diff --git a/pkg/e2e/SCENARIO.md b/pkg/e2e/SCENARIO.md
index 18676b9610..46622cb041 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/SCENARIO.md
+++ b/pkg/e2e/SCENARIO.md
@@ -56,6 +56,12 @@ Rules:
   `testdata` directory no test owns. Interpolate runtime values via `Env`.
 - **Regression tests link the issue** in a comment above the test, with a
   sentence on the failure mode being locked.
+- **Remote sources**: a scenario consuming its project through a remote
+  loader (a git URL, an `oci://` artifact) still anchors the content in
+  `testdata/<TestName>/`, builds the remote from that copy — `serveGitRepo`
+  serves it over in-process smart HTTP, a `publish` step pushes it to a local
+  registry — then switches with `FromRemote(source, rootFlags...)`. Steps
+  before the switch run against the local copy (e.g. the `publish` itself).
 
 ## Checks: observe real state
 
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/checks.go b/pkg/e2e/checks.go
index 43366c3b28..65a9646cc2 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/checks.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/checks.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ package e2e
 // test-specific logic), and are named after the observable they assert.
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
@@ -507,6 +508,36 @@ func FileAbsent(path string) Check {
 	}
 }
 
+// ContainerEnv expects every container of the service to carry the given
+// environment variable with the exact value, as recorded in the container
+// config — the observable effect of `environment`, `env_file` or provider
+// injection, whatever the source of the model.
+func ContainerEnv(service, name, value string) Check {
+	return Check{
+		name: fmt.Sprintf("service %q containers have env %s=%s", service, name, value),
+		fn: func(ctx *CheckContext) error {
+			containers := ctx.curr.service(service)
+			if len(containers) == 0 {
+				return errors.New("service has no container")
+			}
+			for _, c := range containers {
+				res := icmd.RunCmd(ctx.scenario.cli.NewDockerCmd(ctx.scenario.t, "inspect", "--format", "{{json .Config.Env}}", c.ID))
+				if res.ExitCode != 0 {
+					return fmt.Errorf("inspect failed: %s", res.Combined())
+				}
+				var env []string
+				if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(strings.TrimSpace(res.Stdout())), &env); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				if !slices.Contains(env, name+"="+value) {
+					return fmt.Errorf("not in container %s environment: %v", c.Name, env)
+				}
+			}
+			return nil
+		},
+	}
+}
+
 // LabelSet expects every container of the service to carry a non-empty label.
 func LabelSet(service, key string) Check {
 	return Check{
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/remote_git_test.go b/pkg/e2e/remote_git_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8057c294b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/remote_git_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+//go:build e2e
+
+/*
+Copyright 2026 Docker Compose CLI authors
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+	http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+package e2e
+
+import (
+	"net/http/cgi"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// gitRepo is a throwaway git repository served over the smart HTTP protocol
+// by an in-process server: `git http-backend` run as a CGI per request, on a
+// random port picked by httptest. No daemon process, no container — hermetic
+// and port-collision free. The smart protocol is required: compose's git
+// loader resolves the ref with ls-remote then shallow-fetches the raw commit,
+// which the dumb protocol supports neither of (no shallow capability), and
+// fetching a commit by hash needs uploadpack.allowAnySHA1InWant.
+type gitRepo struct {
+	t    *testing.T
+	work string // working tree the fixture content is committed from
+	bare string // bare repository the server exposes
+	URL  string // smart-HTTP URL of the repository (…/repo.git)
+}
+
+// serveGitRepo commits the content of dir on a `main` branch and serves the
+// resulting repository over smart HTTP for the lifetime of the test.
+func serveGitRepo(t *testing.T, dir string) *gitRepo {
+	t.Helper()
+	gitPath, err := exec.LookPath("git")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Skip("git is not available in PATH")
+	}
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	r := &gitRepo{t: t, work: dir, bare: filepath.Join(root, "repo.git")}
+	// init then set HEAD explicitly: `git init -b` requires git >= 2.28,
+	// symbolic-ref names the initial branch on any version
+	r.git(dir, "init", "-q", ".")
+	r.git(dir, "symbolic-ref", "HEAD", "refs/heads/main")
+	r.git(dir, "add", "-A")
+	r.git(dir, "commit", "-q", "-m", "e2e fixture")
+	r.git(dir, "clone", "-q", "--bare", ".", r.bare)
+	r.git(r.bare, "config", "uploadpack.allowAnySHA1InWant", "true")
+
+	server := httptest.NewServer(&cgi.Handler{
+		Path: gitPath,
+		Args: []string{"http-backend"},
+		Env:  []string{"GIT_PROJECT_ROOT=" + root, "GIT_HTTP_EXPORT_ALL=1"},
+	})
+	t.Cleanup(server.Close)
+	r.URL = server.URL + "/repo.git"
+	return r
+}
+
+// Branch publishes a variant of the fixture under a new branch: mutate edits
+// the working tree, and the resulting commit is pushed to the served
+// repository.
+func (r *gitRepo) Branch(name string, mutate func(dir string)) {
+	r.t.Helper()
+	r.git(r.work, "checkout", "-q", "-b", name)
+	mutate(r.work)
+	r.git(r.work, "add", "-A")
+	r.git(r.work, "commit", "-q", "-m", "branch "+name)
+	r.git(r.work, "push", "-q", r.bare, name)
+	// return to main so each Branch call cuts from the same base
+	r.git(r.work, "checkout", "-q", "main")
+}
+
+// git runs a git command against a fully isolated configuration: no user or
+// system gitconfig (so a developer's signing or hook setup cannot leak into
+// the fixture) and a fixed identity.
+func (r *gitRepo) git(dir string, args ...string) {
+	r.t.Helper()
+	cmd := exec.Command("git", args...)
+	cmd.Dir = dir
+	cmd.Env = append(os.Environ(),
+		"GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL=/dev/null",
+		"GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM=/dev/null",
+		"GIT_AUTHOR_NAME=compose-e2e",
+		"GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL=e2e@compose.invalid",
+		"GIT_COMMITTER_NAME=compose-e2e",
+		"GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL=e2e@compose.invalid",
+	)
+	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		r.t.Fatalf("git %s: %v\n%s", strings.Join(args, " "), err, out)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGitRemoteUp(t *testing.T) {
+	s := NewScenario(t, "up on a git remote must deploy the project, resolving its files against the fetched copy")
+	repo := serveGitRepo(t, s.Dir())
+	s.Env("XDG_CACHE_HOME=" + t.TempDir())
+	s.FromRemote(repo.URL)
+	s.Step("up fetches the repository and starts the service",
+		ComposeCmd("up", "-d", "--wait", "--yes").Within(60*time.Second),
+		ServiceState("app", "running"),
+		// the env_file exists only inside the repository: its effect proves
+		// the relative reference was resolved against the fetched copy
+		ContainerEnv("app", "FLAVOR", "main"))
+}
+
+func TestGitRemoteBranchSelection(t *testing.T) {
+	s := NewScenario(t, "a #branch fragment on a git remote must deploy that branch's revision of the project")
+	repo := serveGitRepo(t, s.Dir())
+	repo.Branch("feature", func(dir string) {
+		if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, "app.env"), []byte("FLAVOR=feature\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	})
+	s.Env("XDG_CACHE_HOME=" + t.TempDir())
+	s.FromRemote(repo.URL + "#feature")
+	s.Step("up deploys the feature branch, not the default one",
+		ComposeCmd("up", "-d", "--wait", "--yes").Within(60*time.Second),
+		ServiceState("app", "running"),
+		ContainerEnv("app", "FLAVOR", "feature"))
+}
+
+func TestGitRemoteSubdir(t *testing.T) {
+	s := NewScenario(t, "a #ref:subdir fragment must load the project from the repository subdirectory, not its root")
+	repo := serveGitRepo(t, s.Dir())
+	s.Env("XDG_CACHE_HOME=" + t.TempDir())
+	s.FromRemote(repo.URL + "#main:apps/web")
+	s.Step("up deploys the subdirectory project, ignoring the decoy at the repository root",
+		ComposeCmd("up", "-d", "--wait", "--yes").Within(60*time.Second),
+		ServiceState("app", "running"),
+		ContainerEnv("app", "FLAVOR", "web"))
+}
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/remote_oci_test.go b/pkg/e2e/remote_oci_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f06c3a2763
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/remote_oci_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+//go:build e2e
+
+/*
+Copyright 2026 Docker Compose CLI authors
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+	http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+package e2e
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"gotest.tools/v3/poll"
+)
+
+// startLocalRegistry runs a throwaway registry container on a random host
+// port for the lifetime of the scenario and returns its host:port address.
+func startLocalRegistry(t *testing.T, s *Scenario) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	c := s.CLI()
+	name := s.Project() + "-registry"
+	c.RunDockerCmd(t, "run", "--name", name, "-P", "-d", "registry:3")
+	s.Defer(DockerCmd("rm", "--force", name))
+	port := c.RunDockerCmd(t, "inspect", "--format", `{{ (index (index .NetworkSettings.Ports "5000/tcp") 0).HostPort }}`, name).Stdout()
+	registry := "localhost:" + strings.TrimSpace(port)
+
+	registryURL := "http://" + registry + "/v2/"
+	poll.WaitOn(t, func(l poll.LogT) poll.Result {
+		resp, err := http.Get(registryURL) //nolint:gosec,noctx
+		if err != nil {
+			return poll.Continue("registry not ready: %v", err)
+		}
+		_ = resp.Body.Close()
+		if resp.StatusCode < 500 {
+			return poll.Success()
+		}
+		return poll.Continue("registry not ready, status %d", resp.StatusCode)
+	}, poll.WithTimeout(10*time.Second), poll.WithDelay(500*time.Millisecond))
+	return registry
+}
+
+func TestOciRemoteUp(t *testing.T) {
+	s := NewScenario(t, "up on an oci:// artifact must deploy the published project, bundled env files included")
+	registry := startLocalRegistry(t, s)
+	ref := registry + "/remote-up:v1"
+	s.Env("XDG_CACHE_HOME=" + t.TempDir())
+	s.Step("publish pushes the project and its env file to the registry",
+		ComposeCmd("publish", "--with-env", "--yes", "--insecure-registry", ref))
+	s.FromRemote("oci://"+ref, "--insecure-registry", registry)
+	s.Step("up pulls the artifact and starts the service",
+		ComposeCmd("up", "-d", "--wait", "--yes").Within(60*time.Second),
+		ServiceState("app", "running"),
+		// the env file travels as an artifact layer: its effect proves the
+		// bundle was consumed whole, not just the compose.yaml
+		ContainerEnv("app", "FLAVOR", "published"))
+}
+
+func TestOciRemoteTagSelection(t *testing.T) {
+	s := NewScenario(t, "the tag of an oci:// reference must select which published revision is deployed")
+	registry := startLocalRegistry(t, s)
+	refV1 := registry + "/remote-tags:v1"
+	refV2 := registry + "/remote-tags:v2"
+	s.Env("XDG_CACHE_HOME=" + t.TempDir())
+	s.Step("publish the v1 revision",
+		ComposeCmd("publish", "--with-env", "--yes", "--insecure-registry", refV1))
+	// fixture preparation for the second revision, like a git branch: the
+	// anchored copy is edited before publishing under the other tag
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(s.Dir(), "app.env"), []byte("FLAVOR=v2\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	s.Step("publish the v2 revision under another tag",
+		ComposeCmd("publish", "--with-env", "--yes", "--insecure-registry", refV2))
+	s.FromRemote("oci://"+refV1, "--insecure-registry", registry)
+	s.Step("up on the v1 tag deploys the v1 revision, not the latest published one",
+		ComposeCmd("up", "-d", "--wait", "--yes").Within(60*time.Second),
+		ServiceState("app", "running"),
+		ContainerEnv("app", "FLAVOR", "v1"))
+}
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/scenario.go b/pkg/e2e/scenario.go
index 680f4bf079..3d43752c7e 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/scenario.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/scenario.go
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ type Scenario struct {
 	intent   string
 	project  string
 	file     string
+	remote   string
+	rootArgs []string
 	env      []string
 	parallel bool
 	start    time.Time
@@ -253,6 +255,19 @@ func (s *Scenario) Env(kv ...string) *Scenario {
 	return s
 }
 
+// FromRemote switches the scenario's compose source to a remote reference
+// handled by compose's remote loaders — a git URL or an oci:// artifact —
+// with optional extra root flags (e.g. --insecure-registry) inserted before
+// the subcommand on every subsequent step. Steps executed before the switch
+// still run against the anchored testdata copy, which remains available
+// through Dir() as the local content the remote was built from (a repository
+// to commit, a project to publish).
+func (s *Scenario) FromRemote(source string, rootFlags ...string) *Scenario {
+	s.remote = source
+	s.rootArgs = rootFlags
+	return s
+}
+
 // Requires skips the scenario unless every requirement is met by the target
 // environment.
 func (s *Scenario) Requires(reqs ...Requirement) *Scenario {
@@ -324,10 +339,15 @@ func (s *Scenario) command(action Action) icmd.Cmd {
 	switch action.kind {
 	case kindCompose:
 		args := []string{}
-		if s.file != "" {
-			args = append(args, "-f", s.file)
+		file := s.file
+		if s.remote != "" {
+			file = s.remote
+		}
+		if file != "" {
+			args = append(args, "-f", file)
 		}
 		args = append(args, "--project-name", s.project)
+		args = append(args, s.rootArgs...)
 		args = append(args, action.args...)
 		cmd = s.cli.NewDockerComposeCmd(s.t, args...)
 	case kindDocker:
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteBranchSelection/app.env b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteBranchSelection/app.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fbf5e9b6c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteBranchSelection/app.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FLAVOR=main
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteBranchSelection/compose.yaml b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteBranchSelection/compose.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee475f168d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteBranchSelection/compose.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+services:
+  app:
+    image: alpine
+    init: true
+    command: sleep infinity
+    env_file:
+      - ./app.env
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/app.env b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/app.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f788a688f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/app.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FLAVOR=root
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/apps/web/app.env b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/apps/web/app.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b2d0ed1c6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/apps/web/app.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FLAVOR=web
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/apps/web/compose.yaml b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/apps/web/compose.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee475f168d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/apps/web/compose.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+services:
+  app:
+    image: alpine
+    init: true
+    command: sleep infinity
+    env_file:
+      - ./app.env
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/compose.yaml b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/compose.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee475f168d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteSubdir/compose.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+services:
+  app:
+    image: alpine
+    init: true
+    command: sleep infinity
+    env_file:
+      - ./app.env
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteUp/app.env b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteUp/app.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fbf5e9b6c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteUp/app.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FLAVOR=main
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteUp/compose.yaml b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteUp/compose.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee475f168d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestGitRemoteUp/compose.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+services:
+  app:
+    image: alpine
+    init: true
+    command: sleep infinity
+    env_file:
+      - ./app.env
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteTagSelection/app.env b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteTagSelection/app.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5ff2abc64f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteTagSelection/app.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FLAVOR=v1
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteTagSelection/compose.yaml b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteTagSelection/compose.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee475f168d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteTagSelection/compose.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+services:
+  app:
+    image: alpine
+    init: true
+    command: sleep infinity
+    env_file:
+      - ./app.env
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteUp/app.env b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteUp/app.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..adfb0cb0a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteUp/app.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FLAVOR=published
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteUp/compose.yaml b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteUp/compose.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee475f168d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/e2e/testdata/TestOciRemoteUp/compose.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+services:
+  app:
+    image: alpine
+    init: true
+    command: sleep infinity
+    env_file:
+      - ./app.env