diff --git a/apps/web/src/reader/CbzReader.tsx b/apps/web/src/reader/CbzReader.tsx
index b20a999..2c86cd8 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/reader/CbzReader.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/reader/CbzReader.tsx
@@ -216,7 +216,6 @@ export function CbzReader({
                 alt={item.name}
                 loading="lazy"
                 style={verticalImageStyle(item.page)}
-                hidden={!imageSizes[item.page]}
                 onLoad={(event) => {
                   setImageSizes((current) => ({
                     ...current,
diff --git a/apps/web/src/reader/readerRuntime.test.ts b/apps/web/src/reader/readerRuntime.test.ts
index 7e85138..dddefe8 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/reader/readerRuntime.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/reader/readerRuntime.test.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { epubFileName } from "./EpubReader";
 import { pdfDocumentOptions } from "./pdfDocumentOptions";
@@ -204,6 +205,13 @@ describe("reader runtime helpers", () => {
     ).toBe(2);
   });
 
+  it("keeps CBZ vertical page images loadable before their dimensions are known", () => {
+    const source = readFileSync(new URL("./CbzReader.tsx", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+    const verticalBranch = source.slice(source.indexOf('mode === "vertical" ?'), source.indexOf(") : (", source.indexOf('mode === "vertical" ?')));
+
+    expect(verticalBranch).not.toContain('hidden={!imageSizes[item.page]}');
+  });
+
   it("detects fullscreen support and active fullscreen element", () => {
     const fullscreenElement = { requestFullscreen: () => Promise.resolve() } as unknown as HTMLElement;
     const regularElement = {} as HTMLElement;