fix: stabilize async library navigation

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ Follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) · versioned wi
 ### Changed
 - **API Key Handoff Cache Policy.** Settings and explicit external-key regeneration responses now send `no-store`
   headers so browser and intermediary caches cannot retain the client-visible access-key handoff.
+- **Navigation Race Protection.** Rehearser phase requests now survive late feature-module initialization, and
+  overlapping character-library refreshes cannot overwrite a newer table/card view.
 - **API Boundary Hardening.** External API authentication is enabled by default, request and mutation limits are
   enforced, and settings responses redact provider credentials for non-browser callers.
 - **Server-side Provider Credentials.** Provider keys are now masked even for same-origin Settings responses, are

static/js/library-characters.js

@@ -4,15 +4,19 @@
 
 // ── Characters / Cast ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+let _libCharsRenderSeq = 0;
+
 async function libraryRenderCharacters() {
   const container = document.getElementById('lib-chars-list');
   if (!container) return;
+  const renderSeq = ++_libCharsRenderSeq;
 
   // This page can open before the shared voice library has finished loading.
   // Ratings live in window._voices, so rendering during that gap makes every
   // assigned voice look unrated even when its .meta.json still has a rating.
   if ((!Array.isArray(window._voices) || !window._voices.length) && typeof loadVoiceLibrary === 'function') {
     try { await loadVoiceLibrary(); } catch (e) { console.warn('[characters] voice library load failed', e); }
+    if (renderSeq !== _libCharsRenderSeq) return;
   }
 
   // Fetch BEFORE touching the DOM: a transient failure here (e.g. the
@@ -28,6 +32,7 @@ async function libraryRenderCharacters() {
     if (typeof toast === 'function') toast('Failed to load characters — keeping the current view', 'error');
     return;
   }
+  if (renderSeq !== _libCharsRenderSeq) return;
 
   // Every action on this page (remove voice, auto-design, delete...) re-runs
   // this full rebuild via `refresh()`. Collapsing the container down to a

static/nav.js

@@ -385,19 +385,16 @@
       el.classList.toggle('is-active', Number(el.dataset.rehearserPhase) === phase);
     });
     // delegate to rehearser's own showPhase() when it's ready
-    if (typeof showPhase === 'function') {
-      showPhase(phase);
-      // Re-assert after the current initialization turn.  This is harmless
-      // when the module was already ready and closes the short race above.
-      setTimeout(function () {
+    var applyRequestedPhase = function () {
       if (document.getElementById('s-rehearser')?.classList.contains('is-active') && typeof showPhase === 'function') {
         showPhase(phase);
       }
-      }, 0);
-    } else {
-      // rehearser.js not yet loaded — store the intent and let init pick it up
-      // from its initialization block.
-    }
+    };
+    // The section loader and feature module can finish after this function is
+    // called. Retry across their initialization window, including when
+    // showPhase did not exist on the first call.
+    applyRequestedPhase();
+    [0, 50, 250, 500, 1000].forEach(function (delay) { setTimeout(applyRequestedPhase, delay); });
   };
 
   // Keep sidebar tree in sync when rehearser changes phase internally

tests/characters.spec.js

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ test('Characters / Cast supports profile sorting, column visibility, and voice r
   await page.waitForSelector('#lib-chars-list', { state: 'attached', timeout: 15_000 });
   await page.waitForFunction(() => typeof window.libraryRenderCharacters === 'function', null, { timeout: 15_000 });
   await page.locator('#nav-library-head').evaluate(el => el.click());
+  await expect(page.locator('#s-library')).toHaveClass(/is-active/, { timeout: 15_000 });
   await page.locator('.lib-tab[data-library-view="characters"]').evaluate(el => el.click());
   await expect(page.locator('#s-library')).toHaveClass(/is-active/, { timeout: 15_000 });
   const tableToggle = page.locator('.lib-chars-view-toggle button[data-view="table"]');