? BrowserFactoryOverride { get; set; }
+
+    public LoginPageViewModel() : this(new Settings(), browserFactoryOverride: null)
     {
-        Settings = new Settings();
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Test-friendly constructor: caller supplies pre-loaded <paramref name="settings"/>
+    /// and (optionally) a <paramref name="browserFactoryOverride"/> that bypasses
+    /// the static <see cref="Platform"/> indirection.
+    /// </summary>
+    public LoginPageViewModel(Settings settings, Func<IBrowser?>? browserFactoryOverride = null)
+    {
+        Settings = settings;
+        BrowserFactoryOverride = browserFactoryOverride;
         StatusMessage = "Ready";
     }
 
@@ -45,7 +63,9 @@ public partial class LoginPageViewModel : ViewModelBase
                 ? Platform.DefaultRedirectUri
                 : Settings.RedirectUri;
 
-            var browser = Platform.CreateBrowser?.Invoke();
+            var browser = BrowserFactoryOverride is not null
+                ? BrowserFactoryOverride.Invoke()
+                : Platform.CreateBrowser?.Invoke();
             if (browser is null)
             {
                 StatusMessage = "No browser is available on this platform.";