diff --git a/src/app.jsx b/src/app.jsx
index 2e8f99f0..f02855b3 100644
--- a/src/app.jsx
+++ b/src/app.jsx
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ import Trending from './pages/trending';
 import Welcome from './pages/welcome';
 import {
   api,
+  hasInstance,
+  hasPreferences,
   initAccount,
   initClient,
   initInstance,
@@ -410,10 +412,16 @@ function App() {
         setUIState('loading');
         (async () => {
           try {
-            await Promise.allSettled([
-              initPreferences(client),
-              initInstance(client, instance),
-            ]);
+            if (hasPreferences() && hasInstance(instance)) {
+              // Non-blocking
+              initPreferences(client);
+              initInstance(client, instance);
+            } else {
+              await Promise.allSettled([
+                initPreferences(client),
+                initInstance(client, instance),
+              ]);
+            }
           } catch (e) {
           } finally {
             setIsLoggedIn(true);
diff --git a/src/utils/api.js b/src/utils/api.js
index d09d00e8..cf6652bc 100644
--- a/src/utils/api.js
+++ b/src/utils/api.js
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ export function initClient({ instance, accessToken }) {
   return client;
 }
 
+export function hasInstance(instance) {
+  const instances = store.local.getJSON('instances') || {};
+  return !!instances[instance];
+}
+
 // Get the instance information
 // The config is needed for composing
 export async function initInstance(client, instance) {
@@ -132,6 +137,10 @@ export async function initAccount(client, instance, accessToken, vapidKey) {
   });
 }
 
+export function hasPreferences() {
+  return !!store.account.get('preferences');
+}
+
 // Get preferences
 export async function initPreferences(client) {
   try {