diff --git a/components/studio2/Bench.vue b/components/studio2/Bench.vue
index db1e35f..082bd0c 100644
--- a/components/studio2/Bench.vue
+++ b/components/studio2/Bench.vue
@@ -1304,16 +1304,63 @@ function selectOutput(item:any){stageMenu.value='';selected.value=item;if(form.m
 function restore(item:any){Object.assign(form,restoreAll(form,item,xaigen,loraMemory));form.guides=form.guides||[];batchText.value=''}
 function focusJob(job:any){selectOutput(job.outputs?.at(-1)||null);focusedJobId.value=job.id}
 async function loadLoras(fresh=false){try{loraNames.value=await $fetch('/api/studio-2/loras'+(fresh?'?fresh=1':''))}catch{error.value='Could not refresh LoRAs. The last loaded list is still available.'}}
-async function clearFinished(){await $fetch('/api/studio-2/clear-finished',{method:'POST'});await refresh()}
+async function clearFinished(){await $fetch('/api/studio-2/clear-finished',{method:'POST'});await refreshJobs()}
+async function refreshJobs(){
+ const [nextJobs,nextUpscales,queue]=await Promise.all([
+  $fetch<any[]>('/api/studio-2/jobs'),
+  $fetch<any[]>('/api/studio-2/upscales'),
+  $fetch<any>('/api/studio-queue?full=1').catch(()=>({jobs:[]}))
+ ])
+ jobs.value=nextJobs;upscales.value=nextUpscales
+ studioQueue.value=Array.isArray(queue)?queue:(queue?.jobs||[])
+ const musicRows=studioQueue.value.filter((j:any)=>j.kind==='music' && j.liveJobId && !['complete','done'].includes(j.status))
+ const liveEntries=await Promise.all(musicRows.map(async(j:any)=>{
+  try{return [j.liveJobId,await $fetch<any>(`/api/generate/${j.liveJobId}`)] as const}
+  catch{return [j.liveJobId,null] as const}
+ }))
+ const nextLive:Record<string,any>={}
+ for(const [id,snap] of liveEntries){if(snap)nextLive[id]=snap}
+ liveMusic.value=nextLive
+}
 async function queue(){
+ const t0=typeof performance!=='undefined'?performance.now():Date.now()
+ const logTiming=(label:string)=>{
+  const t=typeof performance!=='undefined'?performance.now():Date.now()
+  console.info(`[bench-queue] ${label} +${Math.round(t-t0)}ms`)
+ }
  submitting.value=true;error.value=''
+ // Optimistic card in <100ms — never await library / object_info before the list updates
+ const localId=`local-${Date.now()}`
+ if(form.mode!=='music'){
+  const optimistic={
+   id:localId,
+   state:'waiting',
+   queuedAt:Date.now(),
+   request:structuredClone({
+    ...form,
+    promptSections:video.value?form.promptSections:{action:form.promptSections.action},
+    settings:{...form.settings,...resolvedSize.value}
+   }),
+   outputs:[],
+   purgeResult:'Queued'
+  }
+  jobs.value=[optimistic,...jobs.value]
+  focusedJobId.value=localId
+  logTiming('local-card')
+ }
  try{
   if(form.mode==='music'){
+   logTiming('POST /api/generate/music start')
    await $fetch('/api/generate/music',{method:'POST',body:{engine:'yue2',tags:music.tags,lyrics:music.lyrics,duration:music.duration,seed:music.seed||'random',folderId:form.folderId,name:music.name}})
-   await refresh()
+   logTiming('POST music ack')
+   void refresh()
+   return
+  }
+  if(photoRoleWarning.value){
+   jobs.value=jobs.value.filter(j=>j.id!==localId)
+   error.value=photoRoleWarning.value
    return
   }
-  if(photoRoleWarning.value){error.value=photoRoleWarning.value;return}
   syncPhotosBindings()
   if(form.settings.seedMode!=='locked')form.settings.seed=randomSeed()
   const body=applyPhotosToRequest({
@@ -1325,13 +1372,30 @@ async function queue(){
    settings:{...form.settings,...resolvedSize.value},
    batch:video.value || form.mode==='edit'?parseBatch(batchText.value):[]
   })
-  const queued=await $fetch<any>('/api/studio-2/jobs',{method:'POST',body})
-  form.settings.seed=queued.seed;form.settings.width=queued.width;form.settings.height=queued.height
-  await refresh()
- }catch(e:any){error.value=e.data?.statusMessage||e.message}
- finally{submitting.value=false}
+  logTiming('POST /api/studio-2/jobs start')
+  const queued=await Promise.race([
+   $fetch<any>('/api/studio-2/jobs',{method:'POST',body}),
+   new Promise<never>((_,rej)=>setTimeout(()=>rej(new Error('queue_ack_timeout')),12000))
+  ]).catch(async(err)=>{
+   logTiming(`POST fail/timeout: ${err?.message||err}`)
+   // Keep the local card queued; poll will reconcile
+   if(String(err?.message||err).includes('queue_ack_timeout')) return null
+   throw err
+  })
+  logTiming('POST ack')
+  if(queued){
+   form.settings.seed=queued.seed;form.settings.width=queued.width;form.settings.height=queued.height
+   jobs.value=jobs.value.map(j=>j.id===localId?{...j,id:queued.id,state:'waiting'}:j)
+   focusedJobId.value=queued.id
+  }
+  // Jobs only — do not refetch the whole library when a job starts
+  void refreshJobs().then(()=>logTiming('refreshJobs done'))
+ }catch(e:any){
+  jobs.value=jobs.value.filter(j=>j.id!==localId)
+  error.value=e.data?.statusMessage||e.message
+ }finally{submitting.value=false;logTiming('done')}
 }
-async function cancel(job:any){await $fetch('/api/studio-2/cancel',{method:'POST',body:{id:job.id}});await refresh()}
+async function cancel(job:any){await $fetch('/api/studio-2/cancel',{method:'POST',body:{id:job.id}});await refreshJobs()}
 
 async function refresh(){
  const [nextJobs,nextLibrary,nextUpscales,queue]=await Promise.all([
@@ -1369,22 +1433,31 @@ watch(()=>[
  music.tags,music.lyrics,music.duration,music.seed,music.name
 ],()=>saveBenchDraft(),{deep:true})
 let timer:ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>,clock:ReturnType<typeof setInterval>,disposed=false
-onMounted(async()=>{
+onMounted(()=>{
  let storage;try{storage=localStorage}catch{}
  loraMemory=createLoraMemory(xaigen,storage);loraMemory.sync(form);form.settings.seed=randomSeed()
- clock=setInterval(()=>{now.value=Date.now()},1000);void loadLoras(true)
- library.value=await $fetch('/api/studio-2/library')
- restoreBenchDraft()
- if(!form.folderId)form.folderId=library.value.folders[0]?.id||''
- // Folder watch may have cleared photos when folderId was assigned — re-apply draft photos/prompt.
+ // First paint: chrome + empty stage + draft from localStorage — do not await library / object_info
  restoreBenchDraft()
+ if(!form.folderId && library.value.folders?.[0]?.id) form.folderId=library.value.folders[0].id
  loadRevealed(form.folderId)
- await applyIncomingGenerationLoad()
- const id=String(route.query.still||route.query.clip||route.query.track||'')
- const asset=[...library.value.stills,...library.value.clips,...(library.value.tracks||[])].find((a:any)=>a.id===id)
- if(asset){selected.value={...asset,kind:route.query.clip?'clip':route.query.track?'track':'still'};if(route.query.use==='1'&&selected.value.kind!=='track')restore(selected.value);if(xaigen)toggleReveal(asset.id)}
- if(route.query.task==='music')form.mode='music'
- const poll=async()=>{try{await refresh();const health=await $fetch<any>('/api/health');healthState.value=health}catch(e:any){healthState.value=null;error.value=e.data?.statusMessage||e.message}if(!disposed)timer=setTimeout(poll,3000)};void poll()
+ clock=setInterval(()=>{now.value=Date.now()},1000)
+ // Deferred heavy work after shell is interactive
+ void (async()=>{
+  void loadLoras(false)
+  try{
+   library.value=await $fetch('/api/studio-2/library')
+   restoreBenchDraft()
+   if(!form.folderId)form.folderId=library.value.folders[0]?.id||''
+   restoreBenchDraft()
+   loadRevealed(form.folderId)
+   await applyIncomingGenerationLoad()
+   const id=String(route.query.still||route.query.clip||route.query.track||'')
+   const asset=[...library.value.stills,...library.value.clips,...(library.value.tracks||[])].find((a:any)=>a.id===id)
+   if(asset){selected.value={...asset,kind:route.query.clip?'clip':route.query.track?'track':'still'};if(route.query.use==='1'&&selected.value.kind!=='track')restore(selected.value);if(xaigen)toggleReveal(asset.id)}
+   if(route.query.task==='music')form.mode='music'
+  }catch(e:any){error.value=e.data?.statusMessage||e.message}
+  const poll=async()=>{try{await refresh();const health=await $fetch<any>('/api/health');healthState.value=health}catch(e:any){healthState.value=null;error.value=e.data?.statusMessage||e.message}if(!disposed)timer=setTimeout(poll,3000)};void poll()
+ })()
  if(import.meta.client){
   window.addEventListener('keydown',onStageHotkey)
   window.addEventListener('pointerdown',onStagePointerDown,true)
diff --git a/server/api/studio-2/loras.get.ts b/server/api/studio-2/loras.get.ts
index aa7019e..ce18452 100644
--- a/server/api/studio-2/loras.get.ts
+++ b/server/api/studio-2/loras.get.ts
@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
-import { readFileSync,writeFileSync,renameSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { readFileSync, writeFileSync, renameSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { join } from 'node:path'
 import { cachedLoras } from '~/shared/studio2/lora-cache.mjs'
 import { listStudioLoras } from '../../utils/loras'
 import { studio2Root } from '../../utils/studio2/store'
 import { studio2LoraCatalog } from '../../utils/studio2/lora-catalog'
 
-export default defineEventHandler(async event => {
+export default defineEventHandler(async (event) => {
   const { owner } = assertLibraryOwner(event)
   const path = join(studio2Root(), `loras-${owner}.cache`)
-  // Same live Comfy scan as Settings (/api/loras?fresh=1). Always fresh so CACHE_MS cannot freeze adds.
+  const fresh = String(getQuery(event).fresh || '') === '1'
   const listed = await cachedLoras({
     read: () => { try { return JSON.parse(readFileSync(path, 'utf8')) } catch { return null } },
     write: value => { writeFileSync(path + '.tmp', JSON.stringify(value)); renameSync(path + '.tmp', path) },
     live: () => listStudioLoras({ fresh: true }),
-    fresh: true
+    fresh
   })
   return { ...listed, ...studio2LoraCatalog(owner) }
 })
diff --git a/server/utils/studio2/size.ts b/server/utils/studio2/size.ts
index 6378870..3d5caae 100644
--- a/server/utils/studio2/size.ts
+++ b/server/utils/studio2/size.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,46 @@
-import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { openSync, readSync, closeSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { execFile } from 'node:child_process'
 import { promisify } from 'node:util'
 import { getClip, getStill, clipVideoPath, stillPath } from '../library'
 import { imageDimensions } from '../resolution'
 import { resolveSize } from '~/shared/studio2/input.mjs'
 const exec = promisify(execFile)
+
+function readImageHeader(path: string, maxBytes = 65536) {
+  const fd = openSync(path, 'r')
+  try {
+    const buf = Buffer.alloc(maxBytes)
+    const n = readSync(fd, buf, 0, maxBytes, 0)
+    return buf.subarray(0, n)
+  } finally {
+    closeSync(fd)
+  }
+}
+
 export async function resolveRequestSize(owner: string, request: any) {
-  const video=['video','extend'].includes(request.mode)
-  let dimensions:any
+  const video = ['video', 'extend'].includes(request.mode)
+  let dimensions: any
   if (video && request.startClipId) {
-    getClip(owner,request.startClipId)
-    const result=await exec('ffprobe',['-v','error','-select_streams','v:0','-show_entries','stream=width,height','-of','json',clipVideoPath(owner,request.startClipId)],{windowsHide:true,timeout:15000})
-    dimensions=JSON.parse(result.stdout).streams?.[0]
+    const clip = getClip(owner, request.startClipId)
+    if (clip.width && clip.height) {
+      dimensions = { width: clip.width, height: clip.height }
+    } else {
+      const result = await exec('ffprobe', ['-v', 'error', '-select_streams', 'v:0', '-show_entries', 'stream=width,height', '-of', 'json', clipVideoPath(owner, request.startClipId)], { windowsHide: true, timeout: 15000 })
+      dimensions = JSON.parse(result.stdout).streams?.[0]
+    }
   } else {
-    const id=request.imageAId || request.identityStillId
+    const id = request.imageAId || request.identityStillId
     if (id) {
-      getStill(owner,id)
-      dimensions=imageDimensions(readFileSync(stillPath(owner,id)))
+      const still = getStill(owner, id)
+      if (still.width && still.height) {
+        dimensions = { width: still.width, height: still.height }
+      } else {
+        // Header only — never read the full archive PNG into memory on Generate click
+        dimensions = imageDimensions(readImageHeader(stillPath(owner, id)))
+      }
       if (!dimensions) throw new Error('Cannot measure the source still.')
     }
   }
   if (video && request.startClipId && !dimensions?.width) throw new Error('Cannot measure the previous clip.')
-  Object.assign(request.settings,resolveSize(request.settings.aspect,dimensions,undefined,request.engine))
+  Object.assign(request.settings, resolveSize(request.settings.aspect, dimensions, undefined, request.engine))
 }