diff --git a/backend/__tests__/routes/slideshowPublic.test.js b/backend/__tests__/routes/slideshowPublic.test.js
index 1d3e8666..64e1d185 100644
--- a/backend/__tests__/routes/slideshowPublic.test.js
+++ b/backend/__tests__/routes/slideshowPublic.test.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ const cookieParser = require('cookie-parser');
 const request = require('supertest');
 const { bootCrmDb, seedMinimal } = require('../integration/helpers/crmDb');
 const { invalidateFeatureFlagCache } = require('../../src/middleware/requireFeatureFlag');
+const { invalidateSlideshowGlobals } = require('../../src/utils/slideshowGlobals');
 
 const SLUG = 'wedding-test';
 const TOKEN = 'show-tok-abcdef';
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ describe('public Live Slideshow routes', () => {
     await db('app_settings').del();
     await db('feature_flags').del();
     invalidateFeatureFlagCache();
+    invalidateSlideshowGlobals();
     await setFlag(db, 'slideshow', true);
   });
 
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/adminSettings.js b/backend/src/routes/adminSettings.js
index 06d9213c..1eadc09d 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/adminSettings.js
+++ b/backend/src/routes/adminSettings.js
@@ -345,6 +345,9 @@ router.put('/slideshow', adminAuth, requirePermission('settings.edit'), async (r
     for (const u of updates) {
       await upsertAppSetting(u.setting_key, u.setting_value, u.setting_type);
     }
+    // Drop the slideshow-globals cache so a running projector picks up the
+    // change on its next poll rather than after the 5s TTL.
+    require('../utils/slideshowGlobals').invalidateSlideshowGlobals();
     res.json({ message: 'Slideshow settings updated', updated: updates.map((u) => u.setting_key) });
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Slideshow settings save error:', error);
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/gallery.js b/backend/src/routes/gallery.js
index a678ec22..888e8d70 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/gallery.js
+++ b/backend/src/routes/gallery.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const { getStorage } = require('../services/storage');
 const { setGalleryAuthCookies } = require('../utils/tokenUtils');
 // Read globals from app_settings (the real table) — settingsService.getSetting
 // queries a non-existent `settings` table and throws.
-const { getAppSetting } = require('../utils/appSettings');
+const { getSlideshowGlobals } = require('../utils/slideshowGlobals');
 const { isFeatureEnabled } = require('../middleware/requireFeatureFlag');
 const fs = require('fs');
 
@@ -269,48 +269,48 @@ async function resolveSlideshow(slug, token) {
 // from the chosen source so the kiosk renders it without knowing about
 // branding/event internals; null url = nothing to overlay.
 async function slideshowSettings(event) {
+  // The global look/fit (Settings → Slideshow) + branding logo URLs come from a
+  // short-TTL cached bundle so a 3s projector poll doesn't re-fire ~10 settings
+  // reads each time (PR #646 review, concern 2).
+  const g = await getSlideshowGlobals();
+
   // Watermark: the LOOK (logo/position/opacity/style/size) is configured ONCE
-  // globally (Settings → Slideshow); it is NOT duplicated per event. The only
-  // per-event control is whether the watermark shows: `show_watermark` NULL
-  // inherits the global enabled flag, true/false force it on/off.
+  // globally; it is NOT duplicated per event. The only per-event control is
+  // whether the watermark shows: `show_watermark` NULL inherits the global
+  // enabled flag, true/false force it on/off.
   const wm = event.show_watermark;
   const inherit = (wm === null || wm === undefined);
-  const enabled = inherit
-    ? (await getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_enabled', false)) === true
-    : (wm === true || wm === 1 || wm === '1');
+  const enabled = inherit ? g.watermark_enabled : (wm === true || wm === 1 || wm === '1');
   let watermark = null;
   if (enabled) {
-    const source = await getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_source', 'logo');
-    const position = await getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_position', 'bottom-right');
-    const opacity = await getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_opacity', 60);
-    const style = await getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_style', 'white');
-    const size = await getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_size', 12);
     // Resolve the chosen logo to a URL. Branding assets come from settings;
     // the event source uses the event's own hero logo.
     let url;
-    if (source === 'event') {
+    if (g.watermark_source === 'event') {
       url = event.hero_logo_url || null;
-    } else if (source === 'logo_dark') {
-      url = await getAppSetting('branding_logo_url_dark', null);
-    } else if (source === 'favicon') {
-      url = await getAppSetting('branding_favicon_url', null);
+    } else if (g.watermark_source === 'logo_dark') {
+      url = g.branding_logo_url_dark;
+    } else if (g.watermark_source === 'favicon') {
+      url = g.branding_favicon_url;
     } else {
-      url = await getAppSetting('branding_logo_url', null);
+      url = g.branding_logo_url;
     }
     if (url) {
-      watermark = { url, position: position || 'bottom-right', opacity: opacity ?? 60, style: style || 'white', size: size ?? 12 };
+      watermark = {
+        url,
+        position: g.watermark_position,
+        opacity: g.watermark_opacity,
+        style: g.watermark_style,
+        size: g.watermark_size,
+      };
     }
   }
-  // Image fit is a global setting (Settings → Slideshow): 'cover' fills + crops,
-  // 'contain' shows the whole image with black bars (no crop).
-  const fitRaw = await getAppSetting('slideshow_fit', 'cover');
-  const fit = fitRaw === 'contain' ? 'contain' : 'cover';
   return {
     interval_ms: event.show_interval_ms || 5000,
     transition: event.show_transition || 'crossfade',
     transition_ms: event.show_transition_ms || 800,
     colorfilter: event.show_colorfilter || 'none',
-    fit,
+    fit: g.fit,
     watermark,
   };
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/utils/slideshowGlobals.js b/backend/src/utils/slideshowGlobals.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b5b00046
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/utils/slideshowGlobals.js
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/**
+ * Cached read of the global Live-Slideshow settings (Settings → Slideshow) +
+ * the branding logo URLs the watermark resolves against.
+ *
+ * Why: a running projector polls `/show/:token/state` every ~3s, and each poll
+ * resolved the watermark/fit by firing ~7–10 individual `getAppSetting` reads.
+ * A leaked link × N tabs amplifies that linearly (PR #646 review, concern 2).
+ * These globals change only via `PUT /admin/settings/slideshow`, so we cache
+ * the whole bundle with a short TTL and invalidate on write — admin live-edit
+ * stays effectively instant, and steady-state polls drop to ~0 settings reads.
+ */
+const { getAppSetting } = require('./appSettings');
+
+const TTL_MS = 5000;
+let cache = null; // { at, val }
+
+async function getSlideshowGlobals() {
+  const now = Date.now();
+  if (cache && now - cache.at < TTL_MS) return cache.val;
+
+  const [
+    enabled, source, position, opacity, style, size, fit,
+    logo, logoDark, favicon,
+  ] = await Promise.all([
+    getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_enabled', false),
+    getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_source', 'logo'),
+    getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_position', 'bottom-right'),
+    getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_opacity', 60),
+    getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_style', 'white'),
+    getAppSetting('slideshow_watermark_size', 12),
+    getAppSetting('slideshow_fit', 'cover'),
+    getAppSetting('branding_logo_url', null),
+    getAppSetting('branding_logo_url_dark', null),
+    getAppSetting('branding_favicon_url', null),
+  ]);
+
+  const val = {
+    watermark_enabled: enabled === true,
+    watermark_source: source || 'logo',
+    watermark_position: position || 'bottom-right',
+    watermark_opacity: opacity ?? 60,
+    watermark_style: style || 'white',
+    watermark_size: size ?? 12,
+    fit: fit === 'contain' ? 'contain' : 'cover',
+    branding_logo_url: logo || null,
+    branding_logo_url_dark: logoDark || null,
+    branding_favicon_url: favicon || null,
+  };
+  cache = { at: now, val };
+  return val;
+}
+
+/** Clear the cache — call after any write to the slideshow_* / branding logo settings. */
+function invalidateSlideshowGlobals() {
+  cache = null;
+}
+
+module.exports = { getSlideshowGlobals, invalidateSlideshowGlobals };
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/admin/SlideshowGlobalDefaultsCard.tsx b/frontend/src/components/admin/SlideshowGlobalDefaultsCard.tsx
index 39a95d27..ccf6f19e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/admin/SlideshowGlobalDefaultsCard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/admin/SlideshowGlobalDefaultsCard.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ import {
 } from '../../services/slideshow.service';
 import { WatermarkSourcePicker } from './WatermarkSourcePicker';
 
+// Optimistic form state shown until the GET resolves; mirrors the backend
+// defaults so the controls don't flicker on load (backend is the source of
+// truth — these are just the pre-fetch placeholder).
 const DEFAULTS: SlideshowGlobalDefaults = {
   slideshow_fit: 'cover',
   slideshow_interval_ms: 5000,