diff --git a/analysis_options.yaml b/analysis_options.yaml
index 5dd5f4c..4169792 100644
--- a/analysis_options.yaml
+++ b/analysis_options.yaml
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ analyzer:
     - "**/*.freezed.dart"
     - "lib/firebase_options.dart"
     - "build/**"
+    - android/**
+    - ios/**
+    - web/**
 
 linter:
   rules:
diff --git a/lib/api/marianumcloud/talk/share_files_to_chat.dart b/lib/api/marianumcloud/talk/share_files_to_chat.dart
index 9409e39..9be0faa 100644
--- a/lib/api/marianumcloud/talk/share_files_to_chat.dart
+++ b/lib/api/marianumcloud/talk/share_files_to_chat.dart
@@ -1,10 +1,35 @@
+import 'package:nextcloud/nextcloud.dart';
+
 import '../files_sharing/file_sharing_api.dart';
 import '../files_sharing/file_sharing_api_params.dart';
+import '../webdav/webdav_api.dart';
 
 /// WebDAV folder under which Talk-shared files are uploaded before being
 /// linked into a chat.
 const String talkShareFolder = 'MarianumMobile';
 
+Future<void>? _shareFolderReady;
+
+/// Creates [talkShareFolder] if it is missing, at most once per session — the
+/// folder is permanent, so every later upload would just pay a round trip to
+/// be told it already exists (WebDAV answers MKCOL on an existing collection
+/// with 405, which is the normal case here and must not surface as an error).
+Future<void> ensureTalkShareFolder() =>
+    _shareFolderReady ??= _createTalkShareFolder();
+
+Future<void> _createTalkShareFolder() async {
+  try {
+    final webdav = await WebdavApi.webdav;
+    await webdav.mkcol(PathUri.parse('/$talkShareFolder'));
+  } on DynamiteApiException catch (e) {
+    // Anything but "already exists" leaves the folder unconfirmed, so the next
+    // upload has to try again.
+    if (e.statusCode != 405) _shareFolderReady = null;
+  } catch (_) {
+    _shareFolderReady = null;
+  }
+}
+
 /// Posts each already-uploaded WebDAV path as a Talk share (ShareType 10) to
 /// the given conversation token. Calls run concurrently — the server accepts
 /// parallel posts and the picker UI is blocked anyway, so we shouldn't pay
diff --git a/lib/routing/app_routes.dart b/lib/routing/app_routes.dart
index fb26356..63232c6 100644
--- a/lib/routing/app_routes.dart
+++ b/lib/routing/app_routes.dart
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_bloc/flutter_bloc.dart';
 import 'package:persistent_bottom_nav_bar_v2/persistent_bottom_nav_bar_v2.dart';
-import 'package:url_launcher/url_launcher_string.dart';
 
 import '../api/marianumcloud/talk/room/get_room_response.dart';
 import '../api/marianumconnect/marianumconnect_endpoint.dart';
@@ -18,6 +17,7 @@ import '../state/app/modules/app_modules.dart';
 import '../state/app/modules/chat/bloc/chat_bloc.dart';
 import '../state/app/modules/chat_list/bloc/chat_list_bloc.dart';
 import '../state/app/modules/marianum_message/bloc/marianum_message_state.dart';
+import '../utils/url_opener.dart';
 import '../view/login/nextcloud_login_flow_page.dart';
 import '../view/pages/files/files.dart';
 import '../view/pages/files/sharing/sharee_picker_page.dart';
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ class AppRoutes {
       openTickerPage(context, slug: slug);
       return;
     }
-    unawaited(openExternalUrl(href));
+    unawaited(UrlOpener.openUrl(href));
   }
 
   /// Extracts the ticker page slug from a link that points at another ticker
@@ -250,24 +250,13 @@ class AppRoutes {
     return Uri.decodeComponent(rest);
   }
 
-  /// Launches an external URL, restricted to safe schemes (http/https/mailto/tel).
-  static Future<void> openExternalUrl(String url) async {
-    final uri = Uri.tryParse(url);
-    if (uri == null) return;
-    const allowed = {'http', 'https', 'mailto', 'tel'};
-    if (!allowed.contains(uri.scheme.toLowerCase())) return;
-    if (await canLaunchUrlString(url)) {
-      await launchUrlString(url, mode: LaunchMode.externalApplication);
-    }
-  }
-
   /// Opens a possibly site-relative web URL (e.g. the ticker `webUrl`) by
   /// prefixing the active Marianum-Connect base URL when needed.
   static Future<void> openWebUrl(String relativeOrAbsolute) {
     if (relativeOrAbsolute.startsWith('http')) {
-      return openExternalUrl(relativeOrAbsolute);
+      return UrlOpener.openUrl(relativeOrAbsolute);
     }
-    return openExternalUrl(
+    return UrlOpener.openUrl(
       '${MarianumConnectEndpoint.current()}$relativeOrAbsolute',
     );
   }
diff --git a/lib/utils/url_opener.dart b/lib/utils/url_opener.dart
index 24164cd..5091fbd 100644
--- a/lib/utils/url_opener.dart
+++ b/lib/utils/url_opener.dart
@@ -1,12 +1,35 @@
-import 'package:flutter_linkify/flutter_linkify.dart';
-import 'package:url_launcher/url_launcher_string.dart';
+import 'dart:developer';
 
+import 'package:flutter_linkify/flutter_linkify.dart';
+import 'package:url_launcher/url_launcher.dart';
+
+/// Single entry point for opening links that come from outside the app (chat
+/// messages, ticker content, emergency notices).
 class UrlOpener {
+  /// Schemes we hand to the platform. Message content is user supplied, so
+  /// anything that could address another app directly stays out.
+  static const _allowedSchemes = {'http', 'https', 'mailto', 'tel'};
+
   static Future<void> onOpen(LinkableElement link) => openUrl(link.url);
 
   static Future<void> openUrl(String url) async {
-    if (await canLaunchUrlString(url)) {
-      await launchUrlString(url);
+    final uri = Uri.tryParse(url);
+    if (uri == null || !_allowedSchemes.contains(uri.scheme.toLowerCase())) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // externalApplication first: it hands the link to the app that owns it
+    // (YouTube, Maps, the mail client) instead of iOS' in-app Safari sheet,
+    // which throws a PlatformException whenever its load fails.
+    for (final mode in const [
+      LaunchMode.externalApplication,
+      LaunchMode.platformDefault,
+    ]) {
+      try {
+        if (await launchUrl(uri, mode: mode)) return;
+      } catch (e) {
+        log('launching $uri as $mode failed: $e');
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/view/login/nextcloud_login_flow_page.dart b/lib/view/login/nextcloud_login_flow_page.dart
index bcd784f..57d1aed 100644
--- a/lib/view/login/nextcloud_login_flow_page.dart
+++ b/lib/view/login/nextcloud_login_flow_page.dart
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import '../../api/errors/error_mapper.dart';
 import '../../api/marianumcloud/app_password/delete_app_password.dart';
 import '../../api/marianumcloud/login_flow/login_flow_api.dart';
 import '../../model/account_data.dart';
-import '../../routing/app_routes.dart';
+import '../../utils/url_opener.dart';
 import '../../widget/app_progress_indicator.dart';
 
 /// Die beiden Durchläufe des Login Flow v2: Der erste liefert das allgemeine
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class _NextcloudLoginFlowPageState extends State<NextcloudLoginFlowPage>
       setState(() => _flow = flow);
       _startedAt = DateTime.now();
       _timer = Timer.periodic(_pollInterval, (_) => _poll());
-      unawaited(AppRoutes.openExternalUrl(flow.loginUrl));
+      unawaited(UrlOpener.openUrl(flow.loginUrl));
     } catch (e) {
       if (!mounted) return;
       setState(() => _error = errorToUserMessage(e));
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ class _NextcloudLoginFlowPageState extends State<NextcloudLoginFlowPage>
                       FilledButton.icon(
                         icon: const Icon(Icons.open_in_browser),
                         onPressed: () =>
-                            unawaited(AppRoutes.openExternalUrl(flow.loginUrl)),
+                            unawaited(UrlOpener.openUrl(flow.loginUrl)),
                         label: Text(
                           isTalkStep
                               ? 'Freigabe im Browser bestätigen'
diff --git a/lib/view/pages/files/sharing/sharee_picker_page.dart b/lib/view/pages/files/sharing/sharee_picker_page.dart
index e2d347d..803f541 100644
--- a/lib/view/pages/files/sharing/sharee_picker_page.dart
+++ b/lib/view/pages/files/sharing/sharee_picker_page.dart
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ import '../../../../api/errors/error_mapper.dart';
 import '../../../../api/marianumcloud/autocomplete/autocomplete_api.dart';
 import '../../../../api/marianumcloud/autocomplete/autocomplete_response.dart';
 import '../../../../api/marianumcloud/files_sharing/queries/share/share.dart';
-import '../../../../model/endpoint_data.dart';
 import '../../../../utils/debouncer.dart';
 import '../../../../utils/haptics.dart';
 import '../../../../widget/app_progress_indicator.dart';
+import '../../../../widget/user_avatar.dart';
 
 /// Result of [ShareePickerPage]: a recipient to create a share for.
 class ShareeRef {
@@ -209,16 +209,11 @@ class _ShareePickerPageState extends State<ShareePickerPage> {
 
   Widget _resultTile(AutocompleteResponseObject object) {
     final isGroup = shareTypeFromSource(object.source) == kShareTypeGroup;
+    // Nextcloud groups are not Talk rooms, so UserAvatar's group URL does not
+    // apply to them — they keep a plain icon.
     final leading = isGroup
         ? const CircleAvatar(child: Icon(Icons.groups_outlined))
-        : CircleAvatar(
-            foregroundImage: Image.network(
-              'https://${EndpointData().nextcloud().full()}/avatar/${object.id}/128',
-            ).image,
-            backgroundColor: Theme.of(context).primaryColor,
-            foregroundColor: Colors.white,
-            child: const Icon(Icons.person),
-          );
+        : UserAvatar(id: object.id, semanticLabel: object.label);
     return ListTile(
       leading: leading,
       title: Text(object.label),
diff --git a/lib/view/pages/share_intent/share_chat_picker.dart b/lib/view/pages/share_intent/share_chat_picker.dart
index f1199fb..905ebd9 100644
--- a/lib/view/pages/share_intent/share_chat_picker.dart
+++ b/lib/view/pages/share_intent/share_chat_picker.dart
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import 'dart:async';
 
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_bloc/flutter_bloc.dart';
-import 'package:nextcloud/nextcloud.dart';
 import 'package:persistent_bottom_nav_bar_v2/persistent_bottom_nav_bar_v2.dart';
 
 import '../../../api/errors/error_mapper.dart';
@@ -10,7 +9,6 @@ import '../../../api/marianumcloud/talk/room/get_room_response.dart';
 import '../../../api/marianumcloud/talk/send_message/send_message.dart';
 import '../../../api/marianumcloud/talk/send_message/send_message_params.dart';
 import '../../../api/marianumcloud/talk/share_files_to_chat.dart';
-import '../../../api/marianumcloud/webdav/webdav_api.dart';
 import '../../../routing/app_routes.dart';
 import '../../../share_intent/pending_share.dart';
 import '../../../share_intent/remote_file_ref.dart';
@@ -137,12 +135,7 @@ Future<void> _externalShareFlow(
   PendingShare share,
 ) async {
   if (share.hasFiles) {
-    try {
-      final webdav = await WebdavApi.webdav;
-      await webdav.mkcol(PathUri.parse('/$talkShareFolder'));
-    } catch (_) {
-      // mkcol throws when the folder already exists; ignore.
-    }
+    await ensureTalkShareFolder();
     if (!context.mounted) return;
     await pushScreen(
       context,
diff --git a/lib/view/pages/talk/details/chat_info.dart b/lib/view/pages/talk/details/chat_info.dart
index 776b2ea..58a2880 100644
--- a/lib/view/pages/talk/details/chat_info.dart
+++ b/lib/view/pages/talk/details/chat_info.dart
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class _ChatInfoState extends State<ChatInfo> {
     GetParticipantsCache(
       chatToken: widget.room.token,
       onUpdate: (GetParticipantsResponse data) {
+        if (!mounted) return;
         setState(() {
           participants = data;
         });
diff --git a/lib/view/pages/talk/widgets/chat_textfield.dart b/lib/view/pages/talk/widgets/chat_textfield.dart
index 0473bcf..f1b05f4 100644
--- a/lib/view/pages/talk/widgets/chat_textfield.dart
+++ b/lib/view/pages/talk/widgets/chat_textfield.dart
@@ -2,14 +2,12 @@ import 'dart:async';
 
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_bloc/flutter_bloc.dart';
-import 'package:nextcloud/nextcloud.dart';
 import 'package:persistent_bottom_nav_bar_v2/persistent_bottom_nav_bar_v2.dart';
 
 import '../../../../api/marianumcloud/talk/room/get_room_response.dart';
 import '../../../../api/marianumcloud/talk/send_message/send_message.dart';
 import '../../../../api/marianumcloud/talk/send_message/send_message_params.dart';
 import '../../../../api/marianumcloud/talk/share_files_to_chat.dart';
-import '../../../../api/marianumcloud/webdav/webdav_api.dart';
 import '../../../../state/app/modules/chat/bloc/chat_bloc.dart';
 import '../../../../state/app/modules/chat/bloc/chat_state.dart';
 import '../../../../state/app/modules/settings/bloc/settings_cubit.dart';
@@ -68,11 +66,7 @@ class _ChatTextfieldState extends State<ChatTextfield> {
   Future<void> mediaUpload(List<String>? paths) async {
     if (paths == null) return;
 
-    unawaited(
-      WebdavApi.webdav.then(
-        (webdav) => webdav.mkcol(PathUri.parse('/$talkShareFolder')),
-      ),
-    );
+    unawaited(ensureTalkShareFolder());
 
     if (!mounted) return;
     unawaited(
@@ -113,6 +107,7 @@ class _ChatTextfieldState extends State<ChatTextfield> {
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
     settings = context.read<SettingsCubit>();
+    _loadDraft();
     final draftReply = settings
         .val()
         .talkSettings
@@ -122,6 +117,24 @@ class _ChatTextfieldState extends State<ChatTextfield> {
     }
   }
 
+  @override
+  void didUpdateWidget(covariant ChatTextfield oldWidget) {
+    super.didUpdateWidget(oldWidget);
+    // The state survives a room switch in the split view, so the draft has to
+    // follow the new token. Every edit persists through _setDraft, so the
+    // outgoing room's draft is already stored at this point.
+    if (oldWidget.sendToToken != widget.sendToToken) _loadDraft();
+  }
+
+  /// Seeds the field from the stored draft. Only ever called on mount and on a
+  /// room switch: `TextEditingController.text` resets selection and composing,
+  /// so doing this per build would drop the cursor position, any active text
+  /// selection and a running IME composition on every chat update.
+  void _loadDraft() {
+    _textBoxController.text =
+        settings.val().talkSettings.drafts[widget.sendToToken] ?? '';
+  }
+
   @override
   void dispose() {
     // Defer to end-of-frame: resetting the shared notifier synchronously during
@@ -263,8 +276,6 @@ class _ChatTextfieldState extends State<ChatTextfield> {
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    _textBoxController.text =
-        settings.val().talkSettings.drafts[widget.sendToToken] ?? '';
     final chatBloc = context.watch<ChatBloc>();
     final chatState = chatBloc.state.data;
 
diff --git a/lib/view/pages/ticker/ticker_view.dart b/lib/view/pages/ticker/ticker_view.dart
index 1fec050..5b1ce6d 100644
--- a/lib/view/pages/ticker/ticker_view.dart
+++ b/lib/view/pages/ticker/ticker_view.dart
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import '../../../state/app/infrastructure/utility_widgets/loadable_hydrated_bloc
 import '../../../state/app/modules/ticker/bloc/ticker_bloc.dart';
 import '../../../state/app/modules/ticker/bloc/ticker_state.dart';
 import '../../../theming/app_theme.dart';
+import '../../../utils/url_opener.dart';
 import '../../../widget/details_bottom_sheet.dart';
 import '../../../widget/placeholder_view.dart';
 import '../../../widget/prosemirror/pm_json_view.dart';
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@ class _TickerScaffoldState extends State<TickerScaffold> {
   void _openRedirect(TickerNavPage page) {
     final url = page.externalUrl;
     if (url != null && url.isNotEmpty) {
-      unawaited(AppRoutes.openExternalUrl(url));
+      unawaited(UrlOpener.openUrl(url));
     }
   }
 
@@ -262,7 +263,7 @@ class _TickerScaffoldState extends State<TickerScaffold> {
       _ensureBackEntry();
       return;
     }
-    unawaited(AppRoutes.openExternalUrl(href));
+    unawaited(UrlOpener.openUrl(href));
   }
 
   String? _titleForSlug(String slug) {
diff --git a/lib/view/pages/ticker/widgets/ticker_page_body.dart b/lib/view/pages/ticker/widgets/ticker_page_body.dart
index 86b9f13..ba64c1a 100644
--- a/lib/view/pages/ticker/widgets/ticker_page_body.dart
+++ b/lib/view/pages/ticker/widgets/ticker_page_body.dart
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import '../../../../state/app/modules/ticker/bloc/ticker_page_bloc.dart';
 import '../../../../state/app/modules/ticker/bloc/ticker_page_state.dart';
 import '../../../../state/app/modules/ticker/repository/ticker_page_repository.dart';
 import '../../../../theming/app_theme.dart';
+import '../../../../utils/url_opener.dart';
 import '../../../../widget/app_progress_indicator.dart';
 import '../../../../widget/placeholder_view.dart';
 import '../../../../widget/prosemirror/pm_json_view.dart';
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ class _TickerPageContentState extends State<_TickerPageContent> {
           _redirected = true;
           WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
             if (!mounted) return;
-            if (url != null && url.isNotEmpty) AppRoutes.openExternalUrl(url);
+            if (url != null && url.isNotEmpty) UrlOpener.openUrl(url);
             widget.onRedirect?.call();
           });
         }
diff --git a/lib/widget/confirm_dialog.dart b/lib/widget/confirm_dialog.dart
index 256146f..3bf3105 100644
--- a/lib/widget/confirm_dialog.dart
+++ b/lib/widget/confirm_dialog.dart
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
-import 'package:url_launcher/url_launcher.dart';
 
 import '../utils/haptics.dart';
+import '../utils/url_opener.dart';
 import 'async_action_button.dart';
 
 class ConfirmDialog extends StatelessWidget {
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ class ConfirmDialog extends StatelessWidget {
         title: 'Link öffnen',
         content: 'Möchtest du den folgenden Link öffnen?\n$url',
         confirmButton: 'Öffnen',
-        onConfirm: () =>
-            launchUrl(Uri.parse(url), mode: LaunchMode.externalApplication),
+        onConfirm: () => UrlOpener.openUrl(url),
       ),
     );
   }
diff --git a/lib/widget/emergency/emergency_notice_gate.dart b/lib/widget/emergency/emergency_notice_gate.dart
index 527fc7c..b1c7430 100644
--- a/lib/widget/emergency/emergency_notice_gate.dart
+++ b/lib/widget/emergency/emergency_notice_gate.dart
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ import 'dart:async';
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_bloc/flutter_bloc.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_markdown_plus/flutter_markdown_plus.dart';
-import 'package:url_launcher/url_launcher_string.dart';
 
 import '../../api/emergency/emergency_notice.dart';
 import '../../api/emergency/emergency_notice_client.dart';
 import '../../state/app/modules/settings/bloc/settings_cubit.dart';
+import '../../utils/url_opener.dart';
 
 /// Wraps the app and surfaces a backend-independent emergency notice on cold
 /// start and resume. Renders [child] unchanged and only overlays a dialog when
@@ -80,9 +80,7 @@ class _EmergencyNoticeDialog extends StatelessWidget {
 
   Future<void> _openLink(String? href) async {
     if (href == null) return;
-    if (await canLaunchUrlString(href)) {
-      await launchUrlString(href);
-    }
+    await UrlOpener.openUrl(href);
   }
 
   @override
diff --git a/lib/widget/large_profile_picture_view.dart b/lib/widget/large_profile_picture_view.dart
index 40e9be1..42f0c84 100644
--- a/lib/widget/large_profile_picture_view.dart
+++ b/lib/widget/large_profile_picture_view.dart
@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_svg/flutter_svg.dart';
 import 'package:photo_view/photo_view.dart';
 
-import '../model/account_data.dart';
+import '../api/errors/error_mapper.dart';
 import 'a11y/a11y_labels.dart';
+import 'app_progress_indicator.dart';
+import 'placeholder_view.dart';
 import 'user_avatar.dart';
 
-class LargeProfilePictureView extends StatelessWidget {
+/// Full-screen avatar. Loads the bytes itself instead of handing the URL to an
+/// [ImageProvider]: Nextcloud and Spreed serve generated avatars as SVG, which
+/// no codec can decode ("Invalid image data") — those get an [SvgPicture]
+/// instead of the zoomable [PhotoView].
+class LargeProfilePictureView extends StatefulWidget {
   final String id;
   final bool isGroup;
 
@@ -15,24 +22,73 @@ class LargeProfilePictureView extends StatelessWidget {
     super.key,
   });
 
+  @override
+  State<LargeProfilePictureView> createState() =>
+      _LargeProfilePictureViewState();
+}
+
+class _LargeProfilePictureViewState extends State<LargeProfilePictureView> {
+  late Future<AvatarPayload?> _payload;
+
+  @override
+  void initState() {
+    super.initState();
+    _payload = loadAvatarPayload(
+      id: widget.id,
+      isGroup: widget.isGroup,
+      size: 1024,
+    );
+  }
+
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    final label = isGroup ? A11yLabels.groupPicture : A11yLabels.profilePicture;
+    final label = widget.isGroup
+        ? A11yLabels.groupPicture
+        : A11yLabels.profilePicture;
+    final background = Theme.of(context).colorScheme.surface;
+
     return Scaffold(
       appBar: AppBar(title: Text(label)),
       body: Semantics(
         image: true,
         label: label,
-        child: PhotoView(
-          minScale: 0.5,
-          maxScale: 3.0,
-          imageProvider: Image.network(
-            avatarUrl(id: id, isGroup: isGroup, size: 1024),
-            headers: {'Authorization': AccountData().getBasicAuthHeader()},
-          ).image,
-          backgroundDecoration: BoxDecoration(
-            color: Theme.of(context).colorScheme.surface,
-          ),
+        child: FutureBuilder<AvatarPayload?>(
+          future: _payload,
+          builder: (context, snapshot) {
+            if (snapshot.connectionState != ConnectionState.done) {
+              return const Center(child: AppProgressIndicator.large());
+            }
+            final payload = snapshot.data;
+            if (snapshot.hasError) {
+              return PlaceholderView(
+                icon: Icons.broken_image_outlined,
+                text: errorToUserMessage(snapshot.error),
+              );
+            }
+            // No avatar on the server — the same icon the small avatar shows.
+            if (payload == null) {
+              return PlaceholderView(
+                icon: widget.isGroup ? Icons.group : Icons.person,
+                text: 'Kein Bild hinterlegt.',
+              );
+            }
+            if (payload.isSvg) {
+              return ColoredBox(
+                color: background,
+                child: InteractiveViewer(
+                  minScale: 0.5,
+                  maxScale: 3,
+                  child: SvgPicture.memory(payload.bytes, fit: BoxFit.contain),
+                ),
+              );
+            }
+            return PhotoView(
+              minScale: 0.5,
+              maxScale: 3.0,
+              imageProvider: MemoryImage(payload.bytes),
+              backgroundDecoration: BoxDecoration(color: background),
+            );
+          },
         ),
       ),
     );
diff --git a/lib/widget/route_transition_gate.dart b/lib/widget/route_transition_gate.dart
index b606893..6b2c42d 100644
--- a/lib/widget/route_transition_gate.dart
+++ b/lib/widget/route_transition_gate.dart
@@ -14,6 +14,15 @@ import 'app_progress_indicator.dart';
 /// subtree for [placeholder] for the duration of any transition; the status
 /// listener fires before that frame's layout, so the fragile subtree is gone
 /// before the new transform lays out.
+///
+/// On top of that the gate always yields one idle post-frame (`_settled`)
+/// before mounting [builder], whether or not a route animation ran. A
+/// `RenderTransform` is a `RenderProxyBox` and only takes its size *after*
+/// laying out its child, so during that first pass `size` throws — and route
+/// transitions are not the only source of a fresh transform: `PersistentTabView`
+/// wraps every tab screen in an animated `Transform.translate` and builds a tab
+/// lazily on first activation, which is how the ticker's in-place PDF pages hit
+/// the same window with no route animation in sight.
 class RouteTransitionGate extends StatefulWidget {
   const RouteTransitionGate({super.key, required this.builder, this.placeholder});
 
@@ -31,6 +40,11 @@ class _RouteTransitionGateState extends State<RouteTransitionGate> {
   Animation<double>? _animation;
   Animation<double>? _secondaryAnimation;
 
+  /// Becomes true one idle post-frame after the last transition ended; only
+  /// then is [RouteTransitionGate.builder] safe to mount (see class doc).
+  bool _settled = false;
+  bool _settleScheduled = false;
+
   @override
   void didChangeDependencies() {
     super.didChangeDependencies();
@@ -68,15 +82,32 @@ class _RouteTransitionGateState extends State<RouteTransitionGate> {
       status == AnimationStatus.forward || status == AnimationStatus.reverse;
 
   void _onAnimationStatus(AnimationStatus status) {
-    if (mounted) setState(() {});
+    if (!mounted) return;
+    // A (re)starting transition invalidates the settled state; it has to be
+    // re-earned once the transition finishes.
+    setState(() {
+      if (_transitioning) _settled = false;
+    });
+  }
+
+  void _scheduleSettle() {
+    if (_settleScheduled) return;
+    _settleScheduled = true;
+    WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
+      _settleScheduled = false;
+      if (mounted && !_transitioning && !_settled) {
+        setState(() => _settled = true);
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    if (_transitioning) {
-      return widget.placeholder ??
-          const Center(child: AppProgressIndicator.large());
+    if (!_transitioning) {
+      if (_settled) return widget.builder(context);
+      _scheduleSettle();
     }
-    return widget.builder(context);
+    return widget.placeholder ??
+        const Center(child: AppProgressIndicator.large());
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/widget/user_avatar.dart b/lib/widget/user_avatar.dart
index 4a43e09..3db7fb8 100644
--- a/lib/widget/user_avatar.dart
+++ b/lib/widget/user_avatar.dart
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_svg/flutter_svg.dart';
 import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;
 
+import '../api/http_errors.dart';
 import '../model/account_data.dart';
 import '../model/endpoint_data.dart';
 import '../push/push_avatar.dart';
@@ -41,14 +42,17 @@ class UserAvatar extends StatefulWidget {
   State<UserAvatar> createState() => _UserAvatarState();
 }
 
-class _AvatarPayload {
+/// Raw avatar bytes plus the one bit callers need to render them: Nextcloud
+/// and Spreed answer with SVG for generated (never uploaded) avatars, which no
+/// `ImageProvider` can decode.
+class AvatarPayload {
   final Uint8List bytes;
   final bool isSvg;
-  _AvatarPayload(this.bytes, this.isSvg);
+  AvatarPayload(this.bytes, this.isSvg);
 }
 
 class _AvatarCacheEntry {
-  final _AvatarPayload? payload;
+  final AvatarPayload? payload;
   final DateTime fetchedAt;
   _AvatarCacheEntry(this.payload, this.fetchedAt);
 }
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ const Duration _kAvatarCacheTtl = Duration(minutes: 30);
 // Pending map dedups concurrent mounts onto a single HTTP call.
 final LinkedHashMap<String, _AvatarCacheEntry> _resolvedAvatars =
     LinkedHashMap<String, _AvatarCacheEntry>();
-final Map<String, Future<_AvatarPayload?>> _pendingAvatars = {};
+final Map<String, Future<AvatarPayload?>> _pendingAvatars = {};
 
 // Bumped by invalidateAvatarCache so *already mounted* avatars re-resolve.
 // Clearing the cache map alone only affects future mounts — a UserAvatar
@@ -79,6 +83,118 @@ String avatarUrl({required String id, required bool isGroup, int size = 512}) {
   return 'https://$host/avatar/$id/$size';
 }
 
+/// Resolves an avatar through the shared caches: in-memory first, then disk,
+/// then the network — the fetch being deduped across every concurrent caller
+/// and written back to both caches.
+///
+/// Returns `null` when the server has no avatar (HTTP 404) and throws on a
+/// transient failure, so callers can keep whatever they already show.
+Future<AvatarPayload?> loadAvatarPayload({
+  required String id,
+  required bool isGroup,
+  int size = 512,
+}) async {
+  final url = avatarUrl(id: id, isGroup: isGroup, size: size);
+  final cached = _readAvatarCache(url);
+  if (cached != null) return cached.payload;
+
+  final diskBytes = await AvatarDiskCache.instance.read(
+    id: id,
+    isGroup: isGroup,
+    size: size,
+  );
+  if (diskBytes != null) {
+    final payload = _payloadFromBytes(diskBytes);
+    _writeAvatarCache(url, payload);
+    return payload;
+  }
+
+  final payload = await _fetchDeduped(url);
+  _commitAvatar(url, id: id, isGroup: isGroup, size: size, payload: payload);
+  return payload;
+}
+
+/// Shares one in-flight request per URL across all callers.
+Future<AvatarPayload?> _fetchDeduped(String url) =>
+    _pendingAvatars.putIfAbsent(url, () {
+      final future = _fetchAvatarPayload(url);
+      // Cleanup hangs off an error-neutralised copy: whenComplete on `future`
+      // itself returns a second future that forwards the error unawaited.
+      unawaited(
+        future.then<void>((_) {}, onError: (_) {}).whenComplete(() {
+          if (identical(_pendingAvatars[url], future)) {
+            _pendingAvatars.remove(url);
+          }
+        }),
+      );
+      return future;
+    });
+
+/// Persists a resolved result to the in-memory and disk caches.
+void _commitAvatar(
+  String url, {
+  required String id,
+  required bool isGroup,
+  required int size,
+  required AvatarPayload? payload,
+}) {
+  _writeAvatarCache(url, payload);
+  if (payload != null) {
+    unawaited(
+      AvatarDiskCache.instance.write(
+        id: id,
+        isGroup: isGroup,
+        size: size,
+        bytes: payload.bytes,
+      ),
+    );
+  } else {
+    unawaited(AvatarDiskCache.instance.evict(id: id, isGroup: isGroup));
+  }
+}
+
+/// Returns the avatar bytes, `null` for a definitive miss (HTTP 404 — no
+/// avatar exists), or throws on a transient error (offline, non-200) so the
+/// caller keeps the cached picture instead of blanking it.
+Future<AvatarPayload?> _fetchAvatarPayload(String url) async {
+  final response = await sendGuarded(
+    'Avatar $url',
+    () => http.get(
+      Uri.parse(url),
+      headers: {
+        ...AccountData().authHeaders(),
+        'Accept': 'image/png,image/jpeg,image/webp,image/svg+xml',
+      },
+    ),
+  );
+  if (response == null) return null;
+  if (response.statusCode == 404) return null;
+  if (response.statusCode != 200 || response.bodyBytes.isEmpty) {
+    throwForStatus(
+      response.statusCode,
+      httpErrorDetail('Avatar $url', response.body, response.statusCode),
+    );
+  }
+
+  final contentType = response.headers['content-type']?.toLowerCase() ?? '';
+  final bytes = response.bodyBytes;
+  final isSvg = contentType.contains('svg') || _looksLikeSvg(bytes);
+  return AvatarPayload(bytes, isSvg);
+}
+
+AvatarPayload _payloadFromBytes(Uint8List bytes) =>
+    AvatarPayload(bytes, _looksLikeSvg(bytes));
+
+bool _looksLikeSvg(Uint8List bytes) {
+  final head = utf8
+      .decode(
+        bytes.sublist(0, bytes.length < 256 ? bytes.length : 256),
+        allowMalformed: true,
+      )
+      .trimLeft();
+  return head.startsWith('<?xml') || head.startsWith('<svg');
+}
+
 /// Drops cached avatar bytes so the next mount re-fetches from the server.
 /// Call after the app uploaded or removed an avatar — without this the
 /// 30-min TTL would mask the change for the rest of the session.
@@ -122,7 +238,7 @@ _AvatarCacheEntry? _readAvatarCache(String url) {
   return entry;
 }
 
-void _writeAvatarCache(String url, _AvatarPayload? payload) {
+void _writeAvatarCache(String url, AvatarPayload? payload) {
   _resolvedAvatars.remove(url);
   _resolvedAvatars[url] = _AvatarCacheEntry(payload, DateTime.now());
   while (_resolvedAvatars.length > _kAvatarCacheMax) {
@@ -131,7 +247,7 @@ void _writeAvatarCache(String url, _AvatarPayload? payload) {
 }
 
 class _UserAvatarState extends State<UserAvatar> {
-  _AvatarPayload? _payload;
+  AvatarPayload? _payload;
 
   @override
   void initState() {
@@ -228,30 +344,16 @@ class _UserAvatarState extends State<UserAvatar> {
       }
     }
 
-    final pending = _pendingAvatars.putIfAbsent(url, () {
-      final future = _fetch(url);
-      // Cleanup hangs off an error-neutralised copy: whenComplete on `future`
-      // itself returns a second future that forwards the error unawaited.
-      unawaited(
-        future.then<void>((_) {}, onError: (_) {}).whenComplete(() {
-          if (identical(_pendingAvatars[url], future)) {
-            _pendingAvatars.remove(url);
-          }
-        }),
-      );
-      return future;
-    });
-
-    _AvatarPayload? fresh;
+    AvatarPayload? fresh;
     try {
-      fresh = await pending;
+      fresh = await _fetchDeduped(url);
     } on Object {
       // Transient failure (offline, 5xx). Keep showing the cached picture; the
       // next mount retries. Deliberately no null-cache so we don't mask it.
       return;
     }
 
-    _commit(url, id, isGroup, size, fresh);
+    _commitAvatar(url, id: id, isGroup: isGroup, size: size, payload: fresh);
     if (!mounted || _url() != url) return;
     if (fresh == null) {
       // HTTP 404 — the avatar was removed server-side. Fall back to the icon.
@@ -261,69 +363,11 @@ class _UserAvatarState extends State<UserAvatar> {
     }
   }
 
-  // Persists a resolved result to the in-memory and disk caches. Uses the
-  // captured subject (not widget.*) so a recycled widget can't misfile bytes.
-  void _commit(
-    String url,
-    String id,
-    bool isGroup,
-    int size,
-    _AvatarPayload? payload,
-  ) {
-    _writeAvatarCache(url, payload);
-    if (payload != null) {
-      unawaited(
-        AvatarDiskCache.instance.write(
-          id: id,
-          isGroup: isGroup,
-          size: size,
-          bytes: payload.bytes,
-        ),
-      );
-    } else {
-      unawaited(AvatarDiskCache.instance.evict(id: id, isGroup: isGroup));
-    }
-  }
-
-  static _AvatarPayload _payloadFromBytes(Uint8List bytes) =>
-      _AvatarPayload(bytes, _looksLikeSvg(bytes));
-
-  static bool _sameBytes(_AvatarPayload? a, _AvatarPayload? b) {
+  static bool _sameBytes(AvatarPayload? a, AvatarPayload? b) {
     if (a == null || b == null) return a == b;
     return listEquals(a.bytes, b.bytes);
   }
 
-  /// Returns the avatar bytes, `null` for a definitive miss (HTTP 404 — no
-  /// avatar exists), or throws on a transient error (offline, non-200) so the
-  /// caller keeps the cached picture instead of blanking it.
-  Future<_AvatarPayload?> _fetch(String url) async {
-    final response = await http.get(
-      Uri.parse(url),
-      headers: {
-        'Authorization': AccountData().getBasicAuthHeader(),
-        'Accept': 'image/png,image/jpeg,image/webp,image/svg+xml',
-      },
-    );
-    if (response.statusCode == 404) return null;
-    if (response.statusCode != 200 || response.bodyBytes.isEmpty) {
-      throw Exception('avatar fetch failed: HTTP ${response.statusCode}');
-    }
-
-    final contentType = response.headers['content-type']?.toLowerCase() ?? '';
-    final bytes = response.bodyBytes;
-    final isSvg = contentType.contains('svg') || _looksLikeSvg(bytes);
-    return _AvatarPayload(bytes, isSvg);
-  }
-
-  static bool _looksLikeSvg(Uint8List bytes) {
-    final head = utf8
-        .decode(
-          bytes.sublist(0, bytes.length < 256 ? bytes.length : 256),
-          allowMalformed: true,
-        )
-        .trimLeft();
-    return head.startsWith('<?xml') || head.startsWith('<svg');
-  }
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index 76e89b2..ef2b2f1 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ description: Mobile client for Webuntis and Nextcloud with Talk integration
 
 publish_to: 'none'
 
-version: 1.5.4+64
+version: 1.5.5+65
 environment:
   sdk: ">=3.8.0 <4.0.0"
 
diff --git a/test/widget/route_transition_gate_test.dart b/test/widget/route_transition_gate_test.dart
index 1799723..1fc216b 100644
--- a/test/widget/route_transition_gate_test.dart
+++ b/test/widget/route_transition_gate_test.dart
@@ -83,4 +83,19 @@ void main() {
     expect(find.byKey(gated), findsOneWidget);
     expect(find.byKey(placeholder), findsNothing);
   });
+
+  testWidgets('holds the child back for one frame without a route animation', (
+    tester,
+  ) async {
+    // The tab case: no route animation ever runs, but the ancestors (and any
+    // freshly inserted tab-transition Transform) do their first layout in this
+    // very frame, so the fragile subtree must not be part of it.
+    await tester.pumpWidget(MaterialApp(home: gatedPage()));
+    expect(find.byKey(placeholder), findsOneWidget);
+    expect(find.byKey(gated), findsNothing);
+
+    await tester.pump();
+    expect(find.byKey(gated), findsOneWidget);
+    expect(find.byKey(placeholder), findsNothing);
+  });
 }