diff --git a/app/covers.py b/app/covers.py
index f04cada..1697ed6 100644
--- a/app/covers.py
+++ b/app/covers.py
@@ -797,28 +797,30 @@ def _transparent_rect(img):
 def _game_template():
     """Load the PSP game cover template; return ``(template, window)``."""
     global _game_template_cache
-    if _game_template_cache is None:
-        with _game_template_lock:
-            if _game_template_cache is None:
-                try:
-                    from PySide6.QtGui import QImage
-                except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - headless API may lack PySide6
-                    _game_template_cache = (None, (0, 0, 0, 0))
-                    return _game_template_cache
-                img = QImage()
-                for path in (
-                    config.COVERS_DIR / "UMD_GAME_COVER_TEMPLATE.png",
-                    config.DATA_DIR / "covers" / "UMD_GAME_COVER_TEMPLATE.png",
-                ):
-                    if path.exists():
-                        img.load(str(path))
-                        if not img.isNull():
-                            break
-                img = img.convertToFormat(QImage.Format_ARGB32) if not img.isNull() else None
-                _game_template_cache = (
-                    img,
-                    _transparent_rect(img) if img is not None and not img.isNull() else (0, 0, 0, 0),
-                )
+    if _game_template_cache is not None:
+        return _game_template_cache
+    try:
+        from PySide6.QtGui import QImage
+    except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - headless API may lack PySide6
+        _game_template_cache = (None, (0, 0, 0, 0))
+        return _game_template_cache
+    img = QImage()
+    for path in (
+        config.COVERS_DIR / "UMD_GAME_COVER_TEMPLATE.png",
+        config.DATA_DIR / "covers" / "UMD_GAME_COVER_TEMPLATE.png",
+    ):
+        if path.exists():
+            img.load(str(path))
+            if not img.isNull():
+                break
+    img = img.convertToFormat(QImage.Format_ARGB32) if not img.isNull() else None
+    entry = (
+        img,
+        _transparent_rect(img) if img is not None and not img.isNull() else (0, 0, 0, 0),
+    )
+    with _game_template_lock:
+        if _game_template_cache is None:
+            _game_template_cache = entry
     return _game_template_cache
 
 
diff --git a/app/gui.py b/app/gui.py
index 0d2880f..48aca66 100644
--- a/app/gui.py
+++ b/app/gui.py
@@ -172,20 +172,22 @@ _template_lock = threading.Lock()
 def _umd_template():
     """Return ``(template QImage, transparent window rect)`` — loaded once."""
     global _template_cache
-    if _template_cache is None:
-        with _template_lock:
-            if _template_cache is None:
-                img = QImage()
-                for path in (
-                    config.COVERS_DIR / "UMD_COVER_TEMPLATE.png",
-                    config.DATA_DIR / "covers" / "UMD_COVER_TEMPLATE.png",
-                ):
-                    if path.exists():
-                        img.load(str(path))
-                        if not img.isNull():
-                            break
-                img = img.convertToFormat(QImage.Format_ARGB32)
-                _template_cache = (img, _transparent_window(img))
+    if _template_cache is not None:
+        return _template_cache
+    img = QImage()
+    for path in (
+        config.COVERS_DIR / "UMD_COVER_TEMPLATE.png",
+        config.DATA_DIR / "covers" / "UMD_COVER_TEMPLATE.png",
+    ):
+        if path.exists():
+            img.load(str(path))
+            if not img.isNull():
+                break
+    img = img.convertToFormat(QImage.Format_ARGB32)
+    entry = (img, _transparent_window(img))
+    with _template_lock:
+        if _template_cache is None:
+            _template_cache = entry
     return _template_cache
 
 
@@ -2285,11 +2287,11 @@ class StorePage(QWidget):
             return (0, -date_int, -mtime)
         return (1, 0, -mtime)
 
-    CHUNK = 150          # items filled per timer tick
-    COVER_BATCH = 200    # covers fetched for the initially-visible area
-    COVER_SCROLL_BATCH = 100
+    CHUNK = 200          # items filled per timer tick
+    COVER_BATCH = 500    # covers fetched for the initially-visible area
+    COVER_SCROLL_BATCH = 400
     RECENT_LIMIT = 300   # default: show only the newest N store items
-    DATE_BATCH = 150     # release-date metadata fetched per batch
+    DATE_BATCH = 300     # release-date metadata fetched per batch
 
     def _populate(self, items, show_count):
         self._generation += 1
@@ -4876,7 +4878,9 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         thread._worker = worker
         thread.started.connect(worker.run)
         worker.result.connect(self._on_library_loaded)
+        worker.finished.connect(worker.deleteLater)
         worker.finished.connect(thread.quit)
+        thread.finished.connect(thread.deleteLater)
         thread.finished.connect(self._forget_library_thread)
         self._library_threads.append(thread)
         self._library_workers.append(worker)
@@ -4898,7 +4902,6 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
             self._library_threads.remove(thread)
         if worker is not None and worker in self._library_workers:
             self._library_workers.remove(worker)
-        thread.deleteLater()
 
     def _apply_library_filter(self):
         if not hasattr(self, "_library_cache"):
@@ -5034,7 +5037,9 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         thread._worker = worker
         thread.started.connect(worker.run)
         worker.result.connect(self._on_metadata)
+        worker.finished.connect(worker.deleteLater)
         worker.finished.connect(thread.quit)
+        thread.finished.connect(thread.deleteLater)
         thread.finished.connect(self._forget_meta_thread)
         self._meta_threads.append(thread)
         self._meta_workers.append(worker)
@@ -5047,7 +5052,6 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
             self._meta_threads.remove(thread)
         if worker is not None and worker in self._meta_workers:
             self._meta_workers.remove(worker)
-        thread.deleteLater()
 
     def _on_metadata(self, gen, meta):
         if gen != self._meta_gen: