diff --git a/packages/reference-implementation/e2e/cypress/e2e/api/vc_render/render_credential.cy.ts b/packages/reference-implementation/e2e/cypress/e2e/api/vc_render/render_credential.cy.ts
index 8fb6d5d6a..ccb0d048d 100644
--- a/packages/reference-implementation/e2e/cypress/e2e/api/vc_render/render_credential.cy.ts
+++ b/packages/reference-implementation/e2e/cypress/e2e/api/vc_render/render_credential.cy.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const renderPage = new RenderPage();
 describe('Verify page credential rendering', () => {
   function verifyErrorDisplayed(errorText: string) {
     cy.contains(errorText, { timeout: 10000 }).should('be.visible');
-    cy.get('button').contains('JSON').should('not.exist');
+    cy.contains('button', 'JSON').should('not.exist');
   }
 
   describe('successful verification', () => {
diff --git a/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(protected)/layout.test.tsx b/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(protected)/layout.test.tsx
index 87e3cd0f5..abfa7b99b 100644
--- a/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(protected)/layout.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(protected)/layout.test.tsx
@@ -1,41 +1,36 @@
 import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
-import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
 import ProtectedLayout from './layout';
 
 const mockPush = jest.fn();
-const mockPathname = jest.fn(() => '/configuration/dids');
 
 jest.mock('next/navigation', () => ({
   useRouter: () => ({
     push: mockPush,
   }),
-  usePathname: () => mockPathname(),
+  usePathname: () => '/dashboard',
 }));
 
+jest.mock('lucide-react', () => ({
+  LogOut: () => <span>LogOut</span>,
+}));
+
+const mockUseAuth = jest.fn();
+
 jest.mock('@/contexts/auth', () => ({
   AuthProvider: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
-  useAuth: () => ({
-    user: { name: 'Test User', email: 'test@example.com', roles: [] },
-    isLoading: false,
-    isAuthenticated: true,
-    logout: jest.fn(),
-  }),
+  useAuth: () => mockUseAuth(),
+}));
+
+jest.mock('@/contexts/did/DidContext', () => ({
+  DidProvider: ({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) => <>{children}</>,
 }));
 
+// Mocked so the absence assertions trip if the layout renders the sidebars again.
+// The mocks render their test ids unconditionally (the real Sidebar swaps to a
+// skeleton without its test id while loading) and avoid the real components'
+// dependencies on '@reference-implementation/components', mocked below. See #715.
 jest.mock('@/components/sidebar', () => ({
-  Sidebar: ({ onNavClick, selectedNavId }: { onNavClick: (id: string) => void; selectedNavId?: string }) => (
-    <div data-testid='sidebar' data-selected-nav-id={selectedNavId}>
-      <button data-testid='nav-dids' onClick={() => onNavClick('dids')}>
-        DIDs
-      </button>
-      <button data-testid='nav-credentials' onClick={() => onNavClick('credentials')}>
-        Credentials
-      </button>
-      <button data-testid='nav-resources' onClick={() => onNavClick('resources')}>
-        Resources
-      </button>
-    </div>
-  ),
+  Sidebar: () => <div data-testid='sidebar' />,
   MobileSidebar: () => <div data-testid='mobile-sidebar' />,
 }));
 
@@ -43,84 +38,64 @@ jest.mock('@reference-implementation/components', () => ({
   Loader: () => <div data-testid='loader' />,
 }));
 
-jest.mock('lucide-react', () => ({
-  LogOut: () => <span>LogOut</span>,
-}));
-
-describe('ProtectedLayout navigation', () => {
+describe('ProtectedLayout', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     jest.clearAllMocks();
+    mockUseAuth.mockReturnValue({
+      user: { name: 'Test User', email: 'test@example.com', roles: [] },
+      isLoading: false,
+      isAuthenticated: true,
+      logout: jest.fn(),
+    });
   });
 
-  it('calls router.push when clicking a mapped nav item', async () => {
-    const user = userEvent.setup();
+  it('renders children without the navigation sidebars', () => {
     render(
       <ProtectedLayout>
-        <div>Content</div>
+        <div data-testid='content'>Content</div>
       </ProtectedLayout>,
     );
 
-    await user.click(screen.getByTestId('nav-dids'));
-
-    expect(mockPush).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/configuration/dids');
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('content')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('sidebar')).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('mobile-sidebar')).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  it('does not call router.push when clicking an unmapped nav item', async () => {
-    const user = userEvent.setup();
-    render(
-      <ProtectedLayout>
-        <div>Content</div>
-      </ProtectedLayout>,
-    );
-
-    await user.click(screen.getByTestId('nav-credentials'));
+  it('shows the loader while authentication is pending', () => {
+    mockUseAuth.mockReturnValue({
+      user: null,
+      isLoading: true,
+      isAuthenticated: false,
+      logout: jest.fn(),
+    });
 
-    expect(mockPush).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-  });
-
-  it('does not call router.push for external nav items', async () => {
-    const user = userEvent.setup();
     render(
       <ProtectedLayout>
-        <div>Content</div>
+        <div data-testid='content'>Content</div>
       </ProtectedLayout>,
     );
 
-    await user.click(screen.getByTestId('nav-resources'));
-
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('loader')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('content')).toBeNull();
     expect(mockPush).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
-  it('derives selectedNavId from the current pathname', () => {
-    mockPathname.mockReturnValue('/configuration/dids');
-    render(
-      <ProtectedLayout>
-        <div>Content</div>
-      </ProtectedLayout>,
-    );
-
-    expect(screen.getByTestId('sidebar')).toHaveAttribute('data-selected-nav-id', 'dids');
-  });
-
-  it('sets selectedNavId to undefined for unrecognised paths', () => {
-    mockPathname.mockReturnValue('/dashboard');
-    render(
-      <ProtectedLayout>
-        <div>Content</div>
-      </ProtectedLayout>,
-    );
-
-    expect(screen.getByTestId('sidebar')).not.toHaveAttribute('data-selected-nav-id', 'dids');
-  });
+  it('redirects to sign-in when unauthenticated', () => {
+    mockUseAuth.mockReturnValue({
+      user: null,
+      isLoading: false,
+      isAuthenticated: false,
+      logout: jest.fn(),
+    });
 
-  it('matches sub-paths to the correct nav item', () => {
-    mockPathname.mockReturnValue('/configuration/dids/create');
     render(
       <ProtectedLayout>
-        <div>Content</div>
+        <div data-testid='content'>Content</div>
       </ProtectedLayout>,
     );
 
-    expect(screen.getByTestId('sidebar')).toHaveAttribute('data-selected-nav-id', 'dids');
+    expect(mockPush).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/api/auth/signin');
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('loader')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('content')).toBeNull();
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(protected)/layout.tsx b/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(protected)/layout.tsx
index adbb4648e..e7a73b170 100644
--- a/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(protected)/layout.tsx
+++ b/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(protected)/layout.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ import { DidProvider } from '@/contexts/did/DidContext';
 import { Sidebar, MobileSidebar } from '@/components/sidebar';
 import { LogOut } from 'lucide-react';
 
+// Navigation is hidden until the pages it links to exist; flip to true to reinstate (#715).
+const SHOW_NAVIGATION = false;
+
 interface ProtectedLayoutProps {
   children: React.ReactNode;
 }
@@ -144,17 +147,21 @@ function ProtectedContent({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
 
   return (
     <div className='flex h-screen overflow-hidden'>
-      {/* Mobile Sidebar/Navbar - hidden on desktop */}
-      <div className='md:hidden'>
-        <MobileSidebar {...sidebarProps} />
-      </div>
-
-      {/* Desktop Sidebar - hidden on mobile */}
-      <div className='hidden md:block'>
-        <Sidebar {...sidebarProps} />
-      </div>
-
-      <main className='flex-1 overflow-auto pt-16 md:pt-0'>
+      {SHOW_NAVIGATION && (
+        <>
+          {/* Mobile Sidebar/Navbar - hidden on desktop */}
+          <div className='md:hidden'>
+            <MobileSidebar {...sidebarProps} />
+          </div>
+
+          {/* Desktop Sidebar - hidden on mobile */}
+          <div className='hidden md:block'>
+            <Sidebar {...sidebarProps} />
+          </div>
+        </>
+      )}
+
+      <main className={`flex-1 overflow-auto${SHOW_NAVIGATION ? ' pt-16 md:pt-0' : ''}`}>
         <div className='px-6 py-6'>
           {isLoading ? (
             <Loader size={60} text='Loading...' className='min-h-[calc(100vh-3rem)]' />
diff --git a/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(public)/layout.test.tsx b/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(public)/layout.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5b56c6dc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(public)/layout.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
+import PublicLayout from './layout';
+
+// Mocked with a root test id so the absence assertion trips if the layout
+// renders the Header again (the real Header has no test id on its root). See #715.
+jest.mock('@/components/Header/Header', () => ({
+  __esModule: true,
+  default: () => <div data-testid='header' />,
+}));
+
+jest.mock('@reference-implementation/components', () => ({
+  Footer: () => <div data-testid='footer' />,
+}));
+
+describe('PublicLayout', () => {
+  it('renders children without the header', () => {
+    render(
+      <PublicLayout>
+        <div data-testid='content'>Content</div>
+      </PublicLayout>,
+    );
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('content')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('header')).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('renders the footer', () => {
+    render(
+      <PublicLayout>
+        <div>Content</div>
+      </PublicLayout>,
+    );
+
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('footer')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(public)/layout.tsx b/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(public)/layout.tsx
index f7e4efd7c..85727824d 100644
--- a/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(public)/layout.tsx
+++ b/packages/reference-implementation/src/app/(public)/layout.tsx
@@ -5,15 +5,18 @@ import { Container } from '@mui/material';
 
 import Header from '../../components/Header/Header';
 
+// Navigation is hidden until the pages it links to exist; flip to true to reinstate (#715).
+const SHOW_NAVIGATION = false;
+
 export default function PublicLayout({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
   return (
     <Container
       sx={{
-        mt: '64px',
+        mt: SHOW_NAVIGATION ? '64px' : '24px',
         mb: '24px',
       }}
     >
-      <Header />
+      {SHOW_NAVIGATION && <Header />}
       {children}
       <Footer />
     </Container>