diff --git a/src/components/account/Account.stories.ts b/src/components/account/Account.stories.ts
index 7e0f2977b..78995baaf 100644
--- a/src/components/account/Account.stories.ts
+++ b/src/components/account/Account.stories.ts
@@ -15,12 +15,8 @@ const meta = {
 
 const render = defineAuthStoryRender(() => html`<solid-ui-account></solid-ui-account>`)
 
-export default meta
-
 export const Primary = { render }
-export const Guest = {
-  render,
-  args: {
-    user: 'Guest',
-  }
-}
+export const Guest = { render, args: { user: 'Guest' } }
+export const Initializing = { render, args: { user: 'Initializing' } }
+
+export default meta
diff --git a/src/components/account/Account.styles.css b/src/components/account/Account.styles.css
index 58f6d7cae..34ab7aa01 100644
--- a/src/components/account/Account.styles.css
+++ b/src/components/account/Account.styles.css
@@ -1,13 +1,21 @@
 :host {
+    --image-size: 1.875rem; /* 30px */
+
     display: inline-flex;
     flex-direction: row;
     gap: 10px;
 }
 
+:host([data-state-initializing]) {
+    icon-svg-spinners-180-ring {
+        width: var(--image-size);
+        height: var(--image-size);
+    }
+}
+
 :host([data-state-loggedIn]) {
     --padding: 4px;
     --border-width: 1px;
-    --image-size: 1.875rem; /* 30px */
 
     button {
         display: inline-flex;
diff --git a/src/components/account/Account.ts b/src/components/account/Account.ts
index a2069f070..4e6c82611 100644
--- a/src/components/account/Account.ts
+++ b/src/components/account/Account.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import '~icons/lucide/chevron-down'
 import '~icons/lucide/log-in'
 import '~icons/lucide/log-out'
 import '~icons/lucide/user'
+import '~icons/svg-spinners/180-ring'
 
 import styles from './Account.styles.css'
 
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ export interface AccountMenuItem {
 export default class Account extends WebComponent {
   static styles = styles
   static states = {
+    initializing: (component: Account) => !component.auth.initialized,
     loggedIn: (component: Account) => !!component.auth.account,
   }
 
@@ -52,6 +54,12 @@ export default class Account extends WebComponent {
   }
 
   protected render () {
+    if (!this.auth.initialized) {
+      return html`
+        <icon-svg-spinners-180-ring></icon-svg-spinners-180-ring>
+      `
+    }
+
     if (!this.auth.account) {
       return html`
         <solid-ui-login-button>
diff --git a/src/components/guard/Guard.stories.ts b/src/components/guard/Guard.stories.ts
index 881fc8857..e09d3e9b0 100644
--- a/src/components/guard/Guard.stories.ts
+++ b/src/components/guard/Guard.stories.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ const meta = {
 
 const render = defineAuthStoryRender<typeof meta.argTypes>(() => html`
     <solid-guard>
+        <span slot="initializing">Initializing content</span>
         <span slot="guest">Guest content</span>
         <span>Logged in content</span>
     </solid-guard>
@@ -23,5 +24,6 @@ const render = defineAuthStoryRender<typeof meta.argTypes>(() => html`
 
 export const Primary = { render }
 export const Guest = { render, args: { user: 'Guest' } }
+export const Initializing = { render, args: { user: 'Initializing' } }
 
 export default meta
diff --git a/src/components/guard/Guard.ts b/src/components/guard/Guard.ts
index 4d29dec53..416dcb8e7 100644
--- a/src/components/guard/Guard.ts
+++ b/src/components/guard/Guard.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,27 @@ export default class Guard extends WebComponent {
   @consume({ context: authContext, subscribe: true })
   private accessor auth: AuthContext = DEFAULT_AUTH_CONTEXT
 
+  private unsubscribeSessionUpdated?: () => void
+
+  connectedCallback () {
+    super.connectedCallback()
+
+    this.unsubscribeSessionUpdated = this.auth.onSessionUpdated(() => this.requestUpdate())
+  }
+
+  disconnectedCallback () {
+    super.disconnectedCallback()
+
+    this.unsubscribeSessionUpdated?.()
+  }
+
   protected render () {
+    if (!this.auth.initialized) {
+      return html`
+        <slot name="initializing"></slot>
+      `
+    }
+
     if (!this.auth.account) {
       return html`
         <slot name="guest"></slot>
diff --git a/src/components/provider/Provider.ts b/src/components/provider/Provider.ts
index 9786e4f72..8020c4f89 100644
--- a/src/components/provider/Provider.ts
+++ b/src/components/provider/Provider.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ export default class Provider extends WebComponent {
   @provide({ context: authContext })
   private accessor auth = new SolidAuth()
 
+  async connectedCallback () {
+    super.connectedCallback()
+
+    await this.auth.initialize()
+  }
+
   protected willUpdate (changedProperties: Map<string, any>) {
     super.willUpdate(changedProperties)
 
diff --git a/src/lib/auth/NoopAuth.ts b/src/lib/auth/NoopAuth.ts
index d8d852533..dc0c28fea 100644
--- a/src/lib/auth/NoopAuth.ts
+++ b/src/lib/auth/NoopAuth.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 import { AuthContext } from './context'
-import Account from './Account'
 
 export default class NoopAuth implements AuthContext {
-  get account (): Account | null {
-    return null
-  }
+  public readonly initialized = false
+  public readonly account = null
 
   async login () {
     throw new Error('Can\'t use auth, missing context provider')
diff --git a/src/lib/auth/SolidAuth.ts b/src/lib/auth/SolidAuth.ts
index ef16e2c18..d69b32e1e 100644
--- a/src/lib/auth/SolidAuth.ts
+++ b/src/lib/auth/SolidAuth.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-import { authSession, solidLogicSingleton } from 'solid-logic'
 import Account from '@/lib/auth/Account'
+import ns from '@/lib/ns'
+import { authn, authSession, solidLogicSingleton } from 'solid-logic'
 import { AuthContext } from '@/lib/auth'
 import { showDialog } from '@/lib/dialogs'
 import { html } from 'lit'
-import ns from '@/lib/ns'
 
 import '@/components/login-modal'
 
@@ -24,11 +24,26 @@ function findAccountImage (webId: string): string | undefined {
 }
 
 export default class SolidAuth implements AuthContext {
+  private _initialized = false
+  private listeners: (() => unknown)[] = []
+
   constructor (public signupUrl: string = DEFAULT_SIGNUP_URL) {}
 
+  async initialize () {
+    await authn.checkUser()
+
+    this._initialized = true
+    this.listeners.forEach(listener => listener())
+  }
+
+  get initialized (): boolean {
+    return this._initialized
+  }
+
   get account (): Account | null {
     const webId: string | undefined = authSession.webId ?? authSession.info?.webId
     const isActive: boolean = authSession.isActive ?? authSession.info?.isLoggedIn ?? Boolean(webId)
+
     if (!isActive || !webId) {
       return null
     }
@@ -74,21 +89,26 @@ export default class SolidAuth implements AuthContext {
     const listener = () => {
       callback()
     }
+
+    this.listeners.push(listener)
+
     if (typeof sessionEventTarget.addEventListener === 'function') {
       sessionEventTarget.addEventListener('sessionStateChange', listener)
     } else {
-      authSession.events.on('login', callback)
-      authSession.events.on('logout', callback)
-      authSession.events.on('sessionRestore', callback)
+      authSession.events.on('login', listener)
+      authSession.events.on('logout', listener)
+      authSession.events.on('sessionRestore', listener)
     }
 
     return () => {
+      this.listeners = this.listeners.filter(_listener => _listener !== listener)
+
       if (typeof sessionEventTarget.removeEventListener === 'function') {
         sessionEventTarget.removeEventListener('sessionStateChange', listener)
       } else {
-        authSession.events.off('login', callback)
-        authSession.events.off('logout', callback)
-        authSession.events.off('sessionRestore', callback)
+        authSession.events.off('login', listener)
+        authSession.events.off('logout', listener)
+        authSession.events.off('sessionRestore', listener)
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/auth/context.ts b/src/lib/auth/context.ts
index 822bb6ad2..14fc82a7e 100644
--- a/src/lib/auth/context.ts
+++ b/src/lib/auth/context.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import NoopAuth from './NoopAuth'
 import Account from './Account'
 
 export interface AuthContext {
+  initialized: boolean;
   account: Account | null;
   login(loginUrl?: string): Promise<void>;
   signup(): Promise<void>;
diff --git a/src/storybook/auth/StorybookAuth.ts b/src/storybook/auth/StorybookAuth.ts
index 291004bc6..110ce4aa6 100644
--- a/src/storybook/auth/StorybookAuth.ts
+++ b/src/storybook/auth/StorybookAuth.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Account, AuthContext } from '@/lib/auth'
 
 export default class StorybookAuth implements AuthContext {
+  public initialized = true
   public account: Account | null = null
 
   async login (loginUrl?: string) {
diff --git a/src/storybook/components/StorybookProvider.ts b/src/storybook/components/StorybookProvider.ts
index b34d4391c..b7bfbc7a1 100644
--- a/src/storybook/components/StorybookProvider.ts
+++ b/src/storybook/components/StorybookProvider.ts
@@ -15,12 +15,17 @@ export class StorybookProvider extends WebComponent {
   @property({ type: String, reflect: true })
   accessor avatarUrl: string | undefined
 
+  @property({ type: Boolean, reflect: true })
+  accessor initialized = true
+
   @provide({ context: authContext })
   private accessor auth = new StorybookAuth()
 
   willUpdate (changedProperties: Map<string, any>) {
     super.willUpdate(changedProperties)
 
+    this.auth.initialized = this.initialized
+
     if (!this.webId) {
       this.auth.account = null
 
diff --git a/src/storybook/helpers.ts b/src/storybook/helpers.ts
index c1fa21033..2606149fe 100644
--- a/src/storybook/helpers.ts
+++ b/src/storybook/helpers.ts
@@ -9,11 +9,20 @@ export type GetStoryArgs<T extends object> = {
   [K in keyof T]: T[K] extends { options: ArrayLike<infer TValue> } ? TValue : T[K] extends { control: 'text' } ? string : never
 }
 
-function renderStorybook (content: TemplateResult, user: ReturnType<typeof USER_OPTIONS.resolve> = null) {
+function renderStorybook (content: TemplateResult, user?: ReturnType<typeof USER_OPTIONS.resolve>) {
+  user ??= USER_OPTIONS.resolve('Guest')
+
   const container = document.createElement('div')
+  const attributes = 'initialized' in user
+    ? { initialized: user.initialized }
+    : { webId: user.webId, avatarUrl: user.avatarUrl, initialized: true }
 
   render(html`
-        <storybook-provider webId="${user?.webId}" avatarUrl="${user?.avatarUrl}">
+        <storybook-provider
+            webId=${attributes.webId}
+            avatarUrl=${attributes.avatarUrl}
+            .initialized=${attributes.initialized}
+        >
             ${content}
         </storybook-provider>
     `, container)
diff --git a/src/storybook/stubs.ts b/src/storybook/stubs.ts
index 89bb914c4..f46beec9e 100644
--- a/src/storybook/stubs.ts
+++ b/src/storybook/stubs.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export const users = {
 } as const
 
 export const USER_OPTIONS = defineControlOptions([
-  ...objectEntries(users).map(([label, value]) => [label, value]) as [keyof typeof users | 'Guest', typeof users[keyof typeof users] | null][],
-  ['Guest', null],
+  ...objectEntries(users).map(([label, value]) => [label, value]) as [keyof typeof users | 'Guest', typeof users[keyof typeof users]][],
+  ['Guest', { initialized: true }],
+  ['Initializing', { initialized: false }],
 ])