diff --git a/js/accessControl.js b/js/accessControl.js
index 96dd35d8..3f9d7cd9 100644
--- a/js/accessControl.js
+++ b/js/accessControl.js
@@ -433,22 +433,20 @@ class AccessControl {
   }
 
   async ensureReady() {
+    // If not loaded and not already refreshing, kick off a background refresh.
+    // We do NOT await this promise, allowing the application to proceed immediately.
+    // Reactive updates (e.g. onBlacklistChange) will handle the UI state when data arrives.
     if (!this.hasLoaded && !this._isRefreshing) {
-      this.refresh();
+      this.refresh().catch((error) => {
+        userLogger.warn(
+          "[accessControl] Background refresh failed:",
+          error,
+        );
+      });
     }
 
-    try {
-      await this._refreshPromise;
-      userLogger.info("[accessControl] ensureReady resolved");
-    } catch (error) {
-      if (!this.hasLoaded) {
-        userLogger.warn("[accessControl] ensureReady retry");
-        await this.refresh();
-        await this._refreshPromise;
-      } else {
-        throw error;
-      }
-    }
+    // Always resolve immediately to prevent blocking application startup.
+    return Promise.resolve();
   }
 
   whitelistMode() {
diff --git a/js/app.js b/js/app.js
index 6a1fa2d4..ca889f5a 100644
--- a/js/app.js
+++ b/js/app.js
@@ -436,9 +436,20 @@ class Application {
         profileModalPromise,
       ]);
 
-      const nostrInitPromise = nostrClient.init();
+      // Initialize the pool early to unblock bootstrapTrustedSeeds,
+      // but do NOT await the full connection process here.
+      try {
+        await nostrClient.ensurePool();
+      } catch (poolError) {
+        devLogger.warn("[app.init()] Pool ensure failed:", poolError);
+      }
 
-      await Promise.all([modalBootstrapPromise, nostrInitPromise]);
+      // Kick off relay connection in the background.
+      const nostrInitPromise = nostrClient.init().catch((err) => {
+        devLogger.warn("[app.init()] Background nostrClient.init failed:", err);
+      });
+
+      await modalBootstrapPromise;
 
       try {
         await bootstrapTrustedSeeds();