diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/App.vue b/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
index 8c4dd4e874..572d2db0ee 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref, computed, watch, onMounted, onUnmounted, nextTick } from "vue";
+import { ref, computed, watch, onMounted, onUnmounted, nextTick, defineAsyncComponent } from "vue";
 import { useI18n } from "vue-i18n";
 import { invoke } from "@tauri-apps/api/core";
 import { TooltipProvider } from "@/components/ui/tooltip";
-import AiAssistant from "@/components/editor/AiAssistant.vue";
-import QueryHistory from "@/components/editor/QueryHistory.vue";
 import AppToolbar from "@/components/layout/AppToolbar.vue";
 import AppTabBar from "@/components/layout/AppTabBar.vue";
 import AppSidebar from "@/components/layout/AppSidebar.vue";
@@ -12,9 +10,6 @@ import EditorToolbar from "@/components/layout/EditorToolbar.vue";
 import ContentArea from "@/components/layout/ContentArea.vue";
 import AppDialogs from "@/components/layout/AppDialogs.vue";
 import WelcomeScreen from "@/components/layout/WelcomeScreen.vue";
-import DriverStorePage from "@/components/config/DriverStoreDialog.vue";
-import UpdateDialog from "@/components/layout/UpdateDialog.vue";
-import LoginPage from "@/components/auth/LoginPage.vue";
 import { useConnectionStore } from "@/stores/connectionStore";
 import { useQueryStore } from "@/stores/queryStore";
 import { useSettingsStore } from "@/stores/settingsStore";
@@ -56,6 +51,17 @@ import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Select, SelectContent, SelectItem, SelectTrigger, SelectValue } from "@/components/ui/select";
 import type { HistoryEntry } from "@/lib/tauri";
+import type { AiAction } from "@/lib/ai";
+
+const AiAssistant = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/editor/AiAssistant.vue"));
+const QueryHistory = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/editor/QueryHistory.vue"));
+const DriverStorePage = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/config/DriverStoreDialog.vue"));
+const UpdateDialog = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/layout/UpdateDialog.vue"));
+const LoginPage = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/auth/LoginPage.vue"));
+
+type AiAssistantHandle = {
+  triggerAction: (action: AiAction, instruction?: string) => void;
+};
 
 const { t } = useI18n();
 const connectionStore = useConnectionStore();
@@ -94,9 +100,10 @@ const showDriverStore = ref(false);
 const agentDriverUpdateCount = ref(0);
 const showHistory = ref(false);
 const showAiPanel = ref(localStorage.getItem("dbx-ai-panel-open") !== "false");
+const aiPanelReady = ref(false);
 const { sidebarWidth, aiPanelWidth, historyWidth, startSidebarResize, startAiPanelResize, startHistoryResize } =
   usePanelResize();
-const aiAssistantRef = ref<InstanceType<typeof AiAssistant> | null>(null);
+const aiAssistantRef = ref<AiAssistantHandle | null>(null);
 const appSidebarRef = ref<InstanceType<typeof AppSidebar> | null>(null);
 const contentAreaRef = ref<InstanceType<typeof ContentArea> | null>(null);
 
@@ -629,6 +636,9 @@ function openDriverStoreFromEvent() {
 onMounted(async () => {
   console.log("[STARTUP] onMounted begin");
   const mountStart = performance.now();
+  requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+    aiPanelReady.value = true;
+  });
   applyTheme();
   window.addEventListener("keydown", handleKeydown, true);
   window.addEventListener("dbx-open-driver-store", openDriverStoreFromEvent);
@@ -857,6 +867,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
             <div class="panel-resize-handle panel-resize-handle--left" @mousedown="startAiPanelResize" />
             <div class="h-full min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
               <AiAssistant
+                v-if="aiPanelReady"
                 ref="aiAssistantRef"
                 :tab="activeTab"
                 :connection="activeConnection"
@@ -910,6 +921,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
           @open-database-search-target="openDatabaseSearchTarget"
         />
         <UpdateDialog
+          v-if="showUpdateDialog"
           v-model:open="showUpdateDialog"
           :update-info="updateInfo"
           :update-check-message="updateCheckMessage"
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/AppDialogs.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/AppDialogs.vue
index 0a1fd1057d..c1c0d0c71e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/AppDialogs.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/layout/AppDialogs.vue
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ import { computed, watch, defineAsyncComponent } from "vue";
 import { useI18n } from "vue-i18n";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogFooter, DialogHeader, DialogTitle } from "@/components/ui/dialog";
-import ConnectionDialog from "@/components/connection/ConnectionDialog.vue";
-import EditorSettingsDialog from "@/components/editor/EditorSettingsDialog.vue";
-import DangerConfirmDialog from "@/components/editor/DangerConfirmDialog.vue";
+const ConnectionDialog = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/connection/ConnectionDialog.vue"));
+const EditorSettingsDialog = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/editor/EditorSettingsDialog.vue"));
+const DangerConfirmDialog = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/editor/DangerConfirmDialog.vue"));
 const DataTransferDialog = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/transfer/DataTransferDialog.vue"));
 const SchemaDiffDialog = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/diff/SchemaDiffDialog.vue"));
 const DataCompareDialog = defineAsyncComponent(() => import("@/components/diff/DataCompareDialog.vue"));
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ watch(
 
 <template>
   <ConnectionDialog
+    v-if="showConnectionDialog || editConfig"
     :open="showConnectionDialog"
     :edit-config="editConfig"
     @update:open="emit('update:showConnectionDialog', $event)"
@@ -104,29 +105,34 @@ watch(
     @open-driver-store="emit('openDriverStore')"
   />
   <EditorSettingsDialog
+    v-if="showSettingsDialog"
     :open="showSettingsDialog"
     :initial-tab="settingsInitialTab || 'editor'"
     :app-version="appVersion"
     @update:open="emit('update:showSettingsDialog', $event)"
   />
   <DangerConfirmDialog
+    v-if="showDangerDialog"
     :open="showDangerDialog"
     :sql="dangerSql"
     @update:open="emit('update:showDangerDialog', $event)"
     @confirm="emit('dangerConfirm')"
   />
   <DataTransferDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showTransferDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showTransferDialog.value"
     :prefill-connection-id="dialogs.transferPrefillConnectionId.value"
     :prefill-database="dialogs.transferPrefillDatabase.value"
   />
   <SchemaDiffDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showSchemaDiffDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showSchemaDiffDialog.value"
     :prefill-connection-id="dialogs.schemaDiffPrefillConnectionId.value"
     :prefill-database="dialogs.schemaDiffPrefillDatabase.value"
     :prefill-schema="dialogs.schemaDiffPrefillSchema.value"
   />
   <DataCompareDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showDataCompareDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showDataCompareDialog.value"
     :prefill-connection-id="dialogs.dataComparePrefillConnectionId.value"
     :prefill-database="dialogs.dataComparePrefillDatabase.value"
@@ -134,11 +140,13 @@ watch(
     :prefill-table="dialogs.dataComparePrefillTable.value"
   />
   <SqlFileExecutionDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showSqlFileDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showSqlFileDialog.value"
     :prefill-connection-id="dialogs.sqlFilePrefillConnectionId.value"
     :prefill-database="dialogs.sqlFilePrefillDatabase.value"
   />
   <SchemaDiagramDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showDiagramDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showDiagramDialog.value"
     :prefill-connection-id="dialogs.diagramPrefillConnectionId.value"
     :prefill-database="dialogs.diagramPrefillDatabase.value"
@@ -146,6 +154,7 @@ watch(
     :focus-table-name="dialogs.diagramFocusTableName.value"
   />
   <TableImportDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showTableImportDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showTableImportDialog.value"
     :prefill-connection-id="dialogs.tableImportPrefillConnectionId.value"
     :prefill-database="dialogs.tableImportPrefillDatabase.value"
@@ -153,6 +162,7 @@ watch(
     :prefill-table="dialogs.tableImportPrefillTable.value"
   />
   <TableStructureEditorDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showStructureEditorDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showStructureEditorDialog.value"
     :prefill-connection-id="dialogs.structurePrefillConnectionId.value"
     :prefill-database="dialogs.structurePrefillDatabase.value"
@@ -161,6 +171,7 @@ watch(
     @saved="emit('structureEditorSaved')"
   />
   <FieldLineageDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showFieldLineageDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showFieldLineageDialog.value"
     :prefill-connection-id="dialogs.lineagePrefillConnectionId.value"
     :prefill-database="dialogs.lineagePrefillDatabase.value"
@@ -170,6 +181,7 @@ watch(
     @open-target="emit('openLineageTarget', $event)"
   />
   <DatabaseSearchDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showDatabaseSearchDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showDatabaseSearchDialog.value"
     :prefill-connection-id="dialogs.databaseSearchPrefillConnectionId.value"
     :prefill-database="dialogs.databaseSearchPrefillDatabase.value"
@@ -177,6 +189,7 @@ watch(
     @open-target="emit('openDatabaseSearchTarget', $event)"
   />
   <DatabaseExportDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showDatabaseExportDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showDatabaseExportDialog.value"
     :prefill-connection-id="dialogs.databaseExportPrefillConnectionId.value"
     :prefill-database="dialogs.databaseExportPrefillDatabase.value"
@@ -184,6 +197,7 @@ watch(
     :prefill-table="dialogs.databaseExportPrefillTable.value"
   />
   <ConfigPassphraseDialog
+    v-if="dialogs.showConfigPassphraseDialog.value"
     v-model:open="dialogs.showConfigPassphraseDialog.value"
     :mode="dialogs.configPassphraseMode.value"
     :external-error="dialogs.configPassphraseError.value"
diff --git a/packages/app-tests/startupChunkBoundaries.test.ts b/packages/app-tests/startupChunkBoundaries.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..25af7afe7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app-tests/startupChunkBoundaries.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+const appSource = readFileSync("apps/desktop/src/App.vue", "utf8");
+const appDialogsSource = readFileSync("apps/desktop/src/components/layout/AppDialogs.vue", "utf8");
+
+test("app defers cold-start side panels and modal pages behind async components", () => {
+  assert.match(appSource, /defineAsyncComponent/);
+  for (const component of ["AiAssistant", "QueryHistory", "DriverStorePage", "UpdateDialog", "LoginPage"]) {
+    assert.doesNotMatch(appSource, new RegExp(`import ${component} from`));
+    assert.match(appSource, new RegExp(`const ${component} = defineAsyncComponent`));
+  }
+});
+
+test("app dialogs keep non-primary dialogs out of the startup chunk", () => {
+  for (const component of ["ConnectionDialog", "EditorSettingsDialog", "DangerConfirmDialog"]) {
+    assert.doesNotMatch(appDialogsSource, new RegExp(`import ${component} from`));
+    assert.match(appDialogsSource, new RegExp(`const ${component} = defineAsyncComponent`));
+  }
+});
+
+test("app dialogs only render async dialogs when their open state needs them", () => {
+  assert.match(appDialogsSource, /<ConnectionDialog\s+v-if="showConnectionDialog \|\| editConfig"/);
+  assert.match(appDialogsSource, /<EditorSettingsDialog\s+v-if="showSettingsDialog"/);
+  assert.match(appDialogsSource, /<DangerConfirmDialog\s+v-if="showDangerDialog"/);
+  assert.match(appDialogsSource, /<DataTransferDialog\s+v-if="dialogs\.showTransferDialog\.value"/);
+  assert.match(appDialogsSource, /<SchemaDiagramDialog\s+v-if="dialogs\.showDiagramDialog\.value"/);
+  assert.match(appDialogsSource, /<DatabaseExportDialog\s+v-if="dialogs\.showDatabaseExportDialog\.value"/);
+});