diff --git a/web/e2e-tests/admin.test.ts b/web/e2e-tests/admin.test.ts
index 918dca5143..7fe686bede 100644
--- a/web/e2e-tests/admin.test.ts
+++ b/web/e2e-tests/admin.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {strict as assert} from "assert";
 
-import type {ElementHandle, Page} from "puppeteer";
+import type {Page} from "puppeteer";
 
 import * as common from "./lib/common";
 
@@ -156,11 +156,9 @@ async function test_organization_permissions(page: Page): Promise<void> {
 async function test_add_emoji(page: Page): Promise<void> {
     await common.fill_form(page, "#add-custom-emoji-form", {name: "zulip logo"});
 
-    const emoji_upload_handle = await page.$("#emoji_file_input");
+    const emoji_upload_handle = await page.$("input#emoji_file_input");
     assert.ok(emoji_upload_handle);
-    await (emoji_upload_handle as ElementHandle<HTMLInputElement>).uploadFile(
-        "static/images/logo/zulip-icon-128x128.png",
-    );
+    await emoji_upload_handle.uploadFile("static/images/logo/zulip-icon-128x128.png");
     await page.click("#add-custom-emoji-modal .dialog_submit_button");
     await common.wait_for_micromodal_to_close(page);
 
@@ -194,11 +192,9 @@ async function test_custom_realm_emoji(page: Page): Promise<void> {
 }
 
 async function test_upload_realm_icon_image(page: Page): Promise<void> {
-    const upload_handle = await page.$("#realm-icon-upload-widget .image_file_input");
+    const upload_handle = await page.$("#realm-icon-upload-widget input.image_file_input");
     assert.ok(upload_handle);
-    await (upload_handle as ElementHandle<HTMLInputElement>).uploadFile(
-        "static/images/logo/zulip-icon-128x128.png",
-    );
+    await upload_handle.uploadFile("static/images/logo/zulip-icon-128x128.png");
 
     await page.waitForSelector("#realm-icon-upload-widget .upload-spinner-background", {
         visible: true,
diff --git a/web/e2e-tests/copy-and-paste.test.ts b/web/e2e-tests/copy-and-paste.test.ts
index 0e00be444c..4a892ec2bb 100644
--- a/web/e2e-tests/copy-and-paste.test.ts
+++ b/web/e2e-tests/copy-and-paste.test.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ async function copy_messages(
                     ctrlKey: true,
                     keyCode: 67,
                     which: 67,
-                } as KeyboardEventInit),
+                }),
             );
 
             // find temp div with copied text
diff --git a/web/e2e-tests/lib/common.ts b/web/e2e-tests/lib/common.ts
index 4f3df4767b..b8d85374ff 100644
--- a/web/e2e-tests/lib/common.ts
+++ b/web/e2e-tests/lib/common.ts
@@ -140,13 +140,12 @@ export async function fill_form(
         return (await page.$(`select[name="${CSS.escape(name)}"]`)) !== null;
     }
     for (const name of Object.keys(params)) {
-        const name_selector = `${form_selector} [name="${name}"]`;
         const value = params[name];
         if (typeof value === "boolean") {
             await page.$eval(
-                name_selector,
+                `${form_selector} input[name="${CSS.escape(name)}"]`,
                 (el, value) => {
-                    if (el instanceof HTMLInputElement && el.checked !== value) {
+                    if (el.checked !== value) {
                         el.click();
                     }
                 },
@@ -156,13 +155,9 @@ export async function fill_form(
             if (typeof value !== "string") {
                 throw new TypeError(`Expected string for ${name}`);
             }
-            await page.select(name_selector, value);
+            await page.select(`${form_selector} select[name="${CSS.escape(name)}"]`, value);
         } else {
-            // clear any existing text in the input field before filling.
-            await page.$eval(name_selector, (el) => {
-                (el as HTMLInputElement).value = "";
-            });
-            await page.type(name_selector, value);
+            await clear_and_type(page, `${form_selector} [name="${CSS.escape(name)}"`, value);
         }
     }
 }
@@ -173,17 +168,24 @@ export async function check_form_contents(
     params: Record<string, boolean | string>,
 ): Promise<void> {
     for (const name of Object.keys(params)) {
-        const name_selector = `${form_selector} [name="${name}"]`;
         const expected_value = params[name];
         if (typeof expected_value === "boolean") {
             assert.equal(
-                await page.$eval(name_selector, (el) => (el as HTMLInputElement).checked),
+                await page.$eval(
+                    `${form_selector} input[name="${CSS.escape(name)}"]`,
+                    (el) => el.checked,
+                ),
                 expected_value,
                 "Form content is not as expected.",
             );
         } else {
             assert.equal(
-                await page.$eval(name_selector, (el) => (el as HTMLInputElement).value),
+                await page.$eval(`${form_selector} [name="${CSS.escape(name)}"]`, (el) => {
+                    if (!(el instanceof HTMLInputElement || el instanceof HTMLTextAreaElement)) {
+                        throw new TypeError("Expected <input> or <textarea>");
+                    }
+                    return el.value;
+                }),
                 expected_value,
                 "Form content is not as expected.",
             );
@@ -266,8 +268,8 @@ export async function log_in(
         username: credentials.username,
         password: credentials.password,
     };
-    await fill_form(page, "#login_form", params);
-    await page.$eval("#login_form", (form) => (form as HTMLFormElement).submit());
+    await fill_form(page, "form#login_form", params);
+    await page.$eval("form#login_form", (form) => form.submit());
 
     await page.waitForSelector("#recent_view_filter_buttons", {visible: true});
 }
@@ -295,8 +297,8 @@ export function set_realm_url(new_realm_url: string): void {
 export async function ensure_enter_does_not_send(page: Page): Promise<void> {
     // NOTE: Caller should ensure that the compose box is already open.
     const enter_sends = await page.$eval(
-        ".enter_sends_true",
-        (el) => (el as HTMLElement).style.display !== "none",
+        "span.enter_sends_true",
+        (el) => el.style.display !== "none",
     );
 
     if (enter_sends) {
@@ -311,13 +313,12 @@ export async function assert_compose_box_content(
     page: Page,
     expected_value: string,
 ): Promise<void> {
-    const compose_box_element = await page.waitForSelector("#compose-textarea");
-    const compose_box_content = await page.evaluate((element) => {
-        if (!(element instanceof HTMLTextAreaElement)) {
-            throw new TypeError("expected HTMLTextAreaElement");
-        }
-        return element.value;
-    }, compose_box_element);
+    const compose_box_element = await page.waitForSelector("textarea#compose-textarea");
+    assert(compose_box_element !== null);
+    const compose_box_content = await page.evaluate(
+        (element) => element.value,
+        compose_box_element,
+    );
     assert.equal(
         compose_box_content,
         expected_value,
diff --git a/web/e2e-tests/realm-creation.test.ts b/web/e2e-tests/realm-creation.test.ts
index bdfee635ef..dac3d89bf7 100644
--- a/web/e2e-tests/realm-creation.test.ts
+++ b/web/e2e-tests/realm-creation.test.ts
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ async function realm_creation_tests(page: Page): Promise<void> {
     await page.waitForSelector("#email");
     await page.type("#email", email);
     await page.type("#id_team_name", organization_name);
-    await page.$eval("#realm_in_root_domain", (el) => (el as HTMLInputElement).click());
+    await page.$eval("input#realm_in_root_domain", (el) => el.click());
 
     await Promise.all([
         page.waitForNavigation(),
-        page.$eval("#create_realm", (form) => (form as HTMLFormElement).submit()),
+        page.$eval("form#create_realm", (form) => form.submit()),
     ]);
 
     // Make sure confirmation email is sent.
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ async function realm_creation_tests(page: Page): Promise<void> {
     // For some reason, page.click() does not work this for particular checkbox
     // so use page.$eval here to call the .click method in the browser.
     await common.fill_form(page, "#registration", params);
-    await page.$eval("#registration", (form) => (form as HTMLFormElement).submit());
+    await page.$eval("form#registration", (form) => form.submit());
 
     // Check if realm is created and user is logged in by checking if
     // element of id `lightbox_overlay` exists.
diff --git a/web/e2e-tests/realm-playground.test.ts b/web/e2e-tests/realm-playground.test.ts
index 4818f3497a..b80699ae16 100644
--- a/web/e2e-tests/realm-playground.test.ts
+++ b/web/e2e-tests/realm-playground.test.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ async function _add_playground_and_return_status(page: Page, payload: Playground
     await common.fill_form(page, "form.admin-playground-form", payload);
     // Not sure why, but page.click() doesn't seem to always click the submit button.
     // So we resort to using eval with the button ID instead.
-    await page.$eval("#submit_playground_button", (el) => (el as HTMLInputElement).click());
+    await page.$eval("button#submit_playground_button", (el) => el.click());
 
     // We return the success/failure status message back to the caller.
     await page.waitForSelector(admin_playground_status_selector, {visible: true});
diff --git a/web/e2e-tests/settings.test.ts b/web/e2e-tests/settings.test.ts
index 8d0d7b9052..ed0ac4de19 100644
--- a/web/e2e-tests/settings.test.ts
+++ b/web/e2e-tests/settings.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {strict as assert} from "assert";
 
-import type {ElementHandle, Page} from "puppeteer";
+import type {Page} from "puppeteer";
 
 import {test_credentials} from "../../var/puppeteer/test_credentials";
 
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ const zuliprc_regex =
     /^data:application\/octet-stream;charset=utf-8,\[api]\nemail=.+\nkey=.+\nsite=.+\n$/;
 
 async function get_decoded_url_in_selector(page: Page, selector: string): Promise<string> {
-    const a = (await page.$(selector)) as ElementHandle<HTMLAnchorElement>;
-    return decodeURIComponent(await (await a.getProperty("href")).jsonValue());
+    const a = await page.$(`a:is(${selector})`);
+    return decodeURIComponent(await (await a!.getProperty("href")).jsonValue());
 }
 
 async function open_settings(page: Page): Promise<void> {
@@ -198,9 +198,8 @@ async function test_edit_bot_form(page: Page): Promise<void> {
 
     const edit_form_selector = `#bot-edit-form[data-email="${CSS.escape(bot1_email)}"]`;
     await page.waitForSelector(edit_form_selector, {visible: true});
-    const name_field_selector = edit_form_selector + " [name=full_name]";
     assert.equal(
-        await page.$eval(name_field_selector, (el) => (el as HTMLInputElement).value),
+        await page.$eval(`${edit_form_selector} input[name=full_name]`, (el) => el.value),
         "Bot 1",
     );
 
@@ -233,9 +232,8 @@ async function test_invalid_edit_bot_form(page: Page): Promise<void> {
 
     const edit_form_selector = `#bot-edit-form[data-email="${CSS.escape(bot1_email)}"]`;
     await page.waitForSelector(edit_form_selector, {visible: true});
-    const name_field_selector = edit_form_selector + " [name=full_name]";
     assert.equal(
-        await page.$eval(name_field_selector, (el) => (el as HTMLInputElement).value),
+        await page.$eval(`${edit_form_selector} input[name=full_name]`, (el) => el.value),
         "Bot one",
     );
 
diff --git a/web/e2e-tests/user-status.test.ts b/web/e2e-tests/user-status.test.ts
index 8f2251176e..f89a923a55 100644
--- a/web/e2e-tests/user-status.test.ts
+++ b/web/e2e-tests/user-status.test.ts
@@ -3,21 +3,18 @@ import type {Page} from "puppeteer";
 import * as common from "./lib/common";
 
 async function open_set_user_status_modal(page: Page): Promise<void> {
-    const menu_icon_selector = ".user_sidebar_entry:first-child .user-list-sidebar-menu-icon";
     // We are clicking on the menu icon with the help of `waitForFunction` because the list
     // re-renders many times and can cause the element to become stale.
-    await page.waitForFunction(
-        (selector: string): boolean => {
-            const menu_icon = document.querySelector(selector);
-            if (menu_icon) {
-                (menu_icon as HTMLSpanElement).click();
-                return true;
-            }
-            return false;
-        },
-        {},
-        menu_icon_selector,
-    );
+    await page.waitForFunction((): boolean => {
+        const menu_icon = document.querySelector<HTMLSpanElement>(
+            ".user_sidebar_entry:first-child span.user-list-sidebar-menu-icon",
+        );
+        if (menu_icon) {
+            menu_icon.click();
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
+    });
     await page.waitForSelector(".user_popover_email", {visible: true});
     // We are using evaluate to click because it is very hard to detect if the user info popover has opened.
     await page.evaluate(() =>