diff --git a/Output.php b/Output.php
index 3f9351d..d84c9fd 100644
--- a/Output.php
+++ b/Output.php
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ class Output
 
         $thumbW = 150;
         $thumbH = 150;
+        $thumbQ = 80;
 
         $placeholderUrl = DOKU_BASE . 'lib/images/blank.gif';
         $syntax = plugin_load('syntax', 'luxtools');
@@ -81,12 +82,21 @@ class Output
             $safePlaceholderUrl = hsc($placeholderUrl);
             $label = hsc($item['name']);
 
-            $renderer->doc .= '<a href="' . $safeUrl . '" class="media" title="' . $label . '">';
+            $initialSrc = $safePlaceholderUrl;
+            $dataThumb = ' data-thumb-src="' . $safeThumbUrl . '"';
+            $thumbCachePath = $this->thumbCachePathForItem($item, $thumbW, $thumbH, $thumbQ);
+            if (is_string($thumbCachePath) && $thumbCachePath !== '' && @is_file($thumbCachePath)) {
+                // Thumb already exists: start with it immediately (no JS swap needed)
+                $initialSrc = $safeThumbUrl;
+                $dataThumb = '';
+            }
+
+            $renderer->doc .= '<a href="' . $safeUrl . '" class="media" title="' . $label . '" aria-label="' . $label . '">';
             $renderer->doc .= '<img'
                 . ' class="luxtools-thumb"'
-                . ' src="' . $safePlaceholderUrl . '"'
-                . ' data-thumb-src="' . $safeThumbUrl . '"'
-                . ' alt="' . $label . '"'
+                . ' src="' . $initialSrc . '"'
+                . $dataThumb
+                . ' alt=""'
                 . ' width="' . $thumbW . '"'
                 . ' height="' . $thumbH . '"'
                 . ' loading="lazy"'
@@ -122,6 +132,44 @@ class Output
         return $url . $glue . http_build_query($params, '', '&', PHP_QUERY_RFC3986) . $fragment;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Compute the expected thumbnail cache path for an item.
+     *
+     * Mirrors the hashing scheme in file.php so we can detect whether a thumb
+     * already exists and can be used immediately.
+     *
+     * @param array $item
+     * @param int $w
+     * @param int $h
+     * @param int $q
+     * @return string|null
+     */
+    protected function thumbCachePathForItem(array $item, int $w, int $h, int $q): ?string
+    {
+        if (!isset($item['path']) || !is_string($item['path']) || $item['path'] === '') return null;
+        if (!isset($item['mtime'])) return null;
+
+        $path = $item['path'];
+        $mtime = (int)$item['mtime'];
+
+        // Decide output format the same way file.php does.
+        try {
+            [, $mime,] = mimetype($path, false);
+        } catch (\Throwable $e) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        if (!is_string($mime) || !str_starts_with($mime, 'image/')) return null;
+        $dstFormat = ($mime === 'image/png' || $mime === 'image/gif') ? 'png' : 'jpg';
+
+        global $conf;
+        if (!isset($conf['cachedir']) || !is_string($conf['cachedir']) || trim($conf['cachedir']) === '') return null;
+
+        $hash = sha1($path . '|' . $mtime . '|w=' . $w . '|h=' . $h . '|q=' . $q . '|f=' . $dstFormat);
+        $sub = substr($hash, 0, 2);
+        $cacheDir = rtrim($conf['cachedir'], '/');
+        return $cacheDir . '/luxtools/thumbs/' . $sub . '/' . $hash . '.' . $dstFormat;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Renders the files as a table, including details if configured that way.
      *
diff --git a/_test/SyntaxTest.php b/_test/SyntaxTest.php
index 4c387d3..3f3dfed 100644
--- a/_test/SyntaxTest.php
+++ b/_test/SyntaxTest.php
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ class plugin_luxtools_test extends DokuWikiTest
         $this->structureCheck($doc, $structure);
 
         $this->assertStringContainsString('exampleimage.png', $xhtml);
-        $this->assertStringContainsString('data-thumb-src=', $xhtml);
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('thumb=1', $xhtml);
         $this->assertStringContainsString('width="150"', $xhtml);
         $this->assertStringContainsString('height="150"', $xhtml);
     }