diff --git a/src/app/(app)/pdf/[id]/page.tsx b/src/app/(app)/pdf/[id]/page.tsx
index 4b1f9af..819e641 100644
--- a/src/app/(app)/pdf/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(app)/pdf/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ const PDFViewer = dynamic(
 );
 
 const PARSE_LOADER_EXPAND_DELAY_MS = 320;
-const INITIAL_LOADER_DELAY_MS = 180;
 
 export default function PDFViewerPage() {
   const canExportAudiobook = useFeatureFlag('enableAudiobookExport');
@@ -71,7 +70,6 @@ export default function PDFViewerPage() {
   const [activeSidebar, setActiveSidebar] = useState<null | 'settings' | 'audiobook' | 'segments'>(null);
   const [showForceReparseConfirm, setShowForceReparseConfirm] = useState(false);
   const [showDetailedParseLoader, setShowDetailedParseLoader] = useState(false);
-  const [showInitialLoader, setShowInitialLoader] = useState(false);
   const [containerHeight, setContainerHeight] = useState<string>('auto');
   const inFlightDocIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
   const loadedDocIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
@@ -92,7 +90,6 @@ export default function PDFViewerPage() {
     setIsPdfViewerReady(false);
     setError(null);
     setActiveSidebar(null);
-    setShowInitialLoader(false);
     inFlightDocIdRef.current = null;
     loadedDocIdRef.current = null;
   }, [id]);
@@ -158,17 +155,6 @@ export default function PDFViewerPage() {
 
   useUnmountCleanupRef(clearCurrDoc);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!isLoading) {
-      setShowInitialLoader(false);
-      return;
-    }
-    const timeout = window.setTimeout(() => {
-      setShowInitialLoader(true);
-    }, INITIAL_LOADER_DELAY_MS);
-    return () => window.clearTimeout(timeout);
-  }, [isLoading, id]);
-
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isLoading) return;
     if (isParseReady) return;
@@ -295,7 +281,6 @@ export default function PDFViewerPage() {
       : 0;
     const hasMeasuredProgress = totalPages > 0;
     const isMerging = parseProgress?.phase === 'merge';
-    const compactProgressWidth = hasMeasuredProgress ? `${progressPercent}%` : '24%';
 
     let statusText = 'Loading PDF...';
     let statusSubText = 'Initializing document renderer';
@@ -380,11 +365,10 @@ export default function PDFViewerPage() {
                   <LoadingSpinner className="h-3.5 w-3.5 text-accent" />
                 </span>
               </div>
-              <div className="mt-3 h-1.5 overflow-hidden rounded-full bg-surface-solid">
-                <div
-                  className={`h-full rounded-full bg-accent transition duration-slow ease-standard ${hasMeasuredProgress ? '' : 'animate-pulse'}`}
-                  style={{ width: compactProgressWidth }}
-                />
+              <div className="mt-3 grid grid-cols-3 gap-1.5">
+                <span className="h-1.5 rounded-full bg-accent-wash animate-pulse" />
+                <span className="h-1.5 rounded-full bg-accent-wash animate-pulse [animation-delay:120ms]" />
+                <span className="h-1.5 rounded-full bg-accent-wash animate-pulse [animation-delay:220ms]" />
               </div>
             </div>
           )}
@@ -439,7 +423,7 @@ export default function PDFViewerPage() {
             />
           </div>
         ) : null}
-        {(!isLoading || showInitialLoader) && (isLoading || !isParseReady || !isPdfViewerReady) ? (
+        {isLoading || !isParseReady || !isPdfViewerReady ? (
           <div className="absolute inset-0 z-10" data-testid="pdf-status-loader">
             {renderPdfStatusLoader()}
           </div>