diff --git a/src/components/ui/auth-control.tsx b/src/components/ui/auth-control.tsx
index c6a79cf..24e6ae8 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/auth-control.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ui/auth-control.tsx
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ import { signIn, useSession } from "next-auth/react";
  * client-side (SessionProvider) so the marketing pages stay static.
  */
 export default function AuthControl({ compact = false }: { compact?: boolean }) {
-  const { data: session, status } = useSession();
-
-  if (status === "loading") {
-    return <span className={compact ? "block px-3 py-2" : "px-4 py-2"} aria-hidden="true" />;
-  }
+  const { data: session } = useSession();
 
+  // While the session is still loading (including SSR, where it always is),
+  // render the signed-out button: most visitors ARE signed out, and a blank
+  // placeholder meant the control was invisible on first paint. A signed-in
+  // user sees the button swap to their name once the session arrives.
   if (session?.actorId) {
     return (
       <Link