diff --git a/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/app-chrome.tsx b/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/app-chrome.tsx
index aa4555502d5..832ff53d4ca 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/app-chrome.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/app-chrome.tsx
@@ -33,6 +33,26 @@ import { ErrorBoundary } from "../../boundary/ErrorBoundary";
 import { raf2 } from "../../navigation/focus-utils";
 import { ContextAwarePanel } from "../panels/context-aware-panel/context-aware-panel";
 import { PanelSectionProvider } from "../panels/panel-context";
+import { useTheme } from "@/theme/useTheme";
+import {
+  LazyAgentPanel,
+  LazyCachePanel,
+  LazyChatPanel,
+  LazyDependencyGraphPanel,
+  LazyDocumentationPanel,
+  LazyErrorsPanel,
+  LazyFileExplorerPanel,
+  LazyLogsPanel,
+  LazyOutlinePanel,
+  LazyPackagesPanel,
+  LazyScratchpadPanel,
+  LazySecretsPanel,
+  LazySessionPanel,
+  LazySnippetsPanel,
+  LazyTerminal,
+  LazyTracingPanel,
+  PANEL_PRELOADERS,
+} from "./lazy-panels";
 import { panelLayoutAtom, useChromeActions, useChromeState } from "../state";
 import {
   isPanelHidden,
@@ -49,33 +69,26 @@ import { useAiPanelTab } from "./useAiPanel";
 import { useDependencyPanelTab } from "./useDependencyPanelTab";
 import { handleDragging } from "./utils";
 
-const LazyTerminal = React.lazy(() => import("@/components/terminal/terminal"));
-const LazyChatPanel = React.lazy(() => import("@/components/chat/chat-panel"));
-const LazyAgentPanel = React.lazy(
-  () => import("@/components/chat/acp/agent-panel"),
-);
-const LazyDependencyGraphPanel = React.lazy(
-  () => import("@/components/editor/chrome/panels/dependency-graph-panel"),
-);
-const LazySessionPanel = React.lazy(() => import("../panels/session-panel"));
-const LazyDocumentationPanel = React.lazy(
-  () => import("../panels/documentation-panel"),
-);
-const LazyErrorsPanel = React.lazy(() => import("../panels/error-panel"));
-const LazyFileExplorerPanel = React.lazy(
-  () => import("../panels/file-explorer-panel"),
-);
-const LazyLogsPanel = React.lazy(() => import("../panels/logs-panel"));
-const LazyOutlinePanel = React.lazy(() => import("../panels/outline-panel"));
-const LazyPackagesPanel = React.lazy(() => import("../panels/packages-panel"));
-const LazyScratchpadPanel = React.lazy(
-  () => import("../panels/scratchpad-panel"),
-);
-const LazySecretsPanel = React.lazy(() => import("../panels/secrets-panel"));
-const LazySnippetsPanel = React.lazy(() => import("../panels/snippets-panel"));
-const LazyTracingPanel = React.lazy(() => import("../panels/tracing-panel"));
-const LazyCachePanel = React.lazy(() => import("../panels/cache-panel"));
-
+// Placeholder that matches the eventual xterm theme background so the
+// transition into the loaded terminal is seamless rather than a blank flash.
+const TerminalSkeleton: React.FC = () => {
+  const { theme } = useTheme();
+  const isDark = theme === "dark";
+  return (
+    <div
+      aria-label="Loading terminal"
+      role="status"
+      className="w-full h-full flex items-start p-3 font-mono text-xs select-none"
+      style={{
+        background: isDark ? "#0f172a" : "#ffffff",
+        color: isDark ? "#94a3b8" : "#64748b",
+      }}
+    >
+      <span className="opacity-70">Starting terminal</span>
+      <span className="ml-1 inline-block w-2 h-3.5 align-middle bg-current animate-pulse" />
+    </div>
+  );
+};
 export const AppChrome: React.FC<PropsWithChildren> = ({ children }) => {
   const {
     isSidebarOpen,
@@ -94,6 +107,26 @@ export const AppChrome: React.FC<PropsWithChildren> = ({ children }) => {
   // Subscribe to capabilities to re-render when they change (e.g., terminal capability)
   const capabilities = useAtomValue(capabilitiesAtom);
 
+  // On mount, idle-preload whichever panels the user had open at last unload,
+  // so the first interaction with the sidebar/dev panel doesn't hit a cold
+  // chunk fetch. Runs once.
+  // oxlint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const schedule =
+      typeof window !== "undefined" &&
+      typeof window.requestIdleCallback === "function"
+        ? (cb: () => void) => window.requestIdleCallback(cb, { timeout: 2000 })
+        : (cb: () => void) => setTimeout(cb, 300);
+    schedule(() => {
+      if (isSidebarOpen && selectedPanel) {
+        PANEL_PRELOADERS[selectedPanel]?.();
+      }
+      if (isDeveloperPanelOpen && selectedDeveloperPanelTab) {
+        PANEL_PRELOADERS[selectedDeveloperPanelTab]?.();
+      }
+    });
+  }, []);
+
   // Convert current developer panel items to PanelDescriptors
   // Filter out hidden panels (e.g., terminal when capability is not available)
   const devPanelItems = useMemo(() => {
@@ -254,32 +287,34 @@ export const AppChrome: React.FC<PropsWithChildren> = ({ children }) => {
 
   const renderAiPanel = () => {
     if (agentsEnabled && aiPanelTab === "agents") {
-      return <LazyAgentPanel />;
+      return <LazyAgentPanel.Component />;
     }
-    return <LazyChatPanel />;
+    return <LazyChatPanel.Component />;
   };
 
   const SIDEBAR_PANELS: Record<PanelType, React.ReactNode> = {
-    files: <LazyFileExplorerPanel />,
-    variables: <LazySessionPanel />,
-    dependencies: <LazyDependencyGraphPanel />,
-    packages: <LazyPackagesPanel />,
-    outline: <LazyOutlinePanel />,
-    documentation: <LazyDocumentationPanel />,
-    snippets: <LazySnippetsPanel />,
+    files: <LazyFileExplorerPanel.Component />,
+    variables: <LazySessionPanel.Component />,
+    dependencies: <LazyDependencyGraphPanel.Component />,
+    packages: <LazyPackagesPanel.Component />,
+    outline: <LazyOutlinePanel.Component />,
+    documentation: <LazyDocumentationPanel.Component />,
+    snippets: <LazySnippetsPanel.Component />,
     ai: renderAiPanel(),
-    errors: <LazyErrorsPanel />,
-    scratchpad: <LazyScratchpadPanel />,
-    tracing: <LazyTracingPanel />,
-    secrets: <LazySecretsPanel />,
-    logs: <LazyLogsPanel />,
+    errors: <LazyErrorsPanel.Component />,
+    scratchpad: <LazyScratchpadPanel.Component />,
+    tracing: <LazyTracingPanel.Component />,
+    secrets: <LazySecretsPanel.Component />,
+    logs: <LazyLogsPanel.Component />,
     terminal: (
-      <LazyTerminal
-        visible={isSidebarOpen && selectedPanel === "terminal"}
-        onClose={() => setIsSidebarOpen(false)}
-      />
+      <Suspense fallback={<TerminalSkeleton />}>
+        <LazyTerminal.Component
+          visible={isSidebarOpen && selectedPanel === "terminal"}
+          onClose={() => setIsSidebarOpen(false)}
+        />
+      </Suspense>
     ),
-    cache: <LazyCachePanel />,
+    cache: <LazyCachePanel.Component />,
   };
 
   const helpPaneBody = (
@@ -412,12 +447,14 @@ export const AppChrome: React.FC<PropsWithChildren> = ({ children }) => {
   const DEVELOPER_PANELS: Record<PanelType, React.ReactNode> = {
     ...SIDEBAR_PANELS,
     terminal: (
-      <LazyTerminal
-        visible={
-          isDeveloperPanelOpen && selectedDeveloperPanelTab === "terminal"
-        }
-        onClose={() => setIsDeveloperPanelOpen(false)}
-      />
+      <Suspense fallback={<TerminalSkeleton />}>
+        <LazyTerminal.Component
+          visible={
+            isDeveloperPanelOpen && selectedDeveloperPanelTab === "terminal"
+          }
+          onClose={() => setIsDeveloperPanelOpen(false)}
+        />
+      </Suspense>
     ),
   };
 
@@ -480,6 +517,8 @@ export const AppChrome: React.FC<PropsWithChildren> = ({ children }) => {
                     ? "bg-muted"
                     : "hover:bg-muted/50",
                 )}
+                onMouseEnter={PANEL_PRELOADERS[panel.type]}
+                onFocus={PANEL_PRELOADERS[panel.type]}
               >
                 <panel.Icon
                   className={cn(
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/lazy-panels.ts b/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/lazy-panels.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..41237c4f79f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/lazy-panels.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+/* Copyright 2026 Marimo. All rights reserved. */
+
+import { reactLazyWithPreload } from "@/utils/lazy";
+import type { PanelType } from "../types";
+
+// Centralized lazy panels. Using reactLazyWithPreload (instead of React.lazy)
+// gives each panel a .preload() method so the chunk can be fetched on intent
+// (hovering the sidebar icon or developer-panel tab) before the user clicks.
+
+export const LazyTerminal = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("@/components/terminal/terminal"),
+);
+export const LazyChatPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("@/components/chat/chat-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyAgentPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("@/components/chat/acp/agent-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyDependencyGraphPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/dependency-graph-panel"),
+);
+export const LazySessionPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/session-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyDocumentationPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/documentation-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyErrorsPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/error-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyFileExplorerPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/file-explorer-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyLogsPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/logs-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyOutlinePanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/outline-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyPackagesPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/packages-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyScratchpadPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/scratchpad-panel"),
+);
+export const LazySecretsPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/secrets-panel"),
+);
+export const LazySnippetsPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/snippets-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyTracingPanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/tracing-panel"),
+);
+export const LazyCachePanel = reactLazyWithPreload(
+  () => import("../panels/cache-panel"),
+);
+
+// Preloader registry: hovering an icon/tab calls into this map to warm the
+// corresponding chunk. Two panel types (chat and agents) share the "ai" slot,
+// so we preload both.
+export const PANEL_PRELOADERS: Record<PanelType, () => void> = {
+  files: LazyFileExplorerPanel.preload,
+  variables: LazySessionPanel.preload,
+  dependencies: LazyDependencyGraphPanel.preload,
+  packages: LazyPackagesPanel.preload,
+  outline: LazyOutlinePanel.preload,
+  documentation: LazyDocumentationPanel.preload,
+  snippets: LazySnippetsPanel.preload,
+  ai: () => {
+    LazyChatPanel.preload();
+    LazyAgentPanel.preload();
+  },
+  errors: LazyErrorsPanel.preload,
+  scratchpad: LazyScratchpadPanel.preload,
+  tracing: LazyTracingPanel.preload,
+  secrets: LazySecretsPanel.preload,
+  logs: LazyLogsPanel.preload,
+  terminal: LazyTerminal.preload,
+  cache: LazyCachePanel.preload,
+};
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/sidebar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/sidebar.tsx
index ae80e0a4f8d..68c229902c1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/sidebar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/editor/chrome/wrapper/sidebar.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
   PANELS,
   type PanelDescriptor,
 } from "../types";
+import { PANEL_PRELOADERS } from "./lazy-panels";
 
 export const Sidebar: React.FC = () => {
   const { selectedPanel, selectedDeveloperPanelTab, isSidebarOpen } =
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ export const Sidebar: React.FC = () => {
           <SidebarItem
             tooltip={panel.tooltip}
             selected={selectedPanel === panel.type}
+            onPreloadHint={PANEL_PRELOADERS[panel.type]}
           >
             {panel.type === "errors" ? (
               <ErrorPanelIcon Icon={panel.Icon} />
@@ -206,8 +208,10 @@ const SidebarItem: React.FC<
     tooltip: React.ReactNode;
     className?: string;
     onClick?: () => void;
+    /** Fired on hover or focus — used to preload the panel's chunk. */
+    onPreloadHint?: () => void;
   }>
-> = ({ children, tooltip, selected, className, onClick }) => {
+> = ({ children, tooltip, selected, className, onClick, onPreloadHint }) => {
   const itemClassName = cn(
     "flex items-center p-2 text-sm mx-px shadow-inset font-mono rounded",
     !selected && "hover:bg-(--sage-3)",
@@ -218,11 +222,22 @@ const SidebarItem: React.FC<
   // Render as div when not clickable (e.g., inside ReorderableList)
   // This avoids nested interactive elements which break react-aria's drag behavior
   const content = onClick ? (
-    <button className={itemClassName} onClick={onClick}>
+    <button
+      className={itemClassName}
+      onClick={onClick}
+      onMouseEnter={onPreloadHint}
+      onFocus={onPreloadHint}
+    >
       {children}
     </button>
   ) : (
-    <div className={itemClassName}>{children}</div>
+    <div
+      className={itemClassName}
+      onMouseEnter={onPreloadHint}
+      onFocus={onPreloadHint}
+    >
+      {children}
+    </div>
   );
 
   return (