diff --git a/invokeai/app/services/images/images_base.py b/invokeai/app/services/images/images_base.py
index 4886d31cca..037d463e33 100644
--- a/invokeai/app/services/images/images_base.py
+++ b/invokeai/app/services/images/images_base.py
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ class ImageServiceABC(ABC):
         board_id: Optional[str] = None,
         search_term: Optional[str] = None,
     ) -> OffsetPaginatedResults[ImageDTO]:
-        """Gets a paginated list of image DTOs."""
+        """Gets a paginated list of image DTOs with starred images first when starred_first=True."""
         pass
 
     @abstractmethod
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/app/store/store.ts b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/app/store/store.ts
index d1a029f1b6..ec757494f5 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/app/store/store.ts
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/app/store/store.ts
@@ -170,8 +170,6 @@ export const createStore = (uniqueStoreKey?: string, persist = true) =>
     reducer: rememberedRootReducer,
     middleware: (getDefaultMiddleware) =>
       getDefaultMiddleware({
-        // serializableCheck: false,
-        // immutableCheck: false,
         serializableCheck: import.meta.env.MODE === 'development',
         immutableCheck: import.meta.env.MODE === 'development',
       })
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/gallery/components/NewGallery.tsx b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/gallery/components/NewGallery.tsx
index a663b2514d..ae1d104763 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/gallery/components/NewGallery.tsx
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/gallery/components/NewGallery.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
 } from 'features/gallery/store/gallerySelectors';
 import { selectionChanged } from 'features/gallery/store/gallerySlice';
 import { useOverlayScrollbars } from 'overlayscrollbars-react';
+import type { MutableRefObject } from 'react';
 import { memo, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import type {
   GridComponents,
@@ -18,120 +19,64 @@ import type {
   VirtuosoGridHandle,
 } from 'react-virtuoso';
 import { VirtuosoGrid } from 'react-virtuoso';
-import {
-  useGetImageCollectionCountsQuery,
-  useGetImageCollectionQuery,
-  useGetImageNamesQuery,
-  useLazyGetImageCollectionQuery,
-} from 'services/api/endpoints/images';
-import type { ImageCategory, ImageDTO, SQLiteDirection } from 'services/api/types';
-import { objectEntries } from 'tsafe';
+import { useGetImageNamesQuery, useListImagesQuery } from 'services/api/endpoints/images';
+import type { ImageDTO, ListImagesArgs } from 'services/api/types';
 import { useDebounce } from 'use-debounce';
 
 import { GalleryImage } from './ImageGrid/GalleryImage';
 
 const log = logger('gallery');
 
-// Type for image collection query arguments
-type ImageCollectionQueryArgs = {
-  board_id?: string;
-  categories?: ImageCategory[];
-  search_term?: string;
-  order_dir?: SQLiteDirection;
-  is_intermediate: boolean;
-};
-
 // Constants
-const RANGE_SIZE = 50;
+const PAGE_SIZE = 100;
 const VIEWPORT_BUFFER = 2048;
-const SCROLL_SEEK_VELOCITY_THRESHOLD = 2048;
+const SCROLL_SEEK_VELOCITY_THRESHOLD = 4096;
 const DEBOUNCE_DELAY = 500;
-const GRID_GAP = 2;
+const GRID_GAP = 1;
 const SPINNER_OPACITY = 0.3;
 
 type GridContext = {
-  queryArgs: ImageCollectionQueryArgs;
+  queryArgs: ListImagesArgs;
   imageNames: string[];
-  starredCount: number;
 };
 
-type PositionInfo = {
-  collection: 'starred' | 'unstarred';
-  offset: number;
-  itemIndex: number;
+export const useDebouncedImageCollectionQueryArgs = () => {
+  const _galleryQueryArgs = useAppSelector(selectImageCollectionQueryArgs);
+  const [queryArgs] = useDebounce(_galleryQueryArgs, DEBOUNCE_DELAY);
+  return queryArgs;
 };
 
-// Helper to calculate which collection and range an index belongs to
-const getPositionInfo = (index: number, starredCount: number): PositionInfo => {
-  if (index < starredCount) {
-    // Starred collection
-    const offset = Math.floor(index / RANGE_SIZE) * RANGE_SIZE;
-    return {
-      collection: 'starred',
-      offset,
-      itemIndex: index - offset,
-    };
-  } else {
-    // Unstarred collection
-    const unstarredIndex = index - starredCount;
-    const offset = Math.floor(unstarredIndex / RANGE_SIZE) * RANGE_SIZE;
-    return {
-      collection: 'unstarred',
-      offset,
-      itemIndex: unstarredIndex - offset,
-    };
-  }
-};
-
-// Hook to get image DTO from batched collection data
-const useImageFromBatch = (
-  imageName: string,
-  index: number,
-  starredCount: number,
-  queryArgs: ImageCollectionQueryArgs
-): ImageDTO | null => {
+// Hook to get an image DTO from cache or trigger loading
+const useImageDTOFromListQuery = (index: number, imageName: string, queryArgs: ListImagesArgs): ImageDTO | null => {
   const { arg, options } = useMemo(() => {
-    const positionInfo = getPositionInfo(index, starredCount);
+    const pageOffset = Math.floor(index / PAGE_SIZE) * PAGE_SIZE;
+    return {
+      arg: {
+        ...queryArgs,
+        offset: pageOffset,
+        limit: PAGE_SIZE,
+      } satisfies Parameters<typeof useListImagesQuery>[0],
+      options: {
+        selectFromResult: ({ data }) => {
+          const imageDTO = data?.items?.[index - pageOffset] || null;
+          if (imageDTO && imageDTO.image_name !== imageName) {
+            log.warn(`Image at index ${index} does not match expected image name ${imageName}`);
+          }
+          return { imageDTO };
+        },
+      } satisfies Parameters<typeof useListImagesQuery>[1],
+    };
+  }, [index, queryArgs, imageName]);
 
-    const arg = {
-      collection: positionInfo.collection,
-      offset: positionInfo.offset,
-      limit: RANGE_SIZE,
-      ...queryArgs,
-    } satisfies Parameters<typeof useGetImageCollectionQuery>[0];
-
-    const options = {
-      selectFromResult: ({ data }) => {
-        const imageDTO = data?.items?.[positionInfo.itemIndex] || null;
-        if (imageDTO && imageDTO.image_name !== imageName) {
-          log.warn(`Image name mismatch at index ${index}: expected ${imageName}, got ${imageDTO.image_name}`);
-        }
-        return { imageDTO };
-      },
-    } satisfies Parameters<typeof useGetImageCollectionQuery>[1];
-
-    return { arg, options };
-  }, [imageName, index, queryArgs, starredCount]);
-
-  const { imageDTO } = useGetImageCollectionQuery(arg, options);
+  const { imageDTO } = useListImagesQuery(arg, options);
 
   return imageDTO;
 };
 
-// Individual image component that gets its data from batched requests
+// Individual image component that gets its data from RTK Query cache
 const ImageAtPosition = memo(
-  ({
-    imageName,
-    index,
-    starredCount,
-    queryArgs,
-  }: {
-    imageName: string;
-    index: number;
-    starredCount: number;
-    queryArgs: ImageCollectionQueryArgs;
-  }) => {
-    const imageDTO = useImageFromBatch(imageName, index, starredCount, queryArgs);
+  ({ index, queryArgs, imageName }: { index: number; imageName: string; queryArgs: ListImagesArgs }) => {
+    const imageDTO = useImageDTOFromListQuery(index, imageName, queryArgs);
 
     if (!imageDTO) {
       return <Skeleton w="full" h="full" />;
@@ -142,58 +87,9 @@ const ImageAtPosition = memo(
 );
 ImageAtPosition.displayName = 'ImageAtPosition';
 
-export const useDebouncedImageCollectionQueryArgs = () => {
-  const _queryArgs = useAppSelector(selectImageCollectionQueryArgs);
-  const [queryArgs] = useDebounce(_queryArgs, DEBOUNCE_DELAY);
-  return queryArgs;
-};
-
-// Memoized item content function that uses image names as data but batches requests
-const itemContent: GridItemContent<string, GridContext> = (index, imageName, { queryArgs, starredCount }) => {
-  if (!imageName) {
-    return <Skeleton w="full" h="full" />;
-  }
-  return <ImageAtPosition imageName={imageName} index={index} starredCount={starredCount} queryArgs={queryArgs} />;
-};
-
 // Memoized compute key function using image names
 const computeItemKey: GridComputeItemKey<string, GridContext> = (index, imageName, { queryArgs }) => {
-  return `${JSON.stringify(queryArgs)}-${imageName || index}`;
-};
-
-// Hook to prefetch ranges based on visible area
-const usePrefetchRanges = (starredCount: number, queryArgs: ImageCollectionQueryArgs) => {
-  const [triggerGetImageCollection] = useLazyGetImageCollectionQuery();
-
-  const prefetchRange = useCallback(
-    (startIndex: number, endIndex: number) => {
-      const ranges = {
-        starred: new Set<number>(),
-        unstarred: new Set<number>(),
-      };
-
-      // Collect all unique ranges needed for the visible area
-      for (let i = startIndex; i <= endIndex; i++) {
-        const positionInfo = getPositionInfo(i, starredCount);
-        ranges[positionInfo.collection].add(positionInfo.offset);
-      }
-
-      // Trigger queries for each unique range
-      for (const [collection, offsets] of objectEntries(ranges)) {
-        for (const offset of offsets) {
-          triggerGetImageCollection({
-            collection,
-            offset,
-            limit: RANGE_SIZE,
-            ...queryArgs,
-          });
-        }
-      }
-    },
-    [starredCount, queryArgs, triggerGetImageCollection]
-  );
-
-  return prefetchRange;
+  return `${JSON.stringify(queryArgs)}-${imageName}`;
 };
 
 // Physical DOM-based grid calculation using refs (based on working old implementation)
@@ -241,40 +137,72 @@ const getImagesPerRow = (rootEl: HTMLDivElement): number => {
 };
 
 // Check if an item at a given index is visible in the viewport
-const isItemVisible = (index: number, rootEl: HTMLDivElement): null | 'start' | 'center' | 'end' => {
+const scrollIntoView = (
+  index: number,
+  rootEl: HTMLDivElement,
+  virtuosoGridHandle: VirtuosoGridHandle,
+  range: ListRange
+) => {
+  if (range.endIndex === 0) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   // First get the virtuoso grid list root element
   const gridList = rootEl.querySelector('.virtuoso-grid-list') as HTMLElement;
 
   if (!gridList) {
-    return null;
+    // No grid - cannot scroll!
+    return;
   }
 
   // Then find the specific item within the grid list
   const targetItem = gridList.querySelector(`.virtuoso-grid-item[data-index="${index}"]`) as HTMLElement;
 
   if (!targetItem) {
-    return null;
+    if (index > range.endIndex) {
+      virtuosoGridHandle.scrollToIndex({
+        index,
+        behavior: 'auto',
+        align: 'start',
+      });
+    } else if (index < range.startIndex) {
+      virtuosoGridHandle.scrollToIndex({
+        index,
+        behavior: 'auto',
+        align: 'end',
+      });
+    } else {
+      log.warn(`Unable to find item index ${index} but it is in range ${range.startIndex}-${range.endIndex}`);
+    }
+    return;
   }
 
   const itemRect = targetItem.getBoundingClientRect();
   const rootRect = rootEl.getBoundingClientRect();
 
   if (itemRect.top < rootRect.top) {
-    return 'start';
+    virtuosoGridHandle.scrollToIndex({
+      index,
+      behavior: 'auto',
+      align: 'start',
+    });
+  } else if (itemRect.bottom > rootRect.bottom) {
+    virtuosoGridHandle.scrollToIndex({
+      index,
+      behavior: 'auto',
+      align: 'end',
+    });
   }
 
-  if (itemRect.bottom > rootRect.bottom) {
-    return 'end';
-  }
-
-  return 'center';
+  return;
 };
 
 // Hook for keyboard navigation using physical DOM measurements
 const useKeyboardNavigation = (
   imageNames: string[],
   virtuosoRef: React.RefObject<VirtuosoGridHandle>,
-  rootRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement>
+  rootRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement>,
+  rangeRef: MutableRefObject<ListRange>
 ) => {
   const dispatch = useAppDispatch();
   const lastSelectedImage = useAppSelector(selectLastSelectedImage);
@@ -291,7 +219,9 @@ const useKeyboardNavigation = (
   const handleKeyDown = useCallback(
     (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
       const rootEl = rootRef.current;
-      if (!rootEl) {
+      const virtuosoGridHandle = virtuosoRef.current;
+      const range = rangeRef.current;
+      if (!rootEl || !virtuosoGridHandle) {
         return;
       }
       if (imageNames.length === 0) {
@@ -358,21 +288,11 @@ const useKeyboardNavigation = (
         const newImageName = imageNames[newIndex];
         if (newImageName) {
           dispatch(selectionChanged([newImageName]));
-
-          // Only scroll if the selected item is not visible
-          const vis = isItemVisible(newIndex, rootEl);
-          if (!vis || vis === 'center') {
-            return;
-          }
-          virtuosoRef.current?.scrollToIndex({
-            index: newIndex,
-            behavior: 'smooth',
-            align: vis,
-          });
+          scrollIntoView(newIndex, rootEl, virtuosoGridHandle, range);
         }
       }
     },
-    [rootRef, imageNames, currentIndex, dispatch, virtuosoRef]
+    [rootRef, virtuosoRef, rangeRef, imageNames, currentIndex, dispatch]
   );
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -387,16 +307,11 @@ const useKeyboardNavigation = (
 export const NewGallery = memo(() => {
   const queryArgs = useDebouncedImageCollectionQueryArgs();
   const virtuosoRef = useRef<VirtuosoGridHandle>(null);
+  const rangeRef = useRef<ListRange>({ startIndex: 0, endIndex: 0 });
 
-  // Get the ordered list of image names - this is our primary data source
+  // Get the ordered list of image names - this is our primary data source for virtualization
   const { data: imageNames = [], isLoading } = useGetImageNamesQuery(queryArgs);
 
-  // Get starred count for position calculations
-  const { data: counts } = useGetImageCollectionCountsQuery(queryArgs);
-  const starredCount = counts?.starred_count ?? 0;
-
-  const prefetchRange = usePrefetchRanges(starredCount, queryArgs);
-
   // Reset scroll position when query parameters change
   useEffect(() => {
     if (virtuosoRef.current && imageNames.length > 0) {
@@ -407,7 +322,7 @@ export const NewGallery = memo(() => {
   const rootRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
 
   // Enable keyboard navigation
-  useKeyboardNavigation(imageNames, virtuosoRef, rootRef);
+  useKeyboardNavigation(imageNames, virtuosoRef, rootRef, rangeRef);
 
   const [scroller, setScroller] = useState<HTMLElement | null>(null);
   const [initialize, osInstance] = useOverlayScrollbars({
@@ -439,24 +354,25 @@ export const NewGallery = memo(() => {
     };
   }, [scroller, initialize, osInstance]);
 
-  // Handle range changes to prefetch data for visible + buffer areas
-  const handleRangeChanged = useCallback(
-    (range: ListRange) => {
-      prefetchRange(range.startIndex, range.endIndex);
-    },
-    [prefetchRange]
-  );
+  // Handle range changes - RTK Query will automatically cache and manage loading
+  const handleRangeChanged = useCallback((range: ListRange) => {
+    rangeRef.current = range;
+  }, []);
 
   const context = useMemo(
     () =>
       ({
         imageNames,
         queryArgs,
-        starredCount,
       }) satisfies GridContext,
-    [imageNames, queryArgs, starredCount]
+    [imageNames, queryArgs]
   );
 
+  // Item content function
+  const itemContent: GridItemContent<string, GridContext> = useCallback((index, imageName, ctx) => {
+    return <ImageAtPosition index={index} imageName={imageName} queryArgs={ctx.queryArgs} />;
+  }, []);
+
   if (isLoading) {
     return (
       <Flex height="100%" alignItems="center" justifyContent="center">
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/gallery/store/gallerySelectors.ts b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/gallery/store/gallerySelectors.ts
index 3e132a2d72..ae9affafdc 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/gallery/store/gallerySelectors.ts
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/features/gallery/store/gallerySelectors.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ export const selectImageCollectionQueryArgs = createMemoizedSelector(selectGalle
   search_term: gallery.searchTerm || undefined,
   order_dir: gallery.orderDir as SQLiteDirection,
   is_intermediate: false,
+  starred_first: true,
 }));
 export const selectAutoAssignBoardOnClick = createSelector(
   selectGallerySlice,
diff --git a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/services/api/endpoints/images.ts b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/services/api/endpoints/images.ts
index edf8786e32..aa72173c7f 100644
--- a/invokeai/frontend/web/src/services/api/endpoints/images.ts
+++ b/invokeai/frontend/web/src/services/api/endpoints/images.ts
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ export const imagesApi = api.injectEndpoints({
         url: getListImagesUrl(queryArgs),
         method: 'GET',
       }),
-      providesTags: (result, error, { board_id, categories }) => {
+      providesTags: (result, error, queryArgs) => {
         return [
           // Make the tags the same as the cache key
-          { type: 'ImageList', id: getListImagesUrl({ board_id, categories }) },
+          { type: 'ImageList', id: JSON.stringify(queryArgs) },
           'FetchOnReconnect',
         ];
       },
@@ -493,6 +493,45 @@ export const imagesApi = api.injectEndpoints({
       }),
       providesTags: ['ImageNameList', 'FetchOnReconnect'],
     }),
+    /**
+     * Get paginated images with starred first (unified list)
+     */
+    getUnifiedImageList: build.query<
+      ListImagesResponse,
+      {
+        offset?: number;
+        limit?: number;
+        image_origin?: 'internal' | 'external' | null;
+        categories?: ImageCategory[] | null;
+        is_intermediate?: boolean | null;
+        board_id?: string | null;
+        search_term?: string | null;
+        order_dir?: SQLiteDirection;
+      }
+    >({
+      query: (queryArgs) => ({
+        url: getListImagesUrl({ ...queryArgs, starred_first: true }),
+        method: 'GET',
+      }),
+      providesTags: (result, error, { board_id, categories }) => [
+        { type: 'ImageList', id: getListImagesUrl({ board_id, categories }) },
+        'FetchOnReconnect',
+      ],
+      async onQueryStarted(_, { dispatch, queryFulfilled }) {
+        // Populate the getImageDTO cache with these images
+        const res = await queryFulfilled;
+        const imageDTOs = res.data.items;
+        const updates: Param0<typeof imagesApi.util.upsertQueryEntries> = [];
+        for (const imageDTO of imageDTOs) {
+          updates.push({
+            endpointName: 'getImageDTO',
+            arg: imageDTO.image_name,
+            value: imageDTO,
+          });
+        }
+        dispatch(imagesApi.util.upsertQueryEntries(updates));
+      },
+    }),
   }),
 });
 
@@ -518,6 +557,7 @@ export const {
   useGetImageCollectionQuery,
   useLazyGetImageCollectionQuery,
   useGetImageNamesQuery,
+  useGetUnifiedImageListQuery,
 } = imagesApi;
 
 /**