diff --git a/src/contexts/NeoUserContext.tsx b/src/contexts/NeoUserContext.tsx
index 2c92d19..ffb6ce5 100644
--- a/src/contexts/NeoUserContext.tsx
+++ b/src/contexts/NeoUserContext.tsx
@@ -226,13 +226,19 @@ export const NeoUserProvider: React.FC<{ children: ReactNode }> = ({ children })
         // Initialize user node in profile context
         logger.debug('neo-user-context', '🔄 Starting context initialization');
 
-        // Initialize user node
+        // Initialize user node — race against 8s timeout so spinner never hangs
+        const switchTimeout = new Promise<void>((_, reject) =>
+          setTimeout(() => reject(new Error('switchContext timed out after 8000ms')), 8000)
+        )
         try {
-          await navigationStore.switchContext({
-            main: 'profile',
-            base: 'profile',
-            extended: 'overview'
-          }, userDb, profile.school_db_name);
+          await Promise.race([
+            navigationStore.switchContext({
+              main: 'profile',
+              base: 'profile',
+              extended: 'overview'
+            }, userDb, profile.school_db_name),
+            switchTimeout
+          ]);
 
           const userNavigationNode = navigationStore.context.node;
           if (userNavigationNode?.id && userNavigationNode?.data) {
diff --git a/src/pages/tldraw/singlePlayerPage.tsx b/src/pages/tldraw/singlePlayerPage.tsx
index 989de8d..569269a 100644
--- a/src/pages/tldraw/singlePlayerPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/tldraw/singlePlayerPage.tsx
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ interface LoadingState {
 
 export default function SinglePlayerPage() {
     // Context hooks with initialization states
-    const { user, loading: userLoading } = useUser();
+    const { profile: user, loading: userLoading } = useUser();
     const { 
         tldrawPreferences, 
         initializePreferences,