diff --git a/frontend/src/features/auth/session.tsx b/frontend/src/features/auth/session.tsx
index b8fc813..2d15ccf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/features/auth/session.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/features/auth/session.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { createContext, useCallback, useContext, useMemo, type ReactNode } from
 import { api } from '@shared/api/client'
 import type { Me } from '@shared/types'
 import { fetchMe, login, logout, register } from './api'
+import { hasSessionHint, setSessionHint } from './sessionHint'
 
 type Session = {
   status: 'loading' | 'anonymous' | 'authenticated'
@@ -17,13 +18,23 @@ const SessionContext = createContext<Session | null>(null)
 export function SessionProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   const client = useQueryClient()
   // Restores the session after a reload: the refresh cookie survives, the
-  // in-memory access token does not.
-  const restored = useQuery({ queryKey: ['session-restore'], queryFn: () => api.refresh(), staleTime: Infinity })
+  // in-memory access token does not. Guests skip the call (see sessionHint).
+  const restored = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ['session-restore'],
+    queryFn: async () => {
+      if (!hasSessionHint()) return false
+      const ok = await api.refresh()
+      setSessionHint(ok)
+      return ok
+    },
+    staleTime: Infinity,
+  })
   const meQuery = useQuery({ queryKey: ['me'], queryFn: fetchMe, enabled: restored.data === true })
 
   const signIn = useCallback(
     async (email: string, password: string) => {
       await login(email, password)
+      setSessionHint(true)
       client.setQueryData(['session-restore'], true)
       await client.fetchQuery({ queryKey: ['me'], queryFn: fetchMe })
     },
@@ -40,6 +51,7 @@ export function SessionProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
 
   const signOut = useCallback(async () => {
     await logout()
+    setSessionHint(false)
     client.clear()
     client.setQueryData(['session-restore'], false)
   }, [client])
diff --git a/frontend/src/features/auth/sessionHint.ts b/frontend/src/features/auth/sessionHint.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..936672b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/features/auth/sessionHint.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+const KEY = 'lv_session'
+
+/**
+ * A guest has no refresh cookie, so asking /auth/refresh only produces a 401 (a console error
+ * and a wasted round trip on every first visit). This flag records "this browser signed in";
+ * without it the restore step is skipped. Storage may be unavailable, so it never throws.
+ */
+export function hasSessionHint(): boolean {
+  try {
+    return localStorage.getItem(KEY) === '1'
+  } catch {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
+export function setSessionHint(on: boolean): void {
+  try {
+    if (on) localStorage.setItem(KEY, '1')
+    else localStorage.removeItem(KEY)
+  } catch {
+    // Private mode or blocked storage: the hint is only an optimisation.
+  }
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/features/clickgui/screens/ModulesScreen.tsx b/frontend/src/features/clickgui/screens/ModulesScreen.tsx
index ca18947..b46d493 100644
--- a/frontend/src/features/clickgui/screens/ModulesScreen.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/features/clickgui/screens/ModulesScreen.tsx
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ function Panel({ category, state, dispatch }: { category: Category } & Props) {
   return (
     <section role="listitem" className="lv-gui-panel" data-category={category.id} aria-labelledby={titleId}>
       <header className="lv-gui-panel-head">
-        <h3 id={titleId} className="lv-gui-panel-title">
+        <h2 id={titleId} className="lv-gui-panel-title">
           {category.name}
-        </h3>
+        </h2>
         <Icon name={category.id} className="lv-gui-panel-icon" />
       </header>
       <ul className="lv-gui-rows">
diff --git a/frontend/src/features/landing/LowerSections.tsx b/frontend/src/features/landing/LowerSections.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0754545
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/features/landing/LowerSections.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { CommandHero } from '@features/landing/CommandHero'
+import { HowItWorks } from '@features/landing/HowItWorks'
+import { FaqDownload } from '@features/landing/sections/explore/FaqDownload'
+import { HudPlayground } from '@features/landing/sections/explore/HudPlayground'
+import { ModuleWall } from '@features/landing/sections/explore/ModuleWall'
+import { ShowcaseTeaser } from '@features/landing/sections/explore/ShowcaseTeaser'
+
+/** Everything below the first screen; loaded as its own chunk after the hero has painted. */
+export default function LowerSections() {
+  return (
+    <>
+      <HudPlayground />
+      <CommandHero />
+      <HowItWorks />
+      <ModuleWall />
+      <ShowcaseTeaser />
+      <FaqDownload />
+    </>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/features/landing/effects/useIdleReady.ts b/frontend/src/features/landing/effects/useIdleReady.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2fc78d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/features/landing/effects/useIdleReady.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+
+/**
+ * Flips to true once the browser is idle (or after `timeout` ms at the latest), so heavy
+ * decorative work stays out of the first paint's main-thread budget. Without
+ * requestIdleCallback (Safari) a short timeout stands in.
+ */
+export function useIdleReady(timeout = 600): boolean {
+  const [ready, setReady] = useState(false)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (typeof requestIdleCallback === 'function') {
+      const id = requestIdleCallback(() => setReady(true), { timeout })
+      return () => cancelIdleCallback(id)
+    }
+    const id = setTimeout(() => setReady(true), 200)
+    return () => clearTimeout(id)
+  }, [timeout])
+
+  return ready
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/features/landing/sections/explore/HudPlayground.tsx b/frontend/src/features/landing/sections/explore/HudPlayground.tsx
index 7f3be7f..0d3de41 100644
--- a/frontend/src/features/landing/sections/explore/HudPlayground.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/features/landing/sections/explore/HudPlayground.tsx
@@ -110,7 +110,10 @@ export function HudPlayground() {
             style={{ left: pos[w.id].x, top: pos[w.id].y }}
             className="lv-hud-widget absolute touch-none select-none"
           >
-            <WidgetContent id={w.id} unitMs={t('hud.unitMs')} />
+            {/* Purely decorative readout: the button's aria-label is its accessible name. */}
+            <div aria-hidden="true" className="contents">
+              <WidgetContent id={w.id} unitMs={t('hud.unitMs')} />
+            </div>
           </div>
         ))}
       </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/features/landing/sections/hero/Hero.tsx b/frontend/src/features/landing/sections/hero/Hero.tsx
index 83671d7..01508e9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/features/landing/sections/hero/Hero.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/features/landing/sections/hero/Hero.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { MotionConfig, motion } from 'motion/react'
-import { useRef } from 'react'
+import { lazy, Suspense, useRef } from 'react'
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next'
 import { Link } from 'react-router'
 import { ClickGuiWindow } from '@features/clickgui/ClickGuiWindow'
@@ -8,9 +8,12 @@ import { parseArgb } from '@features/themes/types'
 import { useActiveTheme } from '@features/themes/useActiveTheme'
 import { ParticleField } from '../../effects/ParticleField'
 import { useInView } from '../../effects/useInView'
-import { VoxelScene } from '../../effects/VoxelScene'
+import { useIdleReady } from '../../effects/useIdleReady'
 import '@features/landing/styles/landing.css'
 
+// The backdrop is decorative and its first draw is heavy, so it loads and paints after the headline.
+const VoxelScene = lazy(() => import('../../effects/VoxelScene').then((m) => ({ default: m.VoxelScene })))
+
 const rise = (delay: number) => ({
   initial: { opacity: 0, y: 24 },
   animate: { opacity: 1, y: 0 },
@@ -30,6 +33,7 @@ export function Hero() {
   const { theme } = useActiveTheme()
   const sectionRef = useRef<HTMLElement>(null)
   const inView = useInView(sectionRef)
+  const backdropReady = useIdleReady(300)
   const { r, g, b } = parseArgb(theme.theme.accent)
   const accent = `rgb(${r}, ${g}, ${b})`
   const facts = [
@@ -45,7 +49,11 @@ export function Hero() {
         aria-labelledby="hero-title"
         className="lv-bleed relative isolate -mt-(--topbar-h) flex min-h-svh items-center overflow-hidden pt-(--topbar-h)"
       >
-        <VoxelScene accent={accent} />
+        {backdropReady && (
+          <Suspense fallback={null}>
+            <VoxelScene accent={accent} />
+          </Suspense>
+        )}
         <div aria-hidden="true" className="lv-hero-shade absolute inset-0" />
         <ParticleField color={accent} />
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/features/landing/styles/landing.css b/frontend/src/features/landing/styles/landing.css
index ff1984d..f7a5da2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/features/landing/styles/landing.css
+++ b/frontend/src/features/landing/styles/landing.css
@@ -176,6 +176,8 @@
 
 /* Atmosphere behind everything below the first screen: accent aurora, faint grid, drifting motes. */
 .lv-lower { position: relative; isolation: isolate; }
+/* Off-screen sections skip style/layout/paint until scrolled near; the intrinsic size keeps the scrollbar stable. */
+.lv-lower > section { content-visibility: auto; contain-intrinsic-size: auto 800px; }
 .lv-lower-bg {
   position: absolute; inset: 0 calc(50% - 50vw); z-index: -1; pointer-events: none;
   /* Safari repaints this whole (very tall) layered-gradient + mask element on every scroll
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/public/HomePage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/public/HomePage.tsx
index 812eda0..6fcc430 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/public/HomePage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/public/HomePage.tsx
@@ -1,25 +1,23 @@
-import { CommandHero } from '@features/landing/CommandHero'
-import { HowItWorks } from '@features/landing/HowItWorks'
-import { FaqDownload } from '@features/landing/sections/explore/FaqDownload'
+import { lazy, Suspense } from 'react'
+import { useIdleReady } from '@features/landing/effects/useIdleReady'
 import { Hero } from '@features/landing/sections/hero/Hero'
-import { HudPlayground } from '@features/landing/sections/explore/HudPlayground'
-import { ModuleWall } from '@features/landing/sections/explore/ModuleWall'
-import { ShowcaseTeaser } from '@features/landing/sections/explore/ShowcaseTeaser'
 import { ThemeStrip } from '@features/landing/sections/hero/ThemeStrip'
 
+const LowerSections = lazy(() => import('@features/landing/LowerSections'))
+
 export default function HomePage() {
+  const ready = useIdleReady()
   return (
     <>
       <Hero />
       <ThemeStrip />
-      <div className="lv-lower">
+      <div className="lv-lower" style={ready ? undefined : { minHeight: '2400px' }}>
         <div aria-hidden="true" className="lv-lower-bg" />
-        <HudPlayground />
-        <CommandHero />
-        <HowItWorks />
-        <ModuleWall />
-        <ShowcaseTeaser />
-        <FaqDownload />
+        {ready && (
+          <Suspense fallback={null}>
+            <LowerSections />
+          </Suspense>
+        )}
       </div>
     </>
   )
diff --git a/frontend/src/shared/layout/tests/layout.test.tsx b/frontend/src/shared/layout/tests/layout.test.tsx
index 0db896e..2292022 100644
--- a/frontend/src/shared/layout/tests/layout.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/shared/layout/tests/layout.test.tsx
@@ -19,6 +19,14 @@ test('anonymous visitor sees nav and a login link', async () => {
   expect(screen.getByRole('heading', { level: 1 })).toHaveTextContent('Визуалы, в которые влюбляешься')
 })
 
+test('a guest never calls /auth/refresh (no 401 in the console)', async () => {
+  localStorage.removeItem('lv_session')
+  const fetch = mockFetch({})
+  renderApp(routes, '/')
+  expect(await screen.findByRole('link', { name: 'Войти' })).toBeInTheDocument()
+  expect(fetch.mock.calls.some(([url]) => String(url).includes('/auth/refresh'))).toBe(false)
+})
+
 test('signed-in visitor sees their nick instead of login', async () => {
   mockFetch({
     'POST /auth/refresh': () => json({ access_token: 't' }),
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/setup.ts b/frontend/src/test/setup.ts
index 5e9f4fa..6437c19 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/setup.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/test/setup.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import '@testing-library/jest-dom/vitest'
 import 'fake-indexeddb/auto'
 import { cleanup, configure } from '@testing-library/react'
-import { afterEach, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { initI18n } from '@app/i18n'
 
 initI18n('ru')
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ initI18n('ru')
 // than the default 1000ms findBy/waitFor timeout. Give async queries more headroom.
 configure({ asyncUtilTimeout: 5000 })
 
+// Sessions are restored only for browsers that signed in before (see features/auth/sessionHint);
+// tests assume a returning visitor unless they clear the flag themselves.
+beforeEach(() => localStorage.setItem('lv_session', '1'))
 afterEach(() => cleanup())
 afterEach(() => vi.unstubAllGlobals())