diff --git a/public/perf.js b/public/perf.js
index 8172914e..ba34b1ad 100644
--- a/public/perf.js
+++ b/public/perf.js
@@ -13,17 +13,17 @@
     const el = document.getElementById('perfContent');
     if (!el) return;
     try {
-      const [server, client, ioStats, sqliteStats, writeSources] = await Promise.all([
+      // #1258: /api/health was awaited AFTER Promise.all, adding a full RTT
+      // (~50-200ms) on every 5s refresh. Issue it in parallel with the rest.
+      const [server, client, ioStats, sqliteStats, writeSources, health] = await Promise.all([
         fetch('/api/perf').then(r => r.json()),
         Promise.resolve(window.apiPerf ? window.apiPerf() : null),
         fetch('/api/perf/io').then(r => r.json()).catch(() => null),
         fetch('/api/perf/sqlite').then(r => r.json()).catch(() => null),
-        fetch('/api/perf/write-sources').then(r => r.json()).catch(() => null)
+        fetch('/api/perf/write-sources').then(r => r.json()).catch(() => null),
+        fetch('/api/health').then(r => r.json()).catch(() => null)
       ]);
 
-      // Also fetch health telemetry
-      const health = await fetch('/api/health').then(r => r.json()).catch(() => null);
-
       let html = '';
 
       // Server overview
@@ -230,8 +230,15 @@
         html += `</div>`;
       }
 
-      // Server endpoints table
-      const eps = Object.entries(server.endpoints);
+      // Server endpoints table — sort by total time (count * avg) DESC.
+      // #1258: header claimed "sorted by total time" but JSON map order is
+      // undefined and the frontend was not sorting. Slow endpoints could
+      // appear anywhere in the table, defeating the section's whole purpose.
+      const eps = Object.entries(server.endpoints).sort((a, b) => {
+        const ta = (a[1].count || 0) * (a[1].avgMs || 0);
+        const tb = (b[1].count || 0) * (b[1].avgMs || 0);
+        return tb - ta;
+      });
       if (eps.length) {
         html += '<h3>Server Endpoints (sorted by total time)</h3>';
         html += '<div style="overflow-x:auto"><table class="perf-table"><thead><tr><th scope="col">Endpoint</th><th scope="col">Count</th><th scope="col">Avg</th><th scope="col">P50</th><th scope="col">P95</th><th scope="col">Max</th><th scope="col">Total</th></tr></thead><tbody>';
@@ -281,10 +288,28 @@
   registerPage('perf', {
     init(app) {
       render(app);
-      interval = setInterval(refresh, 5000);
+      // #1258: don't burn CPU/network rebuilding the page (and its many cards
+      // + 3 large tables) every 5s while the tab is hidden. Pause polling on
+      // visibilitychange and resume on focus. Reduces background fetch traffic
+      // to zero and prevents a returning user from seeing a 100+ms thrash as
+      // a backlog of refreshes flush.
+      const tick = () => {
+        if (document.hidden) return;
+        refresh();
+      };
+      interval = setInterval(tick, 5000);
+      const onVis = () => {
+        if (!document.hidden) refresh();
+      };
+      document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', onVis);
+      this._onVis = onVis;
     },
     destroy() {
       if (interval) { clearInterval(interval); interval = null; }
+      if (this._onVis) {
+        document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', this._onVis);
+        this._onVis = null;
+      }
     }
   });
 })();
diff --git a/test-perf-render-1258.js b/test-perf-render-1258.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3f4d8597
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-perf-render-1258.js
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+/* Tests for perf.js render performance (#1258).
+ *
+ * Failure modes we gate against:
+ *  1) /api/health awaited sequentially AFTER Promise.all → extra RTT
+ *  2) setInterval keeps polling even when document is hidden → wasted work
+ *  3) Endpoints table claims "sorted by total time" but renders in map order
+ */
+'use strict';
+const vm = require('vm');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const assert = require('assert');
+
+let passed = 0, failed = 0;
+function test(name, fn) {
+  const run = (r) => { if (r && typeof r.then === 'function') return r.then(() => { passed++; console.log(`  ✅ ${name}`); }, e => { failed++; console.log(`  ❌ ${name}: ${e.message}`); }); passed++; console.log(`  ✅ ${name}`); };
+  try { const r = fn(); if (r && typeof r.then === 'function') return r.then(() => { passed++; console.log(`  ✅ ${name}`); }, e => { failed++; console.log(`  ❌ ${name}: ${e.message}`); }); else { passed++; console.log(`  ✅ ${name}`); } }
+  catch (e) { failed++; console.log(`  ❌ ${name}: ${e.message}`); }
+}
+
+function makeSandbox(opts = {}) {
+  let capturedHtml = '';
+  const pages = {};
+  let visState = opts.hidden ? 'hidden' : 'visible';
+  const visListeners = [];
+  const ctx = {
+    window: { addEventListener: () => {}, apiPerf: null },
+    document: {
+      getElementById: (id) => {
+        if (id === 'perfContent') return { set innerHTML(v) { capturedHtml = v; } };
+        if (id === 'perfReset' || id === 'perfRefresh') return { addEventListener: () => {} };
+        return null;
+      },
+      addEventListener: (ev, fn) => { if (ev === 'visibilitychange') visListeners.push(fn); },
+      removeEventListener: () => {},
+      get visibilityState() { return visState; },
+      get hidden() { return visState === 'hidden'; },
+    },
+    console,
+    Date, Math, Array, Object, String, Number, JSON, RegExp, Error, TypeError,
+    parseInt, parseFloat, isNaN, isFinite,
+    setTimeout: (fn, ms) => setTimeout(fn, ms), clearTimeout,
+    setInterval: (fn, ms) => { return setInterval(fn, ms); }, clearInterval,
+    performance: { now: () => Date.now() },
+    Map, Set, Promise,
+    registerPage: (name, handler) => { pages[name] = handler; },
+    _apiCache: { size: 0 },
+    fetch: () => Promise.resolve({ json: () => Promise.resolve({}) }),
+  };
+  ctx.window.document = ctx.document;
+  ctx.globalThis = ctx;
+  return { ctx, pages, getHtml: () => capturedHtml,
+    setVisibility(v) { visState = v; visListeners.forEach(fn => fn()); } };
+}
+
+function loadPerf() {
+  const sb = makeSandbox();
+  const code = fs.readFileSync('public/perf.js', 'utf8');
+  vm.runInNewContext(code, sb.ctx);
+  return sb;
+}
+
+// ---------- 1) Health fetched in parallel ----------
+test('all initial fetches (including /api/health) issued in parallel', async () => {
+  const sb = loadPerf();
+  const order = [];
+  let resolveAll;
+  const gate = new Promise(r => { resolveAll = r; });
+  sb.ctx.fetch = (url) => {
+    order.push(url);
+    // Don't resolve until all 5 calls have been issued — proves they're parallel
+    return gate.then(() => ({ json: () => Promise.resolve({}) }));
+  };
+  const p = sb.pages.perf.init({ set innerHTML(v) {} });
+  // Microtask flush
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  // Before any fetch resolves, all 5 URLs must have been started
+  assert.ok(order.includes('/api/health'),
+    `expected /api/health to be issued in parallel with the others, got: ${order.join(', ')}`);
+  resolveAll();
+  await p;
+});
+
+// ---------- 2) setInterval pauses when tab hidden ----------
+test('refresh interval does not fire when document is hidden', async () => {
+  const sb = loadPerf();
+  let fetchCount = 0;
+  sb.ctx.fetch = (url) => {
+    fetchCount++;
+    return Promise.resolve({ json: () => Promise.resolve({}) });
+  };
+  // Replace setInterval with fast firing
+  let timerFn = null;
+  sb.ctx.setInterval = (fn, ms) => { timerFn = fn; return 1; };
+  sb.ctx.clearInterval = () => { timerFn = null; };
+
+  await sb.pages.perf.init({ set innerHTML(v) {} });
+  await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 30));
+  const baseline = fetchCount;
+  // Hide the tab, then fire the interval — should NOT issue fresh fetches
+  sb.setVisibility('hidden');
+  if (timerFn) timerFn();
+  await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 30));
+  assert.strictEqual(fetchCount, baseline,
+    `refresh should be suppressed while hidden; baseline=${baseline} after=${fetchCount}`);
+});
+
+// ---------- 3) Endpoints table actually sorted by total time ----------
+test('endpoints table is sorted by total time descending', async () => {
+  const sb = loadPerf();
+  // Map insertion order is preserved in JS object literals — put SLOW endpoint
+  // LAST to ensure the renderer is actively sorting, not relying on input order.
+  const perfData = {
+    totalRequests: 100, avgMs: 5, uptime: 3600, slowQueries: [],
+    endpoints: {
+      '/api/fast':   { count: 1,   avgMs: 1,   p50Ms: 1,   p95Ms: 1,   maxMs: 1 },
+      '/api/mid':    { count: 10,  avgMs: 10,  p50Ms: 10,  p95Ms: 10,  maxMs: 10 },
+      '/api/SLOW':   { count: 100, avgMs: 100, p50Ms: 100, p95Ms: 100, maxMs: 100 },
+    },
+  };
+  sb.ctx.fetch = (url) => {
+    if (url === '/api/perf') return Promise.resolve({ json: () => Promise.resolve(perfData) });
+    return Promise.resolve({ json: () => Promise.resolve(null) });
+  };
+  await sb.pages.perf.init({ set innerHTML(v) {} });
+  await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 30));
+  const html = sb.getHtml();
+  const iSlow = html.indexOf('/api/SLOW');
+  const iMid  = html.indexOf('/api/mid');
+  const iFast = html.indexOf('/api/fast');
+  assert.ok(iSlow > -1 && iMid > -1 && iFast > -1, 'all three endpoints must render');
+  assert.ok(iSlow < iMid && iMid < iFast,
+    `expected SLOW < mid < fast in DOM order, got SLOW=${iSlow} mid=${iMid} fast=${iFast}`);
+});
+
+setTimeout(() => {
+  console.log(`\n${passed} passed, ${failed} failed\n`);
+  process.exit(failed ? 1 : 0);
+}, 500);