diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c8508f6..22d70a7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -105,10 +105,10 @@ volumes:
 
 ```bash
 # Build local de l'image + démarrage
-docker-compose up -d --build
+docker compose up -d --build
 
 # Vérifier les logs
-docker-compose logs -f obsigate
+docker compose logs -f obsigate
 ```
 
 > **Note** : ObsiGate est construit localement depuis le `Dockerfile` du projet. Sans build local, Docker essaiera de télécharger une image distante `obsigate:latest` qui n'existe pas forcément.
diff --git a/frontend/app.js b/frontend/app.js
index aafe426..2052f12 100644
--- a/frontend/app.js
+++ b/frontend/app.js
@@ -2244,6 +2244,132 @@
    * Refreshes the sidebar tree while preserving the expanded state of vaults and folders.
    * Optimized to avoid a full sidebar wipe and minimize visible loading states.
    */
+  /**
+   * Incrementally update a directory container without wiping existing DOM.
+   * Only adds new items, removes deleted ones, and updates changed ones.
+   */
+  async function incrementalLoadDirectory(vaultName, dirPath, container) {
+    let data;
+    try {
+      const url = `/api/browse/${encodeURIComponent(vaultName)}?path=${encodeURIComponent(dirPath)}`;
+      data = await api(url);
+    } catch (err) {
+      // Server unavailable — keep existing content
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Build a map of existing DOM elements by path
+    const existingItems = {};
+    const existingChildren = {}; // path -> child container (for directories)
+    for (let i = 0; i < container.children.length; i++) {
+      const child = container.children[i];
+      if (child.classList.contains("tree-item") && child.dataset.path) {
+        existingItems[child.dataset.path] = child;
+        // The next sibling should be the tree-children container for this directory
+        if (i + 1 < container.children.length) {
+          const next = container.children[i + 1];
+          if (next.classList.contains("tree-children")) {
+            existingChildren[child.dataset.path] = next;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    const fragment = document.createDocumentFragment();
+
+    data.items.forEach((item) => {
+      if (!shouldDisplayPath(item.path, vaultName)) return;
+
+      const existing = existingItems[item.path];
+
+      if (existing) {
+        // Item already exists — reuse it, but update text/badge if needed
+        const textEl = existing.querySelector(".tree-item-text");
+        const displayName = item.type === "file" && item.name.match(/\.md$/i)
+          ? item.name.replace(/\.md$/i, "")
+          : item.name;
+        if (textEl && textEl.textContent !== displayName) {
+          textEl.textContent = displayName;
+        }
+        // Update badge for directories
+        if (item.type === "directory") {
+          const badge = existing.querySelector(".badge-small");
+          const newBadge = `(${item.children_count})`;
+          if (badge && badge.textContent !== newBadge) {
+            badge.textContent = newBadge;
+          } else if (!badge) {
+            existing.appendChild(smallBadge(item.children_count));
+          }
+        }
+        fragment.appendChild(existing);
+        // Also re-add the child container for directories
+        if (item.type === "directory" && existingChildren[item.path]) {
+          fragment.appendChild(existingChildren[item.path]);
+        } else if (item.type === "directory") {
+          // Directory existed but no child container — create one
+          const subContainer = el("div", { class: "tree-children collapsed", id: `dir-${vaultName}-${item.path}` });
+          fragment.appendChild(subContainer);
+        }
+      } else {
+        // New item — create it
+        if (item.type === "directory") {
+          const dirItem = el("div", { class: "tree-item", "data-vault": vaultName, "data-path": item.path }, [icon("chevron-right", 14), icon("folder", 16), el("span", { class: "tree-item-text" }, [document.createTextNode(item.name)]), smallBadge(item.children_count)]);
+          attachTreeItemActionButton(dirItem, vaultName, item.path, "directory", false);
+          attachTreeItemLongPress(dirItem, () => ({ vault: vaultName, path: item.path, type: "directory", isReadonly: false }));
+          fragment.appendChild(dirItem);
+
+          const subContainer = el("div", { class: "tree-children collapsed", id: `dir-${vaultName}-${item.path}` });
+          fragment.appendChild(subContainer);
+
+          dirItem.addEventListener("click", async () => {
+            scrollTreeItemIntoView(dirItem, false);
+            if (subContainer.classList.contains("collapsed")) {
+              if (subContainer.children.length === 0) {
+                await loadDirectory(vaultName, item.path, subContainer);
+              }
+              subContainer.classList.remove("collapsed");
+              const chev = dirItem.querySelector("[data-lucide]");
+              if (chev) chev.setAttribute("data-lucide", "chevron-down");
+              safeCreateIcons();
+            } else {
+              subContainer.classList.add("collapsed");
+              const chev = dirItem.querySelector("[data-lucide]");
+              if (chev) chev.setAttribute("data-lucide", "chevron-right");
+              safeCreateIcons();
+            }
+          });
+
+          dirItem.addEventListener("contextmenu", (e) => {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            ContextMenuManager.show(e.clientX, e.clientY, vaultName, item.path, "directory", false);
+          });
+        } else {
+          const fileIconName = getFileIcon(item.name);
+          const displayName = item.name.match(/\.md$/i) ? item.name.replace(/\.md$/i, "") : item.name;
+          const fileItem = el("div", { class: "tree-item", "data-vault": vaultName, "data-path": item.path }, [icon(fileIconName, 16), el("span", { class: "tree-item-text" }, [document.createTextNode(displayName)])]);
+          attachTreeItemActionButton(fileItem, vaultName, item.path, "file", false);
+          attachTreeItemLongPress(fileItem, () => ({ vault: vaultName, path: item.path, type: "file", isReadonly: false }));
+          fileItem.addEventListener("click", () => {
+            scrollTreeItemIntoView(fileItem, false);
+            openFile(vaultName, item.path);
+            closeMobileSidebar();
+          });
+
+          fileItem.addEventListener("contextmenu", (e) => {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            ContextMenuManager.show(e.clientX, e.clientY, vaultName, item.path, "file", false);
+          });
+
+          fragment.appendChild(fileItem);
+        }
+      }
+    });
+
+    // Replace container content in a single batch operation to avoid flash
+    container.textContent = "";
+    container.appendChild(fragment);
+  }
+
   async function refreshSidebarTreePreservingState() {
     // 1. Capture expanded states
     const expandedVaults = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(".vault-item"))
@@ -2265,7 +2391,7 @@
     const selectedItem = document.querySelector(".tree-item.path-selected");
     const selectedState = selectedItem ? { vault: selectedItem.dataset.vault, path: selectedItem.dataset.path } : null;
 
-    // 2. Soft update: load vaults to update names/counts without wiping the tree
+    // 2. Soft update: vault names/counts without wiping the tree
     try {
       const vaults = await api("/api/vaults");
       allVaults = vaults;
@@ -2279,29 +2405,30 @@
     } catch (e) {
       console.warn("Soft vault refresh failed, falling back to full reload", e);
       await loadVaults();
+      return;
     }
 
-    // 3. Refresh expanded vaults
-    // If we didn't wipe the tree, we only need to call loadDirectory to update the children
+    // 3. Incrementally update expanded vaults (no DOM wipe)
     for (const vName of expandedVaults) {
       const container = document.getElementById(`vault-children-${vName}`);
       if (container) {
-        await loadDirectory(vName, "", container);
+        await incrementalLoadDirectory(vName, "", container);
       }
     }
 
-    // 4. Re-expand directories (parents first)
+    // 4. Incrementally update expanded directories (parents first, no DOM wipe)
     expandedDirs.sort((a, b) => a.path.split("/").length - b.path.split("/").length);
     for (const dir of expandedDirs) {
-      const dItem = document.querySelector(`.tree-item[data-vault="${CSS.escape(dir.vault)}"][data-path="${CSS.escape(dir.path)}"]`);
       const container = document.getElementById(`dir-${dir.vault}-${dir.path}`);
-      if (dItem && container) {
-        // If it was already expanded but currently has its old content, loadDirectory will update it
+      if (container) {
         try {
-          await loadDirectory(dir.vault, dir.path, container);
+          await incrementalLoadDirectory(dir.vault, dir.path, container);
           container.classList.remove("collapsed");
-          const chev = dItem.querySelector("[data-lucide]");
-          if (chev) chev.setAttribute("data-lucide", "chevron-down");
+          const dItem = document.querySelector(`.tree-item[data-vault="${CSS.escape(dir.vault)}"][data-path="${CSS.escape(dir.path)}"]`);
+          if (dItem) {
+            const chev = dItem.querySelector("[data-lucide]");
+            if (chev) chev.setAttribute("data-lucide", "chevron-down");
+          }
         } catch (e) {
           console.error(`Failed to refresh directory ${dir.vault}/${dir.path}`, e);
         }