diff --git a/plugins/woocommerce/.wp-env.json b/plugins/woocommerce/.wp-env.json
index a9b1dea4818..58ecc03c740 100644
--- a/plugins/woocommerce/.wp-env.json
+++ b/plugins/woocommerce/.wp-env.json
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
         "ALTERNATE_WP_CRON": true
     },
     "mappings": {
-        "wp-cli.yml": "./tests/wp-cli.yml"
+        "wp-cli.yml": "./tests/wp-cli.yml",
+        "wp-content/plugins/filter-setter.php": "./tests/e2e-pw/bin/filter-setter.php"
     },
     "lifecycleScripts": {
         "afterStart": "./tests/e2e-pw/bin/test-env-setup.sh",
diff --git a/plugins/woocommerce/changelog/fix-order-confirmation-access b/plugins/woocommerce/changelog/fix-order-confirmation-access
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a1170f00ebe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/woocommerce/changelog/fix-order-confirmation-access
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: fix
+
+Adds a grace period during which email verification will not be needed before the order confirmation (or payment) page is rendered.
diff --git a/plugins/woocommerce/includes/shortcodes/class-wc-shortcode-checkout.php b/plugins/woocommerce/includes/shortcodes/class-wc-shortcode-checkout.php
index 28e53766b98..96903d1f747 100644
--- a/plugins/woocommerce/includes/shortcodes/class-wc-shortcode-checkout.php
+++ b/plugins/woocommerce/includes/shortcodes/class-wc-shortcode-checkout.php
@@ -390,6 +390,31 @@ class WC_Shortcode_Checkout {
 			return true;
 		}
 
+		/**
+		 * Controls the grace period within which we do not require any sort of email verification step before rendering
+		 * the 'order received' or 'order pay' pages.
+		 *
+		 * To eliminate the grace period, set to zero (or to a negative value). Note that this filter is not invoked
+		 * at all if email verification is deemed to be unnecessary (in other words, it cannot be used to force
+		 * verification in *all* cases).
+		 *
+		 * @since 8.0.0
+		 *
+		 * @param int      $grace_period Time in seconds after an order is placed before email verification may be required.
+		 * @param WC_Order $order        The order for which this grace period is being assessed.
+		 * @param string   $context      Indicates the context in which we might verify the email address. Typically 'order-pay' or 'order-received'.
+		 */
+		$verification_grace_period = (int) apply_filters( 'woocommerce_order_email_verification_grace_period', 10 * MINUTE_IN_SECONDS, $order, $context );
+		$date_created              = $order->get_date_created();
+
+		// We do not need to verify the email address if we are within the grace period immediately following order creation.
+		if (
+			is_a( $date_created, WC_DateTime::class )
+			&& time() - $date_created->getTimestamp() <= $verification_grace_period
+		) {
+			return false;
+		}
+
 		$session       = wc()->session;
 		$session_email = '';
 
diff --git a/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/bin/filter-setter.php b/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/bin/filter-setter.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..515cfb5b3f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/bin/filter-setter.php
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Plugin name: Filter Setter
+ * Description: Utility intended to be used during E2E testing, to make it easy to setup WordPress filters.
+ *
+ * Intended to function as a (mu-)plugin while tests are running, this code works by inspecting the current cookie
+ * for an entry called 'e2e-filters', which is expected to be a JSON description of filter hooks and the values we want
+ * to set via those filters. For example, given the JSON (pretty printed here for clarity):
+ *
+ *     {
+ *         "wooocommerce_system_timeout": 10
+ *     }
+ *
+ * Then a filter will be added that returns 10 when 'woocommerce_system_timeout' is invoked. Or, given:
+ *
+ *     {
+ *         "woocommerce_enable_deathray": {
+ *             "callback": "__return_false"
+ *         }
+ *     }
+ *
+ * Then the `__return_false()` convenience function will be set up in relation to filter hook
+ * 'woocommerce_enable_deathray'. Additionally, priorities can be specified. Example:
+ *
+ *     {
+ *         "woocommerce_enable_deathray": {
+ *             "callback": "__return_false",
+ *              "priority": 20
+ *         }
+ *     }
+ *
+ * Priorities can also be used in combination with literal values. For example:
+ *
+ *     {
+ *         "woocommerce_default_username": {
+ *             "value": "Geoffrey",
+ *             "priority": 20
+ *         }
+ *     }
+ *
+ * It hopefully goes without saying, this should not be used in a production environment.
+ *
+ * @package Automattic\WooCommerce\E2EPlaywright
+ */
+
+if ( ! isset( $_COOKIE ) || ! isset( $_COOKIE['e2e-filters'] ) ) {
+	return;
+}
+
+// phpcs:ignore WordPress.Security.ValidatedSanitizedInput.InputNotSanitized, WordPress.Security.ValidatedSanitizedInput.MissingUnslash
+$filters = json_decode( $_COOKIE['e2e-filters'], true );
+
+if ( ! is_array( $filters ) ) {
+	return;
+}
+
+foreach ( $filters as $hook => $spec ) {
+	// A priority may be specified as part of the spec, else use the default priority (10).
+	$priority = isset( $spec['priority'] ) && is_int( $spec['priority'] )
+		? $spec['priority']
+		: 10;
+
+	// If the spec is not an array, then it is probably intended as the literal value.
+	if ( ! is_array( $spec ) ) {
+		$value = $spec;
+	} elseif ( isset( $spec['value'] ) ) {
+		$value = $spec['value'];
+	}
+
+	// If we know the value, we can establish our filter callback.
+	if ( isset( $value ) ) {
+		$callback = function () use ( $value ) {
+			return $value;
+		};
+	}
+
+	// We also support specifying a callback function.
+	if ( is_array( $spec ) && isset( $spec['callback'] ) && is_string( $spec['callback'] ) ) {
+		$callback = $spec['callback'];
+	}
+
+	// Ensure we have a callback, then setup the filter.
+	if ( isset( $callback ) ) {
+		add_filter( $hook, $callback, $priority );
+	}
+}
+
diff --git a/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/bin/test-env-setup.sh b/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/bin/test-env-setup.sh
index 79a52b1d8ac..9fba2ee9cb2 100755
--- a/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/bin/test-env-setup.sh
+++ b/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/bin/test-env-setup.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ wp-env run tests-cli wp theme activate twentynineteen
 echo -e 'Update URL structure \n'
 wp-env run tests-cli wp rewrite structure '/%postname%/' --hard
 
+echo -e 'Activate Filter Setter utility plugin \n'
+wp-env run tests-cli wp plugin activate filter-setter
+
 echo -e 'Add Customer user \n'
 wp-env run tests-cli wp user create customer customer@woocommercecoree2etestsuite.com \
 	--user_pass=password \
diff --git a/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/tests/shopper/checkout.spec.js b/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/tests/shopper/checkout.spec.js
index 0bb9759cb60..6aabb57cb29 100644
--- a/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/tests/shopper/checkout.spec.js
+++ b/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/tests/shopper/checkout.spec.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const { test, expect } = require( '@playwright/test' );
 const wcApi = require( '@woocommerce/woocommerce-rest-api' ).default;
 const { admin, customer } = require( '../../test-data/data' );
+const { setFilterValue, clearFilters } = require( '../../utils/filters' );
 
 const guestEmail = 'checkout-guest@example.com';
 
@@ -235,9 +236,9 @@ test.describe( 'Checkout page', () => {
 
 		await page.locator( 'text=Place order' ).click();
 
-		await expect( page.locator( 'h1.entry-title' ) ).toContainText(
-			'Order received'
-		);
+		await expect(
+			page.getByRole( 'heading', { name: 'Order received' } )
+		).toBeVisible();
 
 		// get order ID from the page
 		const orderReceivedText = await page
@@ -245,10 +246,20 @@ test.describe( 'Checkout page', () => {
 			.textContent();
 		guestOrderId = await orderReceivedText.split( /(\s+)/ )[ 6 ].toString();
 
-		// If we simulate a new browser context by dropping all cookies, and reload the page, the shopper should be
-		// prompted to complete an email validation step before they can proceed.
+
+		// Let's simulate a new browser context (by dropping all cookies), and reload the page. This approximates a
+		// scenario where the server can no longer identify the shopper. However, so long as we are within the 10 minute
+		// grace period following initial order placement, the 'order received' page should still be rendered.
 		await page.context().clearCookies();
 		await page.reload();
+		await expect(
+			page.getByRole( 'heading', { name: 'Order received' } )
+		).toBeVisible();
+
+		// Let's simulate a scenario where the 10 minute grace period has expired. This time, we expect the shopper to
+		// be presented with a request to verify their email address.
+		await setFilterValue( page, 'woocommerce_order_email_verification_grace_period', 0 );
+		await page.reload();
 		await expect( page.locator( 'form.woocommerce-verify-email p:nth-child(3)' ) ).toContainText(
 			/verify the email address associated with the order/
 		);
@@ -267,9 +278,9 @@ test.describe( 'Checkout page', () => {
 		// However if they supply the *correct* billing email address, they should see the order received page again.
 		await page.fill( '#email', guestEmail );
 		await page.locator( 'form.woocommerce-verify-email button' ).click();
-		await expect( page.locator( 'h1.entry-title' ) ).toContainText(
-			'Order received'
-		);
+		await expect(
+			page.getByRole( 'heading', { name: 'Order received' } )
+		).toBeVisible();
 
 		await page.goto( 'wp-login.php' );
 		await page.locator( 'input[name="log"]' ).fill( admin.username );
@@ -282,8 +293,8 @@ test.describe( 'Checkout page', () => {
 		);
 
 		await expect(
-			page.locator( 'h2.woocommerce-order-data__heading' )
-		).toContainText( `Order #${ guestOrderId } details` );
+			page.getByRole( 'heading', { name: `Order #${ guestOrderId } details` } )
+		).toBeVisible();
 		await expect( page.locator( '.wc-order-item-name' ) ).toContainText(
 			simpleProductName
 		);
@@ -296,6 +307,7 @@ test.describe( 'Checkout page', () => {
 		await expect( page.locator( 'td.line_cost >> nth=0' ) ).toContainText(
 			twoProductPrice
 		);
+		await clearFilters( page );
 	} );
 
 	test( 'allows existing customer to place order', async ( { page } ) => {
diff --git a/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/utils/filters.js b/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/utils/filters.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..04c90a76b86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e-pw/utils/filters.js
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+const defaultConfig = require( '../playwright.config' );
+const testURL    = new URL( defaultConfig.use.baseURL );
+
+/**
+ * Request that a WordPress filter be established for the specified hook and returning the specified value.
+ *
+ * 'Under the hood', this is done by communicating to a server-side plugin via cookies. Therefore, for the server-side
+ * code to observe the requested filter, you may need to `page.reload()` prior to writing assertions that rely on your
+ * filter.
+ *
+ * @param page
+ * @param hook
+ * @param value
+ * @param priority
+ */
+export async function setFilterValue( page, hook, value, priority = 10 ) {
+	const context         = page.context();
+	const existingCookies = await context.cookies();
+	let   filterSpecs     = {};
+
+	for ( const cookie of existingCookies ) {
+		if ( cookie.name === 'e2e-filters' ) {
+			filterSpecs = JSON.parse( cookie.value );
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	filterSpecs[hook] = {
+		value:    value,
+		priority: priority
+	};
+
+	await context.addCookies( [ {
+		name:  'e2e-filters',
+		value:  JSON.stringify( filterSpecs ),
+		path:   '/',
+		domain: testURL.hostname
+	} ] );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Clears any server-side filters setup via setFilterValue().
+ *
+ * As with its sister function, this mechanism relies on cookies and therefore a call to `page.reload()` may be required
+ * before performing further assertions.
+ *
+ * @param page
+ */
+export async function clearFilters( page ) {
+	await page.context().addCookies( [ {
+		name:  'e2e-filters',
+		value:  '',
+		path:   '/',
+		domain: testURL.hostname
+	} ] );
+}
diff --git a/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e/docker/initialize.sh b/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e/docker/initialize.sh
index f86c50f218e..a624331ffb3 100755
--- a/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e/docker/initialize.sh
+++ b/plugins/woocommerce/tests/e2e/docker/initialize.sh
@@ -24,5 +24,8 @@ wp plugin install https://github.com/woocommerce/woocommerce-reset/zipball/trunk
 # install the WP Mail Logging plugin to test emails
 wp plugin install wp-mail-logging --activate
 
+# Activate our Filter Setter utility.
+wp plugin activate filter-setter
+
 # initialize pretty permalinks
 wp rewrite structure /%postname%/