diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index f211b695..517e6648 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -1330,26 +1330,55 @@ function restoreTabs() {
 }
 // ---- deferred overlay loads ----
 // The floating overlays (site-info popover, engine picker, downloads,
-// address suggestions, password fill, link-status pill, add-on approval)
-// are WebContentsViews created with the window, but their HTML used to be
-// loaded in the same tick as chrome.html — seven extra renderers racing the
-// toolbar for the first paint. They now load shortly after chrome reports
-// did-finish-load, or on first use, whichever comes first.
-const overlayLoads = [];       // [{ view, file }] waiting for loadOverlays()
-let overlaysLoaded = false;
+// address suggestions, password fill, link-status pill, add-on approval,
+// page dialogs) are WebContentsViews created with the window. A view whose
+// page was never loaded has no renderer process; loading its page starts
+// one (~20–30 MB each). They used to load all together shortly after the
+// toolbar — nine renderers most sessions never use. Now each one loads on
+// its first use, except the few used in nearly every session (address
+// suggestions, the link-status pill, site info), which are prewarmed one at a
+// time once the first page is up (prewarmOverlays).
+const overlayLoads = [];       // [{ view, file }] not loaded yet
 function deferOverlayLoad(view, file) { overlayLoads.push({ view, file }); }
-function loadOverlays() {
-  if (overlaysLoaded) return;
-  overlaysLoaded = true;
-  for (const { view, file } of overlayLoads.splice(0)) {
-    try { view.webContents.loadFile(file); } catch (e) { console.warn(`overlay load failed (${file}):`, e?.message); }
+function loadOverlay(view) {
+  const i = overlayLoads.findIndex((o) => o.view === view);
+  if (i < 0) return;
+  const { file } = overlayLoads.splice(i, 1)[0];
+  try { view.webContents.loadFile(file); } catch (e) { console.warn(`overlay load failed (${file}):`, e?.message); }
+}
+function overlayLoaded(view) {
+  try { return !!view.webContents.getURL() && !view.webContents.isLoading(); } catch { return false; }
+}
+// The show functions send their data right after showing, which a page still
+// loading would drop. On first use: load the page, then run `again` (the
+// same show call) once it is ready — unless the overlay was closed, or shown
+// again, in the meantime (the hide paths call cancelOverlayShow).
+const overlayWant = new Map(); // view -> token of the latest deferred show
+function deferUntilOverlayLoaded(view, again) {
+  if (overlayLoaded(view)) return false;
+  const token = {};
+  overlayWant.set(view, token);
+  overlayReady(view).then(() => { if (overlayWant.get(view) === token) { overlayWant.delete(view); again(); } });
+  return true;
+}
+function cancelOverlayShow(view) { overlayWant.delete(view); }
+// Idle prewarm, one at a time, of the overlays used in nearly every session.
+let overlaysPrewarmed = false;
+async function prewarmOverlays() {
+  if (overlaysPrewarmed) return;
+  overlaysPrewarmed = true;
+  for (const view of [addressPicker, linkStatus, popover]) {
+    if (!view || !winAlive()) return;
+    if (overlayLoaded(view)) continue;
+    await overlayReady(view);
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 150));
   }
 }
-// Resolves once `view` has finished loading its page, loading the overlays
-// first if that hasn't happened yet. Bounded so a wedged renderer can't
-// hang the caller forever.
+// Resolves once `view` has finished loading its page, loading it first if
+// that hasn't happened yet. Bounded so a wedged renderer can't hang the
+// caller forever.
 function overlayReady(view, timeoutMs = 4000) {
-  loadOverlays();
+  loadOverlay(view);
   const wc = view.webContents;
   try { if (wc.getURL() && !wc.isLoading()) return Promise.resolve(); } catch {}
   return new Promise((resolve) => {
@@ -1379,13 +1408,12 @@ function onChromeReady() {
   // the first page is up — or after 4 s, whichever comes first.
   {
     let went = false;
-    const go = () => { if (!went) { went = true; startBnsPolling(); } };
+    const go = () => { if (!went) { went = true; startBnsPolling(); setTimeout(prewarmOverlays, 1000); } };
     setTimeout(go, 4000);
     try { activeTab()?.view.webContents.once("did-stop-loading", () => setTimeout(go, 500)); } catch {}
   }
   // Re-emit any pending update notice — harmless if nothing is pending.
   emitUpdateAvailable();
-  setTimeout(loadOverlays, 250);
   scheduleStartupUpdateCheck();
   refreshRemoteHomeCards().catch(() => {});
 }
@@ -1671,10 +1699,15 @@ function startIndexer() {
     for (const settle of indexerPending.values()) settle(false);
     indexerPending.clear();
     if (indexerStopping) return;
-    // The mirror stays usable meanwhile; only freshness is lost.
+    // The mirror stays usable meanwhile; only freshness is lost. Logged when
+    // the restart happens, not here: on app.exit() the child goes down with
+    // the app and this timer never fires — nothing to report then.
     const wait = Math.min(30_000, 1000 * 2 ** Math.min(indexerStarts, 5));
-    console.warn(`[bns] indexer exited (${code}); restarting in ${wait / 1000}s`);
-    setTimeout(startIndexer, wait);
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      if (indexerStopping || indexer) return;
+      console.warn(`[bns] indexer exited (${code}); restarting after ${wait / 1000}s`);
+      startIndexer();
+    }, wait);
   });
   indexer.postMessage({ type: "init", resolverPath: RESOLVER, userData: app.getPath("userData"), bundledSnapshot: SNAPSHOT_BUNDLED, torPort: torState === "on" ? TOR_PORT : null });
   if (indexerGo) indexer.postMessage({ type: "go" });
@@ -2831,14 +2864,14 @@ function positionPopover() {
 function showPopover(show) {
   if (!popover) return;
   if (show) {
-    loadOverlays();
+    if (deferUntilOverlayLoaded(popover, () => showPopover(true))) return;
     positionPopover();
     // Re-add to the top of the z-order (tabs added later would otherwise cover it).
     win.contentView.removeChildView(popover);
     win.contentView.addChildView(popover);
     popover.setVisible(true); popVisible = true;
     popover.webContents.send("site-info", decorate(activeTab()?.prov) || { kind: "home" });
-  } else { popover.setVisible(false); popVisible = false; }
+  } else { cancelOverlayShow(popover); popover.setVisible(false); popVisible = false; }
 }
 function positionEnginePicker() {
   if (!enginePicker) return;
@@ -2849,13 +2882,13 @@ function positionEnginePicker() {
 function showEnginePicker(show) {
   if (!enginePicker) return;
   if (show) {
-    loadOverlays();
+    if (deferUntilOverlayLoaded(enginePicker, () => showEnginePicker(true))) return;
     positionEnginePicker();
     win.contentView.removeChildView(enginePicker);
     win.contentView.addChildView(enginePicker);
     enginePicker.setVisible(true); epVisible = true;
     enginePicker.webContents.send("engines", { engines: enabledEnginesList(), current: settings.searchEngine, detected: activeTab()?.detected || null });
-  } else { enginePicker.setVisible(false); epVisible = false; }
+  } else { cancelOverlayShow(enginePicker); enginePicker.setVisible(false); epVisible = false; }
 }
 function positionDownloads() {
   if (!downloadsPop) return;
@@ -2866,13 +2899,13 @@ function positionDownloads() {
 function showDownloads(show) {
   if (!downloadsPop) return;
   if (show) {
-    loadOverlays();
+    if (deferUntilOverlayLoaded(downloadsPop, () => showDownloads(true))) return;
     positionDownloads();
     win.contentView.removeChildView(downloadsPop);
     win.contentView.addChildView(downloadsPop);
     downloadsPop.setVisible(true); dlVisible = true;
     downloadsPop.webContents.send("downloads", downloadsPublic());
-  } else { downloadsPop.setVisible(false); dlVisible = false; }
+  } else { cancelOverlayShow(downloadsPop); downloadsPop.setVisible(false); dlVisible = false; }
 }
 function positionAddressPicker() {
   if (!addressPicker || !winAlive()) return;
@@ -2897,13 +2930,18 @@ function positionLinkStatus() {
   const h = Math.max(20, linkStatusH);
   linkStatus.setBounds({ x: 0, y: Math.max(0, height - h), width: w, height: h });
 }
+let linkStatusPendingUrl = "";
 function showLinkStatus(url) {
   if (!linkStatus || !winAlive()) return;
   const s = String(url || "");
   if (!s) {
+    cancelOverlayShow(linkStatus); linkStatusPendingUrl = "";
     if (linkStatusVisible) { linkStatus.setVisible(false); linkStatusVisible = false; }
     return;
   }
+  // First hover before the prewarm got to it: show the latest URL once loaded.
+  linkStatusPendingUrl = s;
+  if (deferUntilOverlayLoaded(linkStatus, () => showLinkStatus(linkStatusPendingUrl))) return;
   positionLinkStatus();
   // Raise the pill above any tab view that was added after it.
   try { win.contentView.removeChildView(linkStatus); win.contentView.addChildView(linkStatus); } catch {}
@@ -2990,13 +3028,13 @@ function setSidebar(show, panelId) {
 function showPwFill(show, matches) {
   if (!pwFillPop) return;
   if (show) {
-    loadOverlays();
+    if (deferUntilOverlayLoaded(pwFillPop, () => showPwFill(true, matches))) return;
     positionPwFill();
     win.contentView.removeChildView(pwFillPop);
     win.contentView.addChildView(pwFillPop);
     pwFillPop.setVisible(true); pwfVisible = true;
     pwFillPop.webContents.send("pw-matches", { matches: matches || [] });
-  } else { pwFillPop.setVisible(false); pwfVisible = false; }
+  } else { cancelOverlayShow(pwFillPop); pwFillPop.setVisible(false); pwfVisible = false; }
 }
 // Compute credential matches for a host. Exact hostname match in phase-1;
 // eTLD+1 upgrade queued for A.2.5 (needs the public-suffix-list snapshot).
@@ -3066,13 +3104,13 @@ function showAddressPicker(show, suggestions) {
   if (!addressPicker) return;
   if (show) {
     if (!suggestions || !suggestions.length) return showAddressPicker(false);
-    loadOverlays();
+    if (deferUntilOverlayLoaded(addressPicker, () => showAddressPicker(true, suggestions))) return;
     positionAddressPicker();
     win.contentView.removeChildView(addressPicker);
     win.contentView.addChildView(addressPicker);
     addressPicker.setVisible(true); apVisible = true;
     addressPicker.webContents.send("address-suggest", { suggestions });
-  } else { addressPicker.setVisible(false); apVisible = false; }
+  } else { cancelOverlayShow(addressPicker); addressPicker.setVisible(false); apVisible = false; }
 }
 // Public view of a download — no DownloadItem refs leak to the renderer.
 const downloadsPublic = () => downloads.map((d) => ({ ...d }));
@@ -3816,7 +3854,9 @@ function closeTab(id) {
 
 function createWindow() {
   chromeReadyDone = false;
-  overlaysLoaded = false;
+  overlaysPrewarmed = false;
+  overlayLoads.length = 0; // views of a previous window, if any
+  overlayWant.clear();
   sessionSavedAtClose = false;
   if (tabs.length) { // leftovers from a window that closed while app windows kept the process alive
     for (const t of tabs.splice(0)) { try { t.view.webContents.destroy?.(); } catch {} }
@@ -3855,7 +3895,7 @@ function createWindow() {
   styleScrollbars(chrome.webContents);
   chrome.webContents.loadFile("chrome.html");
   // The overlays below are created now (cheap) but their pages load via
-  // deferOverlayLoad → loadOverlays() after chrome has painted.
+  // deferOverlayLoad: each page loads on first use, or in the idle prewarm.
   // Floating site-info overlay (hidden until the address-bar badge is clicked).
   popover = new WebContentsView({ webPreferences: { preload: path.join(__dirname, "popover-preload.js") } });
   try { popover.setBackgroundColor("#00000000"); } catch {}