diff --git a/HellionChat/FontManager.cs b/HellionChat/FontManager.cs
index 35a50d6..e082e27 100644
--- a/HellionChat/FontManager.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/FontManager.cs
@@ -39,6 +39,18 @@ public sealed class FontManager : IDisposable
     internal IFontHandle? RegularFont;
     internal IFontHandle? ItalicFont;
 
+    // True once every required atlas-owned handle reports Available. Components
+    // gate their first-frame draw on this — without it the layout math would
+    // run against placeholder font metrics and snap when the real atlas
+    // finishes building. ItalicFont being null means italics are disabled in
+    // config, which is a ready state, not a pending one.
+    public bool FontsReady =>
+        Axis.Available
+        && AxisItalic.Available
+        && FontAwesome.Available
+        && RegularFont is { Available: true }
+        && (ItalicFont is null || ItalicFont.Available);
+
     private ushort[] Ranges = [];
     private ushort[] JpRange = [];