diff --git a/src/components/thread/ThreadView.tsx b/src/components/thread/ThreadView.tsx
index 4ca804d..a7da0c7 100644
--- a/src/components/thread/ThreadView.tsx
+++ b/src/components/thread/ThreadView.tsx
@@ -40,36 +40,42 @@ export function ThreadView() {
     let cancelled = false;
 
     async function loadThread() {
-      setLoading(true);
       setLoadError(null);
       setTree(null);
       setAncestors([]);
       setRootEvent(null);
       setShowRootReply(false);
 
+      // Show focused note immediately as a minimal tree (no waiting)
+      const minimalTree = buildThreadTree(focusedEvent.id, [focusedEvent]);
+      setRootEvent(focusedEvent);
+      setTree(minimalTree);
+      setLoading(false);
+
       try {
         // Ensure we have relay connectivity before fetching
         const connected = await ensureConnected();
         if (!connected && !cancelled) {
           setLoadError("No relay connections available. Check your network.");
+          return;
         }
 
         const rootId = getRootEventId(focusedEvent);
-        let root: NDKEvent;
+        let root: NDKEvent = focusedEvent;
         let fetchedAncestors: NDKEvent[] = [];
 
-        if (!rootId || rootId === focusedEvent.id) {
-          root = focusedEvent;
-        } else {
-          const fetched = await fetchNoteById(rootId);
+        if (rootId && rootId !== focusedEvent.id) {
+          // Fetch root and ancestors in parallel with thread replies
+          const [fetched, ancestorResult] = await Promise.all([
+            fetchNoteById(rootId),
+            fetchAncestors(focusedEvent),
+          ]);
           if (fetched) {
             root = fetched;
-            fetchedAncestors = await fetchAncestors(focusedEvent);
-            fetchedAncestors = fetchedAncestors.filter((a) => a.id !== root.id);
+            fetchedAncestors = ancestorResult.filter((a) => a.id !== root.id);
             if (!cancelled) setAncestors(fetchedAncestors);
-          } else {
-            root = focusedEvent;
-            if (!cancelled) setLoadError("Could not fetch the root note — relay may be slow.");
+          } else if (!cancelled) {
+            setLoadError("Could not fetch the root note — relay may be slow.");
           }
         }
 
@@ -80,7 +86,6 @@ export function ThreadView() {
         if (cancelled) return;
 
         // Build event list: root + thread replies + focused event + ancestors
-        // Always include focused event — relay may not return it in thread fetch
         const allEvents = [root, ...events.filter((e) => e.id !== root.id)];
         if (focusedEvent.id !== root.id && !allEvents.some((e) => e.id === focusedEvent.id)) {
           allEvents.push(focusedEvent);
@@ -93,16 +98,9 @@ export function ThreadView() {
 
         const built = buildThreadTree(root.id, allEvents);
         setTree(built);
-
-        // Warn if we got zero replies (possible timeout)
-        if (events.length === 0 && !loadError) {
-          console.warn("[Wrystr] Thread fetch returned 0 replies — possible timeout or empty thread");
-        }
       } catch (err) {
         console.error("Failed to load thread:", err);
         if (!cancelled) setLoadError(`Failed to load: ${err}`);
-      } finally {
-        if (!cancelled) setLoading(false);
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/nostr/core.ts b/src/lib/nostr/core.ts
index 0e516fd..efda371 100644
--- a/src/lib/nostr/core.ts
+++ b/src/lib/nostr/core.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export function withTimeout<T>(promise: Promise<T>, ms: number, fallback: T): Pr
 }
 
 export const FEED_TIMEOUT = 8000;    // 8s for feed fetches
-export const THREAD_TIMEOUT = 10000; // 10s per thread round-trip
+export const THREAD_TIMEOUT = 5000;  // 5s per thread round-trip
 export const SINGLE_TIMEOUT = 5000;  // 5s for single event lookups
 
 const EMPTY_SET = new Set<NDKEvent>();
diff --git a/src/lib/nostr/notes.ts b/src/lib/nostr/notes.ts
index 4981a5d..806a5d7 100644
--- a/src/lib/nostr/notes.ts
+++ b/src/lib/nostr/notes.ts
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ export async function fetchThreadEvents(rootId: string): Promise<NDKEvent[]> {
   return Array.from(allEvents.values());
 }
 
+const ANCESTOR_TIMEOUT = 2000; // 2s per parent — fail fast
+
 export async function fetchAncestors(event: NDKEvent, maxDepth = 5): Promise<NDKEvent[]> {
   const ancestors: NDKEvent[] = [];
   let current = event;
@@ -162,7 +164,10 @@ export async function fetchAncestors(event: NDKEvent, maxDepth = 5): Promise<NDK
       eTags[eTags.length - 1][1];
 
     if (!parentId) break;
-    const parent = await fetchNoteById(parentId);
+    const instance = getNDK();
+    const filter: NDKFilter = { ids: [parentId], limit: 1 };
+    const events = await fetchWithTimeout(instance, filter, ANCESTOR_TIMEOUT);
+    const parent = Array.from(events)[0] ?? null;
     if (!parent) break;
     ancestors.unshift(parent);
     current = parent;
diff --git a/src/stores/feed.ts b/src/stores/feed.ts
index f8cbc0e..b1c6a67 100644
--- a/src/stores/feed.ts
+++ b/src/stores/feed.ts
@@ -246,10 +246,11 @@ export const useFeedStore = create<FeedState>((set, get) => ({
           const eng = engagement.get(note.id) ?? { reactions: 0, replies: 0, zapSats: 0 };
           const ageHours = (now - (note.created_at ?? now)) / 3600;
           const decay = 1 / (1 + ageHours * 0.15);
-          const score = (eng.reactions * 1 + eng.replies * 3 + eng.zapSats * 0.01) * decay;
+          const engScore = eng.reactions * 1 + eng.replies * 3 + eng.zapSats * 0.01;
+          // Base recency score ensures notes appear even when engagement data times out
+          const score = (engScore + 0.1) * decay;
           return { note, score };
         })
-        .filter((s) => s.score > 0)
         .sort((a, b) => b.score - a.score)
         .slice(0, 50)
         .map((s) => s.note);