diff --git a/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion.py b/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion.py
index 747adc719d..cf5f153e85 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion.py
@@ -352,11 +352,9 @@ class DiffusionBackend:
 
     def status(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
         state = self._state
-        loading = self._loading is not None and (self._loading.error is None)
         if state is None:
             return {
                 "loaded": False,
-                "loading": loading,
                 "repo_id": None,
                 "family": None,
                 "base_repo": None,
@@ -366,7 +364,6 @@ class DiffusionBackend:
             }
         return {
             "loaded": True,
-            "loading": loading,
             "repo_id": state.repo_id,
             "family": state.family.name,
             "base_repo": state.base_repo,
diff --git a/studio/backend/models/inference.py b/studio/backend/models/inference.py
index 64bdd33d3d..ada2c5e526 100644
--- a/studio/backend/models/inference.py
+++ b/studio/backend/models/inference.py
@@ -1748,7 +1748,6 @@ class DiffusionStatusResponse(BaseModel):
     """Current diffusion backend state."""
 
     loaded: bool = Field(False, description = "Whether a diffusion model is loaded")
-    loading: bool = Field(False, description = "Whether a load is currently in progress")
     repo_id: Optional[str] = Field(None, description = "Loaded repo id or local path")
     family: Optional[str] = Field(None, description = "Detected diffusion family")
     base_repo: Optional[str] = Field(None, description = "Companion diffusers base repo")
diff --git a/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_routes.py b/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_routes.py
index c39ee16409..3232d9b98c 100644
--- a/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_routes.py
+++ b/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_routes.py
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ class _FakeBackend:
         self.loaded = True
         return {
             "loaded": True,
-            "loading": False,
             "repo_id": model_path,
             "family": "z-image",
             "base_repo": kwargs.get("base_repo") or "base/repo",
@@ -67,7 +66,6 @@ class _FakeBackend:
 def _unloaded_status():
     return {
         "loaded": False,
-        "loading": False,
         "repo_id": None,
         "family": None,
         "base_repo": None,
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/images/api.ts b/studio/frontend/src/features/images/api.ts
index 120b4564f8..a7000038e8 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/images/api.ts
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/images/api.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import { readFastApiError } from "@/lib/format-fastapi-error";
 
 export interface DiffusionStatus {
   loaded: boolean;
-  loading: boolean;
   repo_id: string | null;
   family: string | null;
   base_repo: string | null;
diff --git a/studio/frontend/src/features/images/images-page.tsx b/studio/frontend/src/features/images/images-page.tsx
index ac700b21ae..24cffd87e2 100644
--- a/studio/frontend/src/features/images/images-page.tsx
+++ b/studio/frontend/src/features/images/images-page.tsx
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ const MODELS: ModelOption[] = [
   { id: MODEL.repo_id, name: MODEL.label, description: "Text-to-image · GGUF", isGguf: true },
 ];
 
+// Keep at most this many generated images in the session gallery.
+const MAX_GALLERY = 50;
+
 const RESOLUTIONS: Array<{ label: string; w: number; h: number }> = [
   { label: "Square 1024", w: 1024, h: 1024 },
   { label: "Square 768", w: 768, h: 768 },
@@ -316,19 +319,23 @@ export function ImagesPage() {
         seed: parsedSeed,
       });
       const id = nextResultId.current++;
-      setResults((prev) => [
-        {
-          id,
-          src: `data:${res.mime};base64,${res.image_b64}`,
-          prompt: prompt.trim(),
-          width: resolution.w,
-          height: resolution.h,
-          steps,
-          guidance,
-          seed: res.seed,
-        },
-        ...prev,
-      ]);
+      setResults((prev) =>
+        // Cap the gallery so the base64 PNGs (held in module scope across tab
+        // switches) can't grow without bound over a long session.
+        [
+          {
+            id,
+            src: `data:${res.mime};base64,${res.image_b64}`,
+            prompt: prompt.trim(),
+            width: resolution.w,
+            height: resolution.h,
+            steps,
+            guidance,
+            seed: res.seed,
+          },
+          ...prev,
+        ].slice(0, MAX_GALLERY),
+      );
       setSelectedId(id);
     } catch (err) {
       toast.error(err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Image generation failed");