diff --git a/apis/briefing.mjs b/apis/briefing.mjs
index 4b916ba..5e3e8e4 100644
--- a/apis/briefing.mjs
+++ b/apis/briefing.mjs
@@ -43,10 +43,16 @@ import { briefing as space } from './sources/space.mjs';
 // === Tier 5: Live Market Data ===
 import { briefing as yfinance } from './sources/yfinance.mjs';
 
+const SOURCE_TIMEOUT_MS = 30_000; // 30s max per individual source
+
 export async function runSource(name, fn, ...args) {
   const start = Date.now();
   try {
-    const data = await fn(...args);
+    const dataPromise = fn(...args);
+    const timeoutPromise = new Promise((_, reject) =>
+      setTimeout(() => reject(new Error(`Source ${name} timed out after ${SOURCE_TIMEOUT_MS / 1000}s`)), SOURCE_TIMEOUT_MS)
+    );
+    const data = await Promise.race([dataPromise, timeoutPromise]);
     return { name, status: 'ok', durationMs: Date.now() - start, data };
   } catch (e) {
     return { name, status: 'error', durationMs: Date.now() - start, error: e.message };
@@ -57,7 +63,7 @@ export async function fullBriefing() {
   console.error('[Crucix] Starting intelligence sweep — 27 sources...');
   const start = Date.now();
 
-  const results = await Promise.allSettled([
+  const allPromises = [
     // Tier 1: Core OSINT & Geopolitical
     runSource('GDELT', gdelt),
     runSource('OpenSky', opensky),
@@ -94,7 +100,11 @@ export async function fullBriefing() {
 
     // Tier 5: Live Market Data
     runSource('YFinance', yfinance),
-  ]);
+  ];
+
+  // Each runSource has its own 30s timeout, so allSettled will resolve
+  // within ~30s even if APIs hang. Global timeout is a safety net.
+  const results = await Promise.allSettled(allPromises);
 
   const sources = results.map(r => r.status === 'fulfilled' ? r.value : { status: 'failed', error: r.reason?.message });
   const totalMs = Date.now() - start;
diff --git a/apis/sources/bls.mjs b/apis/sources/bls.mjs
index 85195fb..86bfdbd 100644
--- a/apis/sources/bls.mjs
+++ b/apis/sources/bls.mjs
@@ -37,11 +37,15 @@ export async function getSeries(seriesIds, opts = {}) {
   if (apiKey) payload.registrationkey = apiKey;
 
   try {
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 15000);
     const res = await fetch(base, {
       method: 'POST',
       headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
       body: JSON.stringify(payload),
+      signal: controller.signal,
     });
+    clearTimeout(timer);
     return await res.json();
   } catch (e) {
     return { error: e.message };
diff --git a/dashboard/public/loading.html b/dashboard/public/loading.html
index 196f6ab..fe9f998 100644
--- a/dashboard/public/loading.html
+++ b/dashboard/public/loading.html
@@ -130,18 +130,26 @@ fetch('/api/health')
   .catch(() => startCountdown(0));
 
 // === SSE — wait for sweep to complete, then redirect ===
+let redirected = false;
+function goToDashboard() {
+  if (redirected) return;
+  redirected = true;
+  clearInterval(countdownInterval);
+  clearInterval(pollInterval);
+  barFill.style.transition = 'width 0.4s ease';
+  barFill.style.width = '100%';
+  etaText.textContent = '';
+  statusText.textContent = 'TERMINAL READY — LOADING DASHBOARD';
+  setTimeout(() => location.replace('/'), 800);
+}
+
 const es = new EventSource('/events');
 es.onmessage = (e) => {
   try {
     const msg = JSON.parse(e.data);
     if (msg.type === 'update') {
       es.close();
-      clearInterval(countdownInterval);
-      barFill.style.transition = 'width 0.4s ease';
-      barFill.style.width = '100%';
-      etaText.textContent = '';
-      statusText.textContent = 'TERMINAL READY — LOADING DASHBOARD';
-      setTimeout(() => location.replace('/'), 800);
+      goToDashboard();
     }
   } catch {}
 };
@@ -149,6 +157,13 @@ es.onerror = () => {
   es.close();
   setTimeout(() => location.reload(), 3000);
 };
+
+// === Fallback polling — in case SSE misses the update ===
+const pollInterval = setInterval(() => {
+  fetch('/api/data').then(r => {
+    if (r.ok) goToDashboard();
+  }).catch(() => {});
+}, 5000);
 </script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/server.mjs b/server.mjs
index 86e26b5..b64995b 100644
--- a/server.mjs
+++ b/server.mjs
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ async function start() {
     process.exit(1);
   });
 
-  server.on('listening', () => {
+  server.on('listening', async () => {
     console.log(`[Crucix] Server running on http://localhost:${port}`);
 
     // Auto-open browser
@@ -420,17 +420,18 @@ async function start() {
       if (err) console.log('[Crucix] Could not auto-open browser:', err.message);
     });
 
-    // Try to load existing data first for instant display
+    // Try to load existing data first for instant display (await so dashboard shows immediately)
     try {
       const existing = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(RUNS_DIR, 'latest.json'), 'utf8'));
-      synthesize(existing).then(data => {
-        currentData = data;
-        console.log('[Crucix] Loaded existing data from runs/latest.json');
-        broadcast({ type: 'update', data: currentData });
-      }).catch(() => {});
-    } catch { /* no existing data */ }
+      const data = await synthesize(existing);
+      currentData = data;
+      console.log('[Crucix] Loaded existing data from runs/latest.json — dashboard ready instantly');
+      broadcast({ type: 'update', data: currentData });
+    } catch {
+      console.log('[Crucix] No existing data found — first sweep required');
+    }
 
-    // Run first sweep
+    // Run first sweep (refreshes data in background)
     console.log('[Crucix] Running initial sweep...');
     runSweepCycle().catch(err => {
       console.error('[Crucix] Initial sweep failed:', err.message || err);