diff --git a/cockatrice/src/interface/widgets/visual_database_display/visual_database_display_widget.cpp b/cockatrice/src/interface/widgets/visual_database_display/visual_database_display_widget.cpp
index dc98e6940..b303b70c2 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/interface/widgets/visual_database_display/visual_database_display_widget.cpp
+++ b/cockatrice/src/interface/widgets/visual_database_display/visual_database_display_widget.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 #include <QHeaderView>
 #include <QScrollBar>
+#include <QShowEvent>
 #include <QStyledItemDelegate>
 #include <libcockatrice/card/card_info_comparator.h>
 #include <libcockatrice/card/database/card_database.h>
@@ -140,9 +141,6 @@ void VisualDatabaseDisplayWidget::initialize()
 {
     databaseLoadIndicator->setVisible(false);
 
-    filterContainer->initialize();
-    filterContainer->setVisible(true);
-
     searchContainer->addWidget(colorFilterWidget);
     searchContainer->addWidget(clearFilterWidget);
     searchContainer->addWidget(searchEdit);
@@ -158,17 +156,45 @@ void VisualDatabaseDisplayWidget::initialize()
 
     mainLayout->addWidget(cardSizeWidget);
 
-    databaseDisplayModel->setFilterTree(filterModel->filterTree());
-
     connect(filterModel, &FilterTreeModel::layoutChanged, this, &VisualDatabaseDisplayWidget::onSearchModelChanged);
 
-    loadCardsTimer = new QTimer(this);
-    loadCardsTimer->setSingleShot(true); // Ensure it only fires once after the timeout
+    initializeFilters();
+}
 
-    connect(loadCardsTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, [this]() { loadCurrentPage(); });
-    loadCardsTimer->start(5000);
+void VisualDatabaseDisplayWidget::initializeFilters()
+{
+    if (filtersInitialized || !isVisible()) {
+        return;
+    }
 
-    retranslateUi();
+    filtersInitialized = true;
+
+    // The filter toolbar builds its widgets by iterating the entire card database
+    // (per-set, per-main-type, per-sub-type and per-format buttons). Building it
+    // inside showEvent would block the tab switch, so keep it hidden and defer the
+    // build to the next event loop turn, letting the tab paint first.
+    filterContainer->setVisible(false);
+
+    QTimer::singleShot(0, this, [this] {
+        filterContainer->initialize();
+        filterContainer->setVisible(true);
+
+        databaseDisplayModel->setFilterTree(filterModel->filterTree());
+
+        loadCardsTimer = new QTimer(this);
+        loadCardsTimer->setSingleShot(true); // Ensure it only fires once after the timeout
+
+        connect(loadCardsTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, [this]() { loadCurrentPage(); });
+        loadCardsTimer->start(5000);
+
+        retranslateUi();
+    });
+}
+
+void VisualDatabaseDisplayWidget::showEvent(QShowEvent *event)
+{
+    QWidget::showEvent(event);
+    initializeFilters();
 }
 
 void VisualDatabaseDisplayWidget::retranslateUi()
@@ -292,9 +318,16 @@ void VisualDatabaseDisplayWidget::loadCurrentPage()
 {
     // Ensure only the initial page is loaded
     if (currentPage == 0) {
-        // Only load the first page initially
-        qCDebug(VisualDatabaseDisplayLog) << "Loading the first page";
-        populateCards();
+        if (!initialLoadScheduled) {
+            initialLoadScheduled = true;
+            qCDebug(VisualDatabaseDisplayLog) << "Loading the first page";
+            // Defer the first page so the tab switch stays responsive. The card
+            // grid builds one event loop turn later.
+            QTimer::singleShot(0, this, [this] {
+                initialLoadScheduled = false;
+                populateCards();
+            });
+        }
     } else if (nearEndOfPage()) {
         // If not the first page, just load the next page and append to the flow widget
         loadNextPage();
diff --git a/cockatrice/src/interface/widgets/visual_database_display/visual_database_display_widget.h b/cockatrice/src/interface/widgets/visual_database_display/visual_database_display_widget.h
index a383e8ead..16c12c0d5 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/interface/widgets/visual_database_display/visual_database_display_widget.h
+++ b/cockatrice/src/interface/widgets/visual_database_display/visual_database_display_widget.h
@@ -120,12 +120,16 @@ private:
     int debounceTime = 300; // in Ms
     int currentPage = 0;    // Current page index
     int cardsPerPage = 100; // Number of cards per page
+    bool filtersInitialized = false;
+    bool initialLoadScheduled = false;
 
+    void initializeFilters();
     void highlightAllSearchEdit();
     bool nearEndOfPage() const;
 
 protected:
     void resizeEvent(QResizeEvent *event) override;
+    void showEvent(QShowEvent *event) override;
 };
 
 #endif // VISUAL_DATABASE_DISPLAY_WIDGET_H