diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/outfit-viewer.js b/app/assets/javascripts/outfit-viewer.js
index 396de92b..19264af3 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/outfit-viewer.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/outfit-viewer.js
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ class OutfitLayer extends HTMLElement {
 	}
 
 	play() {
-		this.#forwardIsPlaying(true);
+		this.#sendMessageToIframe({ type: "play" });
 	}
 
 	pause() {
-		this.#forwardIsPlaying(false);
+		this.#sendMessageToIframe({ type: "pause" });
 	}
 
 	#connectToChildren() {
@@ -83,14 +83,23 @@ class OutfitLayer extends HTMLElement {
 		const iframe = this.querySelector("iframe");
 
 		if (image) {
+			// Initialize status based on the image's current `complete` attribute,
+			// then wait for load/error events to update it further if needed.
+			this.#setStatus(image.complete ? "loaded" : "loading");
 			image.addEventListener("load", () => this.#setStatus("loaded"));
 			image.addEventListener("error", () => this.#setStatus("error"));
-			this.#setStatus(image.complete ? "loaded" : "loading");
 		} else if (iframe) {
 			this.iframe = iframe;
+
+			// Initialize status to `loading`, and asynchronously request a status
+			// message from the iframe if it managed to load before this triggers
+			// (impressive, but I think I've seen it happen!). Then, wait for
+			// messages or error events from the iframe to update status further if
+			// needed.
+			this.#setStatus("loading");
+			this.#sendMessageToIframe({ type: "requestStatus" });
 			window.addEventListener("message", (m) => this.#onMessage(m));
 			this.iframe.addEventListener("error", () => this.#setStatus("error"));
-			this.#setStatus("loading");
 		} else {
 			throw new Error(`<outfit-layer> must contain an <img> or <iframe> tag`);
 		}
@@ -134,15 +143,13 @@ class OutfitLayer extends HTMLElement {
 		}
 	}
 
-	#forwardIsPlaying(isPlaying) {
-		if (this.iframe == null) {
+	#sendMessageToIframe(message) {
+		if (this.iframe?.contentWindow == null) {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		this.iframe.contentWindow.postMessage(
-			{ type: isPlaying ? "play" : "pause" },
-			"*", // The frame is sandboxed (origin == null), so send to Any origin.
-		);
+		// The frame is sandboxed (origin == null), so send to Any origin.
+		this.iframe.contentWindow.postMessage(message, "*");
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/swf_assets/show.js b/app/assets/javascripts/swf_assets/show.js
index e406bda2..0d3d7e0b 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/swf_assets/show.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/swf_assets/show.js
@@ -290,6 +290,28 @@ function hasAnimations(createjsNode) {
 	);
 }
 
+function sendStatus() {
+	if (loadingStatus === "loading") {
+		sendMessage({ type: "status", status: "loading" });
+	} else if (loadingStatus === "loaded") {
+		sendMessage({
+			type: "status",
+			status: "loaded",
+			hasAnimations: hasAnimations(movieClip),
+		});
+	} else if (loadingStatus === "error") {
+		sendMessage({ type: "status", status: "error" });
+	} else {
+		throw new Error(
+			`unexpected loadingStatus ${JSON.stringify(loadingStatus)}`,
+		);
+	}
+}
+
+function sendMessage(message) {
+	parent.postMessage(message, document.location.origin);
+}
+
 window.addEventListener("resize", () => {
 	updateCanvasDimensions();
 
@@ -310,6 +332,8 @@ window.addEventListener("message", ({ data }) => {
 		play();
 	} else if (data.type === "pause") {
 		pause();
+	} else if (data.type === "requestStatus") {
+		sendStatus();
 	} else {
 		throw new Error(`unexpected message: ${JSON.stringify(data)}`);
 	}
@@ -317,23 +341,13 @@ window.addEventListener("message", ({ data }) => {
 
 startMovie()
 	.then(() => {
-		parent.postMessage(
-			{
-				type: "status",
-				status: "loaded",
-				hasAnimations: hasAnimations(movieClip),
-			},
-			document.location.origin,
-		);
+		sendStatus();
 	})
 	.catch((error) => {
 		console.error(logPrefix, error);
 
 		loadingStatus = "error";
-		parent.postMessage(
-			{ type: "status", status: "error" },
-			document.location.origin,
-		);
+		sendStatus();
 
 		// If loading the movie fails, show the fallback image instead, by moving
 		// it out of the canvas content and into the body.