diff --git a/src/automats/orderAutomat.js b/src/automats/orderAutomat.js
index 4b2992b..d944cbe 100644
--- a/src/automats/orderAutomat.js
+++ b/src/automats/orderAutomat.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ import authAutomat from './authAutomat';
  */
 
 export const CHUNK_SIZE = 50;
-const PREFETCH_CHUNKS = 2;
+const PREFETCH_CHUNKS = 1;
 const CHUNK_DEBOUNCE_MS = 130;
 
 const initialState = {
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ function clearChunkDebounce() {
 }
 
 // Executes chunk loading for the standstill target and prefetches lookahead chunks
-function _executeRequiredChunks(chunks, targetEpoch) {
+function _executeRequiredChunks(chunks, targetEpoch, prefetch = true) {
   if (targetEpoch !== queryEpoch) {
     return Promise.resolve(automat.state.items);
   }
@@ -102,17 +102,21 @@ function _executeRequiredChunks(chunks, targetEpoch) {
     promises.push(actions.loadChunk(c, targetEpoch));
   }
 
-  // Prefetch lookahead chunks after the highest requested chunk
-  const maxChunk = chunkList[chunkList.length - 1];
-  const total = automat.state.total || 0;
-  for (let c = maxChunk + 1; c <= maxChunk + PREFETCH_CHUNKS; c++) {
-    if (total > 0 && c * CHUNK_SIZE >= total) {
-      break;
+  // Once active chunks finish loading, prefetch the next lookahead chunk in the background
+  return Promise.all(promises).then(() => {
+    if (targetEpoch !== queryEpoch) return automat.state.items;
+    if (prefetch) {
+      const maxChunk = chunkList[chunkList.length - 1];
+      const total = automat.state.total || 0;
+      for (let c = maxChunk + 1; c <= maxChunk + PREFETCH_CHUNKS; c++) {
+        if (total > 0 && c * CHUNK_SIZE >= total) {
+          break;
+        }
+        void actions.loadChunk(c, targetEpoch);
+      }
     }
-    void actions.loadChunk(c, targetEpoch);
-  }
-
-  return Promise.all(promises).then(() => automat.state.items);
+    return automat.state.items;
+  });
 }
 
 // MARK: pure order helpers
@@ -214,10 +218,10 @@ function applyFilterReload() {
 }
 
 const actions = {
-  // MARK: returns current items and triggers chunk 0 if not loaded
+  // MARK: returns current items and triggers chunk 0 if not loaded (no prefetch on entry)
   getItems() {
     if (automat.state.items === null) {
-      void actions.requireChunk(0, 0, { immediate: true });
+      void actions.requireChunk(0, 0, { prefetch: false, immediate: true });
       return null;
     }
     return automat.state.items;
@@ -250,13 +254,14 @@ const actions = {
 
     start = Math.max(0, Math.floor(start));
     end = Math.max(start, Math.floor(end));
+    const prefetch = options.prefetch !== false;
 
     // If initial items are null or immediate requested, bypass debounce and load immediately
     if (options.immediate || automat.state.items === null) {
       clearChunkDebounce();
       const chunks = new Set();
       for (let c = start; c <= end; c++) chunks.add(c);
-      return _executeRequiredChunks(chunks, queryEpoch);
+      return _executeRequiredChunks(chunks, queryEpoch, prefetch);
     }
 
     // New event tick (drag mousemove / pagination click) replaces previous target position
@@ -302,7 +307,7 @@ const actions = {
       pendingChunkResolve = null;
       pendingChunkReject = null;
 
-      _executeRequiredChunks(chunksToLoad, captureEpoch)
+      _executeRequiredChunks(chunksToLoad, captureEpoch, true)
         .then((res) => resolve?.(res))
         .catch((err) => reject?.(err));
     }, CHUNK_DEBOUNCE_MS);
@@ -363,15 +368,6 @@ const actions = {
           error: null,
         });
 
-        // Trigger lookahead prefetching if first chunk just arrived
-        if (index === 0) {
-          for (let c = 1; c <= PREFETCH_CHUNKS; c++) {
-            if (c * CHUNK_SIZE < currentTotal) {
-              void actions.loadChunk(c, targetEpoch);
-            }
-          }
-        }
-
         return items;
       })
       .catch((err) => {
diff --git a/src/components/manifest/OrderList.jsx b/src/components/manifest/OrderList.jsx
index f6b00ea..234de0c 100644
--- a/src/components/manifest/OrderList.jsx
+++ b/src/components/manifest/OrderList.jsx
@@ -548,17 +548,6 @@ export class OrderList extends PureComponent {
   render() {
     const { items, partiesById, busyId } = this.state;
 
-    if (items === null) {
-      if (orderAutomat.state.status === 'failed') {
-        return <BackendError error={backendErrorFrom(orderAutomat.state.error)} onRetry={this.handleRetry} />;
-      }
-      return (
-        <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'center', py: 6 }}>
-          <CircularProgress />
-        </Box>
-      );
-    }
-
     rowContext.partiesById = partiesById;
     rowContext.busyId = busyId;
     rowContext.onOpen = this.handleOpen;
@@ -566,18 +555,31 @@ export class OrderList extends PureComponent {
     rowContext.onTogglePaid = this.handleTogglePaid;
     rowContext.onToggleDelivered = this.handleToggleDelivered;
 
+    if (items === null && orderAutomat.state.status === 'failed') {
+      return (
+        <>
+          <OrderSearchField inputRef={this.searchRef} onCreate={this.handleCreate} />
+          <PanelTileGrid>
+            <PanelTile wide={3} minHeight={0} color={cfg.listColor} sx={{ p: 2 }}>
+              <BackendError error={backendErrorFrom(orderAutomat.state.error)} onRetry={this.handleRetry} />
+            </PanelTile>
+          </PanelTileGrid>
+        </>
+      );
+    }
+
     return (
       <>
         <OrderSearchField inputRef={this.searchRef} onCreate={this.handleCreate} />
         <PanelTileGrid>
-          <PanelTile wide={3} minHeight={0} color={cfg.listColor} sx={{ pb: 0 }}>
+          <PanelTile wide={3} minHeight={0} color={cfg.listColor} sx={{ pb: 0, position: 'relative' }}>
             <FillSpace
               aboveRef={[this.searchRef]}
               reserveBottom={32}
               minPageSize={8}
               minHeight={0}
-              items={items}
-              totalCount={items.length}
+              items={items || []}
+              totalCount={items ? items.length : 0}
               renderItem={OrderRow}
               virtualScrollbar
               header={
@@ -611,6 +613,24 @@ export class OrderList extends PureComponent {
               }
               onPageChange={this.handlePageChange}
             />
+            {items === null && (
+              <Box
+                sx={{
+                  position: 'absolute',
+                  top: 52,
+                  left: 0,
+                  right: 0,
+                  bottom: 32,
+                  display: 'flex',
+                  alignItems: 'center',
+                  justifyContent: 'center',
+                  pointerEvents: 'none',
+                  zIndex: 2,
+                }}
+              >
+                <CircularProgress size={32} />
+              </Box>
+            )}
           </PanelTile>
         </PanelTileGrid>
       </>