diff --git a/android/app/src/main/res/values-night-v31/styles.xml b/android/app/src/main/res/values-night-v31/styles.xml
index 52d1073e..a801c54b 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/res/values-night-v31/styles.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/res/values-night-v31/styles.xml
@@ -15,6 +15,6 @@
          
          This Theme is only used starting with V2 of Flutter's Android embedding. -->
     <style name="NormalTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Black.NoTitleBar">
-        <item name="android:windowBackground">?android:colorBackground</item>
+        <item name="android:windowBackground">@android:color/black</item>
     </style>
 </resources>
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/res/values-night/styles.xml b/android/app/src/main/res/values-night/styles.xml
index dbc9ea9f..a3496baf 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/res/values-night/styles.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/res/values-night/styles.xml
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@
 
          This Theme is only used starting with V2 of Flutter's Android embedding. -->
     <style name="NormalTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Black.NoTitleBar">
-        <item name="android:windowBackground">?android:colorBackground</item>
+        <item name="android:windowBackground">@android:color/black</item>
     </style>
 </resources>
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/res/values-v31/styles.xml b/android/app/src/main/res/values-v31/styles.xml
index a6497f85..c71b5755 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/res/values-v31/styles.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/res/values-v31/styles.xml
@@ -15,6 +15,6 @@
          
          This Theme is only used starting with V2 of Flutter's Android embedding. -->
     <style name="NormalTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Light.NoTitleBar">
-        <item name="android:windowBackground">?android:colorBackground</item>
+        <item name="android:windowBackground">@android:color/black</item>
     </style>
 </resources>
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml b/android/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml
index 0d1fa8fc..ec261ecd 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@
 
          This Theme is only used starting with V2 of Flutter's Android embedding. -->
     <style name="NormalTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Light.NoTitleBar">
-        <item name="android:windowBackground">?android:colorBackground</item>
+        <item name="android:windowBackground">@android:color/black</item>
     </style>
 </resources>
diff --git a/lib/main.dart b/lib/main.dart
index ad8f8130..51477a6a 100644
--- a/lib/main.dart
+++ b/lib/main.dart
@@ -13,37 +13,52 @@ import 'package:spark/src/core/utils/logging/riverpod_logger.dart';
 import 'package:spark/src/sprk_app.dart';
 
 void main() async {
-  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
+  final binding = WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
+  binding.deferFirstFrame();
+  var didAllowFirstFrame = false;
 
-  await dotenv.load();
-  SystemChrome.setPreferredOrientations([
-    DeviceOrientation.portraitUp,
-    DeviceOrientation.portraitDown,
-  ]);
+  void allowFirstFrame() {
+    if (didAllowFirstFrame) {
+      return;
+    }
+    didAllowFirstFrame = true;
+    binding.allowFirstFrame();
+  }
 
-  await SystemChrome.setEnabledSystemUIMode(SystemUiMode.edgeToEdge);
-  SystemChrome.setSystemUIOverlayStyle(AppTheme.darkSystemUiStyle);
+  try {
+    await dotenv.load();
+    await SystemChrome.setPreferredOrientations([
+      DeviceOrientation.portraitUp,
+      DeviceOrientation.portraitDown,
+    ]);
 
-  fvp.registerWith();
+    await SystemChrome.setEnabledSystemUIMode(SystemUiMode.edgeToEdge);
+    SystemChrome.setSystemUIOverlayStyle(AppTheme.darkSystemUiStyle);
 
-  await initServiceLocator();
+    fvp.registerWith();
 
-  // Setup logging for production/debug
-  _setupLogging();
+    await initServiceLocator();
 
-  // Initialize auth repository
-  await _initializeAuth();
+    // Setup logging for production/debug
+    _setupLogging();
 
-  // Create a ProviderContainer with the Riverpod logger
-  final container = riverpod.ProviderContainer(
-    observers: [SparkRiverpodLogger()],
-  );
-  runApp(
-    riverpod.UncontrolledProviderScope(
-      container: container,
-      child: const SprkApp(),
-    ),
-  );
+    // Initialize auth repository
+    await _initializeAuth();
+
+    // Create a ProviderContainer with the Riverpod logger
+    final container = riverpod.ProviderContainer(
+      observers: [SparkRiverpodLogger()],
+    );
+    runApp(
+      riverpod.UncontrolledProviderScope(
+        container: container,
+        child: SprkApp(onFirstRouteReady: allowFirstFrame),
+      ),
+    );
+  } catch (_) {
+    allowFirstFrame();
+    rethrow;
+  }
 }
 
 /// Setup logging framework based on environment
diff --git a/lib/src/sprk_app.dart b/lib/src/sprk_app.dart
index 2108cd13..0f3cc2d4 100644
--- a/lib/src/sprk_app.dart
+++ b/lib/src/sprk_app.dart
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ import 'package:spark/src/features/feed/providers/feed_provider.dart';
 import 'package:spark/src/features/settings/providers/settings_provider.dart';
 
 class SprkApp extends ConsumerStatefulWidget {
-  const SprkApp({super.key});
+  const SprkApp({required this.onFirstRouteReady, super.key});
+
+  final VoidCallback onFirstRouteReady;
 
   @override
   ConsumerState<SprkApp> createState() => _SprkAppState();
@@ -22,10 +24,12 @@ class SprkApp extends ConsumerStatefulWidget {
 class _SprkAppState extends ConsumerState<SprkApp> {
   final _appRouter = AppRouter();
   final SparkLogger _logger = GetIt.instance<LogService>().getLogger('SprkApp');
+  bool _didReleaseFirstFrame = false;
 
   @override
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
+    _appRouter.addListener(_releaseFirstFrameWhenRouteIsReady);
     // Register AppRouter globally for push notification navigation
     if (!GetIt.instance.isRegistered<AppRouter>()) {
       GetIt.instance.registerSingleton<AppRouter>(_appRouter);
@@ -39,6 +43,24 @@ class _SprkAppState extends ConsumerState<SprkApp> {
     });
   }
 
+  @override
+  void dispose() {
+    _appRouter.removeListener(_releaseFirstFrameWhenRouteIsReady);
+    super.dispose();
+  }
+
+  void _releaseFirstFrameWhenRouteIsReady() {
+    if (_didReleaseFirstFrame || !_appRouter.hasEntries) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    _didReleaseFirstFrame = true;
+    _appRouter.removeListener(_releaseFirstFrameWhenRouteIsReady);
+    WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
+      widget.onFirstRouteReady();
+    });
+  }
+
   Future<void> _initializeApp() async {
     try {
       _logger.d('Syncing user preferences from server...');
@@ -89,6 +111,7 @@ class _SprkAppState extends ConsumerState<SprkApp> {
         return supportedLocales.first;
       },
       routerConfig: _appRouter.config(
+        placeholder: (_) => const ColoredBox(color: Colors.black),
         navigatorObservers: () => [
           PosthogObserver(nameExtractor: _postHogScreenName),
         ],