diff --git a/ui/src/app/api/img/[...imagePath]/route.ts b/ui/src/app/api/img/[...imagePath]/route.ts
index a3877e8a..e41362cf 100644
--- a/ui/src/app/api/img/[...imagePath]/route.ts
+++ b/ui/src/app/api/img/[...imagePath]/route.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server';
 import fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
+import { Readable } from 'stream';
 import { getDatasetsRoot, getTrainingFolder, getDataRoot } from '@/server/settings';
 
 const contentTypeMap: { [key: string]: string } = {
@@ -54,6 +55,11 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest, { params }: { params: { imagePat
       return new NextResponse('Access denied', { status: 403 });
     }
 
+    // Bail out early if the client already gave up
+    if (request.signal.aborted) {
+      return new NextResponse(null, { status: 499 });
+    }
+
     // Stat file (async)
     const stat = await fs.promises.stat(resolved).catch(() => null);
     if (!stat || !stat.isFile()) {
@@ -63,6 +69,40 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest, { params }: { params: { imagePat
     const ext = path.extname(resolved).toLowerCase();
     const contentType = contentTypeMap[ext] || 'application/octet-stream';
 
+    // Weak ETag from inode/size/mtime — cheap and stable enough for revalidation
+    const etag = `W/"${stat.ino.toString(36)}-${stat.size.toString(36)}-${stat.mtimeMs.toString(36)}"`;
+    const cacheControl = 'public, max-age=86400, immutable';
+
+    const ifNoneMatch = request.headers.get('if-none-match');
+    if (ifNoneMatch && ifNoneMatch === etag) {
+      return new NextResponse(null, {
+        status: 304,
+        headers: {
+          ETag: etag,
+          'Cache-Control': cacheControl,
+        },
+      });
+    }
+
+    const buildBody = (start?: number, end?: number) => {
+      const nodeStream =
+        start !== undefined && end !== undefined
+          ? fs.createReadStream(resolved, { start, end })
+          : fs.createReadStream(resolved);
+
+      // Wire client disconnect → destroy the file stream so we don't keep
+      // reading bytes for a request the browser has already cancelled.
+      const onAbort = () => nodeStream.destroy();
+      if (request.signal.aborted) {
+        nodeStream.destroy();
+      } else {
+        request.signal.addEventListener('abort', onAbort, { once: true });
+      }
+      nodeStream.once('close', () => request.signal.removeEventListener('abort', onAbort));
+
+      return Readable.toWeb(nodeStream) as unknown as ReadableStream;
+    };
+
     // Support range requests for video/audio seeking
     const rangeHeader = request.headers.get('range');
     if (rangeHeader) {
@@ -71,49 +111,26 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest, { params }: { params: { imagePat
       const end = parts[1] ? parseInt(parts[1], 10) : stat.size - 1;
       const chunkSize = end - start + 1;
 
-      const stream = fs.createReadStream(resolved, { start, end });
-      const readable = new ReadableStream({
-        start(controller) {
-          stream.on('data', chunk => controller.enqueue(chunk));
-          stream.on('end', () => controller.close());
-          stream.on('error', err => controller.error(err));
-        },
-        cancel() {
-          stream.destroy();
-        },
-      });
-
-      return new NextResponse(readable as any, {
+      return new NextResponse(buildBody(start, end) as any, {
         status: 206,
         headers: {
           'Content-Range': `bytes ${start}-${end}/${stat.size}`,
           'Accept-Ranges': 'bytes',
           'Content-Length': String(chunkSize),
           'Content-Type': contentType,
-          'Cache-Control': 'public, max-age=86400',
+          'Cache-Control': cacheControl,
+          ETag: etag,
         },
       });
     }
 
-    // Stream the file instead of buffering it entirely
-    const stream = fs.createReadStream(resolved);
-    const readable = new ReadableStream({
-      start(controller) {
-        stream.on('data', chunk => controller.enqueue(chunk));
-        stream.on('end', () => controller.close());
-        stream.on('error', err => controller.error(err));
-      },
-      cancel() {
-        stream.destroy();
-      },
-    });
-
-    return new NextResponse(readable as any, {
+    return new NextResponse(buildBody() as any, {
       headers: {
         'Content-Type': contentType,
         'Content-Length': String(stat.size),
-        'Cache-Control': 'public, max-age=86400',
+        'Cache-Control': cacheControl,
         'Accept-Ranges': 'bytes',
+        ETag: etag,
       },
     });
   } catch (error) {
diff --git a/ui/src/app/datasets/[datasetName]/page.tsx b/ui/src/app/datasets/[datasetName]/page.tsx
index e0b03de3..9dc7575e 100644
--- a/ui/src/app/datasets/[datasetName]/page.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/app/datasets/[datasetName]/page.tsx
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ export default function DatasetPage({ params }: { params: { datasetName: string
                   onDelete={() => refreshImageList(datasetName)}
                   onImageClick={() => setSelectedImgPath(img.img_path)}
                   captionRefreshKey={captionRefreshKeys[img.img_path] || 0}
+                  observerRoot={scrollParent}
                 />
               );
             }}
diff --git a/ui/src/components/DatasetImageCard.tsx b/ui/src/components/DatasetImageCard.tsx
index a931c99e..678f8a78 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/DatasetImageCard.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/DatasetImageCard.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ interface DatasetImageCardProps {
   onDelete?: () => void;
   onImageClick?: () => void;
   captionRefreshKey?: number;
+  observerRoot?: Element | null;
+  rootMargin?: string;
 }
 
 const DatasetImageCard: React.FC<DatasetImageCardProps> = ({
@@ -27,13 +29,88 @@ const DatasetImageCard: React.FC<DatasetImageCardProps> = ({
   onDelete = () => {},
   onImageClick,
   captionRefreshKey = 0,
+  observerRoot = null,
+  rootMargin = '200px 0px',
 }) => {
   const [loaded, setLoaded] = useState<boolean>(false);
   const [showAudioPlayer, setShowAudioPlayer] = useState(true);
   const [pollTick, setPollTick] = useState(0);
+  const [blobUrl, setBlobUrl] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [isVisible, setIsVisible] = useState(false);
+  const cardRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+
+  const isItAVideo = isVideo(imageUrl);
+  const isItAudio = isAudio(imageUrl);
+  const isItImage = !isItAVideo && !isItAudio;
+
+  // Track actual viewport visibility — Virtuoso keeps a buffer of cards mounted
+  // outside the visible region, so we can't rely on mount/unmount alone.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const el = cardRef.current;
+    if (!el) return;
+
+    const observer = new IntersectionObserver(
+      entries => {
+        for (const entry of entries) {
+          if (entry.target === el) {
+            setIsVisible(entry.isIntersecting);
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        root: observerRoot ?? null,
+        threshold: 0.01,
+        rootMargin,
+      },
+    );
+
+    observer.observe(el);
+    return () => observer.disconnect();
+  }, [observerRoot, rootMargin]);
+
+  // Drive image loads through fetch + AbortController so scrolling past actually
+  // cancels in-flight requests. Debounced 80ms so fast scroll-throughs never
+  // start a request.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isItImage) return;
+    if (!isVisible) return;
+
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    let cancelled = false;
+    let objectUrl: string | null = null;
+
+    const timer = window.setTimeout(() => {
+      fetch(`/api/img/${encodeURIComponent(imageUrl)}`, { signal: controller.signal })
+        .then(r => {
+          if (!r.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${r.status}`);
+          return r.blob();
+        })
+        .then(blob => {
+          if (cancelled) return;
+          objectUrl = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
+          setBlobUrl(objectUrl);
+          setLoaded(true);
+        })
+        .catch(err => {
+          if (err?.name !== 'AbortError') console.error('Dataset image fetch failed:', err);
+        });
+    }, 80);
+
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+      clearTimeout(timer);
+      controller.abort();
+      if (objectUrl) URL.revokeObjectURL(objectUrl);
+      setBlobUrl(null);
+      setLoaded(false);
+    };
+  }, [imageUrl, isItImage, isVisible]);
 
   const combinedRefreshKey = captionRefreshKey + pollTick;
-  const { caption: fetchedCaption, isLoaded: isCaptionLoaded } = useCaptionBatch(imageUrl, combinedRefreshKey);
+  const { caption: fetchedCaption, isLoaded: isCaptionLoaded } = useCaptionBatch(
+    isVisible ? imageUrl : null,
+    combinedRefreshKey,
+  );
 
   const [caption, setCaption] = useState<string>('');
   const [savedCaption, setSavedCaption] = useState<string>('');
@@ -90,10 +167,6 @@ const DatasetImageCard: React.FC<DatasetImageCardProps> = ({
     };
   }, []);
 
-  const handleLoad = (): void => {
-    setLoaded(true);
-  };
-
   const handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>): void => {
     if (e.key === 'Enter' && !e.shiftKey) {
       e.preventDefault();
@@ -108,12 +181,8 @@ const DatasetImageCard: React.FC<DatasetImageCardProps> = ({
 
   const isCaptionCurrent = caption.trim() === savedCaption;
 
-  const isItAVideo = isVideo(imageUrl);
-  const isItAudio = isAudio(imageUrl);
-  const isItImage = !isItAVideo && !isItAudio;
-
   return (
-    <div className={`flex flex-col ${className}`}>
+    <div ref={cardRef} className={`flex flex-col ${className}`}>
       <div className="relative w-full" style={{ paddingBottom: '100%' }}>
         <div
           className={classNames('absolute inset-0 rounded-t-lg shadow-md bg-gray-900', {
@@ -148,11 +217,11 @@ const DatasetImageCard: React.FC<DatasetImageCardProps> = ({
           {isItAudio && showAudioPlayer && (
             <AudioPlayer src={`/api/img/${encodeURIComponent(imageUrl)}`} title={imageUrl.replace(/^.*[\\/]/, '')} />
           )}
-          {isItImage && (
+          {isItImage && blobUrl && (
             <img
-              src={`/api/img/${encodeURIComponent(imageUrl)}`}
+              src={blobUrl}
               alt={alt}
-              onLoad={handleLoad}
+              decoding="async"
               onClick={onImageClick}
               className={classNames('w-full h-full object-contain transition-opacity duration-300', {
                 'opacity-100': loaded,
diff --git a/ui/src/components/SampleImageCard.tsx b/ui/src/components/SampleImageCard.tsx
index a801f69e..2da2f295 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/SampleImageCard.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/SampleImageCard.tsx
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ const SampleImageCard: React.FC<SampleImageCardProps> = ({
   const videoRef = useRef<HTMLVideoElement | null>(null);
   const [isVisible, setIsVisible] = useState(false);
   const [loaded, setLoaded] = useState(false);
+  const [blobUrl, setBlobUrl] = useState<string | null>(null);
+
+  const isItAudio = isAudio(imageUrl);
+  const isItVideo = isVideo(imageUrl);
+  const isImageType = !isItAudio && !isItVideo;
 
   // Observe both enter and exit
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -56,9 +61,44 @@ const SampleImageCard: React.FC<SampleImageCardProps> = ({
     return () => observer.disconnect();
   }, [observerRoot, rootMargin]);
 
-  const handleLoad = () => setLoaded(true);
+  // Drive image loads through fetch + AbortController so scrolling past actually
+  // cancels in-flight requests (browsers don't reliably cancel <img> fetches when
+  // the element unmounts). A short debounce skips requests entirely during fast
+  // scrolls where the card is only briefly visible.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isImageType) return;
+    if (!isVisible) return;
 
-  const isImageType = !isAudio(imageUrl) && !isVideo(imageUrl);
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    let cancelled = false;
+    let objectUrl: string | null = null;
+
+    const timer = window.setTimeout(() => {
+      fetch(`/api/img/${encodeURIComponent(imageUrl)}`, { signal: controller.signal })
+        .then(r => {
+          if (!r.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${r.status}`);
+          return r.blob();
+        })
+        .then(blob => {
+          if (cancelled) return;
+          objectUrl = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
+          setBlobUrl(objectUrl);
+          setLoaded(true);
+        })
+        .catch(err => {
+          if (err?.name !== 'AbortError') console.error('Sample image fetch failed:', err);
+        });
+    }, 80);
+
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+      clearTimeout(timer);
+      controller.abort();
+      if (objectUrl) URL.revokeObjectURL(objectUrl);
+      setBlobUrl(null);
+      setLoaded(false);
+    };
+  }, [isVisible, isImageType, imageUrl]);
 
   return (
     <div className={`flex flex-col ${className}`}>
@@ -69,7 +109,7 @@ const SampleImageCard: React.FC<SampleImageCardProps> = ({
           }`}
         >
           {isVisible ? (
-            isAudio(imageUrl) ? (
+            isItAudio ? (
               <div className="w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center bg-gray-900">
                 <img
                   src={`/api/audio/art/${encodeURIComponent(imageUrl)}`}
@@ -80,31 +120,28 @@ const SampleImageCard: React.FC<SampleImageCardProps> = ({
                   }}
                 />
               </div>
-            ) : isVideo(imageUrl) ? (
+            ) : isItVideo ? (
               <video
                 ref={videoRef}
                 src={`/api/img/${encodeURIComponent(imageUrl)}`}
                 className="w-full h-full object-cover"
                 preload="none"
-                onLoad={handleLoad}
                 playsInline
                 muted
                 loop
                 autoPlay
                 controls={false}
               />
-            ) : (
+            ) : blobUrl ? (
               <img
-                src={`/api/img/${encodeURIComponent(imageUrl)}`}
+                src={blobUrl}
                 alt={alt}
-                onLoad={handleLoad}
-                loading="lazy"
                 decoding="async"
                 className={`w-full h-full object-cover transition-opacity duration-300 ${
                   loaded ? 'opacity-100' : 'opacity-0'
                 }`}
               />
-            )
+            ) : null
           ) : null}
 
           {children && isVisible && <div className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center">{children}</div>}
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useCaptionBatch.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/useCaptionBatch.tsx
index 03791fe3..a0cb1960 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/useCaptionBatch.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useCaptionBatch.tsx
@@ -46,13 +46,33 @@ async function flush() {
   if (pending.size > 0) scheduleFlush();
 }
 
-function requestCaption(path: string): Promise<string> {
+function requestCaption(path: string, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<string> {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    if (signal?.aborted) {
+      reject(new DOMException('Aborted', 'AbortError'));
+      return;
+    }
+    const resolver: Resolver = { resolve, reject };
     const list = pending.get(path);
     if (list) {
-      list.push({ resolve, reject });
+      list.push(resolver);
     } else {
-      pending.set(path, [{ resolve, reject }]);
+      pending.set(path, [resolver]);
+    }
+    if (signal) {
+      const onAbort = () => {
+        // Remove this resolver from the pending batch. If no other card is
+        // still waiting on the same path, drop the path entirely so the next
+        // batch doesn't include it.
+        const arr = pending.get(path);
+        if (arr) {
+          const idx = arr.indexOf(resolver);
+          if (idx >= 0) arr.splice(idx, 1);
+          if (arr.length === 0) pending.delete(path);
+        }
+        reject(new DOMException('Aborted', 'AbortError'));
+      };
+      signal.addEventListener('abort', onAbort, { once: true });
     }
     scheduleFlush();
   });
@@ -91,22 +111,24 @@ export default function useCaptionBatch(imgPath: string | null, refreshKey: numb
     }
 
     let cancelled = false;
+    const controller = new AbortController();
     lastPathRef.current = imgPath;
     setIsLoaded(false);
-    requestCaption(imgPath)
+    requestCaption(imgPath, controller.signal)
       .then(value => {
         if (cancelled || lastPathRef.current !== imgPath) return;
         setCaption(value);
         setIsLoaded(true);
       })
       .catch(err => {
-        if (cancelled) return;
+        if (err?.name === 'AbortError' || cancelled) return;
         console.error('Error fetching caption:', err);
         setIsLoaded(true);
       });
 
     return () => {
       cancelled = true;
+      controller.abort();
     };
   }, [imgPath, refreshKey]);