diff --git a/webui/src/platform/shell/route-controllers.tsx b/webui/src/platform/shell/route-controllers.tsx
index 4083c780..4eb1a8dc 100644
--- a/webui/src/platform/shell/route-controllers.tsx
+++ b/webui/src/platform/shell/route-controllers.tsx
@@ -5,23 +5,26 @@ import { getProfileHomePath, getShellBridge, type ShellPageId } from './bridge';
 
 export const ROUTER_ROOT_ID = 'webui-react-root';
 export const SHELL_BRIDGE_READY_EVENT = 'ss:webui-shell-bridge-ready';
+export const SHELL_PROFILE_CONTEXT_CHANGED_EVENT = 'ss:webui-profile-context-changed';
 
 export function useShellBridge() {
-  const [ready, setReady] = useState(() => Boolean(getShellBridge()));
+  const [, setRevision] = useState(0);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const handleReady = () => {
-      setReady(Boolean(getShellBridge()));
+    const handleContextChange = () => {
+      setRevision((value) => value + 1);
     };
 
-    handleReady();
-    window.addEventListener(SHELL_BRIDGE_READY_EVENT, handleReady);
+    handleContextChange();
+    window.addEventListener(SHELL_BRIDGE_READY_EVENT, handleContextChange);
+    window.addEventListener(SHELL_PROFILE_CONTEXT_CHANGED_EVENT, handleContextChange);
     return () => {
-      window.removeEventListener(SHELL_BRIDGE_READY_EVENT, handleReady);
+      window.removeEventListener(SHELL_BRIDGE_READY_EVENT, handleContextChange);
+      window.removeEventListener(SHELL_PROFILE_CONTEXT_CHANGED_EVENT, handleContextChange);
     };
   }, []);
 
-  return ready ? getShellBridge() : null;
+  return getShellBridge();
 }
 
 export function LegacyRouteController({ pathname }: { pathname: string }) {
diff --git a/webui/src/routes/index.tsx b/webui/src/routes/index.tsx
index 8a6985b2..4962ae6a 100644
--- a/webui/src/routes/index.tsx
+++ b/webui/src/routes/index.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ import { getProfileHomePath } from '@/platform/shell/bridge';
 import { LegacyRouteController } from '@/platform/shell/route-controllers';
 
 export const Route = createFileRoute('/')({
-  beforeLoad: ({ context }) => {
+  beforeLoad: ({ context, location }) => {
+    if (location.pathname !== '/') return;
+
     const bridge = context.platform.getShellBridge();
     if (!bridge) return;
 
diff --git a/webui/static/init.js b/webui/static/init.js
index 20eef3e9..f7f84e63 100644
--- a/webui/static/init.js
+++ b/webui/static/init.js
@@ -186,6 +186,17 @@ function applyReduceEffects(enabled) {
 
 // ── Profile System ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 let currentProfile = null;
+const PROFILE_CONTEXT_CHANGED_EVENT = 'ss:webui-profile-context-changed';
+
+function notifyProfileContextChanged() {
+    window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(PROFILE_CONTEXT_CHANGED_EVENT));
+}
+
+function setCurrentProfile(profile) {
+    currentProfile = profile;
+    updateProfileIndicator();
+    notifyProfileContextChanged();
+}
 
 // Temporary compatibility shim until existing profile rows are migrated to
 // the current page ids.
@@ -391,8 +402,7 @@ async function initProfileSystem() {
         const currentRes = await fetch('/api/profiles/current');
         const currentData = await currentRes.json();
         if (currentData.success && currentData.profile) {
-            currentProfile = currentData.profile;
-            updateProfileIndicator();
+            setCurrentProfile(currentData.profile);
 
             // Check if launch PIN is required
             if (currentData.launch_pin_required) {
@@ -823,10 +833,9 @@ function showPinDialog(profile) {
                     window.location.reload();
                     return;
                 }
-                currentProfile = data.profile;
                 dialog.style.display = 'none';
                 hideProfilePicker();
-                updateProfileIndicator();
+                setCurrentProfile(data.profile);
                 initApp();
                 return;
             } else {
@@ -873,8 +882,7 @@ async function selectProfile(profileId) {
         });
         const data = await res.json();
         if (data.success) {
-            currentProfile = data.profile;
-            updateProfileIndicator();
+            setCurrentProfile(data.profile);
             // Join profile-scoped WebSocket room for watchlist/wishlist count updates
             if (socket && socket.connected) {
                 socket.emit('profile:join', { profile_id: profileId, old_profile_id: oldProfileId });
@@ -1941,6 +1949,7 @@ function showProfileEditForm(profileId, currentName, currentColor, currentAvatar
                     if (payload.allowed_pages !== undefined) currentProfile.allowed_pages = payload.allowed_pages;
                     if (payload.can_download !== undefined) currentProfile.can_download = payload.can_download;
                     updateProfileIndicator();
+                    notifyProfileContextChanged();
                 }
                 loadProfileManageList();
             } else {
diff --git a/webui/static/search.js b/webui/static/search.js
index 32562a29..1c7f39e4 100644
--- a/webui/static/search.js
+++ b/webui/static/search.js
@@ -1177,11 +1177,10 @@ async function loadInitialData() {
             ? urlPage
             : homePage;
 
-        // If the TanStack router bridge is not available yet, fall back to the
-        // legacy shell activator so the page still renders.
-        if (!window.SoulSyncWebRouter) {
-            navigateToPage(targetPage, { skipRouteChange: true, forceReload: true });
-        }
+        // Always apply the target page to the legacy shell chrome.
+        // When the router is present, skipRouteChange keeps the URL stable
+        // while still syncing the active page/nav state for direct loads.
+        navigateToPage(targetPage, { skipRouteChange: true, forceReload: true });
     } catch (error) {
         console.error('Error loading initial data:', error);
     }
diff --git a/webui/tests/issues.smoke.spec.ts b/webui/tests/issues.smoke.spec.ts
index 369258bd..c791c014 100644
--- a/webui/tests/issues.smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/webui/tests/issues.smoke.spec.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,14 @@ import { expect, test, type Page } from '@playwright/test';
 
 import { shellRouteManifest, type ShellPageId } from '../src/platform/shell/route-manifest';
 
+async function selectProfile(page: Page, baseURL: string, profileId = 1) {
+  const response = await page.request.post(new URL('/api/profiles/select', baseURL).toString(), {
+    data: { profile_id: profileId },
+  });
+
+  expect(response.ok()).toBe(true);
+}
+
 async function waitForShellRoute(page: Page, pageId: string) {
   if (pageId === 'issues') {
     await expect
@@ -21,7 +29,7 @@ async function waitForShellRoute(page: Page, pageId: string) {
 
 function getExpectedNavPage(pageId: ShellPageId): string {
   if (pageId === 'artist-detail') {
-    return 'library';
+    return '';
   }
 
   return pageId;
@@ -56,14 +64,21 @@ test('direct load activates all known top-level routes', async ({ page, baseURL
     return;
   }
 
-  for (const route of shellRouteManifest) {
-    await page.goto(new URL(route.path, baseURL).toString(), { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
-    await waitForShellRoute(page, route.pageId);
-    await expect(page).toHaveURL(expectedUrlPattern(route.path));
-    await expectNavHighlight(page, route.pageId);
+  await selectProfile(page, baseURL);
 
-    if (route.pageId === 'issues') {
-      await verifyIssuesRoute(page);
+  for (const route of shellRouteManifest) {
+    const routePage = await page.context().newPage();
+    try {
+      await routePage.goto(new URL(route.path, baseURL).toString(), { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+      await waitForShellRoute(routePage, route.pageId);
+      await expect(routePage).toHaveURL(expectedUrlPattern(route.path));
+      await expectNavHighlight(routePage, route.pageId);
+
+      if (route.pageId === 'issues') {
+        await verifyIssuesRoute(routePage);
+      }
+    } finally {
+      await routePage.close();
     }
   }
 });
@@ -74,6 +89,8 @@ test('browser history restores top-level routes', async ({ page, baseURL }) => {
     return;
   }
 
+  await selectProfile(page, baseURL);
+
   await page.goto(new URL('/discover', baseURL).toString(), { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
   await waitForShellRoute(page, 'discover');