diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte
index 0acd48c..3845141 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/+page.svelte
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@
 	let confirmClearEvents = $state(false);
 	let refreshSeconds = $state(loadRefreshSeconds());
 	let selectedEvent = $state<EventLog | null>(null);
+	// Stagger entry animation should play once on initial load only —
+	// without this, every pagination/filter change re-runs the cascade
+	// (~600ms of fade-up per row) which reads as the panel "reconstructing".
+	let eventsAnimated = $state(false);
 
 	// Auto-refresh ticker — re-creates the interval whenever the user
 	// changes the cadence. ``$effect`` returns a cleanup that fires on
@@ -279,6 +283,16 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Disable stagger entry animation once the first non-empty list has
+	// rendered + had time to play. Subsequent pagination/filter reloads
+	// then settle in place instead of re-running the cascade.
+	$effect(() => {
+		if (eventsAnimated) return;
+		if (!status?.recent_events?.length) return;
+		const handle = setTimeout(() => { eventsAnimated = true; }, 700);
+		return () => clearTimeout(handle);
+	});
+
 	const filteredProviderCount = $derived(globalProviderFilter.providerType
 		? providers.filter(p => p.type === globalProviderFilter.providerType).length
 		: displayProviders);
@@ -675,18 +689,23 @@
 				</div>
 			{/snippet}
 
-			{#if eventsLoading}
-				<div class="empty-state"><p>{t('dashboard.loadingEvents')}</p></div>
-			{:else if status.recent_events.length === 0}
-				<div class="empty-state">
-					<MdiIcon name="mdiCalendarBlank" size={36} />
-					<p>{t('dashboard.noEvents')}</p>
-				</div>
+			{#if status.recent_events.length === 0}
+				{#if eventsLoading}
+					<div class="empty-state"><p>{t('dashboard.loadingEvents')}</p></div>
+				{:else}
+					<div class="empty-state">
+						<MdiIcon name="mdiCalendarBlank" size={36} />
+						<p>{t('dashboard.noEvents')}</p>
+					</div>
+				{/if}
 			{:else}
-				<div class="signal-list stagger-children">
+				<div class="signal-list"
+					class:stagger-children={!eventsAnimated}
+					class:signal-list--reloading={eventsLoading}
+					aria-busy={eventsLoading}>
 					{#each status.recent_events as event, i (event.id)}
 						<button type="button" class="signal-row signal-row--clickable"
-							style="animation-delay: {i * 60}ms;"
+							style={eventsAnimated ? '' : `animation-delay: ${i * 60}ms;`}
 							onclick={() => selectedEvent = event}
 							aria-label={t('events.detailTitle')}>
 							<div class="signal-avatar"
@@ -1232,6 +1251,11 @@
 	   SIGNAL STREAM — events with routing trail
 	============================================================ */
 	.signal-list { position: relative; z-index: 1; padding-bottom: 0.25rem; }
+	/* Soft dim while a page change / filter reload is in flight. We keep
+	   the previous rows mounted (avoids the layout collapsing to a tiny
+	   "Loading…" placeholder) and just nudge opacity so the swap feels
+	   like a refresh rather than a teardown. */
+	.signal-list--reloading { opacity: 0.55; pointer-events: none; transition: opacity 0.15s ease; }
 	.signal-row {
 		display: grid;
 		grid-template-columns: 40px 1fr auto;