diff --git a/HellionChat/Plugin.cs b/HellionChat/Plugin.cs
index a31ab28..41c63a1 100755
--- a/HellionChat/Plugin.cs
+++ b/HellionChat/Plugin.cs
@@ -471,18 +471,15 @@ public sealed class Plugin : IAsyncDalamudPlugin
 
             cancellationToken.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
 
-            // Font-build runs fire-and-forget. The atlas rebuild lands a few
-            // hundred ms after LoadAsync returns; first frames draw with
-            // Dalamud's default font until the Hellion-Exo2 / NotoSans handles
-            // are ready, then ImGui switches to the custom fonts (visible
-            // "font-pop"). Mirrors ChatTwo's pattern — perceived-load win
-            // comes from "Finished loading" landing earlier, not from a faster
-            // atlas build.
-            _ = Task.Run(async () =>
-            {
-                FontManager = new FontManager();
-                await FontManager.BuildFontsAsync(cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
-            }, cancellationToken);
+            // Sync allocation + handle registration. BuildFonts() registers
+            // IFontHandles with Dalamud's UiBuilder.FontAtlas — registration
+            // itself is non-blocking (handles stored, lambdas queued). Dalamud
+            // rebuilds the atlas on its own pipeline a few frames later; first
+            // frames render with the default font until the rebuild lands and
+            // ImGui switches to Hellion-Exo2 / NotoSans (visible "font-pop").
+            // Mirrors ChatTwo Plugin.cs:152.
+            FontManager = new FontManager();
+            FontManager.BuildFonts();
 
             // Theme init stays sync on the LoadAsync continuation — cheap,
             // and Active is read every Draw frame, so the registry must be