diff --git a/server/src/repositories/storage.repository.ts b/server/src/repositories/storage.repository.ts
index c1bb9623eb..50f44d9f67 100644
--- a/server/src/repositories/storage.repository.ts
+++ b/server/src/repositories/storage.repository.ts
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ export class StorageRepository {
     const file = await fs.open(filepath);
     try {
       const { buffer } = await file.read(options);
-      return buffer;
+      return buffer as Buffer;
     } finally {
       await file.close();
     }
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/timeline/Timeline.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/timeline/Timeline.svelte
index f94926ab26..044a45e725 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/timeline/Timeline.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/timeline/Timeline.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { afterNavigate, beforeNavigate } from '$app/navigation';
-  import { page } from '$app/stores';
+  import { page } from '$app/state';
   import { resizeObserver, type OnResizeCallback } from '$lib/actions/resize-observer';
   import Scrubber from '$lib/components/timeline/Scrubber.svelte';
   import TimelineAssetViewer from '$lib/components/timeline/TimelineAssetViewer.svelte';
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   import Portal from '$lib/elements/Portal.svelte';
   import Skeleton from '$lib/elements/Skeleton.svelte';
   import type { DayGroup } from '$lib/managers/timeline-manager/day-group.svelte';
+  import { isIntersecting } from '$lib/managers/timeline-manager/internal/intersection-support.svelte';
   import type { MonthGroup } from '$lib/managers/timeline-manager/month-group.svelte';
   import { TimelineManager } from '$lib/managers/timeline-manager/timeline-manager.svelte';
   import type { TimelineAsset, TimelineManagerOptions, ViewportTopMonth } from '$lib/managers/timeline-manager/types';
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@
   import { assetViewingStore } from '$lib/stores/asset-viewing.store';
   import { isSelectingAllAssets } from '$lib/stores/assets-store.svelte';
   import { mobileDevice } from '$lib/stores/mobile-device.svelte';
-  import { navigate } from '$lib/utils/navigation';
+  import { isAssetViewerRoute } from '$lib/utils/navigation';
   import { getTimes, type ScrubberListener } from '$lib/utils/timeline-util';
   import { type AlbumResponseDto, type PersonResponseDto } from '@immich/sdk';
   import { DateTime } from 'luxon';
@@ -129,38 +130,57 @@
     timelineManager.scrollableElement = scrollableElement;
   });
 
-  const scrollToTop = () => {
-    timelineManager.scrollTo(0);
-  };
+  const getAssetPosition = (assetId: string, monthGroup: MonthGroup) => monthGroup.findAssetAbsolutePosition(assetId);
 
-  const getAssetHeight = (assetId: string, monthGroup: MonthGroup) => monthGroup.findAssetAbsolutePosition(assetId);
+  const scrollToAssetPosition = (assetId: string, monthGroup: MonthGroup) => {
+    const position = getAssetPosition(assetId, monthGroup);
 
-  const assetIsVisible = (assetTop: number): boolean => {
-    if (!scrollableElement) {
-      return false;
+    if (!position) {
+      return;
     }
 
-    const { clientHeight, scrollTop } = scrollableElement;
-    return assetTop >= scrollTop && assetTop < scrollTop + clientHeight;
+    // Need to update window positions/intersections because <Portal> may have
+    // gone from invisible to visible.
+    timelineManager.updateSlidingWindow();
+
+    const assetTop = position.top;
+    const assetBottom = position.top + position.height;
+    const visibleTop = timelineManager.visibleWindow.top;
+    const visibleBottom = timelineManager.visibleWindow.bottom;
+
+    // Check if the asset is already at least partially visible in the viewport
+    if (isIntersecting(assetTop, assetBottom, visibleTop, visibleBottom)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const currentTop = scrollableElement?.scrollTop || 0;
+    const viewportHeight = visibleBottom - visibleTop;
+
+    // Calculate the minimum scroll needed to bring the asset into view.
+    // Compare two alignment strategies and choose whichever requires less scroll distance:
+    // 1. Align asset top with viewport top
+    // 2. Align asset bottom with viewport bottom
+
+    // Option 1: Scroll so the top of the asset is at the top of the viewport
+    const scrollToAlignTop = assetTop;
+    const distanceToAlignTop = Math.abs(scrollToAlignTop - currentTop);
+
+    // Option 2: Scroll so the bottom of the asset is at the bottom of the viewport
+    const scrollToAlignBottom = assetBottom - viewportHeight;
+    const distanceToAlignBottom = Math.abs(scrollToAlignBottom - currentTop);
+
+    // Choose whichever option requires the minimum scroll distance
+    const scrollTarget = distanceToAlignTop < distanceToAlignBottom ? scrollToAlignTop : scrollToAlignBottom;
+
+    timelineManager.scrollTo(scrollTarget);
   };
 
-  const scrollToAssetId = async (assetId: string) => {
+  const scrollAndLoadAsset = async (assetId: string) => {
     const monthGroup = await timelineManager.findMonthGroupForAsset(assetId);
     if (!monthGroup) {
       return false;
     }
-
-    const height = getAssetHeight(assetId, monthGroup);
-
-    // If the asset is already visible, then don't scroll.
-    if (assetIsVisible(height)) {
-      // need to update window positions/intersections because since the <Portal>
-      // went from invisible to visible
-      timelineManager.updateSlidingWindow();
-      return true;
-    }
-
-    timelineManager.scrollTo(height);
+    scrollToAssetPosition(assetId, monthGroup);
     return true;
   };
 
@@ -169,52 +189,69 @@
     if (!monthGroup) {
       return false;
     }
-    const height = getAssetHeight(asset.id, monthGroup);
-    timelineManager.scrollTo(height);
+    scrollToAssetPosition(asset.id, monthGroup);
     return true;
   };
 
-  const completeNav = async () => {
-    const scrollTarget = $gridScrollTarget?.at;
-    let scrolled = false;
-    if (scrollTarget) {
-      scrolled = await scrollToAssetId(scrollTarget);
+  export const scrollAfterNavigate = async ({ scrollToAssetQueryParam }: { scrollToAssetQueryParam: boolean }) => {
+    if (timelineManager.viewportHeight === 0 || timelineManager.viewportWidth === 0) {
+      // this can happen if you do the following navigation order
+      // /photos?at=<id>, /photos/<id>, http://example.com, browser back, browser back
+      const rect = scrollableElement?.getBoundingClientRect();
+      if (rect) {
+        timelineManager.viewportHeight = rect.height;
+        timelineManager.viewportWidth = rect.width;
+      }
     }
-    if (!scrolled) {
-      // if the asset is not found, scroll to the top
-      scrollToTop();
+    if (scrollToAssetQueryParam) {
+      const scrollTarget = $gridScrollTarget?.at;
+      let scrolled = false;
+      if (scrollTarget) {
+        scrolled = await scrollAndLoadAsset(scrollTarget);
+      }
+      if (!scrolled) {
+        // if the asset is not found, scroll to the top
+        timelineManager.scrollTo(0);
+      }
     }
     invisible = false;
   };
 
-  beforeNavigate(() => (timelineManager.suspendTransitions = true));
+  // note: only modified once in afterNavigate()
+  let initialLoadWasAssetViewer: boolean | null = null;
+  // only modified in beforeNavigate()
+  let hasNavigatedToOrFromAssetViewer: boolean = false;
 
-  afterNavigate((nav) => {
-    const { complete } = nav;
-    complete.then(completeNav, completeNav);
+  // beforeNavigate is only called AFTER a svelte route has already been loaded
+  // and a new route is being navigated to. It will never be called on direct
+  // navigations by the browser.
+  beforeNavigate(({ from, to }) => {
+    timelineManager.suspendTransitions = true;
+    const isNavigatingToAssetViewer = isAssetViewerRoute(to);
+    const isNavigatingFromAssetViewer = isAssetViewerRoute(from);
+    hasNavigatedToOrFromAssetViewer = isNavigatingToAssetViewer !== isNavigatingFromAssetViewer;
   });
 
-  const handleAfterUpdate = (payload: UpdatePayload) => {
-    const timelineUpdate = payload.updates.some(
-      (update) => update.path.endsWith('Timeline.svelte') || update.path.endsWith('assets-store.ts'),
-    );
+  // afterNavigate is only called after navigation to a new URL, {complete} will resolve
+  // after successful navigation.
+  afterNavigate(({ complete }) => {
+    void complete.finally(() => {
+      const isAssetViewerPage = isAssetViewerRoute(page);
 
-    if (timelineUpdate) {
-      setTimeout(() => {
-        const asset = $page.url.searchParams.get('at');
-        if (asset) {
-          $gridScrollTarget = { at: asset };
-          void navigate(
-            { targetRoute: 'current', assetId: null, assetGridRouteSearchParams: $gridScrollTarget },
-            { replaceState: true, forceNavigate: true },
-          );
-        } else {
-          scrollToTop();
-        }
-        invisible = false;
-      }, 500);
-    }
-  };
+      // Set initial load state only once - if initialLoadWasAssetViewer is null, then
+      // this is a direct browser navigation.
+      const isDirectNavigation = initialLoadWasAssetViewer === null;
+      if (isDirectNavigation) {
+        initialLoadWasAssetViewer = isAssetViewerPage && !hasNavigatedToOrFromAssetViewer;
+      }
+
+      const isDirectTimelineLoad = isDirectNavigation && !isAssetViewerPage;
+      const isNavigatingFromAssetViewer = !isDirectNavigation && hasNavigatedToOrFromAssetViewer;
+      const scrollToAssetQueryParam = isDirectTimelineLoad || isNavigatingFromAssetViewer;
+
+      void scrollAfterNavigate({ scrollToAssetQueryParam });
+    });
+  });
 
   const updateIsScrolling = () => (timelineManager.scrolling = true);
   // note: don't throttle, debounch, or otherwise do this function async - it causes flicker
@@ -235,6 +272,7 @@
 
     timelineManager.scrollTo(scrollToTop);
   };
+
   // note: don't throttle, debounce, or otherwise make this function async - it causes flicker
   // this function scrolls the timeline to the specified month group and offset, based on scrubber interaction
   const onScrub: ScrubberListener = (scrubberData) => {
@@ -500,7 +538,21 @@
 
 <svelte:document onkeydown={onKeyDown} onkeyup={onKeyUp} />
 
-<HotModuleReload onAfterUpdate={handleAfterUpdate} onBeforeUpdate={() => timelineManager.destroy()} />
+<HotModuleReload
+  onAfterUpdate={() => {
+    const asset = page.url.searchParams.get('at');
+    if (asset) {
+      $gridScrollTarget = { at: asset };
+    }
+    void scrollAfterNavigate({ scrollToAssetQueryParam: true });
+  }}
+  onBeforeUpdate={(payload: UpdatePayload) => {
+    const timelineUpdate = payload.updates.some((update) => update.path.endsWith('Timeline.svelte'));
+    if (timelineUpdate) {
+      timelineManager.destroy();
+    }
+  }}
+/>
 
 <TimelineKeyboardActions
   scrollToAsset={(asset) => scrollToAsset(asset) ?? false}
diff --git a/web/src/lib/managers/timeline-manager/month-group.svelte.ts b/web/src/lib/managers/timeline-manager/month-group.svelte.ts
index d244df9f81..bef512c226 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/managers/timeline-manager/month-group.svelte.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/managers/timeline-manager/month-group.svelte.ts
@@ -311,12 +311,14 @@ export class MonthGroup {
       if (viewerAsset) {
         if (!viewerAsset.position) {
           console.warn('No position for asset');
-          break;
+          return;
         }
-        return this.top + group.top + viewerAsset.position.top + this.timelineManager.headerHeight;
+        return {
+          top: this.top + group.top + viewerAsset.position.top + this.timelineManager.headerHeight,
+          height: viewerAsset.position.height,
+        };
       }
     }
-    return -1;
   }
 
   *assetsIterator(options?: { startDayGroup?: DayGroup; startAsset?: TimelineAsset; direction?: Direction }) {
diff --git a/web/src/lib/managers/timeline-manager/timeline-manager.svelte.ts b/web/src/lib/managers/timeline-manager/timeline-manager.svelte.ts
index d2340224a2..9f879fe1b1 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/managers/timeline-manager/timeline-manager.svelte.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/managers/timeline-manager/timeline-manager.svelte.ts
@@ -234,7 +234,6 @@ export class TimelineManager extends VirtualScrollManager {
     await this.initTask.reset();
     await this.#init(options);
     this.updateViewportGeometry(false);
-    this.#createScrubberMonths();
   }
 
   async #init(options: TimelineManagerOptions) {