diff --git a/src/hooks/useEventLoader.ts b/src/hooks/useEventLoader.ts
index 63823743..946ab813 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useEventLoader.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useEventLoader.ts
@@ -55,50 +55,36 @@ export function useEventLoader({
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!eventId) return
 
-    // Try to get from event store first (check cache synchronously)
-    const cachedEvent = eventManager.getCachedEvent(eventId)
-    if (cachedEvent) {
-      displayEvent(cachedEvent)
-      setReaderLoading(false)
-      setIsCollapsed(false)
-      setSelectedUrl('')
-      return
-    }
-
-    // Event not in cache, set loading state and fetch from relays
     setReaderLoading(true)
     setReaderContent(undefined)
     setSelectedUrl('') // Don't set nostr: URL to avoid showing highlights
     setIsCollapsed(false)
 
-    // If no relay pool yet, wait for it (will re-run when relayPool changes)
-    if (!relayPool) {
-      return
-    }
+    // Fetch using event manager (handles cache, deduplication, and retry)
+    let cancelled = false
 
-    // Fetch from relays using event manager's loader
-    const eventLoader = eventManager.getEventLoader()
-    if (!eventLoader) {
-      setReaderLoading(false)
-      return
-    }
-
-    const subscription = eventLoader({ id: eventId }).subscribe({
-      next: (event) => {
-        displayEvent(event)
-        setReaderLoading(false)
-      },
-      error: (err) => {
-        const errorContent: ReadableContent = {
-          url: '',
-          html: `<div style="padding: 1rem; color: var(--color-error, red);">Failed to load event: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Unknown error'}</div>`,
-          title: 'Error'
+    eventManager.fetchEvent(eventId).then(
+      (event) => {
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          displayEvent(event)
+          setReaderLoading(false)
+        }
+      },
+      (err) => {
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          const errorContent: ReadableContent = {
+            url: '',
+            html: `<div style="padding: 1rem; color: var(--color-error, red);">Failed to load event: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Unknown error'}</div>`,
+            title: 'Error'
+          }
+          setReaderContent(errorContent)
+          setReaderLoading(false)
         }
-        setReaderContent(errorContent)
-        setReaderLoading(false)
       }
-    })
+    )
 
-    return () => subscription.unsubscribe()
-  }, [eventId, relayPool, displayEvent, setReaderLoading, setSelectedUrl, setIsCollapsed, setReaderContent])
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true
+    }
+  }, [eventId, displayEvent, setReaderLoading, setSelectedUrl, setIsCollapsed, setReaderContent])
 }
diff --git a/src/services/eventManager.ts b/src/services/eventManager.ts
index a15993ca..a3a3a9b8 100644
--- a/src/services/eventManager.ts
+++ b/src/services/eventManager.ts
@@ -2,17 +2,24 @@ import { RelayPool } from 'applesauce-relay'
 import { IEventStore } from 'applesauce-core'
 import { createEventLoader } from 'applesauce-loaders/loaders'
 import { NostrEvent } from 'nostr-tools'
-import { Observable } from 'rxjs'
+
+type PendingRequest = {
+  resolve: (event: NostrEvent) => void
+  reject: (error: Error) => void
+}
 
 /**
- * Centralized event manager for event fetching coordination
- * Manages initialization and provides utilities for event loading
+ * Centralized event manager for event fetching and caching
+ * Handles deduplication of concurrent requests and coordinate with relay pool
  */
 class EventManager {
   private eventStore: IEventStore | null = null
   private relayPool: RelayPool | null = null
   private eventLoader: ReturnType<typeof createEventLoader> | null = null
   
+  // Track pending requests to deduplicate and resolve all at once
+  private pendingRequests = new Map<string, PendingRequest[]>()
+  
   /**
    * Initialize the event manager with event store and relay pool
    */
@@ -25,32 +32,14 @@ class EventManager {
       this.eventLoader = createEventLoader(relayPool, {
         eventStore: eventStore || undefined
       })
+      
+      // Retry any pending requests now that we have a loader
+      this.retryAllPending()
     }
   }
   
   /**
-   * Get the event loader for fetching events
-   */
-  getEventLoader(): ReturnType<typeof createEventLoader> | null {
-    return this.eventLoader
-  }
-  
-  /**
-   * Get the event store
-   */
-  getEventStore(): IEventStore | null {
-    return this.eventStore
-  }
-  
-  /**
-   * Get the relay pool
-   */
-  getRelayPool(): RelayPool | null {
-    return this.relayPool
-  }
-  
-  /**
-   * Check if event exists in store and return it if available
+   * Get cached event from event store
    */
   getCachedEvent(eventId: string): NostrEvent | null {
     if (!this.eventStore) return null
@@ -58,11 +47,73 @@ class EventManager {
   }
   
   /**
-   * Fetch event by ID, returning an observable
+   * Fetch an event by ID, returning a promise
+   * Automatically deduplicates concurrent requests for the same event
    */
-  fetchEvent(eventId: string): Observable<NostrEvent> | null {
-    if (!this.eventLoader) return null
-    return this.eventLoader({ id: eventId })
+  fetchEvent(eventId: string): Promise<NostrEvent> {
+    // Check cache first
+    const cached = this.getCachedEvent(eventId)
+    if (cached) {
+      return Promise.resolve(cached)
+    }
+    
+    return new Promise<NostrEvent>((resolve, reject) => {
+      // Check if we're already fetching this event
+      if (this.pendingRequests.has(eventId)) {
+        // Add to existing request queue
+        this.pendingRequests.get(eventId)!.push({ resolve, reject })
+        return
+      }
+      
+      // Start a new fetch request
+      this.pendingRequests.set(eventId, [{ resolve, reject }])
+      this.fetchFromRelay(eventId)
+    })
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Actually fetch the event from relay
+   */
+  private fetchFromRelay(eventId: string): void {
+    // If no loader yet, schedule retry
+    if (!this.relayPool || !this.eventLoader) {
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        if (this.eventLoader && this.pendingRequests.has(eventId)) {
+          this.fetchFromRelay(eventId)
+        }
+      }, 500)
+      return
+    }
+    
+    const subscription = this.eventLoader({ id: eventId }).subscribe({
+      next: (event: NostrEvent) => {
+        // Resolve all pending requests
+        const requests = this.pendingRequests.get(eventId) || []
+        this.pendingRequests.delete(eventId)
+        
+        requests.forEach(req => req.resolve(event))
+        subscription.unsubscribe()
+      },
+      error: (err: unknown) => {
+        // Reject all pending requests
+        const requests = this.pendingRequests.get(eventId) || []
+        this.pendingRequests.delete(eventId)
+        
+        const error = err instanceof Error ? err : new Error(String(err))
+        requests.forEach(req => req.reject(error))
+        subscription.unsubscribe()
+      }
+    })
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Retry all pending requests after relay pool becomes available
+   */
+  private retryAllPending(): void {
+    const pendingIds = Array.from(this.pendingRequests.keys())
+    pendingIds.forEach(eventId => {
+      this.fetchFromRelay(eventId)
+    })
   }
 }