diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useClients.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useClients.ts
index e266710dc..73203119d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/useClients.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useClients.ts
@@ -183,6 +183,9 @@ export function useClients() {
     queryKey: keys.clients.list(query),
     queryFn: () => fetchClientPage(query),
     staleTime: Infinity,
+    // List is sorted/paged server-side, so the WS patch can't add new or
+    // re-sort rows; poll the current page to keep it live (pauses when hidden).
+    refetchInterval: 5000,
     placeholderData: keepPreviousData,
   });
 
@@ -216,6 +219,9 @@ export function useClients() {
   const fetched = listQuery.data !== undefined || listQuery.isError;
   const fetchError = listQuery.error ? (listQuery.error as Error).message : '';
   const loading = listQuery.isFetching;
+  // Showing kept-previous data for a new key (filter/sort/page) — drives the
+  // table overlay so the 5s background poll doesn't flash it.
+  const transitioning = listQuery.isPlaceholderData;
 
   const inbounds = inboundOptionsQuery.data ?? [];
   const onlines = useMemo(() => onlinesQuery.data ?? [], [onlinesQuery.data]);
@@ -528,6 +534,7 @@ export function useClients() {
     inbounds,
     onlines,
     loading,
+    transitioning,
     fetched,
     fetchError,
     subSettings,
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/clients/ClientsPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/clients/ClientsPage.tsx
index 7e9efeab5..9db5acfcd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/clients/ClientsPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/clients/ClientsPage.tsx
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export default function ClientsPage() {
     summary: serverSummary,
     allGroups,
     setQuery,
-    inbounds, onlines, loading, fetched, fetchError, subSettings,
+    inbounds, onlines, loading, transitioning, fetched, fetchError, subSettings,
     tgBotEnable, expireDiff, trafficDiff, pageSize,
     create, update, remove, bulkDelete, bulkAdjust, bulkAddToGroup, bulkRemoveFromGroup, attach, bulkAttach, detach, bulkDetach,
     resetTraffic, resetAllTraffics, delDepleted, setEnable,
@@ -1100,7 +1100,7 @@ export default function ClientsPage() {
                         <Table<ClientRecord>
                           columns={columns}
                           dataSource={sortedClients}
-                          loading={loading}
+                          loading={transitioning}
                           rowKey="email"
                           rowSelection={rowSelection}
                           pagination={tablePagination}
@@ -1117,7 +1117,7 @@ export default function ClientsPage() {
                           }}
                         />
                       ) : (
-                        <Spin spinning={loading}>
+                        <Spin spinning={transitioning}>
                           <div className="client-cards">
                             {filteredClients.length > 0 && (
                               <div className="card-bulk-bar">