diff --git a/html/logo-bg-dark.jpg b/html/logo-bg-dark.jpg
index 7ca8c71dc..713b5e57e 100644
Binary files a/html/logo-bg-dark.jpg and b/html/logo-bg-dark.jpg differ
diff --git a/html/logo-bg-light.jpg b/html/logo-bg-light.jpg
index 401e5d794..3c7405dd4 100644
Binary files a/html/logo-bg-light.jpg and b/html/logo-bg-light.jpg differ
diff --git a/javascript/loader.js b/javascript/loader.js
index 1c838ce98..9563fd308 100644
--- a/javascript/loader.js
+++ b/javascript/loader.js
@@ -1,19 +1,43 @@
-async function createSplash() {
-  const dark = window.matchMedia && window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches;
-  const num = Math.floor(Math.random() * 7) + 1;
-  const splash = `
-    <div id="splash" class="splash" style="background: ${dark ? 'black' : 'white'}">
-      <div class="loading"><div class="loader"></div></div>
-      <div class="splash-img" alt="logo" style="background-image: url(file=html/logo-bg-${dark ? 'dark' : 'light'}.jpg), url(file=html/logo-bg-${num}.jpg); background-blend-mode: ${dark ? 'darken' : 'lighten'}"></div>
-    </div>`;
-  document.body.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', splash);
-  console.log('createSplash', { 'system-theme': dark ? 'dark' : 'light' });
-}
-
-async function removeSplash() { // called at the end of setHints
-  const splash = document.getElementById('splash');
-  if (splash) splash.remove();
-  console.log('removeSplash');
-}
-
-window.onload = createSplash;
+async function preloadImages() {
+  const dark = window.matchMedia && window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches;
+  const imagePromises = [];
+  const num = Math.floor(Math.random() * 7) + 1;
+  const imageUrls = [
+    `file=html/logo-bg-${dark ? 'dark' : 'light'}.jpg`,
+    `file=html/logo-bg-${num}.jpg`
+  ];
+  for (const url of imageUrls) {
+    const img = new Image();
+    const promise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      img.onload = resolve;
+      img.onerror = reject;
+    });
+    img.src = url;
+    imagePromises.push(promise);
+  }
+  try {
+    await Promise.all(imagePromises);
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Error preloading images:', error);
+  }
+}
+
+async function createSplash() {
+  await preloadImages(); 
+  const dark = window.matchMedia && window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches;
+  const num = Math.floor(Math.random() * 7) + 1;
+  const splash = `
+    <div id="splash" class="splash" style="background: ${dark ? 'black' : 'white'}">
+      <div class="loading"><div class="loader"></div></div>
+      <div class="splash-img" alt="logo" style="background-image: url(file=html/logo-bg-${dark ? 'dark' : 'light'}.jpg), url(file=html/logo-bg-${num}.jpg); background-blend-mode: ${dark ? 'darken' : 'lighten'}"></div>
+    </div>`;
+  document.body.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', splash);
+  console.log('createSplash', dark);
+}
+async function removeSplash() {
+  const splash = document.getElementById('splash');
+  if (splash) splash.remove();
+  console.log('removeSplash');
+}
+
+window.onload = createSplash;