diff --git a/src/app.d.ts b/src/app.d.ts
index db98703..53556b4 100644
--- a/src/app.d.ts
+++ b/src/app.d.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // See https://svelte.dev/docs/kit/types#app.d.ts
 // for information about these interfaces
 import type { ForumShell, Profiles } from "$lib/forum/snapshot";
+import type { ThreadDetail } from "$lib/forum/thread";
 
 declare global {
   namespace App {
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ declare global {
     interface PageData {
       shell?: ForumShell | null;
       profiles?: Profiles | null;
+      thread?: ThreadDetail | null;
     }
     // interface PageState {}
     // interface Platform {}
diff --git a/src/lib/thread.svelte.ts b/src/lib/thread.svelte.ts
index 66623a7..829ab9b 100644
--- a/src/lib/thread.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/thread.svelte.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { loadNostrUser, type NostrUser } from "$lib/gadgets";
+import { page } from "$app/state";
 import { RELAY_URL, GROUP_ID } from "$lib/config";
 import { queryForum, publishForum } from "$lib/relay";
 import { threads as mockThreads } from "$lib/mock";
@@ -26,15 +27,18 @@ let profiles = $state<Record<string, NostrUser>>({});
 // in a private group the current (non-member) user can't read.
 let status = $state<"loading" | "ready" | "notfound">("loading");
 
+// Until the live fetch lands, the server snapshot (if any) stands in. Its
+// profiles stay as a base layer: the live ones arrive one by one.
 export const threadDetailStore = {
   get detail() {
-    return detail;
+    return detail ?? page.data.thread ?? null;
   },
   get profiles() {
-    return profiles;
+    const base = page.data.profiles;
+    return base ? { ...base, ...profiles } : profiles;
   },
   get status() {
-    return status;
+    return status === "loading" && page.data.thread ? "ready" : status;
   },
 };
 
diff --git a/src/routes/api/thread/[id]/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/thread/[id]/+server.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2cb4e71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/api/thread/[id]/+server.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { error, json } from "@sveltejs/kit";
+import { GROUP_ID } from "$lib/config";
+import { fetchThread, threadAuthors } from "$lib/forum/thread";
+import { fetchProfiles } from "$lib/forum/profiles";
+import { forumQuery, profileQuery } from "$lib/ssr/relay";
+
+export async function GET({ params }) {
+  if (!/^[0-9a-f]{64}$/.test(params.id)) error(404, "Not found");
+  const thread = await fetchThread(forumQuery, params.id, GROUP_ID);
+  if (!thread) error(404, "Not found");
+  const profiles = await fetchProfiles(profileQuery, threadAuthors(thread));
+  return json({ thread, profiles });
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/thread/[id]/+page.ts b/src/routes/thread/[id]/+page.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..946559a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/thread/[id]/+page.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import { snapshot, type Profiles } from "$lib/forum/snapshot";
+import type { ThreadDetail } from "$lib/forum/thread";
+
+export async function load({ fetch, params }) {
+  const data = await snapshot<{ thread: ThreadDetail; profiles: Profiles }>(
+    fetch,
+    `/api/thread/${params.id}`,
+  );
+  return { thread: data?.thread ?? null, profiles: data?.profiles ?? null };
+}