diff --git a/src/components/frontend/minigames/poker/PokerLobby.tsx b/src/components/frontend/minigames/poker/PokerLobby.tsx
index 7a071c1..7d746a9 100644
--- a/src/components/frontend/minigames/poker/PokerLobby.tsx
+++ b/src/components/frontend/minigames/poker/PokerLobby.tsx
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ function createdLabel(createdAt: string): string {
 }
 
 export function PokerLobby({ refreshKey, onOpenTable, isSuperuser = false }: PokerLobbyProps) {
-  const [tables, setTables] = useState<readonly PokerTableSummary[]>([]);
-  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
+  const [tables, setTables] = useState<readonly PokerTableSummary[] | null>(null);
+  const [refreshing, setRefreshing] = useState(false);
   const [pendingTable, setPendingTable] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [forceEndingTable, setForceEndingTable] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [creating, setCreating] = useState(false);
@@ -58,22 +58,28 @@ export function PokerLobby({ refreshKey, onOpenTable, isSuperuser = false }: Pok
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
   const loadTables = useCallback(async () => {
-    setLoading(true);
-    setError(null);
     try {
       const result = await listPokerTables();
       if (!result.success) {
         setError(result.error ?? "Could not load poker tables.");
         return;
       }
+      setError(null);
       setTables(result.data ?? []);
     } catch (caught) {
       setError(caught instanceof Error ? caught.message : "Could not load poker tables.");
-    } finally {
-      setLoading(false);
     }
   }, []);
 
+  const manualRefresh = useCallback(async () => {
+    setRefreshing(true);
+    try {
+      await loadTables();
+    } finally {
+      setRefreshing(false);
+    }
+  }, [loadTables]);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     void loadTables();
   }, [loadTables, refreshKey]);
@@ -172,12 +178,12 @@ export function PokerLobby({ refreshKey, onOpenTable, isSuperuser = false }: Pok
             type="button"
             variant="outline"
             size="icon"
-            onClick={() => void loadTables()}
-            disabled={loading}
+            onClick={() => void manualRefresh()}
+            disabled={refreshing}
             aria-label="Refresh poker tables"
             title="Refresh tables"
           >
-            <RefreshCw className={cn(loading && "animate-spin motion-reduce:animate-none")} />
+            <RefreshCw className={cn(refreshing && "animate-spin motion-reduce:animate-none")} />
           </Button>
           <Button type="button" onClick={() => void create()} disabled={creating}>
             {creating ? (
@@ -193,7 +199,7 @@ export function PokerLobby({ refreshKey, onOpenTable, isSuperuser = false }: Pok
         {error && (
           <p className="border-b border-border px-4 py-3 text-sm text-destructive">{error}</p>
         )}
-        {loading && tables.length === 0 ? (
+        {tables === null ? (
           <p className="px-4 py-8 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
             Scanning for open tables...
           </p>