diff --git a/components/studio2/Bench.vue b/components/studio2/Bench.vue
index 96431ad..db1e35f 100644
--- a/components/studio2/Bench.vue
+++ b/components/studio2/Bench.vue
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@
        </template>
        <template v-else-if="selected?.kind==='track'">
         <div class="w-full max-w-xl px-6 py-4">
-         <AudioPlayer :src="`/api/library/tracks/${selected.id}/audio`" :download-name="`${selected.name || 'track'}.${selected.ext || 'wav'}`" :label="selected.name || 'Track'" />
+         <AudioPlayer :key="selected.id" :src="`/api/library/tracks/${selected.id}/audio`" :download-name="`${selected.name || 'track'}.${selected.ext || 'wav'}`" :label="selected.name || 'Track'" />
         </div>
        </template>
        <template v-else-if="selected?.kind==='clip'">
@@ -300,7 +300,13 @@
         />
        </template>
        <template v-else-if="selected">
-        <img :src="stillUrl(selected.id)" alt="Selected still">
+        <img
+         :key="selected.id"
+         :src="stageStillSrc"
+         alt="Selected still"
+         decoding="async"
+         @load="onStageStillLoad"
+        >
        </template>
        <template v-else>
         <p class="placeholder-still">Open Library to pick a still or clip</p>
@@ -431,7 +437,7 @@
     <div class="grid grid-cols-2 gap-3 sm:grid-cols-4 lg:grid-cols-5">
      <button v-for="a in pickerAssets" :key="a.id" type="button" class="rounded-[var(--radius)] border border-[var(--line)] p-2 text-left" @click="pickAsset(a)">
       <span v-if="pickerThumbHidden(a)" class="flex h-24 items-center text-xs text-[var(--muted)]">Still loaded · preview hidden</span>
-      <img v-else :src="a.kind==='clip'?'/api/library/clips/'+a.id+'/thumb':stillUrl(a.id)" class="h-24 w-full object-contain" alt="">
+      <img v-else :src="a.kind==='clip'?'/api/library/clips/'+a.id+'/thumb':stillThumbUrl(a.id)" class="h-24 w-full object-contain" alt="">
       <span class="mt-2 block truncate text-xs">{{ assetLabel(a) }}</span>
      </button>
     </div>
@@ -677,6 +683,25 @@ watch(()=>form.identityStillId,id=>{if(import.meta.client&&form.folderId&&form.e
 const stills=computed(()=>library.value.stills.filter((s:any)=>s.folderId===form.folderId))
 const clips=computed(()=>library.value.clips.filter((s:any)=>s.folderId===form.folderId))
 const stillUrl=(id:string)=>`/api/library/stills/${id}`
+const stillThumbUrl=(id:string)=>`/api/library/stills/${id}/thumb`
+/** Stage shows thumb first, then swaps to original after decode — never leave the previous still painted. */
+const stageStillHiRes=ref(false)
+const stageStillSrc=computed(()=>{
+ const id=selected.value?.id
+ if(!id || selected.value?.kind==='clip' || selected.value?.kind==='track') return ''
+ if(isHidden(selected.value)) return ''
+ return stageStillHiRes.value ? stillUrl(id) : stillThumbUrl(id)
+})
+function onStageStillLoad(e:Event){
+ const id=selected.value?.id
+ if(!id || stageStillHiRes.value) return
+ const img=e.target as HTMLImageElement
+ const bump=()=>{ if(selected.value?.id===id) stageStillHiRes.value=true }
+ if(typeof img.decode==='function') void img.decode().then(bump).catch(bump)
+ else bump()
+}
+watch(()=>selected.value?.id,()=>{ stageStillHiRes.value=false })
+watch(eyeOpen,()=>{ if(eyeOpen.value) stageStillHiRes.value=false })
 const folderJobs=computed(()=>jobs.value.filter(j=>j.request.folderId===form.folderId))
 const benchJobs=computed(()=>queueJobs(folderJobs.value))
 const musicJobs=computed(()=>studioQueue.value
@@ -1423,6 +1448,9 @@ const mobileCtx=computed(()=>({
  loraTriggers:{...loraNames.value.triggers,...library.value.loraTriggers},
  aspectOptions,
  stillUrl,
+ stillThumbUrl,
+ stageStillSrc:stageStillSrc.value,
+ onStageStillLoad,
  isHidden,
  slotHidden,
  stillById,
diff --git a/components/studio2/Mobile.vue b/components/studio2/Mobile.vue
index a36bb53..56e31d4 100644
--- a/components/studio2/Mobile.vue
+++ b/components/studio2/Mobile.vue
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
     controls
     playsinline
    />
-   <img v-else-if="ctx.selected" :src="ctx.stillUrl(ctx.selected.id)" alt="Selected still">
+   <img v-else-if="ctx.selected" :key="ctx.selected.id" :src="ctx.stageStillSrc || ctx.stillUrl(ctx.selected.id)" alt="Selected still" decoding="async" @load="ctx.onStageStillLoad">
    <p v-else class="m-muted">Open Library to pick a still or clip</p>
   </div>