diff --git a/src/App.js b/src/App.js
index 9824feb..5f09dda 100644
--- a/src/App.js
+++ b/src/App.js
@@ -2658,13 +2658,21 @@ function App() {
       } catch (err) {
         console.error("Authentication error:", err);
         setError("Failed to authenticate. Please try again later.");
+        // Auth failed and onAuthStateChanged won't fire with a user, so unblock the UI here
+        setIsAuthReady(true);
+        setIsLoading(false);
       }
     };
 
     const unsubscribe = onAuthStateChanged(auth, (user) => {
       setUserId(user ? user.uid : null);
-      setIsAuthReady(true);
-      setIsLoading(false);
+      // Only mark auth ready once we have an actual authenticated user.
+      // onAuthStateChanged fires with null before signInAnonymously completes,
+      // which would cause Firestore queries to run unauthenticated.
+      if (user) {
+        setIsAuthReady(true);
+        setIsLoading(false);
+      }
     });
 
     initAuth();