diff --git a/server/src/ledgrab/static/js/core/api.ts b/server/src/ledgrab/static/js/core/api.ts
index f186ec1..02a25fe 100644
--- a/server/src/ledgrab/static/js/core/api.ts
+++ b/server/src/ledgrab/static/js/core/api.ts
@@ -344,6 +344,13 @@ export async function loadServerInfo() {
                 uptimeSec: data.uptime_seconds,
                 recordedAtPerf: performance.now(),
             };
+            // Wake the inline transport-uptime ticker immediately instead of
+            // waiting up to a full second for its setInterval tick. Without
+            // this nudge the field can stay on "—" for ~1 s after page load
+            // (and up to 10 s if init's first /health response arrives just
+            // after a tick and the user has to wait for the next connection-
+            // monitor poll to seed it).
+            document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('serverUptimeChanged'));
         }
 
         // Demo mode detection
diff --git a/server/src/ledgrab/templates/index.html b/server/src/ledgrab/templates/index.html
index 63a6821..d968bd6 100644
--- a/server/src/ledgrab/templates/index.html
+++ b/server/src/ledgrab/templates/index.html
@@ -570,6 +570,9 @@
             }
             render();
             setInterval(render, 1000);
+            // Repaint as soon as api.ts seeds window.__serverUptime, so the
+            // field doesn't have to wait up to a second for the next tick.
+            document.addEventListener('serverUptimeChanged', render);
         })();
 
         // Transport-bar poll-interval control — cycles through 1/2/5/10s