diff --git a/src/components/MetricsPage.test.tsx b/src/components/MetricsPage.test.tsx
index b92cae8..f775303 100644
--- a/src/components/MetricsPage.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/MetricsPage.test.tsx
@@ -106,11 +106,13 @@ describe('MetricsPage', () => {
     vi.clearAllMocks();
   });
 
-  it('shows loader when ctxLoading=true', () => {
+  it('shows loader when ctxLoading=true but heading is visible immediately', () => {
     vi.mocked(useIntelGpuContext).mockReturnValue(makeContext({ loading: true }));
     // fetchGpuMetrics should never be called in loading state
     vi.mocked(fetchGpuMetrics).mockResolvedValue(null);
     render(<MetricsPage />);
+    // Heading renders immediately, loader appears below it while waiting for context
+    expect(screen.getByText('Intel GPU — Metrics')).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByTestId('loader')).toHaveTextContent('Loading Intel GPU data...');
   });
 
diff --git a/src/components/MetricsPage.tsx b/src/components/MetricsPage.tsx
index 1493590..607bd45 100644
--- a/src/components/MetricsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/components/MetricsPage.tsx
@@ -230,10 +230,6 @@ export default function MetricsPage() {
     };
   }, [ctxLoading, fetchSeq]);
 
-  if (ctxLoading) {
-    return <Loader title="Loading Intel GPU data..." />;
-  }
-
   return (
     <>
       <div
@@ -247,7 +243,7 @@ export default function MetricsPage() {
         <SectionHeader title="Intel GPU — Metrics" />
         <button
           onClick={() => void doFetch()}
-          disabled={fetching}
+          disabled={fetching || ctxLoading}
           aria-label="Refresh metrics"
           style={{
             padding: '6px 16px',
@@ -255,15 +251,18 @@ export default function MetricsPage() {
             color: 'var(--mui-palette-primary-main, #0071c5)',
             border: '1px solid var(--mui-palette-primary-main, #0071c5)',
             borderRadius: '4px',
-            cursor: 'pointer',
+            cursor: fetching || ctxLoading ? 'not-allowed' : 'pointer',
             fontSize: '13px',
             fontWeight: 500,
+            opacity: fetching || ctxLoading ? 0.6 : 1,
           }}
         >
           {fetching ? 'Refreshing…' : 'Refresh'}
         </button>
       </div>
 
+      {ctxLoading && <Loader title="Loading Intel GPU data..." />}
+
       <MetricRequirements />
 
       {fetching && !metrics && <Loader title="Querying Prometheus for GPU metrics..." />}