diff --git a/background/icon-manager.js b/background/icon-manager.js
index 53360fd5..7c63b6be 100644
--- a/background/icon-manager.js
+++ b/background/icon-manager.js
@@ -28,13 +28,14 @@ const iconManager = (() => {
   });
 
   Object.assign(API_METHODS, {
-    /** @param {(number|string)[]} styleIds */
-    updateIconBadge(styleIds) {
+    /** @param {(number|string)[]} styleIds
+     * @param {boolean} [lazyBadge=false] preventing flicker during page load */
+    updateIconBadge(styleIds, {lazyBadge} = {}) {
       // FIXME: in some cases, we only have to redraw the badge. is it worth a optimization?
       const {frameId, tab: {id: tabId}} = this.sender;
       const value = styleIds.length ? styleIds.map(Number) : undefined;
       tabManager.set(tabId, 'styleIds', frameId, value);
-      debounce(refreshStaleBadges, frameId ? 250 : 0);
+      debounce(refreshStaleBadges, frameId && lazyBadge ? 250 : 0);
       staleBadges.add(tabId);
       if (!frameId) refreshIcon(tabId, true);
     },
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ const iconManager = (() => {
 
   function onPortDisconnected({sender}) {
     if (tabManager.get(sender.tab.id, 'styleIds')) {
-      API_METHODS.updateIconBadge.call({sender}, []);
+      API_METHODS.updateIconBadge.call({sender}, [], {lazyBadge: true});
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/content/apply.js b/content/apply.js
index 895e9b9a..57a630d3 100644
--- a/content/apply.js
+++ b/content/apply.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ self.INJECTED !== 1 && (() => {
   const initializing = init();
   /** @type chrome.runtime.Port */
   let port;
+  let lazyBadge = IS_FRAME;
 
   // the popup needs a check as it's not a tab but can be opened in a tab manually for whatever reason
   if (!IS_TAB) {
@@ -166,18 +167,18 @@ self.INJECTED !== 1 && (() => {
 
   function updateCount() {
     if (!IS_TAB) return;
-    if (STYLE_VIA_API) {
-      API.styleViaAPI({method: 'updateCount'}).catch(msg.ignoreError);
-    } else {
-      API.updateIconBadge(styleInjector.list.map(style => style.id)).catch(msg.ignoreError);
-    }
     if (IS_FRAME) {
       if (!port && styleInjector.list.length) {
         port = chrome.runtime.connect({name: 'iframe'});
       } else if (port && !styleInjector.list.length) {
         port.disconnect();
       }
+      if (lazyBadge && performance.now() > 1000) lazyBadge = false;
     }
+    (STYLE_VIA_API ?
+      API.styleViaAPI({method: 'updateCount'}) :
+      API.updateIconBadge(styleInjector.list.map(style => style.id), {lazyBadge})
+    ).catch(msg.ignoreError);
   }
 
   function orphanCheck() {