diff --git a/ui/src/app/jobs/[jobID]/page.tsx b/ui/src/app/jobs/[jobID]/page.tsx
index 7f5c2a8..80a01f3 100644
--- a/ui/src/app/jobs/[jobID]/page.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/app/jobs/[jobID]/page.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { useState, useEffect, use } from 'react';
+import { useState, use } from 'react';
 import { FaChevronLeft } from 'react-icons/fa';
 import { MdDashboard, MdImage, MdShowChart, MdCode, MdExtension } from 'react-icons/md';
 import { Button } from '@headlessui/react';
 import { TopBar, MainContent } from '@/components/layout';
 import useJob from '@/hooks/useJob';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 import SampleImages, { SampleImagesMenu } from '@/components/SampleImages';
 import JobOverview from '@/components/JobOverview';
 import { redirect } from 'next/navigation';
@@ -77,18 +78,16 @@ export default function JobPage({ params }: { params: { jobID: string } }) {
   const [hasPlugin, setHasPlugin] = useState(false);
 
   // poll for plugin.html in the job folder; show the Plugin tab if it exists
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const checkPlugin = () => {
+  usePollLoop(
+    () =>
       apiClient
         .get(`/api/jobs/${jobID}/plugin?check=1`)
         .then(res => res.data)
         .then(data => setHasPlugin(!!data.exists))
-        .catch(() => {});
-    };
-    checkPlugin();
-    const interval = setInterval(checkPlugin, 5000);
-    return () => clearInterval(interval);
-  }, [jobID]);
+        .catch(() => {}),
+    5000,
+    [jobID],
+  );
 
   const page = pages.find(p => p.value === pageKey);
 
diff --git a/ui/src/components/GPUMonitor.tsx b/ui/src/components/GPUMonitor.tsx
index fe1d7ad..e28a1ee 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/GPUMonitor.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/GPUMonitor.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-import React, { useState, useEffect, useRef, useMemo } from 'react';
+import React, { useState, useRef, useMemo } from 'react';
 import { GPUApiResponse } from '@/types';
 import Loading from '@/components/Loading';
 import GPUWidget from '@/components/GPUWidget';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 const GpuMonitor: React.FC = () => {
   const [gpuData, setGpuData] = useState<GPUApiResponse | null>(null);
@@ -11,39 +12,32 @@ const GpuMonitor: React.FC = () => {
   const [lastUpdated, setLastUpdated] = useState<Date | null>(null);
   const isFetchingGpuRef = useRef(false);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const fetchGpuInfo = async () => {
-      if (isFetchingGpuRef.current) {
-        return;
-      }
-      setLoading(true);
-      isFetchingGpuRef.current = true;
-      apiClient
-        .get('/api/gpu')
-        .then(res => res.data)
-        .then(data => {
-          setGpuData(data);
-          setLastUpdated(new Date());
-          setError(null);
-        })
-        .catch(err => {
-          setError(`Failed to fetch GPU data: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`);
-        })
-        .finally(() => {
-          isFetchingGpuRef.current = false;
-          setLoading(false);
-        });
-    };
+  const fetchGpuInfo = () => {
+    if (isFetchingGpuRef.current) {
+      return;
+    }
+    setLoading(true);
+    isFetchingGpuRef.current = true;
+    return apiClient
+      .get('/api/gpu')
+      .then(res => res.data)
+      .then(data => {
+        setGpuData(data);
+        setLastUpdated(new Date());
+        setError(null);
+      })
+      .catch(err => {
+        setError(`Failed to fetch GPU data: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`);
+      })
+      .finally(() => {
+        isFetchingGpuRef.current = false;
+        setLoading(false);
+      });
+  };
 
-    // Fetch immediately on component mount
-    fetchGpuInfo();
-
-    // Set up interval to fetch every 1 seconds
-    const intervalId = setInterval(fetchGpuInfo, 1000);
-
-    // Clean up interval on component unmount
-    return () => clearInterval(intervalId);
-  }, []);
+  // Fetch every second, but only schedule the next fetch after the current
+  // one finishes so slow responses can't stack requests
+  usePollLoop(fetchGpuInfo, 1000);
 
   const getGridClasses = (gpuCount: number): string => {
     switch (gpuCount) {
diff --git a/ui/src/components/OstrisCloudBalance.tsx b/ui/src/components/OstrisCloudBalance.tsx
index 90d2f52..c371d5a 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/OstrisCloudBalance.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/OstrisCloudBalance.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useState } from 'react';
 import { Wallet } from 'lucide-react';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 interface BalanceResponse {
   enabled: boolean;
@@ -17,26 +18,14 @@ interface BalanceResponse {
 export default function OstrisCloudBalance() {
   const [data, setData] = useState<BalanceResponse | null>(null);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    let cancelled = false;
-
-    const fetchBalance = async () => {
-      try {
-        const res = await apiClient.get<BalanceResponse>('/api/ostris_cloud');
-        if (!cancelled) setData(res.data);
-      } catch {
-        // ignore — keep last known value
-      }
-    };
-
-    fetchBalance();
-    const interval = setInterval(fetchBalance, 60_000);
-
-    return () => {
-      cancelled = true;
-      clearInterval(interval);
-    };
-  }, []);
+  usePollLoop(async () => {
+    try {
+      const res = await apiClient.get<BalanceResponse>('/api/ostris_cloud');
+      setData(res.data);
+    } catch {
+      // ignore — keep last known value
+    }
+  }, 60_000);
 
   if (!data || !data.enabled || !data.appUrl) return null;
 
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useCPUInfo.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/useCPUInfo.tsx
index 913b749..7563f44 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/useCPUInfo.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useCPUInfo.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 'use client';
 
 import { CpuInfo } from '@/types';
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useState } from 'react';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 export default function useCPUInfo(reloadInterval: null | number = null) {
   const [cpuInfo, setCpuInfo] = useState<CpuInfo | null>(null);
@@ -23,22 +24,7 @@ export default function useCPUInfo(reloadInterval: null | number = null) {
     }
   };
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // Fetch immediately on component mount
-    fetchCpuInfo();
-
-    // Set up interval if specified
-    if (reloadInterval) {
-      const interval = setInterval(() => {
-        fetchCpuInfo();
-      }, reloadInterval);
-
-      // Cleanup interval on unmount
-      return () => {
-        clearInterval(interval);
-      };
-    }
-  }, [reloadInterval]); // Added dependencies
+  usePollLoop(fetchCpuInfo, reloadInterval);
 
   return { cpuInfo, isCPUInfoLoaded, status, refreshCpuInfo: fetchCpuInfo };
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useFilesList.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/useFilesList.tsx
index e73e6c6..02affd0 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/useFilesList.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useFilesList.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { useEffect, useState, useRef } from 'react';
+import { useState, useRef } from 'react';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 interface FileObject {
   path: string;
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ export default function useFilesList(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | numbe
       loadStatus = 'refreshing';
     }
     setStatus(loadStatus);
-    apiClient
+    return apiClient
       .get(`/api/jobs/${jobID}/files`)
       .then(res => res.data)
       .then(data => {
@@ -36,19 +37,7 @@ export default function useFilesList(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | numbe
       });
   };
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    refreshFiles();
-
-    if (reloadInterval) {
-      const interval = setInterval(() => {
-        refreshFiles();
-      }, reloadInterval);
-
-      return () => {
-        clearInterval(interval);
-      };
-    }
-  }, [jobID]);
+  usePollLoop(refreshFiles, reloadInterval, [jobID]);
 
   return { files, setFiles, status, refreshFiles };
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useGPUInfo.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/useGPUInfo.tsx
index 1e43865..4cb69a5 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/useGPUInfo.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useGPUInfo.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import { GPUApiResponse, GpuInfo } from '@/types';
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 export default function useGPUInfo(gpuIds: null | number[] = null, reloadInterval: null | number = null) {
   const [gpuList, setGpuList] = useState<GpuInfo[]>([]);
@@ -27,22 +28,7 @@ export default function useGPUInfo(gpuIds: null | number[] = null, reloadInterva
     }
   };
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // Fetch immediately on component mount
-    fetchGpuInfo();
-
-    // Set up interval if specified
-    if (reloadInterval) {
-      const interval = setInterval(() => {
-        fetchGpuInfo();
-      }, reloadInterval);
-
-      // Cleanup interval on unmount
-      return () => {
-        clearInterval(interval);
-      };
-    }
-  }, [gpuIds, reloadInterval]); // Added dependencies
+  usePollLoop(fetchGpuInfo, reloadInterval, [gpuIds]);
 
   // If the initial fetch failed (e.g. nvidia-smi was transiently busy on startup),
   // retry automatically so users don't have to reload the page to see their GPUs.
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useJob.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/useJob.tsx
index 5c43f9e..18a700e 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/useJob.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useJob.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useState } from 'react';
 import { Job } from '@prisma/client';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 export default function useJob(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | number = null) {
   const [job, setJob] = useState<Job | null>(null);
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ export default function useJob(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | number = nu
 
   const refreshJob = () => {
     setStatus('loading');
-    apiClient
+    return apiClient
       .get(`/api/jobs?id=${jobID}`)
       .then(res => res.data)
       .then(data => {
@@ -24,19 +25,7 @@ export default function useJob(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | number = nu
       });
   };
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    refreshJob();
-
-    if (reloadInterval) {
-      const interval = setInterval(() => {
-        refreshJob();
-      }, reloadInterval);
-
-      return () => {
-        clearInterval(interval);
-      };
-    }
-  }, [jobID]);
+  usePollLoop(refreshJob, reloadInterval, [jobID]);
 
   return { job, setJob, status, refreshJob };
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useJobByRef.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/useJobByRef.tsx
index 9c39eb9..1bc425f 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/useJobByRef.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useJobByRef.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useState } from 'react';
 import { Job } from '@prisma/client';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 export default function useJobByRef(jobRef: string | null, reloadInterval: null | number = null) {
   const [job, setJob] = useState<Job | null>(null);
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ export default function useJobByRef(jobRef: string | null, reloadInterval: null
 
   const refreshJob = () => {
     setStatus('loading');
-    apiClient
+    return apiClient
       .get(`/api/jobs?job_ref=${jobRef}`)
       .then(res => res.data)
       .then(data => {
@@ -24,19 +25,7 @@ export default function useJobByRef(jobRef: string | null, reloadInterval: null
       });
   };
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    refreshJob();
-
-    if (reloadInterval) {
-      const interval = setInterval(() => {
-        refreshJob();
-      }, reloadInterval);
-
-      return () => {
-        clearInterval(interval);
-      };
-    }
-  }, [jobRef, reloadInterval]);
+  usePollLoop(refreshJob, reloadInterval, [jobRef]);
 
   return { job, setJob, status, refreshJob };
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useJobLog.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/useJobLog.tsx
index 001e4dc..43b3d88 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/useJobLog.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useJobLog.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import { useEffect, useState, useRef } from 'react';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
 import { TerminalEmulator } from '@/utils/terminalEmulator';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 interface FileObject {
   path: string;
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ export default function useJobLog(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | number =
     }
     setStatus(loadStatus);
     const offset = offsetRef.current;
-    apiClient
+    return apiClient
       .get(`/api/jobs/${jobID}/log`, offset !== null ? { params: { offset } } : undefined)
       .then(res => res.data)
       .then(data => {
@@ -62,25 +63,17 @@ export default function useJobLog(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | number =
       });
   };
 
+  // New job — start fresh. Declared before the poll loop so the reset runs
+  // before the first fetch when jobID changes.
   useEffect(() => {
-    // New job — start fresh.
     offsetRef.current = null;
     didInitialLoadRef.current = false;
     inFlightRef.current = false;
     terminalRef.current?.reset();
     setLog('');
-    refresh();
-
-    if (reloadInterval) {
-      const interval = setInterval(() => {
-        refresh();
-      }, reloadInterval);
-
-      return () => {
-        clearInterval(interval);
-      };
-    }
   }, [jobID]);
 
+  usePollLoop(refresh, reloadInterval, [jobID]);
+
   return { log, status, refresh };
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useJobLossLog.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/useJobLossLog.tsx
index a29860d..380a5e6 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/useJobLossLog.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useJobLossLog.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import { useEffect, useState, useRef, useCallback, useMemo } from 'react';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 export interface LossPoint {
   step: number;
@@ -115,24 +116,17 @@ export default function useJobLossLog(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | numb
     }
   }, [jobID, reloadInterval]);
 
+  // reset when job changes. Declared before the poll loop so the reset runs
+  // before the first fetch when jobID changes.
   useEffect(() => {
-    // reset when job changes
     didInitialLoadRef.current = false;
     lastStepByKeyRef.current = {};
     setSeries({});
     setKeys([]);
     setStatus('idle');
+  }, [jobID]);
 
-    refreshLoss();
-
-    if (reloadInterval) {
-      const interval = setInterval(() => {
-        refreshLoss();
-      }, reloadInterval);
-
-      return () => clearInterval(interval);
-    }
-  }, [jobID, reloadInterval, refreshLoss]);
+  usePollLoop(refreshLoss, reloadInterval, [jobID]);
 
   return { series, keys, lossKeys, status, refreshLoss, setSeries };
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useJobsList.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/useJobsList.tsx
index 6309b55..7a7ae02 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/useJobsList.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useJobsList.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { Job } from '@prisma/client';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 type UseJobsListProps = {
   onlyActive?: boolean;
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ export default function useJobsList({
     if (onlyActive) {
       params.only_active = 'true';
     }
-    apiClient
+    return apiClient
       .get('/api/jobs', { params })
       .then(res => res.data)
       .then(data => {
@@ -51,16 +52,7 @@ export default function useJobsList({
         isFetchingRef.current = false;
       });
   };
-  useEffect(() => {
-    refreshJobs();
-
-    if (reloadInterval) {
-      const interval = setInterval(() => {
-        refreshJobs();
-      }, reloadInterval);
-      return () => clearInterval(interval);
-    }
-  }, []);
+  usePollLoop(refreshJobs, reloadInterval);
 
   return { jobs, setJobs, status, refreshJobs };
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/usePollLoop.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/usePollLoop.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9048d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/usePollLoop.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+'use client';
+
+import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+
+/**
+ * Polling loop that schedules the next run only after the current one
+ * settles, so a slow server can't stack overlapping requests the way
+ * setInterval does. Worst case the UI just updates late.
+ *
+ * - `fn` should return its promise so we know when the request finished.
+ * - Errors from `fn` are caught here so a failed poll never kills the loop.
+ * - `intervalMs` of null/0 runs `fn` once with no polling (matches the old
+ *   reloadInterval=null behavior).
+ * - Changing `deps` (or `intervalMs`) restarts the loop, running `fn`
+ *   immediately.
+ */
+export default function usePollLoop(
+  fn: () => void | Promise<unknown>,
+  intervalMs: number | null | undefined,
+  deps: unknown[] = [],
+) {
+  // always call the latest fn without restarting the loop on every render
+  const fnRef = useRef(fn);
+  fnRef.current = fn;
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let stopped = false;
+    let timeout: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+
+    const tick = async () => {
+      try {
+        await fnRef.current();
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error('Poll error:', error);
+      }
+      if (stopped || !intervalMs) return;
+      timeout = setTimeout(tick, intervalMs);
+    };
+
+    tick();
+
+    return () => {
+      stopped = true;
+      if (timeout) clearTimeout(timeout);
+    };
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [intervalMs, ...deps]);
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useSampleImages.tsx b/ui/src/hooks/useSampleImages.tsx
index 8b79a8d..35ca9f0 100644
--- a/ui/src/hooks/useSampleImages.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useSampleImages.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
+import { useState } from 'react';
 import { apiClient } from '@/utils/api';
+import usePollLoop from '@/hooks/usePollLoop';
 
 export default function useSampleImages(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | number = null) {
   const [sampleImages, setSampleImages] = useState<string[]>([]);
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ export default function useSampleImages(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | nu
 
   const refreshSampleImages = () => {
     setStatus('loading');
-    apiClient
+    return apiClient
       .get(`/api/jobs/${jobID}/samples`)
       .then(res => res.data)
       .then(data => {
@@ -25,19 +26,7 @@ export default function useSampleImages(jobID: string, reloadInterval: null | nu
       });
   };
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    refreshSampleImages();
-
-    if (reloadInterval) {
-      const interval = setInterval(() => {
-        refreshSampleImages();
-      }, reloadInterval);
-
-      return () => {
-        clearInterval(interval);
-      };
-    }
-  }, [jobID]);
+  usePollLoop(refreshSampleImages, reloadInterval, [jobID]);
 
   return { sampleImages, setSampleImages, status, refreshSampleImages };
 }