diff --git a/src/components/doclist/DocumentList.tsx b/src/components/doclist/DocumentList.tsx
index 5d9118a..2233e90 100644
--- a/src/components/doclist/DocumentList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/doclist/DocumentList.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ import { ListView } from './views/ListView';
 import { ColumnsView } from './views/ColumnsView';
 import { GalleryView } from './views/GalleryView';
 
+let cachedDocumentListState: DocumentListState | null = null;
+
 type DocumentToDelete = {
   id: string;
   name: string;
@@ -116,22 +118,25 @@ interface DocumentListInnerProps {
 }
 
 function DocumentListInner({ brand, appActions }: DocumentListInnerProps) {
-  const [sortBy, setSortBy] = useState<SortBy>(DEFAULT_STATE.sortBy);
+  const cachedState = cachedDocumentListState;
+  const [sortBy, setSortBy] = useState<SortBy>(cachedState?.sortBy ?? DEFAULT_STATE.sortBy);
   const [sortDirection, setSortDirection] = useState<SortDirection>(
-    DEFAULT_STATE.sortDirection,
+    cachedState?.sortDirection ?? DEFAULT_STATE.sortDirection,
   );
-  const [viewMode, setViewMode] = useState<ViewMode>(DEFAULT_STATE.viewMode);
-  const [iconSize, setIconSize] = useState<IconSize>(DEFAULT_STATE.iconSize);
-  const [folders, setFolders] = useState<Folder[]>(DEFAULT_STATE.folders);
-  const [showHint, setShowHint] = useState(true);
-  const [sidebarWidth, setSidebarWidth] = useState(DEFAULT_STATE.sidebarWidth);
-  const [sidebarFilter, setSidebarFilter] = useState<SidebarFilter>('all');
-  const [sidebarOpen, setSidebarOpen] = useState(true);
+  const [viewMode, setViewMode] = useState<ViewMode>(
+    normalizeViewMode(cachedState?.viewMode ?? DEFAULT_STATE.viewMode),
+  );
+  const [iconSize, setIconSize] = useState<IconSize>(cachedState?.iconSize ?? DEFAULT_STATE.iconSize);
+  const [folders, setFolders] = useState<Folder[]>(cachedState?.folders ?? DEFAULT_STATE.folders);
+  const [showHint, setShowHint] = useState(cachedState?.showHint ?? true);
+  const [sidebarWidth, setSidebarWidth] = useState(cachedState?.sidebarWidth ?? DEFAULT_STATE.sidebarWidth);
+  const [sidebarFilter, setSidebarFilter] = useState<SidebarFilter>(cachedState?.sidebarFilter ?? 'all');
+  const [sidebarOpen, setSidebarOpen] = useState(!(cachedState?.sidebarCollapsed ?? false));
   const [mobileSidebarOpen, setMobileSidebarOpen] = useState(false);
   const [query, setQuery] = useState('');
   const [recentlyOpenedById, setRecentlyOpenedById] = useState<Record<string, number>>({});
 
-  const [isInitialized, setIsInitialized] = useState(false);
+  const [isInitialized, setIsInitialized] = useState(cachedState !== null);
 
   const [documentToDelete, setDocumentToDelete] = useState<DocumentToDelete | null>(null);
   const [pendingMerge, setPendingMerge] = useState<
@@ -164,6 +169,7 @@ function DocumentListInner({ brand, appActions }: DocumentListInnerProps) {
       const saved = await getDocumentListState();
       if (cancelled) return;
       if (saved) {
+        cachedDocumentListState = saved;
         setSortBy(saved.sortBy);
         setSortDirection(saved.sortDirection);
         setFolders(saved.folders ?? []);
@@ -173,6 +179,17 @@ function DocumentListInner({ brand, appActions }: DocumentListInnerProps) {
         setSidebarWidth(saved.sidebarWidth ?? DEFAULT_STATE.sidebarWidth);
         setSidebarFilter(saved.sidebarFilter ?? 'all');
         setSidebarOpen(!(saved.sidebarCollapsed ?? false));
+      } else {
+        cachedDocumentListState = null;
+        setSortBy(DEFAULT_STATE.sortBy);
+        setSortDirection(DEFAULT_STATE.sortDirection);
+        setFolders(DEFAULT_STATE.folders);
+        setShowHint(DEFAULT_STATE.showHint);
+        setViewMode(DEFAULT_STATE.viewMode);
+        setIconSize(DEFAULT_STATE.iconSize);
+        setSidebarWidth(DEFAULT_STATE.sidebarWidth);
+        setSidebarFilter(DEFAULT_STATE.sidebarFilter);
+        setSidebarOpen(!DEFAULT_STATE.sidebarCollapsed);
       }
       setIsInitialized(true);
     })();
@@ -196,6 +213,7 @@ function DocumentListInner({ brand, appActions }: DocumentListInnerProps) {
       sidebarFilter,
       sidebarCollapsed: !sidebarOpen,
     };
+    cachedDocumentListState = state;
     void saveDocumentListState(state);
   }, [
     sortBy,
diff --git a/src/components/doclist/views/ColumnsView.tsx b/src/components/doclist/views/ColumnsView.tsx
index 4c1ba9c..922c07a 100644
--- a/src/components/doclist/views/ColumnsView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/doclist/views/ColumnsView.tsx
@@ -102,6 +102,9 @@ export function ColumnsView({
 }: ColumnsViewProps) {
   const { setVisibleOrder } = useDocumentSelection();
   const [selectedDoc, setSelectedDoc] = useState<DocumentListDocument | null>(null);
+  const openHref = selectedDoc
+    ? `/${selectedDoc.type}/${encodeURIComponent(selectedDoc.id)}`
+    : null;
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setVisibleOrder(documents);
@@ -154,7 +157,8 @@ export function ColumnsView({
             </p>
             <div className="mt-3 flex gap-2">
               <Link
-                href={`/${selectedDoc.type}/${encodeURIComponent(selectedDoc.id)}`}
+                href={openHref || '/app'}
+                prefetch={false}
                 className="flex-1 inline-flex items-center justify-center h-8 rounded-md bg-accent text-background text-[12px] font-medium hover:bg-secondary-accent hover:scale-[1.01] transition-all duration-200 ease-out"
               >
                 Open
diff --git a/src/components/doclist/views/DocumentTile.tsx b/src/components/doclist/views/DocumentTile.tsx
index 4263a86..832612d 100644
--- a/src/components/doclist/views/DocumentTile.tsx
+++ b/src/components/doclist/views/DocumentTile.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 'use client';
 
 import Link from 'next/link';
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { useDrag, useDrop, type DragSourceMonitor } from 'react-dnd';
 import { Button } from '@headlessui/react';
 import { PDFIcon, EPUBIcon, FileIcon } from '@/components/icons/Icons';
@@ -70,7 +69,6 @@ export function DocumentTile({
   onDelete,
   onMergeIntoFolder,
 }: DocumentTileProps) {
-  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
   const { authEnabled } = useAuthConfig();
   const { data: session } = useAuthSession();
   const href = `/${doc.type}/${encodeURIComponent(doc.id)}`;
@@ -136,19 +134,9 @@ export function DocumentTile({
     if (e.shiftKey || e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) {
       e.preventDefault();
       selection.select(doc, { shift: e.shiftKey, meta: e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey });
-      return;
     }
-    selection.replace([doc]);
-    setLoading(true);
   };
 
-  // Cap any stuck loading flag if the user navigates back.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!loading) return;
-    const t = setTimeout(() => setLoading(false), 2500);
-    return () => clearTimeout(t);
-  }, [loading]);
-
   return (
     <div
       ref={setRefs}
@@ -160,12 +148,12 @@ export function DocumentTile({
           ? 'border-accent bg-offbase'
           : 'border-offbase bg-base hover:bg-offbase hover:border-accent') +
         (isDropTarget ? ' ring-1 ring-accent' : '') +
-        (isDragging ? ' opacity-50' : '') +
-        (loading ? ' prism-outline' : '')
+        (isDragging ? ' opacity-50' : '')
       }
     >
       <Link
         href={href}
+        prefetch={false}
         draggable={false}
         className="block"
         aria-label={`Open ${doc.name}`}
@@ -176,6 +164,7 @@ export function DocumentTile({
       <div className={`flex items-center w-full ${BOTTOM_PADDING_CLASSES[iconSize]}`}>
         <Link
           href={href}
+          prefetch={false}
           draggable={false}
           className={`flex items-center flex-1 min-w-0 rounded-md ${LINK_PADDING_CLASS} ${GAP_CLASSES[iconSize]}`}
           onClick={handleClick}
diff --git a/src/components/doclist/views/GalleryView.tsx b/src/components/doclist/views/GalleryView.tsx
index df8dee3..5d34f9b 100644
--- a/src/components/doclist/views/GalleryView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/doclist/views/GalleryView.tsx
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ export function GalleryView({
   const railRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
   const [activeIdx, setActiveIdx] = useState(0);
   const activeDoc = useMemo(() => documents[activeIdx], [documents, activeIdx]);
+  const openHref = activeDoc ? `/${activeDoc.type}/${encodeURIComponent(activeDoc.id)}` : null;
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setVisibleOrder(documents);
@@ -163,7 +164,8 @@ export function GalleryView({
             </div>
             <div className="flex gap-2">
               <Link
-                href={`/${activeDoc.type}/${encodeURIComponent(activeDoc.id)}`}
+                href={openHref || '/app'}
+                prefetch={false}
                 className="h-8 px-4 inline-flex items-center justify-center rounded-md bg-accent text-background text-[12px] font-medium hover:bg-secondary-accent hover:scale-[1.01] transition-all duration-200 ease-out"
               >
                 Open
diff --git a/src/components/doclist/views/ListView.tsx b/src/components/doclist/views/ListView.tsx
index 89870d2..3b08d2c 100644
--- a/src/components/doclist/views/ListView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/doclist/views/ListView.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 'use client';
 
 import Link from 'next/link';
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useEffect } from 'react';
 import { useDrag, useDrop } from 'react-dnd';
 import { Button } from '@headlessui/react';
 import type {
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ function DocRow({
   const selection = useDocumentSelection();
   const isSelected = selection.isSelected(doc);
   const isInFolder = Boolean(doc.folderId);
-  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
   const href = `/${doc.type}/${encodeURIComponent(doc.id)}`;
 
   const [{ isDragging }, dragRef] = useDrag<DocumentDragItem, void, { isDragging: boolean }>(() => ({
@@ -117,22 +116,13 @@ function DocRow({
     dropRef(node);
   };
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!loading) return;
-    const t = setTimeout(() => setLoading(false), 2500);
-    return () => clearTimeout(t);
-  }, [loading]);
-
   const isTarget = isOver && canDrop;
 
   const handleClick: React.MouseEventHandler = (e) => {
     if (e.shiftKey || e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) {
       e.preventDefault();
       selection.select(doc, { shift: e.shiftKey, meta: e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey });
-      return;
     }
-    selection.replace([doc]);
-    setLoading(true);
   };
 
   return (
@@ -146,12 +136,12 @@ function DocRow({
           ? 'bg-offbase text-accent'
           : 'text-foreground hover:bg-offbase') +
         (isTarget ? ' ring-1 ring-accent ring-inset' : '') +
-        (isDragging ? ' opacity-50' : '') +
-        (loading ? ' prism-outline' : '')
+        (isDragging ? ' opacity-50' : '')
       }
     >
       <Link
         href={href}
+        prefetch={false}
         draggable={false}
         onClick={handleClick}
         className="flex items-center gap-2 min-w-0 px-2 py-1.5"