diff --git a/components/audio_client/audio_client.cpp b/components/audio_client/audio_client.cpp
index edfa601..3e2f523 100644
--- a/components/audio_client/audio_client.cpp
+++ b/components/audio_client/audio_client.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ static uint8_t s_img_buf[STATUS_IMG_BYTES];
 static lv_img_dsc_t s_img_dsc;
 static volatile bool s_img_pending = false;   /* expecting binary frame with image data */
 static volatile bool s_img_updated = false;   /* new image ready for UI consumption */
+static volatile bool s_need_request_image = false;  /* deferred image request on connect */
 static TaskHandle_t s_img_notify_task = NULL;  /* task to wake on new image */
 
 /* Forward declarations */
@@ -158,7 +159,10 @@ static void ws_event_handler(void *arg, esp_event_base_t event_base,
         ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Audio WS connected");
         s_state = AUDIO_CONNECTED;
         s_img_pending = false;
-        esp_websocket_client_send_text(s_client, "{\"type\":\"request_image\"}", 23, pdMS_TO_TICKS(1000));
+        s_need_request_image = true;
+        if (s_img_notify_task) {
+            xTaskNotifyGive(s_img_notify_task);
+        }
         break;
 
     case WEBSOCKET_EVENT_DISCONNECTED:
@@ -286,3 +290,16 @@ void audio_client_ack_status_image(void)
 {
     s_img_updated = false;
 }
+
+bool audio_client_send_pending_request(void)
+{
+    if (!s_need_request_image || !s_client) return false;
+    s_need_request_image = false;
+    int ret = esp_websocket_client_send_text(s_client, "{\"type\":\"request_image\"}", 23, pdMS_TO_TICKS(1000));
+    if (ret < 0) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to send image request: %d", ret);
+        return false;
+    }
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Sent image request to server");
+    return true;
+}
diff --git a/components/audio_client/audio_client.h b/components/audio_client/audio_client.h
index a4cd3d3..526de09 100644
--- a/components/audio_client/audio_client.h
+++ b/components/audio_client/audio_client.h
@@ -51,6 +51,13 @@ const lv_img_dsc_t *audio_client_get_status_image(bool *updated);
  */
 void audio_client_ack_status_image(void);
 
+/**
+ * Send any pending image request to the server.
+ * Call from a task context (not from an event handler).
+ * @return true if a request was sent, false if none pending or send failed.
+ */
+bool audio_client_send_pending_request(void);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/components/user_app/user_app.cpp b/components/user_app/user_app.cpp
index 0d257a0..d3eaeed 100644
--- a/components/user_app/user_app.cpp
+++ b/components/user_app/user_app.cpp
@@ -194,6 +194,9 @@ static void sensor_task(void *arg)
          */
         ulTaskNotifyTake(pdTRUE, pdMS_TO_TICKS(1000));
 
+        /* Send deferred image request if connect just happened */
+        audio_client_send_pending_request();
+
         /* Check for status image updates immediately */
         bool img_updated = false;
         const lv_img_dsc_t *img = audio_client_get_status_image(&img_updated);