diff --git a/web/src/components/PieceList.tsx b/web/src/components/PieceList.tsx
index f9f55167..8e0c058d 100644
--- a/web/src/components/PieceList.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/PieceList.tsx
@@ -442,8 +442,26 @@ const PieceList = (props: PieceListProps) => {
   }, [onLoadMore]);
   const sentinelRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
 
+  // Declare masonry geometry here so masonryWidth is in scope for the sentinel
+  // effect below. The positioner useMemo further down still consumes these same
+  // values — nothing else in the component changes.
+  const windowHeight = useWindowHeight();
+  const masonryRef = useRef<HTMLElement | null>(null);
+  const columnWidth = isMobile
+    ? MASONRY_COLUMN_WIDTH_MOBILE
+    : MASONRY_COLUMN_WIDTH_DESKTOP;
+  const { width: masonryWidth, offset: masonryOffset } = useContainerPosition(
+    masonryRef,
+    [isMobile],
+  );
+
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!hasMore) return;
+    // When masonryWidth is 0 the ResizeObserver hasn't fired yet: the masonry
+    // grid hasn't rendered so the sentinel sits at top≈0. Calling check() at
+    // that point fires onLoadMore before any cards are visible, triggering an
+    // immediate second-page fetch and the resulting flash. Defer until the
+    // container has a real width so the sentinel is at its true position.
+    if (!hasMore || masonryWidth === 0) return;
     function check() {
       const sentinel = sentinelRef.current;
       if (!sentinel) return;
@@ -453,7 +471,7 @@ const PieceList = (props: PieceListProps) => {
     window.addEventListener("scroll", check, { passive: true });
     check();
     return () => window.removeEventListener("scroll", check);
-  }, [hasMore]);
+  }, [hasMore, masonryWidth]);
 
   const availableTags = useMemo(() => {
     const deduped = new Map<string, TagEntry>();
@@ -505,15 +523,6 @@ const PieceList = (props: PieceListProps) => {
   }, [activeFilters, activeTagIds, activeTags]);
 
   const hasActiveFilters = activeFilters.length > 0 || activeTagIds.length > 0;
-  const windowHeight = useWindowHeight();
-  const masonryRef = useRef<HTMLElement | null>(null);
-  const columnWidth = isMobile
-    ? MASONRY_COLUMN_WIDTH_MOBILE
-    : MASONRY_COLUMN_WIDTH_DESKTOP;
-  const { width: masonryWidth, offset: masonryOffset } = useContainerPosition(
-    masonryRef,
-    [isMobile],
-  );
   const positioner = useMemo(() => {
     const [computedColumnWidth, computedColumnCount] = getMasonryColumns(
       masonryWidth,
diff --git a/web/src/components/__tests__/PieceList.test.tsx b/web/src/components/__tests__/PieceList.test.tsx
index eb85ffa3..8f30bf28 100644
--- a/web/src/components/__tests__/PieceList.test.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/__tests__/PieceList.test.tsx
@@ -1209,4 +1209,40 @@ describe("PieceList", () => {
       ).toContain("background-color: transparent");
     });
   });
+
+  describe("scroll sentinel", () => {
+    it("does not call onLoadMore while the masonry container width is unmeasured", async () => {
+      // Regression for #734: with the pre-fix code, the sentinel effect fires
+      // check() immediately on mount regardless of masonryWidth. At that moment
+      // masonryWidth=0 (ResizeObserver hasn't fired), the sentinel element sits
+      // at top≈0 in the unmeasured document, and check() calls onLoadMore before
+      // any cards are visible — fetching page 2 prematurely and causing the flash.
+      //
+      // The fix adds masonryWidth to the effect's deps and guards with
+      // `if (masonryWidth === 0) return`, so the effect is a no-op until the
+      // container has been measured.
+      //
+      // We let the event loop run (setTimeout) so React's MessageChannel-based
+      // scheduler has time to fire the mount effect before we assert.
+      mockContainerPosition.width = 0;
+      const onLoadMore = vi.fn();
+      const firstPage = Array.from({ length: 16 }, (_, i) =>
+        makePiece({ id: `piece-${i}` }),
+      );
+      const router = createMemoryRouter(
+        [
+          {
+            path: "/",
+            element: (
+              <PieceList pieces={firstPage} onLoadMore={onLoadMore} hasMore />
+            ),
+          },
+        ],
+        { initialEntries: ["/"] },
+      );
+      render(<RouterProvider router={router} />);
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 50));
+      expect(onLoadMore).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
 });