diff --git a/src/core/a-assets.js b/src/core/a-assets.js
index 89a38a1f082..bc067a34aee 100644
--- a/src/core/a-assets.js
+++ b/src/core/a-assets.js
@@ -17,6 +17,24 @@ class AAssets extends ANode {
     this.timeout = null;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Override connectedCallback to initialize at 'interactive' instead of 'complete'.
+   * This allows the timeout mechanism to work before loading the images.
+   * If we wait for 'complete', all resources (including images) are already loaded.
+   */
+  connectedCallback () {
+    var self = this;
+    if (document.readyState === 'interactive' || document.readyState === 'complete') {
+      this.doConnectedCallback();
+      return;
+    }
+    document.addEventListener('readystatechange', function onReadyStateChange () {
+      if (document.readyState !== 'interactive' && document.readyState !== 'complete') { return; }
+      document.removeEventListener('readystatechange', onReadyStateChange);
+      self.doConnectedCallback();
+    });
+  }
+
   doConnectedCallback () {
     var self = this;
     var i;
diff --git a/src/core/scene/a-scene.js b/src/core/scene/a-scene.js
index e2a9b24bfa1..aec0d1b717e 100644
--- a/src/core/scene/a-scene.js
+++ b/src/core/scene/a-scene.js
@@ -71,8 +71,37 @@ export class AScene extends AEntity {
     document.documentElement.classList.remove('a-fullscreen');
   }
 
-  doConnectedCallback () {
+  /**
+   * Override connectedCallback to set up renderer and loading screen at 'interactive'.
+   * This allows the loading screen to appear before a-assets starts loading,
+   * while systems initialization still waits for 'complete' (via aframeready) to handle deferred scripts.
+   */
+  connectedCallback () {
     var self = this;
+    var readyState = document.readyState;
+
+    // Set up renderer and loading screen at 'interactive' so they're visible during asset loading.
+    if (readyState === 'interactive' || readyState === 'complete') {
+      this.setupRendererAndLoadingScreen();
+    } else {
+      document.addEventListener('readystatechange', function onReadyStateChange () {
+        if (document.readyState !== 'interactive' && document.readyState !== 'complete') { return; }
+        document.removeEventListener('readystatechange', onReadyStateChange);
+        self.setupRendererAndLoadingScreen();
+      });
+    }
+
+    // Wait for 'complete' (aframeready) before initializing systems.
+    super.connectedCallback();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Set up renderer and loading screen early so they're visible during asset loading.
+   */
+  setupRendererAndLoadingScreen () {
+    if (this.rendererSetup) { return; }
+    this.rendererSetup = true;
+
     var embedded = this.hasAttribute('embedded');
 
     // Default components.
@@ -81,7 +110,6 @@ export class AScene extends AEntity {
     this.setAttribute('screenshot', '');
     this.setAttribute('xr-mode-ui', '');
     this.setAttribute('device-orientation-permission-ui', '');
-    super.doConnectedCallback();
 
     // Renderer initialization
     setupCanvas(this);
@@ -90,6 +118,16 @@ export class AScene extends AEntity {
 
     this.resize();
     if (!embedded) { this.addFullScreenStyles(); }
+  }
+
+  doConnectedCallback () {
+    var self = this;
+
+    // Renderer may already be set up from connectedCallback at 'interactive'.
+    // If not, set it up now.
+    this.setupRendererAndLoadingScreen();
+
+    super.doConnectedCallback();
     initPostMessageAPI(this);
 
     initMetaTags(this);