diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 53edda6..6650021 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -11132,29 +11132,21 @@ func (s *appState) handleDrop(pos fyne.Position, items []fyne.URI) {
 			return
 		}
 
-		// Multi-drop: load list and add jobs for each file
+		// Multi-drop: add lightweight list entries and queue jobs
 		go func() {
-			var sources []*videoSource
-			for _, path := range videoPaths {
-				src, err := probeVideo(path)
-				if err != nil {
-					logging.Debug(logging.CatModule, "failed to load video for thumb: %v", err)
-					continue
-				}
-				sources = append(sources, src)
-			}
-			if len(sources) == 0 {
-				fyne.CurrentApp().Driver().DoFromGoroutine(func() {
-					dialog.ShowError(fmt.Errorf("failed to load video files for thumbnails"), s.window)
-				}, false)
-				return
-			}
-
 			fyne.CurrentApp().Driver().DoFromGoroutine(func() {
+				var sources []*videoSource
+				for _, path := range videoPaths {
+					sources = append(sources, &videoSource{
+						Path:        path,
+						DisplayName: filepath.Base(path),
+					})
+				}
 				s.thumbFiles = sources
 				s.thumbFile = sources[0]
 				s.showThumbView()
-				logging.Debug(logging.CatModule, "loaded %d videos into thumb module", len(sources))
+				s.loadThumbSourceAtIndex(0)
+				logging.Debug(logging.CatModule, "loaded %d videos into thumb module (lazy probe)", len(sources))
 			}, false)
 
 			if s.jobQueue != nil {
diff --git a/thumb_module.go b/thumb_module.go
index d39b0fe..9994ea3 100644
--- a/thumb_module.go
+++ b/thumb_module.go
@@ -42,6 +42,34 @@ func (s *appState) addThumbSource(src *videoSource) {
 	s.thumbFiles = append(s.thumbFiles, src)
 }
 
+func (s *appState) loadThumbSourceAtIndex(idx int) {
+	if idx < 0 || idx >= len(s.thumbFiles) {
+		return
+	}
+	current := s.thumbFiles[idx]
+	if current == nil || current.Path == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	if current.Width > 0 || current.Height > 0 || current.Duration > 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	path := current.Path
+	go func() {
+		probed, err := probeVideo(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			logging.Debug(logging.CatModule, "failed to probe thumbnail source: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		fyne.CurrentApp().Driver().DoFromGoroutine(func() {
+			s.thumbFiles[idx] = probed
+			if s.thumbFile != nil && s.thumbFile.Path == path {
+				s.thumbFile = probed
+			}
+			s.showThumbView()
+		}, false)
+	}()
+}
+
 func buildThumbView(state *appState) fyne.CanvasObject {
 	thumbColor := moduleColor("thumb")
 
@@ -92,7 +120,10 @@ func buildThumbView(state *appState) fyne.CanvasObject {
 	fileLabel.TextStyle = fyne.TextStyle{Bold: true}
 
 	var videoContainer fyne.CanvasObject
-	if state.thumbFile != nil {
+	if state.thumbFile != nil && state.thumbFile.Width == 0 && state.thumbFile.Height == 0 {
+		fileLabel.SetText(fmt.Sprintf("File: %s", filepath.Base(state.thumbFile.Path)))
+		videoContainer = container.NewCenter(widget.NewLabel("Loading preview..."))
+	} else if state.thumbFile != nil {
 		fileLabel.SetText(fmt.Sprintf("File: %s", filepath.Base(state.thumbFile.Path)))
 		videoContainer = buildVideoPane(state, fyne.NewSize(480, 270), state.thumbFile, nil)
 	} else {
@@ -407,6 +438,7 @@ func buildThumbView(state *appState) fyne.CanvasObject {
 				return
 			}
 			state.thumbFile = state.thumbFiles[id]
+			state.loadThumbSourceAtIndex(id)
 			state.showThumbView()
 		}
 		if state.thumbFile != nil {