diff --git a/docs/performance-efficiency-plan.md b/docs/performance-efficiency-plan.md
index 5595ab34..37e6835b 100644
--- a/docs/performance-efficiency-plan.md
+++ b/docs/performance-efficiency-plan.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # BitVid Performance & Efficiency Plan
 
-Status: **Stage 0 in progress — local-only measurement harness added; no runtime optimization changes implemented**
+Status: **Stage 2 in progress — startup hardening validated locally; recommendation indexes now activate on demand**
 
 ## Goal
 
@@ -173,6 +173,14 @@ old diagnostic behavior.
 
 ## Stage 2 — Lazy recommendation indexes
 
+Implemented first slice: `ExploreDataService` is no longer created during
+ordinary bootstrap. Home/Profile sessions therefore create no recommendation
+worker or recommendation intervals. Opening For You or Explore creates and
+activates the service; events received while inactive mark it dirty and are
+included in the activation refresh. Focused lifecycle, feed-coordinator, and
+build checks pass; browser validation of both recommendation views remains the
+next gate before further Stage 2 coalescing work.
+
 ### Change
 
 Do not initialize `ExploreDataService` globally in application bootstrap.
diff --git a/js/app/feedCoordinator.js b/js/app/feedCoordinator.js
index e46d31ed..73138370 100644
--- a/js/app/feedCoordinator.js
+++ b/js/app/feedCoordinator.js
@@ -1014,6 +1014,14 @@ export function createFeedCoordinator(deps) {
       devLogger.log(`Starting loadFeedVideos(${feedType})... (forceFetch =`, forceFetch, ")");
       this.setFeedTelemetryContext(feedType);
 
+      const recommendationFeed =
+        feedType === FEED_TYPES.FOR_YOU || feedType === FEED_TYPES.EXPLORE;
+      if (recommendationFeed && typeof this.ensureExploreDataService === "function") {
+        await this.ensureExploreDataService();
+      } else if (this.exploreDataService?.setActive) {
+        this.exploreDataService.setActive(false);
+      }
+
       let includeTags = false;
       let loadingMessage = "Fetching videos\u2026";
       let refreshMethod = null;
diff --git a/js/services/exploreDataService.js b/js/services/exploreDataService.js
index 56f0933a..f503af42 100644
--- a/js/services/exploreDataService.js
+++ b/js/services/exploreDataService.js
@@ -144,26 +144,47 @@ export default class ExploreDataService {
     this.tagIdfInterval = null;
     this.unsubscribeHandlers = [];
     this.handleVisibility = this.handleVisibility.bind(this);
+    this.initialized = false;
+    this.active = false;
+    this.historyDirty = true;
+    this.idfDirty = true;
   }
 
-  initialize() {
-    this.refreshWatchHistoryTagCounts({ force: true, reason: "init" });
-    this.refreshTagIdf({ force: true, reason: "init" });
+  initialize({ active = false } = {}) {
+    if (this.initialized) {
+      return this.setActive(active);
+    }
+    this.initialized = true;
     this.subscribeToUpdates();
     if (typeof document !== "undefined") {
       document.addEventListener("visibilitychange", this.handleVisibility);
     }
+    return this.setActive(active);
+  }
+
+  async setActive(active) {
+    this.active = active === true;
+    if (!this.active || (typeof document !== "undefined" && document.hidden)) {
+      this.clearIntervals();
+      return;
+    }
     this.startIntervals();
+    const forceHistory = this.historyDirty || !this.watchHistoryTagCountsUpdatedAt;
+    const forceIdf = this.idfDirty || !this.tagIdfUpdatedAt;
+    this.historyDirty = false;
+    this.idfDirty = false;
+    await Promise.all([
+      this.refreshWatchHistoryTagCounts({ force: forceHistory, reason: "active" }),
+      this.refreshTagIdf({ force: forceIdf, reason: "active" }),
+    ]);
   }
 
   handleVisibility() {
     if (typeof document === "undefined") return;
     if (document.hidden) {
       this.clearIntervals();
-    } else {
-      this.refreshWatchHistoryTagCounts({ reason: "visibility" });
-      this.refreshTagIdf({ reason: "visibility" });
-      this.startIntervals();
+    } else if (this.active) {
+      void this.setActive(true);
     }
   }
 
@@ -226,6 +247,10 @@ export default class ExploreDataService {
   }
 
   queueWatchHistoryRefresh(reason) {
+    if (!this.active) {
+      this.historyDirty = true;
+      return;
+    }
     if (this.watchHistoryRefreshHandle) {
       return;
     }
@@ -236,6 +261,10 @@ export default class ExploreDataService {
   }
 
   queueTagIdfRefresh(reason) {
+    if (!this.active) {
+      this.idfDirty = true;
+      return;
+    }
     if (this.tagIdfRefreshHandle) {
       return;
     }
diff --git a/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js b/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js
index 639b32ee..a76cca45 100644
--- a/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js
+++ b/js/ui/applicationBootstrap.js
@@ -360,18 +360,22 @@ export default class ApplicationBootstrap {
       onViewLogged: (detail) => app.handleFeedViewTelemetry(detail),
     });
 
-    app.exploreDataService =
-      this.services.exploreDataService ||
-      new ExploreDataService({
-        watchHistoryService,
-        nostrService: app.nostrService,
-        getActiveActor: () =>
-          typeof app.pubkey === "string" && app.pubkey ? app.pubkey : "",
-        logger: devLogger,
-      });
-    if (app.exploreDataService && typeof app.exploreDataService.initialize === "function") {
-      app.exploreDataService.initialize();
-    }
+    app.exploreDataService = this.services.exploreDataService || null;
+    app.ensureExploreDataService = async () => {
+      if (!app.exploreDataService) {
+        app.exploreDataService = new ExploreDataService({
+          watchHistoryService,
+          nostrService: app.nostrService,
+          getActiveActor: () =>
+            typeof app.pubkey === "string" && app.pubkey ? app.pubkey : "",
+          logger: devLogger,
+        });
+      }
+      if (typeof app.exploreDataService.initialize === "function") {
+        await app.exploreDataService.initialize({ active: true });
+      }
+      return app.exploreDataService;
+    };
 
     const playbackDependencies = {
       torrentClient: this.services.torrentClient || torrentClient,
diff --git a/tests/services/explore-data-lifecycle.test.mjs b/tests/services/explore-data-lifecycle.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d213dbb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/services/explore-data-lifecycle.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+import ExploreDataService from "../../js/services/exploreDataService.js";
+
+test("ExploreDataService stays idle until a recommendation feed activates it", async () => {
+  const service = new ExploreDataService({
+    historyRefreshIntervalMs: 0,
+    idfRefreshIntervalMs: 0,
+  });
+  let historyRefreshes = 0;
+  let idfRefreshes = 0;
+  service.refreshWatchHistoryTagCounts = async () => {
+    historyRefreshes += 1;
+    return new Map();
+  };
+  service.refreshTagIdf = async () => {
+    idfRefreshes += 1;
+    return new Map();
+  };
+
+  await service.initialize();
+  assert.equal(historyRefreshes, 0);
+  assert.equal(idfRefreshes, 0);
+
+  service.queueWatchHistoryRefresh("note");
+  service.queueTagIdfRefresh("note");
+  await service.setActive(true);
+  assert.equal(historyRefreshes, 1, "dirty history is refreshed on activation");
+  assert.equal(idfRefreshes, 1, "dirty IDF is refreshed on activation");
+
+  await service.setActive(false);
+  service.queueTagIdfRefresh("inactive-note");
+  assert.equal(idfRefreshes, 1, "inactive feeds do not rebuild recommendation indexes");
+  service.destroy();
+});