diff --git a/src/hooks/useProfile.ts b/src/hooks/useProfile.ts
index eeb07f6..00b5f6b 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useProfile.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useProfile.ts
@@ -1,19 +1,38 @@
-import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
+import { useState, useEffect, useRef } from "react";
 import { profileLoader } from "@/services/loaders";
 import { ProfileContent, getProfileContent } from "applesauce-core/helpers";
 import { kinds } from "nostr-tools";
 import db from "@/services/db";
 
+/**
+ * Hook to fetch and cache user profile metadata
+ *
+ * Uses AbortController to prevent race conditions when:
+ * - Component unmounts during async operations
+ * - Pubkey changes while a fetch is in progress
+ *
+ * @param pubkey - The user's public key (hex)
+ * @returns ProfileContent or undefined if loading/not found
+ */
 export function useProfile(pubkey?: string): ProfileContent | undefined {
   const [profile, setProfile] = useState<ProfileContent | undefined>();
+  const abortControllerRef = useRef<AbortController | null>(null);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    let mounted = true;
-    if (!pubkey) return;
+    if (!pubkey) {
+      setProfile(undefined);
+      return;
+    }
 
-    // Load from IndexedDB first
+    // Abort any in-flight requests from previous effect runs
+    abortControllerRef.current?.abort();
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    abortControllerRef.current = controller;
+
+    // Load from IndexedDB first (fast path)
     db.profiles.get(pubkey).then((cachedProfile) => {
-      if (mounted && cachedProfile) {
+      if (controller.signal.aborted) return;
+      if (cachedProfile) {
         setProfile(cachedProfile);
       }
     });
@@ -21,6 +40,7 @@ export function useProfile(pubkey?: string): ProfileContent | undefined {
     // Fetch from network
     const sub = profileLoader({ kind: kinds.Metadata, pubkey }).subscribe({
       next: async (fetchedEvent) => {
+        if (controller.signal.aborted) return;
         if (!fetchedEvent || !fetchedEvent.content) return;
 
         // Use applesauce helper for safe profile parsing
@@ -30,24 +50,31 @@ export function useProfile(pubkey?: string): ProfileContent | undefined {
           return;
         }
 
-        // Save to IndexedDB
-        await db.profiles.put({
-          ...profileData,
-          pubkey,
-          created_at: fetchedEvent.created_at,
-        });
+        // Only update state and cache if not aborted
+        if (controller.signal.aborted) return;
 
-        if (mounted) {
-          setProfile(profileData);
+        setProfile(profileData);
+
+        // Save to IndexedDB after state update to avoid blocking UI
+        try {
+          await db.profiles.put({
+            ...profileData,
+            pubkey,
+            created_at: fetchedEvent.created_at,
+          });
+        } catch (err) {
+          // Log but don't throw - cache failure shouldn't break the UI
+          console.error("[useProfile] Failed to cache profile:", err);
         }
       },
       error: (err) => {
+        if (controller.signal.aborted) return;
         console.error("[useProfile] Error fetching profile:", err);
       },
     });
 
     return () => {
-      mounted = false;
+      controller.abort();
       sub.unsubscribe();
     };
   }, [pubkey]);