diff --git a/public/sw.js b/public/sw.js
index 3266d21..dfa81e4 100644
--- a/public/sw.js
+++ b/public/sw.js
@@ -17,6 +17,27 @@ const sj = new ScramjetServiceWorker({
     }
 });
 
+// Flag to track if Scramjet config is loaded
+let sjConfigLoaded = false;
+let sjConfigPromise = null;
+
+// Load Scramjet config once and cache the promise
+async function ensureSjConfigLoaded() {
+    if (sjConfigLoaded) return Promise.resolve();
+    if (sjConfigPromise) return sjConfigPromise;
+    
+    sjConfigPromise = sj.loadConfig().then(() => {
+        sjConfigLoaded = true;
+    }).catch((error) => {
+        console.error("Failed to load Scramjet config:", error);
+        // Don't reset the promise on error to avoid race conditions
+        // Instead, mark as loaded anyway so we don't keep retrying
+        sjConfigLoaded = true;
+    });
+    
+    return sjConfigPromise;
+}
+
 // Enhanced CAPTCHA and Cloudflare verification support
 // List of CAPTCHA and verification domains that need special handling
 const CAPTCHA_DOMAINS = [
@@ -95,12 +116,11 @@ self.addEventListener("fetch", function (event) {
     event.respondWith(
         (async () => {
             try {
-                await sj.loadConfig();
+                // Load Scramjet config once (cached)
+                await ensureSjConfigLoaded();
 
                 const url = event.request.url;
-                const isCaptcha = isCaptchaRequest(url);
-                const isHeavyCookie = isHeavyCookieSite(url);
-
+                
                 // Safely check if this is a proxied request using optional chaining
                 const uvPrefix =
                     (typeof __uv$config !== "undefined" && __uv$config?.prefix) || null;
@@ -108,12 +128,17 @@ self.addEventListener("fetch", function (event) {
                 const isSjRequest = sj.route(event);
                 const isProxiedRequest = isUvRequest || isSjRequest;
 
-                // Enhanced handling for CAPTCHA and heavy cookie requests
+                // Only check for special handling if it's a proxied request
                 let request = event.request;
-                if (isCaptcha) {
-                    request = enhanceCaptchaRequest(event.request);
-                } else if (isHeavyCookie) {
-                    request = enhanceHeavyCookieRequest(event.request);
+                if (isProxiedRequest) {
+                    const isCaptcha = isCaptchaRequest(url);
+                    const isHeavyCookie = isHeavyCookieSite(url);
+                    
+                    if (isCaptcha) {
+                        request = enhanceCaptchaRequest(event.request);
+                    } else if (isHeavyCookie) {
+                        request = enhanceHeavyCookieRequest(event.request);
+                    }
                 }
 
                 let response;
@@ -268,6 +293,8 @@ self.addEventListener("activate", function (event) {
             try {
                 // Claim all clients to ensure the service worker takes control immediately
                 await self.clients.claim();
+                // Pre-load Scramjet config during activation for faster first requests
+                await ensureSjConfigLoaded();
             } catch (error) {
                 console.error("Service worker activation error:", error);
             }
@@ -277,6 +304,12 @@ self.addEventListener("activate", function (event) {
 
 // Add error handling for service worker installation
 self.addEventListener("install", function (event) {
-    // Skip waiting to activate immediately
-    self.skipWaiting();
+    event.waitUntil(
+        (async () => {
+            // Skip waiting to activate immediately
+            self.skipWaiting();
+            // Pre-load Scramjet config during installation
+            await ensureSjConfigLoaded();
+        })()
+    );
 });
diff --git a/src/pages/index.astro b/src/pages/index.astro
index 81c8b22..3ae308b 100644
--- a/src/pages/index.astro
+++ b/src/pages/index.astro
@@ -38,26 +38,16 @@ const link = Astro.url.searchParams.get("redir");
 </Layout>
 <script>
     import { SW } from "@utils/proxy.ts";
-    import { Settings } from "@utils/settings.ts";
     import { BareClient } from "@mercuryworkshop/bare-mux";
     import { setupIframeInterceptor } from "@utils/iframe-interceptor.ts";
 
     const init = async () => {
         const input = document.getElementById("input") as HTMLInputElement;
         const iframe = document.getElementById("iframe") as HTMLIFrameElement;
-        const iframeWin = iframe.contentWindow;
         const bhl = document.getElementById("bhl") as HTMLDivElement;
         const phl = document.getElementById("phl") as HTMLDivElement;
         const phlImage = document.getElementById("phlImage") as HTMLImageElement;
         const phlTitle = document.getElementById("phlTitle") as HTMLDivElement;
-        const proxyLeft = document.getElementById("pal") as HTMLButtonElement;
-        const proxyRight = document.getElementById("par") as HTMLButtonElement;
-        const proxyReload = document.getElementById("prl") as HTMLButtonElement;
-        const proxyShortcut = {
-            button: document.getElementById("psc") as HTMLButtonElement,
-            noShortcut: document.getElementById("noShortcut") as HTMLElement,
-            shortcut: document.getElementById("shortcut") as HTMLElement
-        }
         const client = new BareClient();
         
         // Get SW instance and wait for it to be ready
@@ -66,6 +56,94 @@ const link = Astro.url.searchParams.get("redir");
         
         // Setup iframe interceptor to prevent new tabs/windows
         setupIframeInterceptor(iframe, (url: string) => sw.encodeURL(url));
+
+        // Helper function to get the current iframe window safely
+        const getIframeWindow = (): Window | null => {
+            try {
+                return iframe.contentWindow;
+            } catch {
+                return null;
+            }
+        };
+
+        const getURL = async (): Promise<string> => {
+            const iframeWin = getIframeWindow();
+            if (!iframeWin) return "";
+            
+            try {
+                if (iframeWin.__uv) {
+                    return iframeWin.__uv.location.href;
+                }
+                else if (iframeWin.$scramjet?.config?.prefix) {
+                    return iframeWin.location.href
+                        .replace(iframeWin.location.origin, '')
+                        .replace(iframeWin.$scramjet.config.prefix, '');
+                }
+                else {
+                    // Fallback if neither proxy is available
+                    return iframeWin.location.href;
+                }
+            } catch {
+                // Cross-origin access error - try to extract from iframe src
+                return "";
+            }
+        };
+
+        // Setup navigation buttons once (not on every search)
+        // Use a flag to track if listeners have been added
+        let buttonsInitialized = false;
+        
+        const setupNavigationButtons = () => {
+            if (buttonsInitialized) return;
+            buttonsInitialized = true;
+
+            // Get fresh references to buttons
+            const leftBtn = document.getElementById("pal") as HTMLButtonElement;
+            const rightBtn = document.getElementById("par") as HTMLButtonElement;
+            const reloadBtn = document.getElementById("prl") as HTMLButtonElement;
+
+            if (!leftBtn || !rightBtn || !reloadBtn) return;
+
+            // Add navigation event listeners
+            leftBtn.addEventListener("click", () => {
+                const iframeWin = getIframeWindow();
+                if (iframeWin) {
+                    try {
+                        iframeWin.history.back();
+                    } catch {
+                        console.log("Navigation back failed - iframe may be cross-origin");
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+
+            rightBtn.addEventListener("click", () => {
+                const iframeWin = getIframeWindow();
+                if (iframeWin) {
+                    try {
+                        iframeWin.history.forward();
+                    } catch {
+                        console.log("Navigation forward failed - iframe may be cross-origin");
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+
+            reloadBtn.addEventListener("click", () => {
+                const iframeWin = getIframeWindow();
+                if (iframeWin) {
+                    try {
+                        iframeWin.location.reload();
+                    } catch {
+                        // Fallback: reload iframe by resetting src
+                        const currentSrc = iframe.src;
+                        iframe.src = "";
+                        iframe.src = currentSrc;
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+        };
+
+        // Setup navigation buttons immediately
+        setupNavigationButtons();
         
         input.addEventListener("keypress", async (event: any) => {
             if (event.key === "Enter") {
@@ -87,50 +165,32 @@ const link = Astro.url.searchParams.get("redir");
                     }
                 }
 
-                const settings = await Settings.getInstance();
                 iframe.classList.remove("hidden");
                 iframe.src = sw.encodeURL(input.value); 
-                buttons();
             }
         });
 
-        const getURL = async (): Promise<string> => {
-            if (iframeWin!.__uv) {
-                return iframeWin!.__uv.location.href
-            }
-            else if (iframeWin!.$scramjet?.config?.prefix) {
-                return iframeWin!.location.href
-                    .replace(iframeWin!.location.origin, '')
-                    .replace(iframeWin!.$scramjet.config.prefix, '')
-            }
-            else {
-                // Fallback if neither proxy is available
-                return iframeWin!.location.href;
-            }
-        }
-
-        const buttons = () => {
-            proxyLeft.addEventListener("click", () => {
-                iframeWin!.history.back();
-            });
-            proxyRight.addEventListener("click", () => {
-                iframeWin!.history.forward();
-            });
-            proxyReload.addEventListener("click", () => {
-                iframeWin!.location.reload();
-            });
-            /** proxyShortcut.button.addEventListener("click", () => {
-                console.log("yet to be implemented");
-            }); */
-        }
-
         iframe.addEventListener("load", async () => {
-            phlTitle.innerHTML = iframeWin!.document.title;
+            const iframeWin = getIframeWindow();
+            if (!iframeWin) return;
+            
+            try {
+                phlTitle.innerHTML = iframeWin.document.title || "Loading...";
+            } catch {
+                phlTitle.innerHTML = "Loading...";
+            }
+            
             const pageURL = await getURL();
-            const data = await client.fetch(`https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=${pageURL}&sz=64`);
-            const dataRes = await data.blob();
-            const object = URL.createObjectURL(dataRes);
-            phlImage.src = object;
+            if (pageURL) {
+                try {
+                    const data = await client.fetch(`https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=${pageURL}&sz=64`);
+                    const dataRes = await data.blob();
+                    const object = URL.createObjectURL(dataRes);
+                    phlImage.src = object;
+                } catch {
+                    // Favicon fetch failed, use default
+                }
+            }
             bhl.classList.add("hidden");
             phl.classList.remove("hidden");
         }); 
diff --git a/src/utils/proxy.ts b/src/utils/proxy.ts
index 6fd13d4..dda4465 100644
--- a/src/utils/proxy.ts
+++ b/src/utils/proxy.ts
@@ -56,15 +56,22 @@ class SW {
             if (url.hostname.includes(".")) return url.toString();
         } catch (_) {}
 
-        return template.replace("%s", encodeURIComponent(input));
+        // Use DuckDuckGo as fallback if no template provided
+        const searchTemplate = template || "https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%s";
+        return searchTemplate.replace("%s", encodeURIComponent(input));
     }
 
     encodeURL(string: string): string {
         const proxy = this.#storageManager.getVal("proxy") as "uv" | "sj";
         const input = this.search(string, this.#storageManager.getVal("searchEngine"));
-        return proxy === "uv"
-            ? `${__uv$config.prefix}${__uv$config.encodeUrl!(input)}`
-            : this.#scramjetController!.encodeUrl(input);
+        
+        // If Scramjet is selected but controller isn't ready, fall back to UV
+        if (proxy === "sj" && this.#scramjetController) {
+            return this.#scramjetController.encodeUrl(input);
+        }
+        
+        // Default to UV encoding
+        return `${__uv$config.prefix}${__uv$config.encodeUrl!(input)}`;
     }
 
     async setTransport(transport?: "epoxy" | "libcurl", get?: boolean) {
diff --git a/src/utils/settings.ts b/src/utils/settings.ts
index d085d57..fd1d40b 100644
--- a/src/utils/settings.ts
+++ b/src/utils/settings.ts
@@ -73,11 +73,21 @@ class Settings {
     }
 
     proxy(prox?: "uv" | "sj") {
-        this.#storageManager.setVal("proxy", prox || "uv");
+        // Only set if explicitly provided or if no value exists
+        if (prox) {
+            this.#storageManager.setVal("proxy", prox);
+        } else if (!this.#storageManager.getVal("proxy")) {
+            this.#storageManager.setVal("proxy", "uv");
+        }
     }
 
     searchEngine(engine?: string) {
-        this.#storageManager.setVal("searchEngine", engine || SearchEngines.DuckDuckGo);
+        // Only set if explicitly provided or if no value exists
+        if (engine) {
+            this.#storageManager.setVal("searchEngine", engine);
+        } else if (!this.#storageManager.getVal("searchEngine")) {
+            this.#storageManager.setVal("searchEngine", SearchEngines.DuckDuckGo);
+        }
     }
 
     cloak(location: string) {
@@ -125,7 +135,8 @@ class Settings {
     adBlock(enabled?: boolean) {
         if (enabled === true || enabled === false) {
             this.#storageManager.setVal("adBlock", enabled.valueOf().toString());
-        } else {
+        } else if (!this.#storageManager.getVal("adBlock")) {
+            // Only set default if no value exists
             this.#storageManager.setVal("adBlock", "true");
         }
     }