diff --git a/frontend/src/index.jsx b/frontend/src/index.jsx
index a372f95..2363e34 100644
--- a/frontend/src/index.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/index.jsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import React, {
   useRef,
   useState,
   useContext,
+  useReducer,
 } from 'react';
 import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client';
 import axios from 'axios';
@@ -33,6 +34,91 @@ if (STORED_TOKEN) {
   api.defaults.headers.common.Authorization = `Bearer ${STORED_TOKEN}`;
 }
 
+const initialAppState = {
+  status: STORED_TOKEN ? 'authenticated' : 'logged-out',
+  token: STORED_TOKEN,
+  error: null,
+  isRefreshing: false,
+};
+
+const AppStateContext = React.createContext(null);
+const AppDispatchContext = React.createContext(null);
+
+const appStateReducer = (state, action) => {
+  switch (action.type) {
+    case 'LOGIN_REQUEST':
+      return { ...state, status: 'authenticating', error: null };
+    case 'LOGIN_SUCCESS':
+      return { ...state, status: 'authenticated', token: action.token, error: null };
+    case 'LOGIN_FAILURE':
+      return { status: 'logged-out', token: '', error: action.error || null, isRefreshing: false };
+    case 'BOOTSTRAP_START':
+      return { ...state, status: 'bootstrapping', error: null };
+    case 'BOOTSTRAP_SUCCESS':
+      return { ...state, status: 'ready', error: null };
+    case 'BOOTSTRAP_FAILURE':
+      return { ...state, status: 'authenticated', error: action.error || null };
+    case 'TOKEN_REFRESH_START':
+      return { ...state, isRefreshing: true, error: null };
+    case 'TOKEN_REFRESH_SUCCESS':
+      return {
+        ...state,
+        token: action.token,
+        isRefreshing: false,
+        status: state.status === 'logged-out' ? 'authenticated' : state.status,
+      };
+    case 'TOKEN_REFRESH_FAILURE':
+      return { status: 'logged-out', token: '', error: action.error || null, isRefreshing: false };
+    case 'LOGOUT':
+      return { status: 'logged-out', token: '', error: null, isRefreshing: false };
+    case 'RESET_ERROR':
+      return { ...state, error: null };
+    default:
+      return state;
+  }
+};
+
+const AppStateProvider = ({ children }) => {
+  const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(appStateReducer, initialAppState);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const token = state.token || '';
+    if (token) {
+      api.defaults.headers.common.Authorization = `Bearer ${token}`;
+      window.localStorage.setItem('papercrate_token', token);
+    } else {
+      delete api.defaults.headers.common.Authorization;
+      window.localStorage.removeItem('papercrate_token');
+    }
+  }, [state.token]);
+
+  const stateValue = useMemo(() => state, [state]);
+
+  return (
+    <AppStateContext.Provider value={stateValue}>
+      <AppDispatchContext.Provider value={dispatch}>
+        {children}
+      </AppDispatchContext.Provider>
+    </AppStateContext.Provider>
+  );
+};
+
+const useAppState = () => {
+  const context = useContext(AppStateContext);
+  if (!context) {
+    throw new Error('useAppState must be used within an AppStateProvider.');
+  }
+  return context;
+};
+
+const useAppDispatch = () => {
+  const context = useContext(AppDispatchContext);
+  if (!context) {
+    throw new Error('useAppDispatch must be used within an AppStateProvider.');
+  }
+  return context;
+};
+
 const DEFAULT_FOLDER_NAME = 'All Documents';
 
 const resolveApiPath = (path = '') => (API_ROOT ? `${API_ROOT}${path}` : path);
@@ -1495,13 +1581,15 @@ const AppShellContext = React.createContext(null);
 const AppLayout = () => {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const location = useLocation();
+  const appState = useAppState();
+  const appDispatch = useAppDispatch();
   const folderMatch = matchPath('/folders/:folderId', location.pathname);
   const nestedDocMatch = matchPath('/folders/:folderId/documents/:documentId', location.pathname);
   const docMatch = nestedDocMatch || matchPath('/documents/:documentId', location.pathname);
   const routeFolderId =
     folderMatch?.params?.folderId || nestedDocMatch?.params?.folderId || null;
   const routeDocumentId = docMatch?.params?.documentId || null;
-  const [token, setToken] = useState(() => window.localStorage.getItem('papercrate_token') || '');
+  const { status: appStatus, token } = appState;
   const [status, setStatus] = useState(null);
   const setStatusMessage = useCallback((message, variant = 'info') => {
     setStatus(message ? { message, variant } : null);
@@ -1527,19 +1615,21 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
   const breadcrumbFetchRef = useRef(new Set());
   const refreshAccessToken = useCallback(async () => {
     console.log('[Auth] Attempting to refresh access token…');
+    appDispatch({ type: 'TOKEN_REFRESH_START' });
     try {
       const { data } = await api.post('/auth/refresh');
       if (data?.access_token) {
-        setToken(data.access_token);
+        appDispatch({ type: 'TOKEN_REFRESH_SUCCESS', token: data.access_token });
         console.log('[Auth] Access token refreshed');
         return data.access_token;
       }
       throw new Error('Missing access token in refresh response');
     } catch (error) {
       console.warn('[Auth] Failed to refresh access token', error);
+      appDispatch({ type: 'TOKEN_REFRESH_FAILURE', error: error?.message || null });
       throw error;
     }
-  }, []);
+  }, [appDispatch]);
   const [searchResults, setSearchResults] = useState(null);
   const [tags, setTags] = useState([]);
   const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState('');
@@ -1554,11 +1644,46 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
   const [previewDocumentId, setPreviewDocumentId] = useState(null);
   const [previewDocumentLoading, setPreviewDocumentLoading] = useState(false);
 
-  const initializedRef = useRef(false);
+  const bootstrapInitializedRef = useRef(false);
+  const selectionInitializedRef = useRef(false);
   const dragCounterRef = useRef(0);
   const selectionAnchorRef = useRef(routeDocumentId);
   const selectionOrderRef = useRef(initialSelection);
 
+  const resetWorkspaceState = useCallback(() => {
+    const rootNode = createRootNode();
+    setFolderNodes(new Map([[rootNode.id, rootNode]]));
+    setFolderContents(new Map());
+    setSelectedFolder('root');
+    setCurrentFolder(null);
+    setCurrentSubfolders([]);
+    setDocuments([]);
+    setSelectedDocumentIds([]);
+    setSelectionOrder([]);
+    selectionOrderRef.current = [];
+    setFocusedDocumentId(null);
+    selectionAnchorRef.current = null;
+    setDraggedDocumentIds([]);
+    setDraggedFolderId(null);
+    setDocumentDetails(() => {
+      const next = new Map();
+      documentDetailsRef.current = next;
+      return next;
+    });
+    setSearchResults(null);
+    setTags([]);
+    setSearchQuery('');
+    setActiveTagFilters([]);
+    setDropOverlayState({ active: false, folderName: DEFAULT_FOLDER_NAME });
+    setActivePreviewId(null);
+    setPreviewDocumentId(null);
+    setPreviewDocumentLoading(false);
+    dragCounterRef.current = 0;
+    breadcrumbFetchRef.current = new Set();
+    bootstrapInitializedRef.current = false;
+    selectionInitializedRef.current = false;
+  }, []);
+
   const tagLookupById = useMemo(() => {
     const map = new Map();
     tags.forEach((tag) => {
@@ -1610,6 +1735,12 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
     }
   }, []);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (appStatus === 'logged-out') {
+      resetWorkspaceState();
+    }
+  }, [appStatus, resetWorkspaceState]);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     documentDetailsRef.current = documentDetails;
   }, [documentDetails]);
@@ -1618,16 +1749,6 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
     tokenRef.current = token;
   }, [token]);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (token) {
-      api.defaults.headers.common.Authorization = `Bearer ${token}`;
-      window.localStorage.setItem('papercrate_token', token);
-    } else {
-      delete api.defaults.headers.common.Authorization;
-      window.localStorage.removeItem('papercrate_token');
-    }
-  }, [token]);
-
   useEffect(() => {
     const requestInterceptor = api.interceptors.request.use((config) => {
       const currentToken = tokenRef.current;
@@ -1677,7 +1798,6 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
             return api(config);
           } catch (refreshError) {
             console.warn('[Auth] Refresh failed, clearing session');
-            setToken('');
             setStatusMessage('Session expired. Please log in again.', 'error');
             return Promise.reject(refreshError);
           }
@@ -1703,7 +1823,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
     if (!selectedDocumentIds.includes(activePreviewId)) {
       setActivePreviewId(selectedDocumentIds[selectedDocumentIds.length - 1]);
     }
-    initializedRef.current = true;
+    selectionInitializedRef.current = true;
   }, [selectedDocumentIds, activePreviewId]);
 
   const currentFolderName = useMemo(() => {
@@ -1730,7 +1850,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
       let nextSelection = [];
 
       setSelectedDocumentIds((previous) => {
-        if (initializedRef.current) {
+        if (selectionInitializedRef.current) {
           nextSelection = previous.filter((id) => availableIds.has(id));
           return nextSelection;
         }
@@ -2301,12 +2421,20 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
     } catch (error) {
       console.error(error);
       setStatusMessage('Failed to initialize data.', 'error');
+      throw error;
     } finally {
       setLoading(false);
     }
   }, [refreshTags, routeFolderId, loadFolder, setStatusMessage]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (!token) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (appStatus !== 'ready' && appStatus !== 'bootstrapping') {
+      return;
+    }
+
     const targetParam = routeFolderId ?? 'root';
 
     if (targetParam === 'root' && routeDocumentId) {
@@ -2317,7 +2445,15 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
     if (targetParam !== selectedFolder || !hasData) {
       loadFolder(targetParam, { showLoading: !routeDocumentId });
     }
-  }, [routeFolderId, routeDocumentId, selectedFolder, loadFolder, folderContents]);
+  }, [
+    token,
+    appStatus,
+    routeFolderId,
+    routeDocumentId,
+    selectedFolder,
+    loadFolder,
+    folderContents,
+  ]);
 
   const refreshCurrentFolder = useCallback(async () => {
     setLoading(true);
@@ -2336,10 +2472,39 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
   }, [selectedFolder, ensureFolderData, applySelectedFolder, ensureDocumentDetail, setStatusMessage]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!token || initializedRef.current) return;
-    initializedRef.current = true;
-    initializeAfterLogin();
-  }, [token, initializeAfterLogin]);
+    if (appStatus !== 'authenticated') {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (bootstrapInitializedRef.current) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    let cancelled = false;
+    const bootstrap = async () => {
+      bootstrapInitializedRef.current = true;
+      appDispatch({ type: 'BOOTSTRAP_START' });
+      try {
+        await initializeAfterLogin();
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          appDispatch({ type: 'BOOTSTRAP_SUCCESS' });
+        }
+      } catch (error) {
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          appDispatch({
+            type: 'BOOTSTRAP_FAILURE',
+            error: error?.message || 'Failed to initialize data.',
+          });
+          bootstrapInitializedRef.current = false;
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    bootstrap();
+
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
+  }, [appStatus, appDispatch, initializeAfterLogin]);
 
   const handleBulkMoveSubmit = useCallback(
     async (event) => {
@@ -3374,17 +3539,22 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
       }
       try {
         setLoading(true);
+        appDispatch({ type: 'LOGIN_REQUEST' });
         const { data } = await api.post('/auth/login', payload);
-        setToken(data.access_token);
+        appDispatch({ type: 'LOGIN_SUCCESS', token: data.access_token });
         setStatusMessage('Login successful.', 'success');
       } catch (error) {
         console.error(error);
+        appDispatch({
+          type: 'LOGIN_FAILURE',
+          error: error?.response?.data?.error || 'Login failed. Check credentials.',
+        });
         setStatusMessage('Login failed. Check credentials.', 'error');
       } finally {
         setLoading(false);
       }
     },
-    [setStatusMessage],
+    [appDispatch, setStatusMessage],
   );
 
   const handleLogout = useCallback(async () => {
@@ -3395,26 +3565,10 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
       console.warn('[Auth] Failed to revoke refresh token during logout', error);
     } finally {
       setLoading(false);
-      setToken('');
+      appDispatch({ type: 'LOGOUT' });
       setStatusMessage('Logged out.', 'info');
-      setFolderNodes(new Map([[createRootNode().id, createRootNode()]]));
-      setFolderContents(new Map());
-      setSelectedFolder('root');
-      setCurrentFolder(null);
-      setCurrentSubfolders([]);
-      setDocuments([]);
-      setSelectedDocumentIds([]);
-      setFocusedDocumentId(null);
-      selectionAnchorRef.current = null;
-      setDraggedDocumentIds([]);
-      setDocumentDetails(new Map());
-      setSearchResults(null);
-      setTags([]);
-      setSearchQuery('');
-      setActiveTagFilters([]);
-      initializedRef.current = false;
     }
-  }, [setStatusMessage]);
+  }, [appDispatch, setStatusMessage]);
 
   const handleBulkReanalyze = useCallback(async () => {
     try {
@@ -3845,6 +3999,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
   const contextValue = useMemo(
     () => ({
       token,
+      appStatus,
       status,
       dropOverlayState,
       handleBulkReanalyze,
@@ -3864,6 +4019,7 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
     }),
     [
       token,
+      appStatus,
       status,
       dropOverlayState,
       handleBulkReanalyze,
@@ -3883,11 +4039,13 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
     ],
   );
 
-  if (!token) {
+  if (appStatus === 'logged-out' || appStatus === 'authenticating') {
     return (
-      <div className="app-shell">
-        <LoginView onSubmit={handleLogin} status={status} />
-      </div>
+      <Navigate
+        to="/account/login"
+        replace
+        state={{ from: location.pathname + location.search }}
+      />
     );
   }
 
@@ -3903,7 +4061,9 @@ const AppLayout = () => {
             <div className="app-bar__meta">
               <h1>Papercrate</h1>
               <span className="app-bar__hint">
-                {previewActive
+                {appStatus === 'bootstrapping'
+                  ? 'Loading your library…'
+                  : previewActive
                   ? 'Viewing document preview. Press ← Back to return to the library.'
                   : 'Drag files here to upload.'}
               </span>
@@ -3976,6 +4136,64 @@ const DocumentsRoute = () => {
   );
 };
 
+const LoginRoute = () => {
+  const { status: appStatus } = useAppState();
+  const appDispatch = useAppDispatch();
+  const location = useLocation();
+  const [status, setStatus] = useState(null);
+
+  const setStatusMessage = useCallback((message, variant = 'info') => {
+    setStatus(message ? { message, variant } : null);
+  }, []);
+
+  const handleLogin = useCallback(
+    async (event) => {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      const form = new FormData(event.currentTarget);
+      const payload = {
+        username: form.get('username')?.toString().trim(),
+        password: form.get('password')?.toString() || '',
+      };
+
+      if (!payload.username || !payload.password) {
+        setStatusMessage('Username and password are required.', 'error');
+        return;
+      }
+
+      try {
+        appDispatch({ type: 'LOGIN_REQUEST' });
+        const { data } = await api.post('/auth/login', payload);
+        appDispatch({ type: 'LOGIN_SUCCESS', token: data.access_token });
+        setStatusMessage('Login successful.', 'success');
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error(error);
+        const message = error?.response?.data?.error || 'Login failed. Check credentials.';
+        appDispatch({ type: 'LOGIN_FAILURE', error: message });
+        setStatusMessage(message, 'error');
+      }
+    },
+    [appDispatch, setStatusMessage],
+  );
+
+  const redirectTarget = useMemo(() => {
+    const target = location.state?.from;
+    if (typeof target === 'string' && target.startsWith('/')) {
+      return target;
+    }
+    return '/folders';
+  }, [location.state]);
+
+  if (appStatus !== 'logged-out' && appStatus !== 'authenticating') {
+    return <Navigate to={redirectTarget} replace />;
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="app-shell">
+      <LoginView onSubmit={handleLogin} status={status} />
+    </div>
+  );
+};
+
 const TagsRoute = () => {
   const { sidebarProps, tags, refreshTags, handleTagUpdate } = useAppShell();
   return (
@@ -3987,6 +4205,7 @@ const TagsRoute = () => {
 
 const AppRouter = () => (
   <Routes>
+    <Route path="/account/login" element={<LoginRoute />} />
     <Route element={<AppLayout />}>
       <Route path="/" element={<Navigate to="/folders" replace />} />
       <Route path="/folders" element={<DocumentsRoute />} />
@@ -4005,7 +4224,9 @@ const AppRouter = () => (
 const container = document.getElementById('app');
 const root = createRoot(container);
 root.render(
-  <HashRouter hashType="hashbang">
-    <AppRouter />
-  </HashRouter>,
+  <AppStateProvider>
+    <HashRouter hashType="hashbang">
+      <AppRouter />
+    </HashRouter>
+  </AppStateProvider>,
 );