diff --git a/src/pages/audit.tsx b/src/pages/audit.tsx
index 4c32f7b..cc1e7fe 100644
--- a/src/pages/audit.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/audit.tsx
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ export default function AuditPage() {
           >
             <RefreshCw
               size={12}
-              className={loading ? "animate-spin" : ""}
+              className={loading ? "origin-center animate-spin" : ""}
               aria-hidden="true"
             />
             {loading ? "Auditing..." : "Run Audit"}
diff --git a/src/pages/extensions.tsx b/src/pages/extensions.tsx
index 99827cc..4ea7c52 100644
--- a/src/pages/extensions.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/extensions.tsx
@@ -86,9 +86,9 @@ export default function ExtensionsPage() {
     const groups = allGrouped();
     const match = groupKeyParam
       ? groups.find((g) => g.groupKey === groupKeyParam)
-      : groups.find(
-          (g) => g.name.toLowerCase() === nameParam!.toLowerCase(),
-        );
+      : nameParam
+        ? groups.find((g) => g.name.toLowerCase() === nameParam.toLowerCase())
+        : undefined;
     if (match) {
       setSelectedId(match.groupKey);
       setScrollToId(match.groupKey);
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ export default function ExtensionsPage() {
             >
               <RefreshCw
                 size={12}
-                className={checkingUpdates ? "animate-spin" : ""}
+                className={checkingUpdates ? "origin-center animate-spin" : ""}
               />
               {checkingUpdates ? "Checking..." : "Check Updates"}
             </button>
diff --git a/src/pages/overview.tsx b/src/pages/overview.tsx
index d25600a..992c734 100644
--- a/src/pages/overview.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/overview.tsx
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ function QuickAction({
           className={
             loading
               ? Icon === RefreshCw
-                ? "animate-spin"
+                ? "origin-center animate-spin"
                 : "animate-scanning"
               : ""
           }
diff --git a/src/pages/settings.tsx b/src/pages/settings.tsx
index 5dc7826..082c0f6 100644
--- a/src/pages/settings.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/settings.tsx
@@ -93,11 +93,10 @@ function UpdateSection() {
           disabled={checking}
           className="flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-lg border border-border px-2.5 py-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground hover:bg-muted disabled:opacity-50 transition-colors"
         >
-          {checking ? (
-            <Loader2 size={12} className="animate-spin" />
-          ) : (
-            <RefreshCw size={12} />
-          )}
+          <RefreshCw
+            size={12}
+            className={checking ? "origin-center animate-spin" : ""}
+          />
           {checking ? "Checking..." : "Check for Updates"}
         </button>
       )}
@@ -135,11 +134,10 @@ function WebUpdateSection() {
           disabled={checking}
           className="flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-lg border border-border px-2.5 py-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground hover:bg-muted disabled:opacity-50 transition-colors"
         >
-          {checking ? (
-            <Loader2 size={12} className="animate-spin" />
-          ) : (
-            <RefreshCw size={12} />
-          )}
+          <RefreshCw
+            size={12}
+            className={checking ? "origin-center animate-spin" : ""}
+          />
           {checking ? "Checking..." : "Check for Updates"}
         </button>
       )}
diff --git a/src/stores/audit-store.ts b/src/stores/audit-store.ts
index 7959a6a..bc978b3 100644
--- a/src/stores/audit-store.ts
+++ b/src/stores/audit-store.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import type { AuditResult, TrustTier } from "@/lib/types";
 import { useExtensionStore } from "@/stores/extension-store";
 import { toast } from "@/stores/toast-store";
 
+const MIN_AUDIT_LOADING_VISIBLE_MS = 600;
+
 interface AuditState {
   results: AuditResult[];
   loading: boolean;
@@ -31,18 +33,24 @@ export const useAuditStore = create<AuditState>((set) => ({
     }
   },
   async runAudit() {
+    const startedAt = Date.now();
     set({ loading: true });
     // Yield to let the browser paint loading state before Tauri IPC call
     await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 50));
     try {
       const results = await api.runAudit();
-      set({ results, loading: false });
+      set({ results });
       // Refresh extensions so trust_score updates in the Extensions page
       useExtensionStore.getState().fetch();
       toast.success("Audit complete");
     } catch {
-      set({ loading: false });
       toast.error("Audit failed");
+    } finally {
+      const remaining = MIN_AUDIT_LOADING_VISIBLE_MS - (Date.now() - startedAt);
+      if (remaining > 0) {
+        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, remaining));
+      }
+      set({ loading: false });
     }
   },
 }));
diff --git a/src/stores/extension-store.ts b/src/stores/extension-store.ts
index 85c1f45..0013ce0 100644
--- a/src/stores/extension-store.ts
+++ b/src/stores/extension-store.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ import { toast } from "./toast-store";
 
 export { buildGroups } from "./extension-helpers";
 
+const MIN_CHECK_UPDATES_VISIBLE_MS = 600;
+
 interface PendingDelete {
   ids: Set<string>;
   extensions: Extension[];
@@ -338,6 +340,7 @@ export const useExtensionStore = create<ExtensionState>((set, get) => ({
   },
 
   async checkUpdates() {
+    const startedAt = Date.now();
     set({ checkingUpdates: true });
     try {
       const result = await api.checkUpdates();
@@ -347,6 +350,10 @@ export const useExtensionStore = create<ExtensionState>((set, get) => ({
       }
       set({ updateStatuses: map, newRepoSkills: result.new_skills });
     } finally {
+      const remaining = MIN_CHECK_UPDATES_VISIBLE_MS - (Date.now() - startedAt);
+      if (remaining > 0) {
+        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, remaining));
+      }
       set({ checkingUpdates: false });
     }
   },
diff --git a/src/stores/update-store.ts b/src/stores/update-store.ts
index 039df87..7cf5ea7 100644
--- a/src/stores/update-store.ts
+++ b/src/stores/update-store.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ export function cleanChangelog(body: string): string {
  *  Shared between desktop and web update flows so a dismissal in either mode silences both. */
 export const DISMISS_KEY_PREFIX = "hk-update-dismissed-v";
 
+const MIN_UPDATE_CHECK_VISIBLE_MS = 600;
+
 interface UpdateState {
   /** Available update version, null if none or not checked yet */
   available: { version: string; body: string } | null;
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ export const useUpdateStore = create<UpdateState>((set, get) => ({
 
   async checkForUpdate() {
     if (get().checking) return;
+    const startedAt = Date.now();
     set({ checking: true });
     try {
       const update = await check();
@@ -84,6 +87,10 @@ export const useUpdateStore = create<UpdateState>((set, get) => ({
     } catch {
       // Silent failure — update check is non-critical
     } finally {
+      const remaining = MIN_UPDATE_CHECK_VISIBLE_MS - (Date.now() - startedAt);
+      if (remaining > 0) {
+        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, remaining));
+      }
       set({ checking: false });
     }
   },
diff --git a/src/stores/web-update-store.ts b/src/stores/web-update-store.ts
index e99a766..d6d0b27 100644
--- a/src/stores/web-update-store.ts
+++ b/src/stores/web-update-store.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ const RELEASES_URL =
   "https://api.github.com/repos/RealZST/HarnessKit/releases/latest";
 const CACHE_KEY = "hk-web-update-cache";
 const CACHE_TTL_MS = 60 * 60 * 1000;
+const MIN_UPDATE_CHECK_VISIBLE_MS = 600;
 
 interface CachedRelease {
   tag: string;
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ export const useWebUpdateStore = create<WebUpdateState>((set, get) => ({
 
   async checkForUpdate(force = false) {
     if (get().checking) return;
+    const startedAt = Date.now();
     set({ checking: true });
     try {
       const release = await fetchLatestRelease(force);
@@ -113,6 +115,10 @@ export const useWebUpdateStore = create<WebUpdateState>((set, get) => ({
         dismissed,
       });
     } finally {
+      const remaining = MIN_UPDATE_CHECK_VISIBLE_MS - (Date.now() - startedAt);
+      if (remaining > 0) {
+        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, remaining));
+      }
       set({ checking: false });
     }
   },