diff --git a/desktop/playwright.config.ts b/desktop/playwright.config.ts
index ff8a0e7703b..1bfd3d312b3 100644
--- a/desktop/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/desktop/playwright.config.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
         "**/terminal-wheel.spec.ts",
         "**/cold-switch-longtask.perf.ts",
         "**/timeline-no-shift.spec.ts",
+        "**/sidebar-hover-prefetch.spec.ts",
         "**/human-edit-agent-content.spec.ts",
         "**/empty-edit-delete.spec.ts",
         "**/reaction-order.spec.ts",
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/hooks.ts b/desktop/src/features/messages/hooks.ts
index aa384101adc..b4bc0555f93 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/hooks.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/hooks.ts
@@ -261,14 +261,26 @@ export function reconcileFetchedChannelWindow(
   return reconcileChannelWindowMessages(next, previousMessages);
 }
 
-export function useChannelMessagesQuery(channel: Channel | null) {
-  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
-  const queryKey = channelMessagesKey(channel?.id ?? "none");
+export const CHANNEL_MESSAGES_STALE_TIME_MS = 5 * 60 * 1_000;
+// Window-guarded like react-query's own server default (Infinity): an
+// explicit finite gcTime schedules a real, non-unref'd timeout per cache
+// entry, which keeps node test processes alive for the full hour.
+export const CHANNEL_MESSAGES_GC_TIME_MS =
+  typeof window === "undefined" ? Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY : 60 * 60 * 1_000;
 
-  return useQuery({
-    enabled: channel !== null && channel.channelType !== "forum",
+/**
+ * Shared query options for a channel's message window — the single source
+ * for `useChannelMessagesQuery` and the sidebar hover prefetch, so a
+ * prefetched entry is a byte-identical cache hit for the mounted query.
+ */
+export function channelMessagesQueryOptions(
+  queryClient: QueryClient,
+  channel: Channel | null,
+) {
+  const queryKey = channelMessagesKey(channel?.id ?? "none");
+  return {
     queryKey,
-    queryFn: async ({ signal }) => {
+    queryFn: async ({ signal }: { signal: AbortSignal }) => {
       if (!channel) throw new Error("No channel selected.");
       const previousMessages =
         queryClient.getQueryData<RelayEvent[]>(queryKey) ?? [];
@@ -288,8 +300,33 @@ export function useChannelMessagesQuery(channel: Channel | null) {
         signal,
       );
     },
-    staleTime: 5 * 60 * 1_000,
-    gcTime: 60 * 60 * 1_000,
+    staleTime: CHANNEL_MESSAGES_STALE_TIME_MS,
+    gcTime: CHANNEL_MESSAGES_GC_TIME_MS,
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Warms a channel's message window ahead of navigation (sidebar hover
+ * intent). Respects staleTime — a fresh window is a no-op — and dedupes with
+ * any in-flight fetch. Forums own their data elsewhere; huddle/forum-less
+ * gating matches useChannelMessagesQuery's enabled condition.
+ */
+export function prefetchChannelMessages(
+  queryClient: QueryClient,
+  channel: Channel,
+): void {
+  if (channel.channelType === "forum") return;
+  void queryClient.prefetchQuery(
+    channelMessagesQueryOptions(queryClient, channel),
+  );
+}
+
+export function useChannelMessagesQuery(channel: Channel | null) {
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+
+  return useQuery({
+    enabled: channel !== null && channel.channelType !== "forum",
+    ...channelMessagesQueryOptions(queryClient, channel),
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/projectChannelWindow.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/projectChannelWindow.test.mjs
index 14ec110addf..6bd7611307a 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/projectChannelWindow.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/projectChannelWindow.test.mjs
@@ -363,3 +363,42 @@ test("test_pageless_live_projection_preserves_cached_timeline", () => {
   assert.deepEqual(contents(harness), ["initial", "live"]);
   assert.equal(harness.client.getQueryData(harness.messagesKey)[0], cached[0]);
 });
+
+test("gap refresh refetches after an in-flight prefetch settles (no dedupe)", async () => {
+  const client = new QueryClient();
+  const channelId = "chan-prefetch-race";
+  const queryKey = channelMessagesKey(channelId);
+  let calls = 0;
+  let releaseFirst;
+  const firstGate = new Promise((resolve) => {
+    releaseFirst = resolve;
+  });
+  const options = {
+    queryKey,
+    queryFn: async () => {
+      calls += 1;
+      const n = calls;
+      if (n === 1) await firstGate;
+      return [event(`fetch-${n}`, 100 + n)];
+    },
+    staleTime: 300_000,
+  };
+
+  // Hover prefetch in flight; a mounted observer dedupes into it.
+  const prefetch = client.prefetchQuery(options);
+  const observer = new QueryObserver(client, options);
+  const unsubscribe = observer.subscribe(() => {});
+
+  // Live subscription established: the gap refresh MUST NOT adopt the
+  // prefetched snapshot (fetched before the subscription started).
+  const refresh = refreshChannelWindowMessages(client, channelId);
+  await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 20));
+  releaseFirst();
+  await Promise.allSettled([prefetch, refresh]);
+  await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 50));
+
+  assert.equal(calls, 2, "gap refresh must issue a second fetch");
+  assert.equal(client.getQueryData(queryKey)[0].content, "fetch-2");
+  unsubscribe();
+  client.clear();
+});
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/projectChannelWindow.ts b/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/projectChannelWindow.ts
index 81ef3de42d0..9b48596d3f9 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/projectChannelWindow.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/projectChannelWindow.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,16 @@ export async function refreshChannelWindowMessages(
   queryClient: QueryClient,
   channelId: string,
 ) {
+  // A hover prefetch may still be in flight when the live subscription
+  // establishes. TanStack dedupes into an in-flight initial fetch, so
+  // invalidating alone can adopt a snapshot fetched BEFORE the subscription
+  // started and drop any event that landed in between. Cancel the in-flight
+  // fetch first — matching the canceled-stale-fetch contract — so the
+  // invalidate below always issues a fetch that starts after this refresh.
+  await queryClient.cancelQueries({
+    queryKey: channelMessagesKey(channelId),
+    exact: true,
+  });
   await queryClient.invalidateQueries({
     queryKey: channelMessagesKey(channelId),
     exact: true,
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarSection.tsx b/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarSection.tsx
index 1a6403fb24d..62fdefa5951 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarSection.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarSection.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,11 @@ import {
   ProfileAvatarWithStatus,
   scaleProfileAvatarStatusGeometry,
 } from "@/features/profile/ui/ProfileAvatarWithStatus";
+import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+
+import { prefetchChannelMessages } from "@/features/messages/hooks";
 import type { Channel, PresenceStatus } from "@/shared/api/types";
+import { useHoverIntent } from "@/shared/hooks/useHoverIntent";
 import { cn } from "@/shared/lib/cn";
 import { useNow } from "@/shared/lib/useNow";
 import {
@@ -274,6 +278,13 @@ export function ChannelMenuButton({
 }) {
   const resolvedLabel = label ?? channel.name;
   const ephemeralDisplay = getEphemeralChannelDisplay(channel);
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+  // Hover intent warms the channel's message window so the click lands on a
+  // cache hit. Respects the window's staleTime — re-hovering a fresh channel
+  // never refetches.
+  const hoverPrefetch = useHoverIntent(() =>
+    prefetchChannelMessages(queryClient, channel),
+  );
   const {
     hasSidebarUnreadProjections,
     topLevelUnreadChannelIds,
@@ -313,6 +324,8 @@ export function ChannelMenuButton({
       data-testid={`channel-${channel.name}`}
       isActive={isActive}
       onClick={() => onSelectChannel(channel.id)}
+      onMouseEnter={hoverPrefetch.onMouseEnter}
+      onMouseLeave={hoverPrefetch.onMouseLeave}
       tooltip={resolvedLabel}
       type="button"
     >
diff --git a/desktop/src/shared/hooks/useHoverIntent.test.mjs b/desktop/src/shared/hooks/useHoverIntent.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a64ee2d484b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/shared/hooks/useHoverIntent.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+import { createHoverIntent } from "./useHoverIntent.ts";
+
+function fakeTimers() {
+  const timers = new Map();
+  let nextId = 1;
+  return {
+    setTimeout: (fn, _ms) => {
+      const id = nextId++;
+      timers.set(id, fn);
+      return id;
+    },
+    clearTimeout: (id) => timers.delete(id),
+    fire: () => {
+      for (const [id, fn] of [...timers]) {
+        timers.delete(id);
+        fn();
+      }
+    },
+    pending: () => timers.size,
+  };
+}
+
+test("fires the callback only after the dwell elapses", () => {
+  const timers = fakeTimers();
+  let fired = 0;
+  const intent = createHoverIntent(() => fired++, timers);
+
+  intent.start();
+  assert.equal(fired, 0);
+  timers.fire();
+  assert.equal(fired, 1);
+});
+
+test("leaving before the dwell cancels the callback", () => {
+  const timers = fakeTimers();
+  let fired = 0;
+  const intent = createHoverIntent(() => fired++, timers);
+
+  intent.start();
+  intent.cancel();
+  timers.fire();
+  assert.equal(fired, 0);
+  assert.equal(timers.pending(), 0);
+});
+
+test("re-entering restarts the dwell without stacking timers", () => {
+  const timers = fakeTimers();
+  let fired = 0;
+  const intent = createHoverIntent(() => fired++, timers);
+
+  intent.start();
+  intent.start();
+  assert.equal(timers.pending(), 1);
+  timers.fire();
+  assert.equal(fired, 1);
+});
diff --git a/desktop/src/shared/hooks/useHoverIntent.ts b/desktop/src/shared/hooks/useHoverIntent.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9e22a31e61b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/shared/hooks/useHoverIntent.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import * as React from "react";
+
+/**
+ * Dwell before a hover counts as intent. Long enough that scrubbing the
+ * pointer across the sidebar never fires, short enough that a deliberate
+ * hover warms the destination well before the click lands.
+ */
+const HOVER_INTENT_DWELL_MS = 100;
+
+type TimerHost = {
+  setTimeout: (fn: () => void, ms: number) => number;
+  clearTimeout: (id: number) => void;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Pure dwell-timer core behind {@link useHoverIntent}; injectable timers for
+ * unit testing. `start` restarts the dwell; `cancel` drops it.
+ */
+export function createHoverIntent(
+  onIntent: () => void,
+  timers: TimerHost,
+  dwellMs: number = HOVER_INTENT_DWELL_MS,
+): { start: () => void; cancel: () => void } {
+  let timerId: number | null = null;
+  const cancel = () => {
+    if (timerId !== null) {
+      timers.clearTimeout(timerId);
+      timerId = null;
+    }
+  };
+  return {
+    start: () => {
+      cancel();
+      timerId = timers.setTimeout(() => {
+        timerId = null;
+        onIntent();
+      }, dwellMs);
+    },
+    cancel,
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Fires `onIntent` after the pointer dwells on an element. Returns stable
+ * mouse-enter/leave handlers; the latest callback is always used, and any
+ * pending dwell is dropped on unmount.
+ */
+export function useHoverIntent(onIntent: () => void): {
+  onMouseEnter: () => void;
+  onMouseLeave: () => void;
+} {
+  const callbackRef = React.useRef(onIntent);
+  callbackRef.current = onIntent;
+  const intentRef = React.useRef<ReturnType<typeof createHoverIntent> | null>(
+    null,
+  );
+  if (intentRef.current === null) {
+    intentRef.current = createHoverIntent(() => callbackRef.current(), {
+      setTimeout: (fn, ms) => window.setTimeout(fn, ms),
+      clearTimeout: (id) => window.clearTimeout(id),
+    });
+  }
+  React.useEffect(() => () => intentRef.current?.cancel(), []);
+  return {
+    onMouseEnter: intentRef.current.start,
+    onMouseLeave: intentRef.current.cancel,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts b/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
index 2452b1ce12b..4b879f4e901 100644
--- a/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
@@ -5579,7 +5579,20 @@ async function handleGetChannelWindow(
   };
 
   if (!args.cursor) {
-    return execute();
+    // TEST-ONLY probe: head (cursorless) window fetches, keyed for specs that
+    // assert prefetch behavior. Continuations keep their own counter below.
+    const headProbe = window as unknown as {
+      __CHANNEL_WINDOW_HEAD_FETCH_COUNT__?: number;
+      __CHANNEL_WINDOW_HEAD_COMPLETE_COUNT__?: number;
+    };
+    headProbe.__CHANNEL_WINDOW_HEAD_FETCH_COUNT__ =
+      (headProbe.__CHANNEL_WINDOW_HEAD_FETCH_COUNT__ ?? 0) + 1;
+    const result = await execute();
+    // Completion counter: specs asserting a warmed cache must wait for this,
+    // not the start counter — a started-but-pending prefetch proves nothing.
+    headProbe.__CHANNEL_WINDOW_HEAD_COMPLETE_COUNT__ =
+      (headProbe.__CHANNEL_WINDOW_HEAD_COMPLETE_COUNT__ ?? 0) + 1;
+    return result;
   }
 
   const probe = window as unknown as {
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/sidebar-hover-prefetch.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/sidebar-hover-prefetch.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b3a0392d662
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/sidebar-hover-prefetch.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
+
+import { installMockBridge } from "../helpers/bridge";
+
+/**
+ * Sidebar hover intent must warm the hovered channel's message window before
+ * the click: dwelling on an unvisited channel row triggers exactly one
+ * window fetch, so the subsequent click paints from cache instead of paying
+ * the fetch on the switch path. Scrubbing across the row (enter → quick
+ * leave) must NOT fetch.
+ */
+
+declare global {
+  interface Window {
+    __CHANNEL_WINDOW_HEAD_FETCH_COUNT__?: number;
+    __CHANNEL_WINDOW_HEAD_COMPLETE_COUNT__?: number;
+  }
+}
+
+async function windowFetchCount(page: import("@playwright/test").Page) {
+  return page.evaluate(() => window.__CHANNEL_WINDOW_HEAD_FETCH_COUNT__ ?? 0);
+}
+
+async function windowCompleteCount(page: import("@playwright/test").Page) {
+  return page.evaluate(
+    () => window.__CHANNEL_WINDOW_HEAD_COMPLETE_COUNT__ ?? 0,
+  );
+}
+
+test("hover dwell prefetches the channel window; scrubbing does not", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
+  await installMockBridge(page);
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("app-sidebar")).toBeVisible();
+  // Seed #random (empty by default) so the warmed cache has a row to paint;
+  // recordMockMessage writes to the store without needing a subscription.
+  await page.evaluate(() => {
+    window.__BUZZ_E2E_EMIT_MOCK_MESSAGE__?.({
+      channelName: "random",
+      content: "Prefetched row",
+      createdAt: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) - 300,
+    });
+  });
+  const baseline = await windowFetchCount(page);
+
+  // Scrub: enter and leave immediately — under the dwell, no fetch.
+  const random = page.getByTestId("channel-random");
+  await random.hover();
+  await page.getByTestId("channel-general").hover({ force: true });
+  await page.getByTestId("app-sidebar").hover({ position: { x: 4, y: 4 } });
+  await page.waitForTimeout(300);
+  const afterScrub = await windowFetchCount(page);
+
+  // Dwell: hover and stay past the intent threshold — exactly one fetch for
+  // the hovered channel, before any click.
+  const completedBeforeDwell = await windowCompleteCount(page);
+  await random.hover();
+  await expect
+    .poll(() => windowFetchCount(page), { timeout: 2_000 })
+    .toBe(afterScrub + 1);
+
+  // The warmed cache only exists once the prefetch COMPLETES — a pending or
+  // failed prefetch must not pass this spec.
+  await expect
+    .poll(() => windowCompleteCount(page), { timeout: 2_000 })
+    .toBeGreaterThan(completedBeforeDwell);
+
+  // The click then paints the timeline from the warmed cache: rows are
+  // visible, not just the header. The subscription-gap refresh may add its
+  // own fetch after mount; the paint itself must not wait on one.
+  await random.click();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("random");
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("message-row").first()).toBeVisible();
+
+  // Scrubbing earlier must not have fetched anything beyond the baseline.
+  expect(afterScrub).toBe(baseline);
+});