diff --git a/src/app/intro/intro-client.tsx b/src/app/intro/intro-client.tsx
index 7fd3d68..d0f2062 100644
--- a/src/app/intro/intro-client.tsx
+++ b/src/app/intro/intro-client.tsx
@@ -59,20 +59,28 @@ export default function IntroClient() {
   const handleOpenSteps = useCallback(() => {
     setIsStepsOpen(true);
     if (typeof window !== "undefined") {
-      const url = new URL(window.location.href);
-      url.searchParams.set("steps", "open");
-      window.history.replaceState({ steps: "open" }, "", url.toString());
+      try {
+        const url = new URL(window.location.href);
+        url.searchParams.set("steps", "open");
+        window.history.replaceState({ steps: "open" }, "", url.toString());
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.warn("Could not update URL history for steps:", e);
+      }
     }
   }, []);
 
   const handleCloseSteps = useCallback(() => {
     setIsStepsOpen(false);
     if (typeof window !== "undefined") {
-      const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
-      if (params.get("steps") === "open") {
-        const url = new URL(window.location.href);
-        url.searchParams.delete("steps");
-        window.history.replaceState({}, "", url.toString());
+      try {
+        const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
+        if (params.get("steps") === "open") {
+          const url = new URL(window.location.href);
+          url.searchParams.delete("steps");
+          window.history.replaceState({}, "", url.toString());
+        }
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.warn("Could not clear URL history for steps:", e);
       }
     }
   }, []);
@@ -90,23 +98,26 @@ export default function IntroClient() {
       return;
     }
 
+    // If user is not authenticated yet, open onboarding steps immediately (0ms delay)
+    if (!authBridge.isAuthenticated()) {
+      handleOpenSteps();
+      return;
+    }
+
     setIsSubmitting(true);
 
     try {
-      if (!authBridge.isAuthenticated()) {
-        const token = await authBridge.ensureToken();
-        if (!token) {
-          console.warn(
-            "No token from bridge – opening intro onboarding steps",
-          );
-          handleOpenSteps();
-          return;
-        }
-      }
-
       let profileResponse = profile;
       try {
-        const { data: freshProfile } = await refetch();
+        // Race refetch against a 2-second timeout so slow network never hangs the button
+        const refetchPromise = refetch();
+        const timeoutPromise = new Promise<{ data?: undefined }>((resolve) =>
+          setTimeout(() => resolve({ data: undefined }), 2000),
+        );
+        const { data: freshProfile } = await Promise.race([
+          refetchPromise,
+          timeoutPromise,
+        ]);
         profileResponse = freshProfile ?? profile;
       } catch (refetchError) {
         console.warn(