diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a01d333d..16aa9c51 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [1.26.1] - 2026-04-01
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Background flickering in Hero, Album Detail and Playlist Detail**: Blurred hero backgrounds were flickering for up to 20 seconds on first visit. Root cause: `useCachedUrl` with the default `fallbackToFetch = true` immediately returned the raw server URL, causing the background to render twice — once with the HTTP URL (triggering a server fetch) and again when the IndexedDB blob was ready. Fixed by passing `fallbackToFetch = false` in all three locations so the background only renders once the blob is cached.
+
+---
+
 ## [1.26.0] - 2026-04-01
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 08960c38..59eb335b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "psysonic",
-  "version": "1.26.0",
+  "version": "1.26.1",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
diff --git a/packages/aur/PKGBUILD b/packages/aur/PKGBUILD
index 2bc3e62d..91849db1 100644
--- a/packages/aur/PKGBUILD
+++ b/packages/aur/PKGBUILD
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Maintainer: Psychotoxic <psychotoxic@gmx.de>
 pkgname=psysonic
-pkgver=1.26.0
+pkgver=1.26.1
 pkgrel=1
 pkgdesc="Desktop music player for Subsonic API-compatible servers (Navidrome, Gonic, etc.)"
 arch=('x86_64')
diff --git a/src-tauri/Cargo.lock b/src-tauri/Cargo.lock
index 801eaa49..a3d76507 100644
--- a/src-tauri/Cargo.lock
+++ b/src-tauri/Cargo.lock
@@ -3397,7 +3397,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "psysonic"
-version = "1.25.1"
+version = "1.26.1"
 dependencies = [
  "biquad",
  "md5",
diff --git a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
index 6ac333cf..de98e082 100644
--- a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "psysonic"
-version = "1.26.0"
+version = "1.26.1"
 description = "Psysonic Desktop Music Player"
 authors = []
 license = ""
diff --git a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
index 1fd05a1b..04b7ad27 100644
--- a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
+++ b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "$schema": "https://schema.tauri.app/config/2",
   "productName": "Psysonic",
-  "version": "1.26.0",
+  "version": "1.26.1",
   "identifier": "dev.psysonic.player",
   "build": {
     "beforeDevCommand": "npm run dev",
diff --git a/src/components/Hero.tsx b/src/components/Hero.tsx
index c8b09b44..e7002158 100644
--- a/src/components/Hero.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Hero.tsx
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export default function Hero({ albums: albumsProp }: HeroProps = {}) {
   // buildCoverArtUrl generates a new salt on every call — must be memoized.
   const bgRawUrl    = useMemo(() => album?.coverArt ? buildCoverArtUrl(album.coverArt, 800) : '', [album?.coverArt]);
   const bgCacheKey  = useMemo(() => album?.coverArt ? coverArtCacheKey(album.coverArt, 800) : '', [album?.coverArt]);
-  const resolvedBgUrl = useCachedUrl(bgRawUrl, bgCacheKey);
+  const resolvedBgUrl = useCachedUrl(bgRawUrl, bgCacheKey, false);
 
   // Keep the last known good URL so HeroBg never receives '' during a cache-miss
   // transition (which would cause the background to flash empty before fading in).
diff --git a/src/pages/AlbumDetail.tsx b/src/pages/AlbumDetail.tsx
index 3ce76626..cd45aa5a 100644
--- a/src/pages/AlbumDetail.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/AlbumDetail.tsx
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ const handleEnqueueAll = () => {
   // Hooks must be called unconditionally — derive from nullable album state
   const coverUrl = album?.album.coverArt ? buildCoverArtUrl(album.album.coverArt, 400) : '';
   const coverKey = album?.album.coverArt ? coverArtCacheKey(album.album.coverArt, 400) : '';
-  const resolvedCoverUrl = useCachedUrl(coverUrl, coverKey);
+  const resolvedCoverUrl = useCachedUrl(coverUrl, coverKey, false);
 
   if (loading) return <div className="loading-center"><div className="spinner" /></div>;
   if (!album) return <div className="empty-state">{t('albumDetail.notFound')}</div>;
diff --git a/src/pages/PlaylistDetail.tsx b/src/pages/PlaylistDetail.tsx
index a51ae0f0..c0a2c1d5 100644
--- a/src/pages/PlaylistDetail.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/PlaylistDetail.tsx
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ export default function PlaylistDetail() {
 
   const bgFetchUrl = useMemo(() => buildCoverArtUrl(coverQuad[0] ?? '', 300), [coverQuad]);
   const bgCacheKey = useMemo(() => coverArtCacheKey(coverQuad[0] ?? '', 300), [coverQuad]);
-  const resolvedBgUrl = useCachedUrl(bgFetchUrl, bgCacheKey);
+  const resolvedBgUrl = useCachedUrl(bgFetchUrl, bgCacheKey, false);
 
   // Song search
   const [searchOpen, setSearchOpen] = useState(false);