diff --git a/src/net/torvald/terrarum/App.java b/src/net/torvald/terrarum/App.java
index 3eb7ea62a..57cfa4f1a 100644
--- a/src/net/torvald/terrarum/App.java
+++ b/src/net/torvald/terrarum/App.java
@@ -280,6 +280,11 @@ public class App implements ApplicationListener {
     private static TerrarumGamescreen currentScreen;
     private static LoadScreenBase currentSetLoadScreen;
 
+    /** When set, App.render() will capture postProcessorOutFBO and then transition to this screen after the current frame finishes. */
+    public static TerrarumGamescreen pendingScreenWithCapture = null;
+    /** Populated by the deferred-capture path; consumed by TitleScreen.show(). */
+    public static Pixmap captureLastFrame = null;
+
     private void initViewPort(int width, int height) {
         // Set Y to point downwards
         camera.setToOrtho(true, width, height); // some elements are pre-flipped, while some are not. The statement itself is absolutely necessary to make edge of the screen as the origin
@@ -767,6 +772,17 @@ public class App implements ApplicationListener {
 
             currentScreen.render(UPDATE_RATE);
             postProcessorOutFBO = TerrarumPostProcessor.INSTANCE.draw(Gdx.graphics.getDeltaTime(), camera.combined, renderFBO);
+
+            // Deferred transition: capture the just-rendered frame then switch screens.
+            // This fires AFTER the current screen has fully rendered so the capture is of the real last ingame frame.
+            if (pendingScreenWithCapture != null) {
+                TerrarumGamescreen next = pendingScreenWithCapture;
+                pendingScreenWithCapture = null;
+                FrameBufferManager.begin(postProcessorOutFBO);
+                captureLastFrame = Pixmap.createFromFrameBuffer(0, 0, postProcessorOutFBO.getWidth(), postProcessorOutFBO.getHeight());
+                FrameBufferManager.end();
+                setScreen(next);
+            }
         }
 
 
diff --git a/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/BuildingMaker.kt b/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/BuildingMaker.kt
index 18f0accd1..012ac11d2 100644
--- a/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/BuildingMaker.kt
+++ b/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/BuildingMaker.kt
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ class MovableWorldCamera(val parent: BuildingMaker) : ActorHumanoid(0, physProp
 
 class YamlCommandExit : YamlInvokable {
     override fun invoke(args: Array<Any>) {
-        App.setScreen(TitleScreen(App.batch))
+        App.pendingScreenWithCapture = TitleScreen(App.batch)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/TitleScreen.kt b/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/TitleScreen.kt
index f7297f123..df4456637 100644
--- a/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/TitleScreen.kt
+++ b/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/TitleScreen.kt
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ class TitleScreen(batch: FlippingSpriteBatch) : IngameInstance(batch) {
     private var splashCapture: Texture? = null
     private var settleFrames = 0
     private var transitionState = 0 // 0=loading, 1=settling, 2=fading, 3=done
+    private var enteringFromIngame = false
 
     private lateinit var demoWorld: GameWorld
     private lateinit var cameraNodes: FloatArray // camera Y-pos
@@ -296,6 +297,15 @@ class TitleScreen(batch: FlippingSpriteBatch) : IngameInstance(batch) {
     override fun show() {
         printdbg(this, "show() called")
 
+        // consume the pre-captured frame provided by App.render()'s deferred-capture path
+        val pixmap = App.captureLastFrame
+        App.captureLastFrame = null
+        if (pixmap != null) {
+            splashCapture = Texture(pixmap)
+            pixmap.dispose()
+            enteringFromIngame = true
+        }
+
         for (k in Input.Keys.F1..Input.Keys.F12) {
             KeyToggler.forceSet(k, false)
         }
@@ -325,15 +335,22 @@ class TitleScreen(batch: FlippingSpriteBatch) : IngameInstance(batch) {
 
     override fun renderImpl(updateRate: Float) {
         when (transitionState) {
-            // Loading phase: show splash, advance GL load steps
+            // Loading phase: show splash or last ingame frame, advance GL load steps
             0 -> {
-                App.drawSplash()
+                if (enteringFromIngame) {
+                    // hold the last ingame frame while the title screen loads in the background
+                    drawSplashCapture(1f)
+                } else {
+                    App.drawSplash()
+                }
                 processGLLoadStep()
                 if (loadDone) {
-                    // capture the current framebuffer (splash) as a texture
-                    val pixmap = Pixmap.createFromFrameBuffer(0, 0, App.scr.width, App.scr.height)
-                    splashCapture = Texture(pixmap)
-                    pixmap.dispose()
+                    if (!enteringFromIngame) {
+                        // capture the current splash screen frame for the crossfade
+                        val pixmap = Pixmap.createFromFrameBuffer(0, 0, App.scr.width, App.scr.height)
+                        splashCapture = Texture(pixmap)
+                        pixmap.dispose()
+                    }
                     transitionState = 1
                     settleFrames = 0
                 }
diff --git a/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/ui/UIInventoryEscMenu.kt b/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/ui/UIInventoryEscMenu.kt
index e07ca5f3f..a595a3f49 100644
--- a/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/ui/UIInventoryEscMenu.kt
+++ b/src/net/torvald/terrarum/modulebasegame/ui/UIInventoryEscMenu.kt
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ class UIInventoryEscMenu(val full: UIInventoryFull) : UICanvas() {
             when (new) {
                 2 -> {
                     areYouSureMainMenuButtons.deselect()
-                    App.setScreen(TitleScreen(App.batch))
+                    App.pendingScreenWithCapture = TitleScreen(App.batch)
                 }
                 3 -> {
                     screen = 0; areYouSureMainMenuButtons.deselect()