diff --git a/cmd/gotosocial/action/server/server.go b/cmd/gotosocial/action/server/server.go
index b43ed25a2..6bc27a7c4 100644
--- a/cmd/gotosocial/action/server/server.go
+++ b/cmd/gotosocial/action/server/server.go
@@ -351,11 +351,6 @@ var Start action.GTSAction = func(ctx context.Context) error {
 		intFilter,
 	)
 
-	// Preload our local user's streaming timeline caches.
-	if err := process.Timeline().Preload(ctx); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error preloading timelines: %w", err)
-	}
-
 	// Schedule background cleaning tasks.
 	if err := cleaner.ScheduleJobs(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error scheduling cleaner jobs: %w", err)
diff --git a/internal/cache/timeline/status.go b/internal/cache/timeline/status.go
index bf8c8f5df..0cf7e6deb 100644
--- a/internal/cache/timeline/status.go
+++ b/internal/cache/timeline/status.go
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ package timeline
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"maps"
 	"slices"
+	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 
 	"codeberg.org/gruf/go-structr"
@@ -68,181 +68,6 @@ type StatusMeta struct {
 	loaded *gtsmodel.Status
 }
 
-// StatusTimelines is a concurrency safe map of StatusTimeline{}
-// objects, optimizing *very heavily* for reads over writes.
-type StatusTimelines struct {
-	ptr atomic.Pointer[map[string]*StatusTimeline] // ronly except by CAS
-	cap int
-}
-
-// Init stores the given argument(s) such that any created StatusTimeline{}
-// objects by MustGet() will initialize them with the given arguments.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) Init(cap int) { t.cap = cap }
-
-// MustGet will attempt to fetch StatusTimeline{} stored under key, else creating one.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) MustGet(key string) *StatusTimeline {
-	var tt *StatusTimeline
-
-	for {
-		// Load current ptr.
-		cur := t.ptr.Load()
-
-		// Get timeline map to work on.
-		var m map[string]*StatusTimeline
-
-		if cur != nil {
-			// Look for existing
-			// timeline in cache.
-			tt = (*cur)[key]
-			if tt != nil {
-				return tt
-			}
-
-			// Get clone of current
-			// before modifications.
-			m = maps.Clone(*cur)
-		} else {
-			// Allocate new timeline map for below.
-			m = make(map[string]*StatusTimeline)
-		}
-
-		if tt == nil {
-			// Allocate new timeline.
-			tt = new(StatusTimeline)
-			tt.Init(t.cap)
-		}
-
-		// Store timeline
-		// in new map.
-		m[key] = tt
-
-		// Attempt to update the map ptr.
-		if !t.ptr.CompareAndSwap(cur, &m) {
-
-			// We failed the
-			// CAS, reloop.
-			continue
-		}
-
-		// Successfully inserted
-		// new timeline model.
-		return tt
-	}
-}
-
-// Delete will delete the stored StatusTimeline{} under key, if any.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) Delete(key string) {
-	for {
-		// Load current ptr.
-		cur := t.ptr.Load()
-
-		// Check for empty map / not in map.
-		if cur == nil || (*cur)[key] == nil {
-			return
-		}
-
-		// Get clone of current
-		// before modifications.
-		m := maps.Clone(*cur)
-
-		// Delete ID.
-		delete(m, key)
-
-		// Attempt to update the map ptr.
-		if !t.ptr.CompareAndSwap(cur, &m) {
-
-			// We failed the
-			// CAS, reloop.
-			continue
-		}
-
-		// Successfully
-		// deleted ID.
-		return
-	}
-}
-
-// RemoveByStatusIDs calls RemoveByStatusIDs() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) RemoveByStatusIDs(statusIDs ...string) {
-	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
-		for _, tt := range *p {
-			tt.RemoveByStatusIDs(statusIDs...)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// RemoveByAccountIDs calls RemoveByAccountIDs() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) RemoveByAccountIDs(accountIDs ...string) {
-	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
-		for _, tt := range *p {
-			tt.RemoveByAccountIDs(accountIDs...)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// UnprepareByStatusIDs calls UnprepareByStatusIDs() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) UnprepareByStatusIDs(statusIDs ...string) {
-	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
-		for _, tt := range *p {
-			tt.UnprepareByStatusIDs(statusIDs...)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// UnprepareByAccountIDs calls UnprepareByAccountIDs() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) UnprepareByAccountIDs(accountIDs ...string) {
-	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
-		for _, tt := range *p {
-			tt.UnprepareByAccountIDs(accountIDs...)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// Unprepare attempts to call UnprepareAll() for StatusTimeline{} under key.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) Unprepare(key string) {
-	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
-		if tt := (*p)[key]; tt != nil {
-			tt.UnprepareAll()
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// UnprepareAll calls UnprepareAll() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) UnprepareAll() {
-	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
-		for _, tt := range *p {
-			tt.UnprepareAll()
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// Trim calls Trim() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) Trim() {
-	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
-		for _, tt := range *p {
-			tt.Trim()
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// Clear attempts to call Clear() for StatusTimeline{} under key.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) Clear(key string) {
-	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
-		if tt := (*p)[key]; tt != nil {
-			tt.Clear()
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// ClearAll calls Clear() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
-func (t *StatusTimelines) ClearAll() {
-	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
-		for _, tt := range *p {
-			tt.Clear()
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 // StatusTimeline provides a concurrency-safe timeline
 // cache of status information. Internally only StatusMeta{}
 // objects are stored, and the statuses themselves are loaded
@@ -255,6 +80,9 @@ type StatusTimeline struct {
 	// primary-keyed by ID, with extra indices below.
 	cache structr.Timeline[*StatusMeta, string]
 
+	// ...
+	preload atomic.Pointer[any]
+
 	// fast-access cache indices.
 	idx_ID               *structr.Index //nolint:revive
 	idx_AccountID        *structr.Index //nolint:revive
@@ -320,6 +148,76 @@ func (t *StatusTimeline) Init(cap int) {
 	t.max = cap
 }
 
+func (t *StatusTimeline) startPreload(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	old *any, // old 'preload' ptr
+	loadPage func(page *paging.Page) ([]*gtsmodel.Status, error),
+	filter func(*gtsmodel.Status) (bool, error),
+) (
+	started bool,
+	err error,
+) {
+	// Optimistically setup a
+	// new waitgroup to set as
+	// the preload waiter.
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	wg.Add(1)
+	defer wg.Done()
+
+	// Wrap waitgroup in
+	// 'any' for pointer.
+	new := any(&wg)
+
+	// Attempt CAS operation to claim preload start.
+	started = t.preload.CompareAndSwap(old, &new)
+	if !started {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Begin the preload.
+	_, err = t.Preload(ctx,
+		loadPage,
+		filter,
+	)
+	return
+}
+
+func (t *StatusTimeline) checkPreload(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	loadPage func(page *paging.Page) ([]*gtsmodel.Status, error),
+	filter func(*gtsmodel.Status) (bool, error),
+) error {
+	for {
+		// Get preload state.
+		p := t.preload.Load()
+
+		if p == nil || *p == false {
+			// Timeline needs preloading, start this process.
+			ok, err := t.startPreload(ctx, p, loadPage, filter)
+
+			if !ok {
+				// Failed to acquire start,
+				// other thread beat us to it.
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// Return
+			// result.
+			return err
+		}
+
+		// Check for a preload currently in progress.
+		if wg, _ := (*p).(*sync.WaitGroup); wg != nil {
+			wg.Wait()
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Anything else means
+		// timeline is ready.
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // Preload ...
 func (t *StatusTimeline) Preload(
 	ctx context.Context,
@@ -336,6 +234,10 @@ func (t *StatusTimeline) Preload(
 		panic("nil load page func")
 	}
 
+	// Clear timeline
+	// before preload.
+	t.cache.Clear()
+
 	// Our starting, page at the top
 	// of the possible timeline.
 	page := new(paging.Page)
@@ -407,6 +309,12 @@ func (t *StatusTimeline) Preload(
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Mark timeline as preloaded.
+	old := t.preload.Swap(new(any))
+	if old != nil && *old != false {
+		log.Errorf(ctx, "BUG: invalid timeline preload state: %#v", *old)
+	}
+
 	return n, nil
 }
 
@@ -416,6 +324,8 @@ func (t *StatusTimeline) Preload(
 // database models before eventual return to the user. The
 // returned strings are the lo, hi ID paging values, used
 // for generation of next, prev page links in the response.
+
+// Load ...
 func (t *StatusTimeline) Load(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	page *paging.Page,
@@ -438,6 +348,14 @@ func (t *StatusTimeline) Load(
 	string, // hi
 	error,
 ) {
+	// Ensure timeline is loaded.
+	if err := t.checkPreload(ctx,
+		loadPage,
+		filter,
+	); err != nil {
+		return nil, "", "", err
+	}
+
 	// Get paging details.
 	lo := page.Min.Value
 	hi := page.Max.Value
@@ -867,8 +785,15 @@ func (t *StatusTimeline) UnprepareAll() {
 // trim from the bottom-up to prioritize streamed inserts.
 func (t *StatusTimeline) Trim() { t.cache.Trim(t.cut, structr.Asc) }
 
-// Clear will remove all cached entries from underlying timeline.
-func (t *StatusTimeline) Clear() { t.cache.Trim(0, structr.Desc) }
+// Clear will mark the entire timeline as requiring preload,
+// which will trigger a clear and reload of the entire thing.
+func (t *StatusTimeline) Clear() {
+	t.preload.Store(func() *any {
+		var b bool
+		a := any(b)
+		return &a
+	}())
+}
 
 // prepareStatuses takes a slice of cached (or, freshly loaded!) StatusMeta{}
 // models, and use given function to return prepared frontend API models.
diff --git a/internal/cache/timeline/status_map.go b/internal/cache/timeline/status_map.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e402883af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cache/timeline/status_map.go
@@ -0,0 +1,198 @@
+// GoToSocial
+// Copyright (C) GoToSocial Authors admin@gotosocial.org
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+package timeline
+
+import (
+	"maps"
+	"sync/atomic"
+)
+
+// StatusTimelines is a concurrency safe map of StatusTimeline{}
+// objects, optimizing *very heavily* for reads over writes.
+type StatusTimelines struct {
+	ptr atomic.Pointer[map[string]*StatusTimeline] // ronly except by CAS
+	cap int
+}
+
+// Init stores the given argument(s) such that any created StatusTimeline{}
+// objects by MustGet() will initialize them with the given arguments.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) Init(cap int) { t.cap = cap }
+
+// MustGet will attempt to fetch StatusTimeline{} stored under key, else creating one.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) MustGet(key string) *StatusTimeline {
+	var tt *StatusTimeline
+
+	for {
+		// Load current ptr.
+		cur := t.ptr.Load()
+
+		// Get timeline map to work on.
+		var m map[string]*StatusTimeline
+
+		if cur != nil {
+			// Look for existing
+			// timeline in cache.
+			tt = (*cur)[key]
+			if tt != nil {
+				return tt
+			}
+
+			// Get clone of current
+			// before modifications.
+			m = maps.Clone(*cur)
+		} else {
+			// Allocate new timeline map for below.
+			m = make(map[string]*StatusTimeline)
+		}
+
+		if tt == nil {
+			// Allocate new timeline.
+			tt = new(StatusTimeline)
+			tt.Init(t.cap)
+		}
+
+		// Store timeline
+		// in new map.
+		m[key] = tt
+
+		// Attempt to update the map ptr.
+		if !t.ptr.CompareAndSwap(cur, &m) {
+
+			// We failed the
+			// CAS, reloop.
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Successfully inserted
+		// new timeline model.
+		return tt
+	}
+}
+
+// Delete will delete the stored StatusTimeline{} under key, if any.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) Delete(key string) {
+	for {
+		// Load current ptr.
+		cur := t.ptr.Load()
+
+		// Check for empty map / not in map.
+		if cur == nil || (*cur)[key] == nil {
+			return
+		}
+
+		// Get clone of current
+		// before modifications.
+		m := maps.Clone(*cur)
+
+		// Delete ID.
+		delete(m, key)
+
+		// Attempt to update the map ptr.
+		if !t.ptr.CompareAndSwap(cur, &m) {
+
+			// We failed the
+			// CAS, reloop.
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Successfully
+		// deleted ID.
+		return
+	}
+}
+
+// RemoveByStatusIDs calls RemoveByStatusIDs() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) RemoveByStatusIDs(statusIDs ...string) {
+	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
+		for _, tt := range *p {
+			tt.RemoveByStatusIDs(statusIDs...)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// RemoveByAccountIDs calls RemoveByAccountIDs() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) RemoveByAccountIDs(accountIDs ...string) {
+	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
+		for _, tt := range *p {
+			tt.RemoveByAccountIDs(accountIDs...)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// UnprepareByStatusIDs calls UnprepareByStatusIDs() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) UnprepareByStatusIDs(statusIDs ...string) {
+	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
+		for _, tt := range *p {
+			tt.UnprepareByStatusIDs(statusIDs...)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// UnprepareByAccountIDs calls UnprepareByAccountIDs() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) UnprepareByAccountIDs(accountIDs ...string) {
+	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
+		for _, tt := range *p {
+			tt.UnprepareByAccountIDs(accountIDs...)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Unprepare attempts to call UnprepareAll() for StatusTimeline{} under key.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) Unprepare(key string) {
+	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
+		if tt := (*p)[key]; tt != nil {
+			tt.UnprepareAll()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// UnprepareAll calls UnprepareAll() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) UnprepareAll() {
+	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
+		for _, tt := range *p {
+			tt.UnprepareAll()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Trim calls Trim() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) Trim() {
+	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
+		for _, tt := range *p {
+			tt.Trim()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Clear attempts to call Clear() for StatusTimeline{} under key.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) Clear(key string) {
+	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
+		if tt := (*p)[key]; tt != nil {
+			tt.Clear()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// ClearAll calls Clear() for each of the stored StatusTimeline{}s.
+func (t *StatusTimelines) ClearAll() {
+	if p := t.ptr.Load(); p != nil {
+		for _, tt := range *p {
+			tt.Clear()
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/cache/timeline/status_test.go b/internal/cache/timeline/status_test.go
index 7e07bfc9c..99a2054ba 100644
--- a/internal/cache/timeline/status_test.go
+++ b/internal/cache/timeline/status_test.go
@@ -1,3 +1,20 @@
+// GoToSocial
+// Copyright (C) GoToSocial Authors admin@gotosocial.org
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
 package timeline
 
 import (
diff --git a/internal/processing/timeline/timeline.go b/internal/processing/timeline/timeline.go
index ed2bf7b90..fa21329d4 100644
--- a/internal/processing/timeline/timeline.go
+++ b/internal/processing/timeline/timeline.go
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import (
 	statusfilter "github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/filter/status"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/filter/usermute"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/filter/visibility"
-	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/gtscontext"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/gtserror"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/gtsmodel"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/id"
@@ -62,44 +61,6 @@ func New(state *state.State, converter *typeutils.Converter, visFilter *visibili
 	}
 }
 
-// Preload ...
-func (p *Processor) Preload(ctx context.Context) error {
-
-	// Get all of our local user accounts.
-	users, err := p.state.DB.GetAllUsers(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return gtserror.Newf("error getting users: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	for _, user := range users {
-		// Get associated account.
-		account := user.Account
-
-		// Preload this user account's home timeline cache.
-		if err := p.preloadHomeTimeline(ctx, account); err != nil {
-			return gtserror.Newf("error preloading home timeline: %w", err)
-		}
-
-		// Get all lists owned by this user account.
-		lists, err := p.state.DB.GetListsByAccountID(
-			gtscontext.SetBarebones(ctx),
-			account.ID,
-		)
-		if err != nil {
-			return gtserror.Newf("error getting account %s lists: %w", account.ID, err)
-		}
-
-		for _, list := range lists {
-			// Preload each of this user account's list timeline caches.
-			if err := p.preloadListTimeline(ctx, account, list); err != nil {
-				return gtserror.Newf("error preloading list timeline: %w", err)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
 func (p *Processor) getStatusTimeline(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	requester *gtsmodel.Account,