diff --git a/DeepDrftPublic/Components/App.razor b/DeepDrftPublic/Components/App.razor
index aa85458..f27747e 100644
--- a/DeepDrftPublic/Components/App.razor
+++ b/DeepDrftPublic/Components/App.razor
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
     <link rel="stylesheet" href="@Assets["_content/MudBlazor/MudBlazor.min.css"]" />
     <link rel="stylesheet" href="@Assets["DeepDrftPublic.styles.css"]"/>
     <link rel="stylesheet" href="@Assets["_content/DeepDrftShared.Client/styles/deepdrft-tokens.css"]" />
+    <link rel="stylesheet" href="@Assets["_content/DeepDrftShared.Client/css/parallax.css"]" />
     <link rel="stylesheet" href="@Assets["styles/deepdrft-styles.css"]" />
     <ImportMap />
     <link rel="icon" type="image/ico" href="deepdrft-logo.ico" />
diff --git a/DeepDrftShared.Client/Components/ParallaxImage.razor.cs b/DeepDrftShared.Client/Components/ParallaxImage.razor.cs
index b114191..cfa0488 100644
--- a/DeepDrftShared.Client/Components/ParallaxImage.razor.cs
+++ b/DeepDrftShared.Client/Components/ParallaxImage.razor.cs
@@ -87,11 +87,11 @@ public abstract class ParallaxImageBase : ComponentBase, IAsyncDisposable
     private string? _handle;
 
     // --parallax-from/--parallax-to are inherited custom properties read by the
-    // CSS @keyframes parallax-pan (scroll-driven animation on .parallax-window).
-    // They encode ParallaxSpeed and InvertDirection. --parallax-pos itself is
-    // never set inline — an inline value would beat the CSS animation in the
-    // cascade and defeat the pre-WASM scroll-driven parallax. JS sets it inline
-    // only after WASM boots, transparently taking over (inline > animation).
+    // CSS @keyframes parallax-pan, which animates background-position-y on each
+    // .layer (scroll-driven, pre-WASM). They encode ParallaxSpeed and
+    // InvertDirection. After WASM boots, parallax.js sets data-parallax-active to
+    // cancel that animation and drives background-position-y on the layers
+    // directly — a clean handoff with no competing writers.
     private string ParallaxVars()
     {
         var end = (int)Math.Round(ParallaxSpeed * 100);
diff --git a/DeepDrftShared.Client/Components/ParallaxImage.razor.css b/DeepDrftShared.Client/Components/ParallaxImage.razor.css
deleted file mode 100644
index be7f4bb..0000000
--- a/DeepDrftShared.Client/Components/ParallaxImage.razor.css
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,87 +0,0 @@
-@property --parallax-pos {
-    syntax: '<percentage>';
-    inherits: true;
-    initial-value: 0%;
-}
-
-.parallax-window {
-    position: relative;
-    overflow: hidden;
-    height: var(--window-height, 300px);
-    width: 100%;
-}
-
-.parallax-window.full-width {
-    width: 100vw;
-    position: relative;
-    left: 50%;
-    right: 50%;
-    margin-left: -50vw;
-    margin-right: -50vw;
-}
-
-.layer {
-    position: absolute;
-    top: 0;
-    left: 0;
-    right: 0;
-    bottom: 0;
-    background-repeat: no-repeat;
-    background-position: 50% var(--parallax-pos, 50%);
-}
-
-.layer-1 {
-    opacity: 1;
-}
-
-.layer-2 {
-    opacity: 0;
-    transition: opacity 700ms ease;
-}
-
-.parallax-window:hover .layer-2 {
-    opacity: 1;
-}
-
-/*
- * Cascade interaction for --parallax-pos:
- *
- * Before WASM (SSR / hydration):
- *   @property initial-value: 0%
- *   → CSS animation (view timeline) overrides → correct position from scroll
- *
- * After WASM (JS running):
- *   JS element.style.setProperty('--parallax-pos', ...) [inline style]
- *   → inline style beats animation → JS takes over seamlessly
- *
- * prefers-reduced-motion:
- *   animation: none → @property initial-value 0% used → static image
- *   JS also skips scroll listener
- */
-@supports (animation-timeline: view()) {
-    @keyframes parallax-pan {
-        from { --parallax-pos: var(--parallax-from, 0%); }
-        to   { --parallax-pos: var(--parallax-to, 0%); }
-    }
-
-    .parallax-window {
-        animation: parallax-pan linear both;
-        animation-timeline: view();
-    }
-
-    @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-        .parallax-window {
-            animation: none;
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-    .parallax-window {
-        --parallax-pos: 0%;
-    }
-
-    .layer-2 {
-        transition-duration: 0ms;
-    }
-}
diff --git a/DeepDrftShared.Client/Interop/parallax/parallax.ts b/DeepDrftShared.Client/Interop/parallax/parallax.ts
index 5a708d1..bd40a6f 100644
--- a/DeepDrftShared.Client/Interop/parallax/parallax.ts
+++ b/DeepDrftShared.Client/Interop/parallax/parallax.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
  * parallax - scroll-driven background-position panning for ParallaxImage.
  *
  * Single Responsibility: own the parallax math and scroll/observer lifecycle.
- * Blazor owns the component lifecycle and calls register/unregister; this module
- * writes only the `--parallax-pos` CSS custom property — never concrete style.
+ * Blazor owns the component lifecycle and calls register/unregister. When the
+ * IntersectionObserver fires and JS attaches the scroll listener, this module
+ * sets data-parallax-active and immediately primes background-position-y —
+ * atomically cancelling the pre-WASM CSS animation and writing the correct
+ * position in the same turn, so there is no flash at the handoff.
  */
 
 interface RegisterOptions {
@@ -44,7 +47,12 @@ function applyParallax(handle: Handle): void {
     progress = clamp(progress, 0, 1);
 
     const pos = progress * clamp(options.speed, 0, 1) * 100;
-    element.style.setProperty('--parallax-pos', `${pos}%`);
+    // Write background-position-y on each layer directly — the same property the
+    // pre-WASM CSS animation drives (now cancelled via data-parallax-active).
+    const layers = element.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(':scope > .layer');
+    for (const layer of layers) {
+        layer.style.backgroundPositionY = `${pos}%`;
+    }
 }
 
 function attachScrollListener(handle: Handle): void {
@@ -60,7 +68,8 @@ function attachScrollListener(handle: Handle): void {
 
     handle.scrollListener = listener;
     window.addEventListener('scroll', listener, { passive: true });
-    // Prime position immediately so entry isn't a frame behind the first scroll.
+    // Cancel CSS animation and prime position atomically — no gap where neither drives.
+    handle.element.setAttribute('data-parallax-active', '');
     applyParallax(handle);
 }
 
@@ -140,6 +149,7 @@ export function unregister(handleId: string): void {
     if (!handle) return;
 
     detachScrollListener(handle);
+    handle.element.removeAttribute('data-parallax-active');
     handle.observer.disconnect();
     handle.resizeObserver?.disconnect();
     handles.delete(handleId);
diff --git a/DeepDrftShared.Client/wwwroot/css/parallax.css b/DeepDrftShared.Client/wwwroot/css/parallax.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f656611
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DeepDrftShared.Client/wwwroot/css/parallax.css
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+/*
+ * ParallaxImage styles — served as a plain static asset via
+ * _content/DeepDrftShared.Client/css/parallax.css.
+ *
+ * Why global, not scoped (.razor.css):
+ *   DeepDrftShared.Client is a WASM RCL referenced only by DeepDrftPublic.Client,
+ *   not by the DeepDrftPublic server host. Blazor merges scoped-CSS bundles only
+ *   from RCLs the *host* references, so this component's scoped bundle is absent
+ *   from DeepDrftPublic.styles.css and never reaches the SSR first paint — it
+ *   arrives only after WASM boots. Structural rules AND the scroll-driven
+ *   animation must be present at first paint, so they live here as global CSS,
+ *   delivered as a static web asset regardless of which project references the RCL.
+ *
+ * ParallaxImage is the sole producer of .parallax-window / .layer, so unscoped
+ * class selectors are unambiguous.
+ */
+
+.parallax-window {
+    position: relative;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    height: var(--window-height, 300px);
+    width: 100%;
+}
+
+.parallax-window.full-width {
+    width: 100vw;
+    position: relative;
+    left: 50%;
+    right: 50%;
+    margin-left: -50vw;
+    margin-right: -50vw;
+}
+
+.layer {
+    position: absolute;
+    top: 0;
+    left: 0;
+    right: 0;
+    bottom: 0;
+    background-repeat: no-repeat;
+    background-position-x: 50%;
+    background-position-y: var(--parallax-from, 0%);
+}
+
+.layer-1 {
+    opacity: 1;
+}
+
+.layer-2 {
+    opacity: 0;
+    transition: opacity 700ms ease;
+}
+
+.parallax-window:hover .layer-2 {
+    opacity: 1;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Scroll-driven parallax, present at SSR first paint (no JS, no custom-property
+ * inheritance chain):
+ *
+ * Before WASM:
+ *   The view() timeline animates background-position-y on each .layer directly,
+ *   from --parallax-from to --parallax-to (both percentages set inline on
+ *   .parallax-window by the component, encoding ParallaxSpeed/InvertDirection).
+ *   The layer pans as the window scrolls through the viewport — correct from
+ *   first paint.
+ *
+ * After WASM:
+ *   JS sets data-parallax-active on .parallax-window, which cancels the CSS
+ *   animation (animation: none). JS then drives background-position-y via the
+ *   scroll listener. One writer at a time — the two never compete.
+ *
+ * prefers-reduced-motion:
+ *   animation: none → static image at --parallax-from. JS also skips its
+ *   scroll listener (see parallax.ts), so the image stays put.
+ */
+@supports (animation-timeline: view()) {
+    @keyframes parallax-pan {
+        from { background-position-y: var(--parallax-from, 0%); }
+        to   { background-position-y: var(--parallax-to,   0%); }
+    }
+
+    /* Animate layers directly — no --parallax-pos inheritance chain.
+       .parallax-window uses overflow: hidden, which establishes a block
+       formatting context but NOT a scroll container (that needs overflow:
+       scroll/auto), so view() correctly resolves to the root scroller. */
+    .parallax-window > .layer {
+        animation: parallax-pan linear both;
+        animation-timeline: view();
+    }
+
+    /* JS takes over on register: cancel the CSS animation so the two writers
+       to background-position-y never compete. */
+    .parallax-window[data-parallax-active] > .layer {
+        animation: none;
+    }
+
+    @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+        .parallax-window > .layer {
+            animation: none;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+    .layer-2 {
+        transition-duration: 0ms;
+    }
+}