diff --git a/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts b/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts
index 4e631e17..7cd0dcaf 100644
--- a/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/moderation/useModerationQueueManager.ts
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ export function useModerationQueueManager(
   const pauseFetchingRef = useRef(false);
   const initialFetchCompleteRef = useRef(false);
   const isMountingRef = useRef(true);
+  const fetchItemsRef = useRef<((silent?: boolean) => Promise<void>) | null>(null);
   
   const FETCH_COOLDOWN_MS = 1000;
   
@@ -428,6 +429,11 @@ export function useModerationQueueManager(
     }
   }, [user, isAdmin, isSuperuser, filters, pagination, profileCache, entityCache, toast]);
   
+  // Store fetchItems in ref to avoid re-creating visibility listener
+  useEffect(() => {
+    fetchItemsRef.current = fetchItems;
+  }, [fetchItems]);
+  
   /**
    * Show pending new items by merging them into the queue
    */
@@ -788,6 +794,12 @@ export function useModerationQueueManager(
   
   // Visibility change handler
   useEffect(() => {
+    // Early return if feature is disabled
+    if (!settings.refreshOnTabVisible) {
+      console.log('⚙️ refreshOnTabVisible is DISABLED - no listener attached');
+      return;
+    }
+    
     const handleVisibilityChange = () => {
       if (document.hidden) {
         console.log('📴 Tab hidden - pausing queue updates');
@@ -796,16 +808,21 @@ export function useModerationQueueManager(
         console.log('📱 Tab visible - resuming queue updates');
         pauseFetchingRef.current = false;
         
-        if (settings.refreshOnTabVisible && initialFetchCompleteRef.current && !isMountingRef.current) {
-          console.log('🔄 Tab became visible - triggering refresh');
-          fetchItems(true);
+        if (initialFetchCompleteRef.current && !isMountingRef.current && fetchItemsRef.current) {
+          console.log('🔄 Tab became visible - triggering refresh (setting enabled)');
+          fetchItemsRef.current(true);
+        } else {
+          console.log('⏭️ Tab became visible - skipping refresh (initial fetch not complete or mounting)');
         }
       }
     };
     
     document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', handleVisibilityChange);
-    return () => document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', handleVisibilityChange);
-  }, [settings.refreshOnTabVisible, fetchItems]);
+    return () => {
+      document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', handleVisibilityChange);
+      console.log('🧹 Visibility listener removed');
+    };
+  }, [settings.refreshOnTabVisible]);
   
   // Initialize realtime subscriptions
   useRealtimeSubscriptions({