--- a/hg-web/src/components/directory-browser.tsx	Sun Aug 02 09:07:36 2026 -0700
+++ b/hg-web/src/components/directory-browser.tsx	Sun Aug 02 10:07:40 2026 -0700
@@ -429,6 +429,7 @@
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
   const [viewingFile, setViewingFile] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const requestGeneration = useRef(0);
 
   // Sync with initialPath prop
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -436,8 +437,9 @@
   }, [initialPath]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    fetchDirectory(currentPath);
-    fetchReadme(currentPath);
+    const generation = ++requestGeneration.current;
+    fetchDirectory(currentPath, generation);
+    fetchReadme(currentPath, generation);
   }, [currentPath]);
 
   const navigate = useCallback((path: string) => {
@@ -445,7 +447,7 @@
     onPathChange?.(path);
   }, [onPathChange]);
 
-  const fetchDirectory = async (path: string) => {
+  const fetchDirectory = async (path: string, generation: number) => {
     setLoading(true);
     setError(null);
     try {
@@ -468,26 +470,30 @@
         throw new Error(data.error);
       }
 
-      setContent({
-        files: data?.files || [],
-        directories: data?.directories || []
-      });
+      if (generation === requestGeneration.current) {
+        setContent({
+          files: data?.files || [],
+          directories: data?.directories || []
+        });
+      }
     } catch (err: any) {
       console.error('Error loading directory:', err);
-      setError(err.message);
+      if (generation === requestGeneration.current) setError(err.message);
     } finally {
-      setLoading(false);
+      if (generation === requestGeneration.current) setLoading(false);
     }
   };
 
-  const fetchReadme = async (path: string) => {
-    setReadme(null);
-    const readmePath = path ? `${path}/README.md` : 'README.md';
+  const fetchReadme = async (path: string, generation: number) => {
+    if (generation === requestGeneration.current) setReadme(null);
     try {
-      const response = await fetch(`${API_BASE}/file?path=${encodeURIComponent(readmePath)}`);
+      const url = path
+        ? `${API_BASE}/readme?path=${encodeURIComponent(path)}`
+        : `${API_BASE}/readme`;
+      const response = await fetch(url);
       if (response.ok) {
         const text = await response.text();
-        setReadme(text);
+        if (generation === requestGeneration.current) setReadme(text || null);
       }
     } catch (err) {
       // Readme is optional