diff --git a/code/websites/pokedex.online/src/views/GamemasterExplorer.vue b/code/websites/pokedex.online/src/views/GamemasterExplorer.vue
index c9a53ee..05006af 100644
--- a/code/websites/pokedex.online/src/views/GamemasterExplorer.vue
+++ b/code/websites/pokedex.online/src/views/GamemasterExplorer.vue
@@ -399,37 +399,33 @@ const client = new GamemasterClient();
 // Web Worker for search operations
 let searchWorker = null;
 let searchWorkerRequestId = 0;
+let searchWorkerInitPromise = null;
+
 const initSearchWorker = () => {
-  if (!searchWorker) {
-    try {
-      // Use Vite's ?worker syntax for proper bundling
-      import('../workers/search.worker.js?worker')
-        .then(module => {
-          searchWorker = new module.default();
-          console.log('✅ Worker created successfully');
+  if (!searchWorkerInitPromise) {
+    searchWorkerInitPromise = import('../workers/search.worker.js?worker')
+      .then(module => {
+        searchWorker = new module.default();
+        console.log('✅ Worker created successfully');
 
-          searchWorker.onmessage = handleSearchWorkerMessage;
-          searchWorker.onerror = error => {
-            console.error('❌ Worker error:', error.message);
-            operationProgress.value.active = false;
-            operationProgress.value.message = 'Search error: ' + error.message;
-          };
-
-          console.log('✅ Worker event handlers attached');
-        })
-        .catch(error => {
-          console.error('❌ Failed to import worker:', error);
+        searchWorker.onmessage = handleSearchWorkerMessage;
+        searchWorker.onerror = error => {
+          console.error('❌ Worker error:', error.message);
           operationProgress.value.active = false;
-          operationProgress.value.message = 'Failed to initialize search';
-          searchWorker = null;
-        });
-    } catch (error) {
-      console.error('❌ Failed to create worker:', error);
-      operationProgress.value.active = false;
-      operationProgress.value.message = 'Failed to initialize search';
-      searchWorker = null;
-    }
+          operationProgress.value.message = 'Search error: ' + error.message;
+        };
+
+        console.log('✅ Worker event handlers attached');
+        return searchWorker;
+      })
+      .catch(error => {
+        console.error('❌ Failed to import worker:', error);
+        searchWorker = null;
+        searchWorkerInitPromise = null; // Reset so we can retry
+        throw error;
+      });
   }
+  return searchWorkerInitPromise;
 };
 
 const handleSearchWorkerMessage = event => {