diff --git a/src/components/animations/AnimationEngine.tsx b/src/components/animations/AnimationEngine.tsx
index 10c80aa7..a3cf7129 100644
--- a/src/components/animations/AnimationEngine.tsx
+++ b/src/components/animations/AnimationEngine.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { scheduleFrame, stepSpring, SpringConfig, SpringState } from '../../utils/animationUtils';
+import { stepSpring, SpringConfig, SpringState } from '../../utils/animationUtils';
 
 type OnUpdate = (value: number) => void;
 
@@ -9,15 +9,44 @@ export type AnimationController = {
 
 export class AnimationEngine {
   private active: Set<AnimationControllerImpl> = new Set();
+  private frameId: number | null = null;
 
   spring(start: number, target: number, onUpdate: OnUpdate, config: SpringConfig = {}) {
     const impl = new AnimationControllerImpl(start, target, onUpdate, config);
     this.active.add(impl);
-    impl.onStop = () => this.active.delete(impl);
-    impl.start();
+
+    impl.onStop = () => {
+      this.active.delete(impl);
+      if (this.active.size === 0 && this.frameId !== null) {
+        cancelAnimationFrame(this.frameId);
+        this.frameId = null;
+      }
+    };
+
+    impl.start(this.ensureLoop.bind(this));
     return impl;
   }
 
+  private ensureLoop() {
+    if (this.frameId !== null) return;
+
+    const loop = (now: number) => {
+      if (this.active.size === 0) {
+        this.frameId = null;
+        return;
+      }
+
+      // Process all calculations and DOM writes
+      for (const anim of this.active) {
+        anim.step(now);
+      }
+
+      this.frameId = requestAnimationFrame(loop);
+    };
+
+    this.frameId = requestAnimationFrame(loop);
+  }
+
   stopAll() {
     for (const c of Array.from(this.active)) c.stop();
     this.active.clear();
@@ -41,35 +70,39 @@ class AnimationControllerImpl implements AnimationController {
     this.config = config;
   }
 
-  start() {
+  start(triggerLoop: () => void) {
     if (this.running) return;
     this.running = true;
     this.last = performance.now();
-    const loop = () => {
-      if (!this.running) return;
-      const now = performance.now();
-      const dt = Math.min(32, now - this.last) / 1000;
-      this.last = now;
-      const res = stepSpring(
-        this.state.position,
-        this.state.velocity,
-        this.state.target,
-        dt,
-        this.config,
-      );
-      this.state.position = res.position;
-      this.state.velocity = res.velocity;
-      this.onUpdate(this.state.position);
-      const vel = Math.abs(this.state.velocity);
-      const dist = Math.abs(this.state.position - this.state.target);
-      if (vel < (this.config.restVelocity ?? 0.02) && dist < (this.config.precision ?? 0.001)) {
-        this.onUpdate(this.state.target);
-        this.stop();
-        return;
-      }
-      scheduleFrame(loop);
-    };
-    scheduleFrame(loop);
+    triggerLoop();
+  }
+
+  step(now: number) {
+    if (!this.running) return;
+
+    const dt = Math.min(32, now - this.last) / 1000;
+    this.last = now;
+
+    const res = stepSpring(
+      this.state.position,
+      this.state.velocity,
+      this.state.target,
+      dt,
+      this.config,
+    );
+
+    this.state.position = res.position;
+    this.state.velocity = res.velocity;
+
+    this.onUpdate(this.state.position);
+
+    const vel = Math.abs(this.state.velocity);
+    const dist = Math.abs(this.state.position - this.state.target);
+
+    if (vel < (this.config.restVelocity ?? 0.02) && dist < (this.config.precision ?? 0.001)) {
+      this.onUpdate(this.state.target);
+      this.stop();
+    }
   }
 
   stop() {
@@ -79,7 +112,7 @@ class AnimationControllerImpl implements AnimationController {
 
   setTarget(t: number) {
     this.state.target = t;
-    if (!this.running) this.start();
+    if (!this.running) this.start(() => {});
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/animations/InteractiveAnimations.tsx b/src/components/animations/InteractiveAnimations.tsx
index 61bad3b9..ec61784d 100644
--- a/src/components/animations/InteractiveAnimations.tsx
+++ b/src/components/animations/InteractiveAnimations.tsx
@@ -26,39 +26,47 @@ export default function InteractiveAnimations({
 
     let dragging = false;
     const resetCompositorHints = () => {
-      el.style.willChange = '';
+      if (el) el.style.willChange = '';
     };
 
     const onPointerDown = (e: PointerEvent) => {
       dragging = true;
       startRef.current = axis === 'x' ? e.clientX : e.clientY;
       el.setPointerCapture(e.pointerId);
+
       if (ctrlRef.current) ctrlRef.current.stop();
+
       el.style.willChange = 'transform';
-      el.style.transform = axis === 'x' ? 'translate3d(0,0,0)' : 'translate3d(0,0,0)';
     };
 
     const onPointerMove = (e: PointerEvent) => {
       if (!dragging) return;
       const cur = axis === 'x' ? e.clientX : e.clientY;
       const delta = cur - startRef.current;
-      // apply transform directly for immediate response
-      const transform =
-        axis === 'x' ? `translate3d(${delta}px,0,0)` : `translate3d(0,${delta}px,0)`;
-      el.style.transform = transform;
-      el.style.willChange = 'transform';
+
+      // Use requestAnimationFrame for the manual move to keep it in sync with refresh rate
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        if (!dragging) return;
+        el.style.transform =
+          axis === 'x' ? `translate3d(${delta}px,0,0)` : `translate3d(0,${delta}px,0)`;
+      });
     };
 
     const onPointerUp = (e: PointerEvent) => {
       if (!dragging) return;
       dragging = false;
+
       const cur = axis === 'x' ? e.clientX : e.clientY;
       const delta = cur - startRef.current;
       const abs = Math.abs(delta);
+
+      // READ outside the loop to avoid thrashing
+      const exitDistance = axis === 'x' ? window.innerWidth : window.innerHeight;
+
       if (abs > threshold && onDismiss) {
         // fling away
         const dir = delta > 0 ? 1 : -1;
-        ctrlRef.current = engine.spring(delta, dir * (window.innerWidth || 1200), (v) => {
+        ctrlRef.current = engine.spring(delta, dir * exitDistance, (v) => {
           el.style.transform = axis === 'x' ? `translate3d(${v}px,0,0)` : `translate3d(0,${v}px,0)`;
         });
         ctrlRef.current.onStop = () => onDismiss();
@@ -90,7 +98,11 @@ export default function InteractiveAnimations({
     <div
       ref={ref}
       className={className}
-      style={{ touchAction: axis === 'x' ? 'pan-y' : 'pan-x', transform: 'translate3d(0,0,0)' }}
+      style={{
+        touchAction: axis === 'x' ? 'pan-y' : 'pan-x',
+        transform: 'translate3d(0,0,0)',
+        willChange: 'transform',
+      }}
     >
       {children}
     </div>