diff --git a/changelog.d/1693-cctv-frame-no-flash.md b/changelog.d/1693-cctv-frame-no-flash.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..363d28129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/1693-cctv-frame-no-flash.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+- Show a new CCTV camera's frame the moment it is decoded, with no fade, so
+  switching cameras no longer lingers on an empty preview (samehkhamis, #1693).
diff --git a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
index 2487af0a7..1de6c550d 100644
--- a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
+++ b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
@@ -2224,7 +2224,9 @@ Frame loading, calibration editing and status display have separate modules;
 providers, camera placement and navigation policy retain their existing owners.
 Changing cameras invalidates old image callbacks and cancels an unfinished
 calibration edit. Failed refreshes preserve settled pixels for the same camera,
-while a newly selected camera never shows the prior camera's image. Disposal
+while a newly selected camera never shows the prior camera's image. A frame is
+shown without a fade once it is decoded (or after one second if its decode never
+settles), so a new camera's preview is blank only while its frame loads. Disposal
 releases listeners, subscriptions, image handlers, summary timers and chip-hide timers.
 
 ## UI disposal
diff --git a/src/ui/cctvControls.test.mjs b/src/ui/cctvControls.test.mjs
index 9a5d746d7..c2ef0e776 100644
--- a/src/ui/cctvControls.test.mjs
+++ b/src/ui/cctvControls.test.mjs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { test } from 'node:test';
 import { CctvControls } from './cctvControls.js';
+import { CCTV_FRAME_DECODE_WAIT_MS } from './cctvFrames.js';
 
 function element() {
   const classes = new Set();
@@ -59,6 +60,50 @@ test('a late image completion cannot replace a newer camera preview', (t) => {
   assert.equal(controls._frame.cameraId, 'b');
 });
 
+test('a camera frame settles once decoded, and a stale decode cannot land', async (t) => {
+  const { controls, requests } = fixture(t);
+  const decodes = [];
+  const queue = (src, id) => {
+    controls._queueCctvFrame(src, id, true);
+    const request = requests.at(-1);
+    request.decode = () =>
+      new Promise((resolve) => decodes.push({ src, resolve }));
+    return request;
+  };
+  const first = queue('first.jpg', 'a');
+  first.onload();
+  assert.equal(controls._frame.hasFrame, false);
+  const second = queue('second.jpg', 'b');
+  second.onload();
+  decodes[1].resolve();
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  decodes[0].resolve();
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  assert.equal(controls._frame.src, 'second.jpg');
+  assert.equal(controls._frame.cameraId, 'b');
+  assert.equal(controls._frame.hasFrame, true);
+});
+
+test('a loaded frame shows when its decode rejects or never settles', async (t) => {
+  t.mock.timers.enable({ apis: ['setTimeout'] });
+  const { controls, requests } = fixture(t);
+  controls._queueCctvFrame('broken.jpg', 'a', true);
+  requests[0].decode = () => Promise.reject(new Error('EncodingError'));
+  requests[0].onload();
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  assert.equal(controls._frame.src, 'broken.jpg');
+  assert.equal(controls._frame.hasFrame, true);
+
+  controls._queueCctvFrame('hidden.jpg', 'b', true);
+  requests[1].decode = () => new Promise(() => {});
+  requests[1].onload();
+  assert.equal(controls._frame.hasFrame, false);
+  t.mock.timers.tick(CCTV_FRAME_DECODE_WAIT_MS);
+  assert.equal(controls._frame.src, 'hidden.jpg');
+  assert.equal(controls._frame.hasFrame, true);
+});
+
 test('failed refresh preserves settled pixels, but changing cameras clears them', (t) => {
   const { controls, requests } = fixture(t);
   controls._queueCctvFrame('first.jpg', 'a', true);
diff --git a/src/ui/cctvFrames.js b/src/ui/cctvFrames.js
index cdc9185f7..761711174 100644
--- a/src/ui/cctvFrames.js
+++ b/src/ui/cctvFrames.js
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ export function cctvSourceLabelText(label) {
   return SOURCE_LABELS[text] ? t(SOURCE_LABELS[text]) : text;
 }
 
+/** Longest wait for a loaded frame's decode before it is shown anyway. */
+export const CCTV_FRAME_DECODE_WAIT_MS = 1000;
+
 /** The preview before any frame: nothing requested, nothing shown. */
 export const EMPTY_CCTV_FRAME = Object.freeze({
   cameraId: '',
@@ -127,7 +130,28 @@ export function _queueCctvFrame(src, cameraId, cameraChanged) {
 
   const preloader = new Image();
   this._cctvFramePreloader = preloader;
-  preloader.onload = () => this._settleCctvFrame(token, src, true);
+  // Settle once the image is decoded, not merely loaded: the panel's <img>
+  // then paints the frame the moment it takes the src, instead of showing
+  // its empty box for the decode.
+  // A decode that rejects after a load still has drawable data, as it was
+  // before decoding was awaited. A decode that never settles (a hidden tab may
+  // hold it until the page draws) shows the loaded frame after
+  // CCTV_FRAME_DECODE_WAIT_MS rather than leaving the preview loading.
+  preloader.onload = () => {
+    if (typeof preloader.decode !== 'function') {
+      this._settleCctvFrame(token, src, true);
+      return;
+    }
+    let settled = false;
+    const settle = () => {
+      if (settled) return;
+      settled = true;
+      clearTimeout(timer);
+      this._settleCctvFrame(token, src, true);
+    };
+    const timer = setTimeout(settle, CCTV_FRAME_DECODE_WAIT_MS);
+    preloader.decode().then(settle, settle);
+  };
   preloader.onerror = () => this._settleCctvFrame(token, src, false);
   preloader.src = src;
 }
diff --git a/src/ui/styles/cctv.css b/src/ui/styles/cctv.css
index 7754e563f..fd406485d 100644
--- a/src/ui/styles/cctv.css
+++ b/src/ui/styles/cctv.css
@@ -250,8 +250,11 @@ html:not([lang='en']) .cctv-controls .scene-btn {
   height: auto;
   object-fit: contain;
   display: block;
+  /* No fade: a camera change hides the old frame at once (never its pixels
+     under the new camera) and shows the new one as soon as it is decoded. A
+     180 ms fade-in after every arriving frame made each camera click linger
+     on black. */
   opacity: 0;
-  transition: opacity 180ms ease;
 }
 
 #cctv-video {