diff --git a/web/src/lib/auth.svelte.ts b/web/src/lib/auth.svelte.ts
index 7bb38808d..115dd858e 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/auth.svelte.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/auth.svelte.ts
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ export type AuthState =
 	| { kind: "logged-out" }
 	| { kind: "loading"; did: Did | null; profile: AuthProfile | null }
 	| { kind: "authenticating" }
-	| { kind: "profile-loading"; agent: OAuthUserAgent; did: Did }
+	| { kind: "profile-loading"; agent: OAuthUserAgent; did: Did; profile: AuthProfile | null }
 	| { kind: "authenticated"; agent: OAuthUserAgent; profile: AuthProfile }
 	| {
 			kind: "failed";
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ export const createAuth = (
 	const hydrateProfile = async (did: Did, nextAgent: OAuthUserAgent) => {
 		const resolved = await resolveProfile(did, bobbinUrl);
 		if (state.kind !== "profile-loading" || state.agent !== nextAgent) return;
-		const nextProfile = resolved ?? { did, handle: did };
+		const nextProfile = resolved ?? state.profile ?? { did, handle: did };
 		state = { kind: "authenticated", agent: nextAgent, profile: nextProfile };
 		const meta = upsertAccount(loadAccounts(), {
 			did,
@@ -256,9 +256,16 @@ export const createAuth = (
 		const nextAgent = new OAuthUserAgent(session);
 		const did = nextAgent.sub as Did;
 		otherAgents.delete(did);
-		state = { kind: "profile-loading", agent: nextAgent, did };
+		const previous = currentProfile();
 		const known = loadAccounts().find((account) => account.did === did);
-		persistActive(did, known?.handle ?? did);
+		const handle = known?.handle ?? (previous?.did === did ? previous.handle : null);
+		state = {
+			kind: "profile-loading",
+			agent: nextAgent,
+			did,
+			profile: handle ? { did, handle } : null
+		};
+		persistActive(did, handle ?? did);
 		void hydrateProfile(did, nextAgent);
 	};
 
@@ -475,7 +482,7 @@ export const createAuth = (
 		get resolving() {
 			return (
 				state.kind === "authenticating" ||
-				state.kind === "profile-loading" ||
+				(state.kind === "profile-loading" && state.profile === null) ||
 				(state.kind === "loading" && state.did === null)
 			);
 		},