diff --git a/site/src/components/ActivityFeed.svelte b/site/src/components/ActivityFeed.svelte
index 0dac192..5ccda62 100644
--- a/site/src/components/ActivityFeed.svelte
+++ b/site/src/components/ActivityFeed.svelte
@@ -132,57 +132,83 @@
 
   $: if (sport || datePre || query || customFrom || customTo) shown = PAGE_SIZE; // reset pagination on filter change
 
-  // When a search query or any date filter is active, eagerly load all
-  // remaining shards so results aren't limited to the initially-loaded year.
-  // Use only primary let-variables here — Svelte 5 doesn't reliably track
-  // derived $: variables as dependencies of side-effect $: blocks.
-  let loadingAllShards = false;
+  // Eager-load shards / feed-pages when a filter needs data not yet in memory.
+  let loadingAllShards    = false;
   let loadingAllFeedPages = false;
 
-  $: if ((query.trim() || customFrom || customTo || datePre !== 'all') && pendingShards.length > 0 && !loadingAllShards) {
-    loadingAllShards = true;
-    (async () => {
-      while (pendingShards.length > 0) {
-        const url = pendingShards[0];
-        pendingShards = pendingShards.slice(1);
-        try {
-          const fresh = await loadShardActivities(url);
-          const existing = new Map(all.map(a => [a.id, a]));
-          for (const a of fresh) if (!existing.has(a.id)) existing.set(a.id, a);
-          all = [...existing.values()].sort((a, b) =>
-            (b.started_at ?? '').localeCompare(a.started_at ?? ''),
-          );
-        } catch { /* ignore — partial results still useful */ }
-      }
-      loadingAllShards = false;
-    })();
+  function _yearFromShard(url: string): number | null {
+    const m = url.match(/index-(\d{4})\.json$/);
+    return m ? parseInt(m[1], 10) : null;
   }
 
-  $: if ((query.trim() || customFrom || customTo || datePre !== 'all') && feedNextPage > 0 && !loadingAllFeedPages) {
-    loadingAllFeedPages = true;
-    (async () => {
-      // Snapshot at loop start — customFrom may change while we're fetching.
-      const fromFilter = customFrom;
-      while (feedNextPage > 0) {
-        const page = feedNextPage;
-        feedNextPage = page < feedTotalPages ? page + 1 : 0;
-        try {
-          const fresh = await loadCombinedFeedPage(base, page);
-          const existing = new Map(all.map(a => [a.id, a]));
-          for (const a of fresh) if (!existing.has(a.id)) existing.set(a.id, a);
-          all = [...existing.values()].sort((a, b) =>
-            (b.started_at ?? '').localeCompare(a.started_at ?? ''),
-          );
-          // Feed is sorted newest-first. Once the oldest activity in this page
-          // predates our from-filter, everything needed is already loaded.
-          if (fromFilter && fresh.length > 0) {
-            const oldest = fresh.reduce((m, a) => (a.started_at ?? '') < (m.started_at ?? '') ? a : m);
-            if ((oldest.started_at ?? '') < fromFilter) { feedNextPage = 0; break; }
-          }
-        } catch { /* ignore — partial results still useful */ }
-      }
-      loadingAllFeedPages = false;
-    })();
+  // Returns [minYear, maxYear] for year-specific filters (year preset or custom
+  // date range).  Returns null for open-ended filters (all, 7d, 30d, 6mo).
+  function _neededYearRange(pre: string, from: string, to: string): [number, number] | null {
+    if (from || to) {
+      const fy = from ? parseInt(from.slice(0, 4), 10) : 0;
+      const ty = to   ? parseInt(to.slice(0, 4),   10) : 9999;
+      return [fy, ty];
+    }
+    if (/^\d{4}$/.test(pre)) { const y = parseInt(pre, 10); return [y, y]; }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  $: {
+    const yr = _neededYearRange(datePre, customFrom, customTo);
+    const needEager = !!query.trim() || yr !== null;
+    if (needEager && pendingShards.length > 0 && !loadingAllShards) {
+      loadingAllShards = true;
+      // When year-specific filter (no search), load only shards that cover
+      // the needed range; unneeded shards stay in pendingShards for "Load more".
+      // When search is active, load everything so full-text search works.
+      const toLoad = (yr && !query.trim())
+        ? pendingShards.filter(url => { const y = _yearFromShard(url); return y !== null && y >= yr[0] && y <= yr[1]; })
+        : [...pendingShards];
+      (async () => {
+        for (const url of toLoad) {
+          pendingShards = pendingShards.filter(u => u !== url);
+          try {
+            const fresh = await loadShardActivities(url);
+            const existing = new Map(all.map(a => [a.id, a]));
+            for (const a of fresh) if (!existing.has(a.id)) existing.set(a.id, a);
+            all = [...existing.values()].sort((a, b) =>
+              (b.started_at ?? '').localeCompare(a.started_at ?? ''),
+            );
+          } catch { /* ignore — partial results still useful */ }
+        }
+        loadingAllShards = false;
+      })();
+    }
+  }
+
+  $: {
+    const yr = _neededYearRange(datePre, customFrom, customTo);
+    if ((!!query.trim() || yr !== null) && feedNextPage > 0 && !loadingAllFeedPages) {
+      loadingAllFeedPages = true;
+      // Capture at loop start — dateFrom is reactive and may change mid-fetch.
+      const effectiveFrom = dateFrom;
+      (async () => {
+        while (feedNextPage > 0) {
+          const page = feedNextPage;
+          feedNextPage = page < feedTotalPages ? page + 1 : 0;
+          try {
+            const fresh = await loadCombinedFeedPage(base, page);
+            const existing = new Map(all.map(a => [a.id, a]));
+            for (const a of fresh) if (!existing.has(a.id)) existing.set(a.id, a);
+            all = [...existing.values()].sort((a, b) =>
+              (b.started_at ?? '').localeCompare(a.started_at ?? ''),
+            );
+            // Feed is sorted newest-first. Once the oldest activity in this page
+            // predates our from-filter, everything needed is already loaded.
+            if (effectiveFrom && fresh.length > 0) {
+              const oldest = fresh.reduce((m, a) => (a.started_at ?? '') < (m.started_at ?? '') ? a : m);
+              if ((oldest.started_at ?? '') < effectiveFrom) { feedNextPage = 0; break; }
+            }
+          } catch { /* ignore — partial results still useful */ }
+        }
+        loadingAllFeedPages = false;
+      })();
+    }
   }
 
   $: if (mounted) {