diff --git a/frontend/src/app/render_wasm.cljs b/frontend/src/app/render_wasm.cljs
index 8de936b2d7..0672c723a8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/render_wasm.cljs
+++ b/frontend/src/app/render_wasm.cljs
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@
 (defn initialize
   [enabled?]
   (if enabled?
-    (set! app.common.types.path/wasm:calc-bool-content wasm.api/calculate-bool)
+    (do
+      (set! app.common.types.path/wasm:calc-bool-content wasm.api/calculate-bool)
+      ;; Preload the WASM engine at boot so it's ready when a file opens.
+      (wasm.api/preload-module!))
     (set! app.common.types.path/wasm:calc-bool-content nil))
   (set! app.common.types.shape/wasm-enabled? enabled?)
   (set! app.common.types.shape/wasm-create-shape wasm.shape/create-shape))
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/render_wasm/api.cljs b/frontend/src/app/render_wasm/api.cljs
index a7e03e627e..a6e5dc16c4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/render_wasm/api.cljs
+++ b/frontend/src/app/render_wasm/api.cljs
@@ -2555,4 +2555,10 @@
                 (p/resolved false)))))
       (p/resolved false))))
 
+(defn preload-module!
+  "Starts downloading + compiling the WASM engine now instead of on first
+   viewport mount. Idempotent: the `delay` caches its in-flight promise."
+  []
+  @module)
+
 
diff --git a/render-wasm/src/render.rs b/render-wasm/src/render.rs
index df284816f6..e984bf077d 100644
--- a/render-wasm/src/render.rs
+++ b/render-wasm/src/render.rs
@@ -2234,6 +2234,10 @@ impl RenderState {
         } else {
             self.reset_canvas();
             self.interactive_target_seeded = false;
+            // Paint rulers/frame now so they survive the progressive frames
+            // instead of blanking until the first full `present_frame`.
+            ui::render(self, tree);
+            self.flush_and_submit();
         }
 
         let surface_ids = SurfaceId::Strokes as u32