diff --git a/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/SpeechPlaybackSettings.tsx b/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/SpeechPlaybackSettings.tsx
index 2e3377073..dc5fb5870 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/SpeechPlaybackSettings.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/SpeechPlaybackSettings.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { getTtsPlaybackSpeed, setTtsPlaybackSpeed } from "@/shared/api/tauri";
 import { Button } from "@/shared/ui/button";
-import { commitPlaybackSpeed } from "./playbackSpeedPersistence";
+import {
+  applyLoadedPlaybackSpeed,
+  commitPlaybackSpeed,
+} from "./playbackSpeedPersistence";
 import { SettingsOptionGroup, SettingsOptionRow } from "./SettingsOptionGroup";
 
 const DEFAULT_SPEED = 1;
@@ -12,22 +15,34 @@ const SPEED_STEP = 0.05;
 export function SpeechPlaybackSettings() {
   const [speed, setSpeed] = useState(DEFAULT_SPEED);
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [loaded, setLoaded] = useState(false);
   const confirmedSpeed = useRef(DEFAULT_SPEED);
   const desiredSpeed = useRef(DEFAULT_SPEED);
   const flushPromise = useRef<Promise<void> | null>(null);
+  const hasLocalIntent = useRef(false);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     let active = true;
     getTtsPlaybackSpeed()
       .then((savedSpeed) => {
         if (active) {
-          confirmedSpeed.current = savedSpeed;
-          desiredSpeed.current = savedSpeed;
-          setSpeed(savedSpeed);
+          applyLoadedPlaybackSpeed(
+            {
+              confirmedSpeed,
+              desiredSpeed,
+              flushPromise,
+              hasLocalIntent,
+            },
+            { setSpeed },
+            savedSpeed,
+          );
         }
       })
       .catch((cause) => {
         if (active) setError(String(cause));
+      })
+      .finally(() => {
+        if (active) setLoaded(true);
       });
     return () => {
       active = false;
@@ -36,7 +51,7 @@ export function SpeechPlaybackSettings() {
 
   const commitSpeed = (nextSpeed: number) => {
     commitPlaybackSpeed(
-      { confirmedSpeed, desiredSpeed, flushPromise },
+      { confirmedSpeed, desiredSpeed, flushPromise, hasLocalIntent },
       { persist: setTtsPlaybackSpeed, setError, setSpeed },
       nextSpeed,
     );
@@ -66,7 +81,7 @@ export function SpeechPlaybackSettings() {
                 {speed.toFixed(2)}x
               </span>
               <Button
-                disabled={speed === DEFAULT_SPEED}
+                disabled={!loaded || speed === DEFAULT_SPEED}
                 onClick={() => commitSpeed(DEFAULT_SPEED)}
                 size="sm"
                 type="button"
@@ -79,6 +94,7 @@ export function SpeechPlaybackSettings() {
           <input
             aria-valuetext={`${speed.toFixed(2)} times`}
             className="mt-3 w-full accent-primary"
+            disabled={!loaded}
             id="speech-playback-speed"
             max={MAX_SPEED}
             min={MIN_SPEED}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/playbackSpeedPersistence.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/playbackSpeedPersistence.test.mjs
index 61cc0e428..779a22c2c 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/playbackSpeedPersistence.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/playbackSpeedPersistence.test.mjs
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import test from "node:test";
 
-import { commitPlaybackSpeed } from "./playbackSpeedPersistence.ts";
+import {
+  applyLoadedPlaybackSpeed,
+  commitPlaybackSpeed,
+} from "./playbackSpeedPersistence.ts";
 
 function deferred() {
   let resolve;
@@ -22,6 +25,7 @@ function harness() {
     confirmedSpeed: { current: 1 },
     desiredSpeed: { current: 1 },
     flushPromise: { current: null },
+    hasLocalIntent: { current: false },
   };
   const callbacks = {
     persist: (speed) => {
@@ -86,3 +90,17 @@ test("the latest failure rolls back to the last confirmed speed", async () => {
   assert.deepEqual(h.speeds, [1.25, 1]);
   assert.equal(h.errors.at(-1), "Error: save failed");
 });
+
+test("a delayed initial load cannot overwrite a local intent", async () => {
+  const h = harness();
+  commitPlaybackSpeed(h.state, h.callbacks, 1.5);
+  applyLoadedPlaybackSpeed(h.state, h.callbacks, 1);
+
+  assert.equal(h.state.desiredSpeed.current, 1.5);
+  assert.deepEqual(h.speeds, [1.5]);
+
+  h.saves[0].resolve();
+  await settle(h.state);
+  assert.equal(h.state.confirmedSpeed.current, 1.5);
+  assert.equal(h.state.desiredSpeed.current, 1.5);
+});
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/playbackSpeedPersistence.ts b/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/playbackSpeedPersistence.ts
index a793a2c94..88240888e 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/playbackSpeedPersistence.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/settings/ui/playbackSpeedPersistence.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export type PlaybackSpeedPersistenceState = {
   confirmedSpeed: MutableValue<number>;
   desiredSpeed: MutableValue<number>;
   flushPromise: MutableValue<Promise<void> | null>;
+  hasLocalIntent: MutableValue<boolean>;
 };
 
 type PlaybackSpeedPersistenceCallbacks = {
@@ -19,12 +20,24 @@ export function commitPlaybackSpeed(
   callbacks: PlaybackSpeedPersistenceCallbacks,
   nextSpeed: number,
 ) {
+  state.hasLocalIntent.current = true;
   state.desiredSpeed.current = nextSpeed;
   callbacks.setSpeed(nextSpeed);
   callbacks.setError(null);
   ensurePlaybackSpeedFlush(state, callbacks);
 }
 
+export function applyLoadedPlaybackSpeed(
+  state: PlaybackSpeedPersistenceState,
+  callbacks: Pick<PlaybackSpeedPersistenceCallbacks, "setSpeed">,
+  savedSpeed: number,
+) {
+  if (state.hasLocalIntent.current) return;
+  state.confirmedSpeed.current = savedSpeed;
+  state.desiredSpeed.current = savedSpeed;
+  callbacks.setSpeed(savedSpeed);
+}
+
 function ensurePlaybackSpeedFlush(
   state: PlaybackSpeedPersistenceState,
   callbacks: PlaybackSpeedPersistenceCallbacks,