diff --git a/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts b/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts
index 2536fa22..ee1915a9 100644
--- a/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts
@@ -806,21 +806,26 @@ export function useModerationQueueManager(
   
   // Visibility change handler
   useEffect(() => {
-    console.log('🔍 [VISIBILITY EFFECT] Running', {
-      settingsObject: settings,
+    // HARD CHECK: Explicit boolean comparison to prevent any truthy coercion
+    const isEnabled = settings.refreshOnTabVisible === true;
+    
+    console.log('🔍 [VISIBILITY EFFECT] Hard check', {
       refreshOnTabVisible: settings.refreshOnTabVisible,
       typeOf: typeof settings.refreshOnTabVisible,
-      rawValue: JSON.stringify(settings.refreshOnTabVisible),
-      stringValue: String(settings.refreshOnTabVisible),
-      boolValue: Boolean(settings.refreshOnTabVisible),
+      isEnabled,
+      willAttachListener: isEnabled,
       timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
     });
     
     // Early return if feature is disabled
-    if (!settings.refreshOnTabVisible) {
-      console.log('   ✅ Setting is FALSE - NO listener will be attached');
+    if (!isEnabled) {
+      console.log('   ✅ Feature DISABLED - skipping all visibility logic');
       console.log('   ✅ Tab focus will NOT trigger refreshes');
-      return;
+      
+      // Cleanup: ensure no lingering handlers
+      return () => {
+        console.log('   🧹 Cleanup: Ensuring no visibility listeners exist');
+      };
     }
     
     console.error('   ❌ Setting is TRUE - listener WILL be attached');
diff --git a/src/hooks/useAdminSettings.ts b/src/hooks/useAdminSettings.ts
index 48eaaf6b..9e2b9416 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useAdminSettings.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useAdminSettings.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { supabase } from '@/integrations/supabase/client';
 import { useAuth } from './useAuth';
 import { useUserRole } from './useUserRole';
 import { useToast } from './use-toast';
-import { useCallback } from 'react';
+import { useCallback, useMemo } from 'react';
 
 interface AdminSetting {
   id: string;
@@ -37,6 +37,14 @@ export function useAdminSettings() {
     enabled: !!user && isSuperuser()
   });
 
+  // Memoize settings into a stable map to prevent cascading re-renders
+  const settingsMap = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!settings) return {};
+    return Object.fromEntries(
+      settings.map(s => [s.setting_key, s.setting_value])
+    );
+  }, [settings ? JSON.stringify(settings.map(s => [s.setting_key, s.setting_value])) : null]);
+
   const updateSettingMutation = useMutation({
     mutationFn: async ({ key, value }: { key: string; value: any }) => {
       const { error } = await supabase
@@ -66,19 +74,9 @@ export function useAdminSettings() {
     }
   });
 
-  const getSetting = (key: string) => {
-    return settings?.find(s => s.setting_key === key);
-  };
-
-  const getSettingValue = (key: string, defaultValue: any = null) => {
-    const setting = getSetting(key);
-    return setting ? setting.setting_value : defaultValue;
-  };
-
-  const getSettingsByCategory = (category: string) => {
-    return settings?.filter(s => s.category === category) || [];
-  };
-
+  const getSettingValue = useCallback((key: string, defaultValue: any = null) => {
+    return settingsMap[key] ?? defaultValue;
+  }, [settingsMap]);
 
   const updateSetting = async (key: string, value: any) => {
     return updateSettingMutation.mutateAsync({ key, value });
@@ -87,46 +85,46 @@ export function useAdminSettings() {
   // Helper functions for common settings (memoized with useCallback for stable references)
   const getAutoFlagThreshold = useCallback(() => {
     return parseInt(getSettingValue('moderation.auto_flag_threshold', '3'));
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getRequireApproval = useCallback(() => {
     const value = getSettingValue('moderation.require_approval', 'true');
     return value === true || value === 'true';
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getBanDurations = useCallback(() => {
     const value = getSettingValue('moderation.ban_durations', ['1d', '7d', '30d', 'permanent']);
     return Array.isArray(value) ? value : JSON.parse(value || '[]');
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getEmailAlertsEnabled = useCallback(() => {
     const value = getSettingValue('notifications.email_alerts', 'true');
     return value === true || value === 'true';
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getReportThreshold = useCallback(() => {
     return parseInt(getSettingValue('notifications.report_threshold', '5'));
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getAuditRetentionDays = useCallback(() => {
     return parseInt(getSettingValue('system.audit_retention_days', '365'));
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getAutoCleanupEnabled = useCallback(() => {
     const value = getSettingValue('system.auto_cleanup', 'false');
     return value === true || value === 'true';
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getAdminPanelRefreshMode = useCallback(() => {
     const value = getSettingValue('system.admin_panel_refresh_mode', 'auto');
     // Remove quotes if they exist (JSON string stored in DB)
     return typeof value === 'string' ? value.replace(/"/g, '') : value;
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getAdminPanelPollInterval = useCallback(() => {
     const value = getSettingValue('system.admin_panel_poll_interval', 30);
     return parseInt(value?.toString() || '30') * 1000; // Convert to milliseconds
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   /**
    * Get auto-refresh strategy setting
@@ -136,7 +134,7 @@ export function useAdminSettings() {
     const value = getSettingValue('auto_refresh_strategy', 'merge');
     const cleanValue = typeof value === 'string' ? value.replace(/"/g, '') : value;
     return cleanValue as 'merge' | 'replace' | 'notify';
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   /**
    * Get preserve interaction state setting
@@ -146,22 +144,30 @@ export function useAdminSettings() {
     const value = getSettingValue('preserve_interaction_state', 'true');
     const cleanValue = typeof value === 'string' ? value.replace(/"/g, '') : value;
     return cleanValue === 'true' || cleanValue === true;
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getNotificationRecipients = useCallback(() => {
     return getSettingValue('notifications.recipients', []);
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getUseRealtimeQueue = useCallback((): boolean => {
     const value = getSettingValue('system.use_realtime_queue', 'true');
     const cleanValue = typeof value === 'string' ? value.replace(/"/g, '') : value;
     return cleanValue === 'true' || cleanValue === true;
-  }, [settings]);
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
 
   const getRefreshOnTabVisible = useCallback((): boolean => {
     const value = getSettingValue('system.refresh_on_tab_visible', 'false');
     const cleanValue = typeof value === 'string' ? value.replace(/"/g, '') : value;
     return cleanValue === 'true' || cleanValue === true;
+  }, [getSettingValue]);
+
+  const getSetting = useCallback((key: string) => {
+    return settings?.find(s => s.setting_key === key);
+  }, [settings]);
+
+  const getSettingsByCategory = useCallback((category: string) => {
+    return settings?.filter(s => s.category === category) || [];
   }, [settings]);
 
   return {