diff --git a/main.lua b/main.lua
index c6aa108..2da6f39 100644
--- a/main.lua
+++ b/main.lua
@@ -714,6 +714,14 @@ local function reveal_params()
     end
 end
 
+-- Cards must be materialized as they are emplaced, the way every vanilla
+-- collection page does it -- otherwise they pop in with no animation when a
+-- tab or a page is built. Only the first card of a page build plays the
+-- whoosh; the rest are silent (vanilla's `i>1 or j>1` flag). Each tab def
+-- calls begin_page() so the counter tracks one page, not one row.
+local page_cards = 0
+local function begin_page() page_cards = 0 end
+
 -- `face_down` renders the cards back-up (used for unfielded famous pairs);
 -- face-down cards also show no hover tooltip, keeping the mystery.
 local function card_row_node(keys, scale, face_down)
@@ -732,6 +740,8 @@ local function card_row_node(keys, scale, face_down)
                 card.facing = 'back'
                 card.sprite_facing = 'back'
             end
+            card:start_materialize(nil, page_cards > 0)
+            page_cards = page_cards + 1
             area:emplace(card)
         end
     end
@@ -819,6 +829,7 @@ end
 
 -- One theme per page; the pager is labelled with theme names.
 local function theme_tab_def(group, page_no)
+    begin_page()
     page_no = math.min(page_no or 1, #group.themes)
     local theme = group.themes[page_no]
     local sources, payoffs, both = theme_members(theme.tag)
@@ -886,6 +897,7 @@ end
 local PAIRS_PER_PAGE = 6
 local sorted_pairs
 local function combos_tab_def(page_no)
+    begin_page()
     if not sorted_pairs or JCA._pairs_dirty then
         JCA._pairs_dirty = false
         sorted_pairs = {}