diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte
index 3fa1797..579f7fb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte
@@ -220,7 +220,13 @@
   async function loadToday(fresh) {
     const q = P.param(prefs.data);
     const ex = Array.from(dismissed).join(',');
-    const fetched = await getJSON(`/api/brief?limit=7${q ? '&' + q : ''}${ex ? '&exclude=' + ex : ''}`);
+    let fetched;
+    try {
+      fetched = await getJSON(`/api/brief?limit=7${q ? '&' + q : ''}${ex ? '&exclude=' + ex : ''}`);
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (brief) return; // already showing a saved brief — a failed background refresh stays invisible
+      throw e; // true first load with nothing painted → let the caller surface the error
+    }
     const view = P.loadJSON(BRIEF_VIEW_KEY, null);
     const sameServerBrief =
       view && view.generated_at && fetched.generated_at && view.generated_at === fetched.generated_at;
@@ -429,6 +435,18 @@
     dismissed = new Set(P.loadJSON(DISMISSED_KEY, []));
     refreshAuth();
     trackVisit();
+    // Instant paint: render the last saved Today brief immediately and refresh
+    // it behind the scenes, so the first view never blocks on a (personalized,
+    // origin-bound) /api/brief request. "Gathering the good news…" then only
+    // shows on a genuine first visit with nothing cached yet.
+    if (selected === 'today') {
+      const cached = P.loadJSON(BRIEF_VIEW_KEY, null);
+      if (cached && Array.isArray(cached.items) && cached.items.length) {
+        brief = cached;
+        heroIdx = 0;
+        loading = false;
+      }
+    }
     // Critical path: moods + categories (needed to resolve a mood/topic view)
     // load in PARALLEL, then the requested view. Every getJSON times out, and
     // loading ALWAYS clears in finally, so the page can never get stuck on
@@ -441,7 +459,7 @@
       moods = m; topics = c.topics;
       await loadView(selected);
     } catch (e) {
-      error = 'Could not reach Upbeat Bytes.';
+      if (!brief) error = 'Could not reach Upbeat Bytes.'; // keep painted content if a refresh failed
     } finally {
       loading = false;
     }