diff --git a/src/components/auth/AuthButtons.tsx b/src/components/auth/AuthButtons.tsx
index 73ad476e..18b9b58a 100644
--- a/src/components/auth/AuthButtons.tsx
+++ b/src/components/auth/AuthButtons.tsx
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ export function AuthButtons() {
     }
   };
   
-  // Show loading skeleton during auth check OR when user exists but profile hasn't loaded yet
-  if (loading || (user && !profile)) {
+  // Show loading skeleton only during initial auth check
+  if (loading) {
     return (
       <div className="flex gap-2 items-center">
         <div className="h-8 w-16 bg-muted animate-pulse rounded" />
diff --git a/src/hooks/useAuth.tsx b/src/hooks/useAuth.tsx
index 72056060..47662812 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useAuth.tsx
+++ b/src/hooks/useAuth.tsx
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ function AuthProviderComponent({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
   const loadingStateRef = useRef(loading);
   const lastVisibilityVerificationRef = useRef<number>(Date.now());
 
-  const fetchProfile = async (userId: string, retryCount = 0, onComplete?: () => void) => {
+  const fetchProfile = async (userId: string) => {
     try {
       const { data, error } = await supabase
         .from('profiles')
@@ -49,59 +49,25 @@ function AuthProviderComponent({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
 
       if (error && error.code !== 'PGRST116') {
         authError('[Auth] Error fetching profile:', error);
-        
-        // Retry up to 3 times with exponential backoff
-        if (retryCount < 3 && isMountedRef.current) {
-          const delay = Math.pow(2, retryCount) * 1000; // 1s, 2s, 4s
-          authLog(`[Auth] Retrying profile fetch in ${delay}ms (attempt ${retryCount + 1}/3)`);
-          setTimeout(() => {
-            if (isMountedRef.current) {
-              fetchProfile(userId, retryCount + 1, onComplete);
-            }
-          }, delay);
-          return;
-        }
-        
-        // All retries exhausted - complete anyway
         if (isMountedRef.current) {
-          authWarn('[Auth] Profile fetch failed after 3 retries');
           setProfile(null);
-          onComplete?.();
         }
         return;
       }
 
-      // Success - update state and complete
       if (isMountedRef.current) {
-        // Always log profile loading (production-safe)
         console.log('[Auth] ✅ Profile loaded:', {
           userId: data?.user_id,
           username: data?.username,
           avatar_url: data?.avatar_url,
-          avatar_image_id: data?.avatar_image_id,
           hasData: !!data
         });
         setProfile(data as Profile);
-        profileRetryCountRef.current = 0;
-        onComplete?.();
       }
     } catch (error) {
       authError('[Auth] Error fetching profile:', error);
-      
-      // Retry logic for network errors
-      if (retryCount < 3 && isMountedRef.current) {
-        const delay = Math.pow(2, retryCount) * 1000;
-        setTimeout(() => {
-          if (isMountedRef.current) {
-            fetchProfile(userId, retryCount + 1, onComplete);
-          }
-        }, delay);
-      } else {
-        // All retries exhausted
-        if (isMountedRef.current) {
-          setProfile(null);
-          onComplete?.();
-        }
+      if (isMountedRef.current) {
+        setProfile(null);
       }
     }
   };
@@ -191,24 +157,21 @@ function AuthProviderComponent({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
         setSession(session);
         setUser(session.user);
         sessionVerifiedRef.current = true;
-        // Keep loading true until profile is fetched
-        setLoading(true);
+        setLoading(false); // Resolved - user exists
       } else if (event === 'INITIAL_SESSION') {
         if (session?.user) {
           authLog('[Auth] INITIAL_SESSION with user, setting session');
           setSession(session);
           setUser(session.user);
           sessionVerifiedRef.current = true;
-          // Keep loading true until profile is fetched (same as SIGNED_IN)
-          setLoading(true);
+          setLoading(false); // Resolved - user exists
         } else {
           authLog('[Auth] INITIAL_SESSION with no user - setting loading to false');
           setSession(null);
           setUser(null);
           setProfile(null);
           sessionVerifiedRef.current = false;
-          // CRITICAL: Set loading to false immediately when no session
-          setLoading(false);
+          setLoading(false); // Resolved - no user
           return; // Exit early, no need to fetch profile
         }
       } else if (event === 'SIGNED_OUT') {
@@ -287,30 +250,18 @@ function AuthProviderComponent({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
         previousEmailRef.current = currentEmail;
       }
       
-      // Handle profile fetching for authenticated users
+      // Handle profile fetching for authenticated users (async, doesn't block loading)
       if (session?.user) {
-        // Clear any existing profile fetch timeout
         if (profileFetchTimeoutRef.current) {
           clearTimeout(profileFetchTimeoutRef.current);
         }
         
-        // Only wait for profile on initial auth events
-        const shouldWaitForProfile = (event === 'SIGNED_IN' || event === 'INITIAL_SESSION');
-        authLog('[Auth] Fetching profile, shouldWaitForProfile:', shouldWaitForProfile);
-        
         profileFetchTimeoutRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
-          fetchProfile(session.user.id, 0, () => {
-            // Always set loading to false after profile fetch for authenticated users
-            authLog('[Auth] Profile fetch complete, setting loading to false');
-            setLoading(false);
-          });
+          fetchProfile(session.user.id);
           profileFetchTimeoutRef.current = null;
         }, 0);
       } else {
-        // No session/user - clear profile and resolve loading
         setProfile(null);
-        authLog('[Auth] No user, setting loading to false');
-        setLoading(false);
       }
     });