diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/leaderboard.css b/app/assets/stylesheets/leaderboard.css
index fd93ee4..30b8be8 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/leaderboard.css
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/leaderboard.css
@@ -151,4 +151,19 @@ h3+.mini-leaderboard {
   .period-toggle-btn:hover:not(.active) {
     background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
   }
+}
+
+.mini-leaderboard.loading .leaderboard-entry {
+  opacity: 0.7;
+  animation: pulse 1.5s infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes pulse {
+  0% { opacity: 0.7; }
+  50% { opacity: 0.4; }
+  100% { opacity: 0.7; }
+}
+
+turbo-frame#mini_leaderboard[aria-busy="true"]::before {
+  display: none !important;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/controllers/static_pages_controller.rb b/app/controllers/static_pages_controller.rb
index 6ee7c15..6a30651 100644
--- a/app/controllers/static_pages_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/static_pages_controller.rb
@@ -5,16 +5,6 @@ class StaticPagesController < ApplicationController
   ]
 
   def index
-    @leaderboard = Leaderboard.where.associated(:entries)
-                              .where(start_date: Date.current)
-                              .where(deleted_at: nil)
-                              .where(period_type: :daily)
-                              .distinct
-                              .first
-
-    # Get active projects for the mini leaderboard
-    @active_projects = Cache::ActiveProjectsJob.perform_now
-
     if current_user
       flavor_texts = FlavorText.motto + FlavorText.conditional_mottos(current_user)
       flavor_texts += FlavorText.rare_motto if Random.rand(10) < 1
@@ -80,6 +70,22 @@ class StaticPagesController < ApplicationController
     end
   end
 
+  def mini_leaderboard
+    @leaderboard = Leaderboard.where.associated(:entries)
+                              .where(start_date: Date.current)
+                              .where(deleted_at: nil)
+                              .where(period_type: :daily)
+                              .distinct
+                              .first
+
+    @active_projects = Cache::ActiveProjectsJob.perform_now
+
+    render partial: "leaderboards/mini_leaderboard", locals: { 
+      leaderboard: @leaderboard,
+      current_user: current_user
+    }
+  end
+
   def project_durations
     return unless current_user
 
diff --git a/app/views/leaderboards/_mini_leaderboard.html.erb b/app/views/leaderboards/_mini_leaderboard.html.erb
index 83f5d8f..879bb9d 100644
--- a/app/views/leaderboards/_mini_leaderboard.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/leaderboards/_mini_leaderboard.html.erb
@@ -1,78 +1,80 @@
-<%
-  entries = leaderboard.entries.order(total_seconds: :desc)
-  if current_user
-    user_rank = entries.find_index { |entry| entry.user_id == current_user.id }
-    if user_rank && user_rank >= 3
-      # Show top 2 entries and immediate competition
-      top_entries = entries[0..1]
-      competition_entries = entries[[user_rank - 1, 2].max..[user_rank + 1, entries.size - 1].min]
-      mini_leaderboard_entries = top_entries + competition_entries
-      show_top_entries = false
+<%= turbo_frame_tag "mini_leaderboard" do %>
+  <%
+    entries = leaderboard.entries.order(total_seconds: :desc)
+    if current_user
+      user_rank = entries.find_index { |entry| entry.user_id == current_user.id }
+      if user_rank && user_rank >= 3
+        # Show top 2 entries and immediate competition
+        top_entries = entries[0..1]
+        competition_entries = entries[[user_rank - 1, 2].max..[user_rank + 1, entries.size - 1].min]
+        mini_leaderboard_entries = top_entries + competition_entries
+        show_top_entries = false
+      else
+        # Show top 3 entries (either user is in top 3 or not on leaderboard)
+        mini_leaderboard_entries = entries.first(3)
+        show_top_entries = true
+      end
     else
-      # Show top 3 entries (either user is in top 3 or not on leaderboard)
+      # Not logged in, show top 3
       mini_leaderboard_entries = entries.first(3)
       show_top_entries = true
     end
-  else
-    # Not logged in, show top 3
-    mini_leaderboard_entries = entries.first(3)
-    show_top_entries = true
-  end
-%>
+  %>
 
-<% if mini_leaderboard_entries&.any? %>
-  <div class="mini-leaderboard">
-    <p class="super">
-      This leaderboard is in <%= Leaderboard::GLOBAL_TIMEZONE %>.
-      <% if current_user && timezone_difference_in_seconds(Leaderboard::GLOBAL_TIMEZONE, current_user.timezone) != 0 %>
-        <%= timezone_difference_in_words(Leaderboard::GLOBAL_TIMEZONE, current_user.timezone) %>
-      <% end %>
-    </p>
-    <div class="leaderboard-entries">
-      <% mini_leaderboard_entries.each_with_index do |entry, idx| %>
-        <% is_competition = !show_top_entries && idx >= 2 %>
-        <div class="leaderboard-entry <%= 'current-user' if entry.user_id == current_user&.id %>">
-          <% if !is_competition %>
-            <% rank_emoji = case entries.index(entry)
-               when 0 then "🥇"
-               when 1 then "🥈"
-               when 2 then "🥉"
-               end %>
-            <span class="rank"><%= rank_emoji %></span>
-          <% else %>
-            <% if idx == 2 && entries.index(entry) - entries.index(mini_leaderboard_entries[1]) > 1 %>
-              <div class="leaderboard-break">...</div>
+  <% if mini_leaderboard_entries&.any? %>
+    <div class="mini-leaderboard">
+      <p class="super">
+        This leaderboard is in <%= Leaderboard::GLOBAL_TIMEZONE %>.
+        <% if current_user && timezone_difference_in_seconds(Leaderboard::GLOBAL_TIMEZONE, current_user.timezone) != 0 %>
+          <%= timezone_difference_in_words(Leaderboard::GLOBAL_TIMEZONE, current_user.timezone) %>
+        <% end %>
+      </p>
+      <div class="leaderboard-entries">
+        <% mini_leaderboard_entries.each_with_index do |entry, idx| %>
+          <% is_competition = !show_top_entries && idx >= 2 %>
+          <div class="leaderboard-entry <%= 'current-user' if entry.user_id == current_user&.id %>">
+            <% if !is_competition %>
+              <% rank_emoji = case entries.index(entry)
+                 when 0 then "🥇"
+                 when 1 then "🥈"
+                 when 2 then "🥉"
+                 end %>
+              <span class="rank"><%= rank_emoji %></span>
+            <% else %>
+              <% if idx == 2 && entries.index(entry) - entries.index(mini_leaderboard_entries[1]) > 1 %>
+                <div class="leaderboard-break">...</div>
+              <% end %>
+              <span class="rank"><%= (entries.index(entry) + 1).ordinalize %></span>
             <% end %>
-            <span class="rank"><%= (entries.index(entry) + 1).ordinalize %></span>
-          <% end %>
-          <span class="user">
-            <%= render "shared/user_mention", user: entry.user, show: [:neighborhood] %>
-            <% if entry.user == current_user && current_user.github_username.blank? %>
-              <span class="super">
-                <%= link_to "Link active projects", my_settings_path(anchor: "user_github_account"), target: "_blank" %>
-              </span>
-            <% end %>
-            <% if @active_projects&.dig(entry.user_id).present? %>
-              <span class="super">
-                working on <%= link_to @active_projects[entry.user_id].project_name, @active_projects[entry.user_id].repo_url, target: "_blank" %>
-                <% dev_tool(nil, 'span') do %>
-                  <%= link_to "🌌", visualize_git_url(@active_projects[entry.user_id].repo_url), target: "_blank" %>
-                <% end %>
-              </span>
-            <% end %>
-            <% if entry.streak_count > 7 %>
-              <span class="super" title="7+ daily streak">
-                🔥 7+
-              </span>
-            <% elsif entry.streak_count > 0 %>
-              <span class="super" title="<%= entry.streak_count %> day streak">
-                🔥 <%= entry.streak_count %>
-              </span>
-            <% end %>
-          </span>
-          <span class="time"><%= short_time_detailed entry.total_seconds %></span>
-        </div>
-      <% end %>
+            <span class="user">
+              <%= render "shared/user_mention", user: entry.user, show: [:neighborhood] %>
+              <% if entry.user == current_user && current_user.github_username.blank? %>
+                <span class="super">
+                  <%= link_to "Link active projects", my_settings_path(anchor: "user_github_account"), target: "_blank" %>
+                </span>
+              <% end %>
+              <% if @active_projects&.dig(entry.user_id).present? %>
+                <span class="super">
+                  working on <%= link_to @active_projects[entry.user_id].project_name, @active_projects[entry.user_id].repo_url, target: "_blank" %>
+                  <% dev_tool(nil, 'span') do %>
+                    <%= link_to "🌌", visualize_git_url(@active_projects[entry.user_id].repo_url), target: "_blank" %>
+                  <% end %>
+                </span>
+              <% end %>
+              <% if entry.streak_count > 7 %>
+                <span class="super" title="7+ daily streak">
+                  🔥 7+
+                </span>
+              <% elsif entry.streak_count > 0 %>
+                <span class="super" title="<%= entry.streak_count %> day streak">
+                  🔥 <%= entry.streak_count %>
+                </span>
+              <% end %>
+            </span>
+            <span class="time"><%= short_time_detailed entry.total_seconds %></span>
+          </div>
+        <% end %>
+      </div>
     </div>
-  </div>
+  <% end %>
 <% end %> 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/views/leaderboards/_mini_leaderboard_loading.html.erb b/app/views/leaderboards/_mini_leaderboard_loading.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..239439a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/leaderboards/_mini_leaderboard_loading.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<div class="mini-leaderboard loading">
+  <p class="super">
+    This leaderboard is in <%= Leaderboard::GLOBAL_TIMEZONE %>.
+    <% if current_user && timezone_difference_in_seconds(Leaderboard::GLOBAL_TIMEZONE, current_user.timezone) != 0 %>
+      <%= timezone_difference_in_words(Leaderboard::GLOBAL_TIMEZONE, current_user.timezone) %>
+    <% end %>
+  </p>
+  <div class="leaderboard-entries">
+    <% (current_user ? 5 : 3).times do %>
+      <div class="leaderboard-entry">
+        <span class="rank">...</span>
+        <span class="user">Loading...</span>
+        <span class="time">...</span>
+      </div>
+    <% end %>
+  </div>
+</div>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/views/static_pages/index.html.erb b/app/views/static_pages/index.html.erb
index c91dc23..a25fa5e 100644
--- a/app/views/static_pages/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/static_pages/index.html.erb
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@
       <% end %>
     </p>
 
-    <% if @leaderboard %>
-      <%= render "leaderboards/mini_leaderboard", leaderboard: @leaderboard, current_user: current_user %>
+    <%= turbo_frame_tag "mini_leaderboard", src: mini_leaderboard_static_pages_path do %>
+      <%= render "leaderboards/mini_leaderboard_loading" %>
     <% end %>
 
     <%= turbo_frame_tag "filterable_dashboard", src: filterable_dashboard_static_pages_path do %>
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index f3579dc..1e7e4ca 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ Rails.application.routes.draw do
       get :currently_hacking
       get :filterable_dashboard_content
       get :filterable_dashboard
+      get :mini_leaderboard
       get "🃏", to: "static_pages#🃏", as: :wildcard
       get :streak
     end