diff --git a/lib/__tests__/lite-tokens.test.ts b/lib/__tests__/lite-tokens.test.ts
index 5913319f2..1841eed35 100644
--- a/lib/__tests__/lite-tokens.test.ts
+++ b/lib/__tests__/lite-tokens.test.ts
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@ import {
   liteRefreshTokens,
   liteTokenLogin,
   probeLiteTokenLogin,
+  readLiteAccessToken,
   readLiteBasicSession,
   readLiteRefreshToken,
   resetLiteProbeCache,
+  saveLiteAccessToken,
   saveLiteBasicSession,
   saveLiteRefreshToken,
 } from '@/lib/auth/lite-tokens';
@@ -70,8 +72,55 @@ describe('lite token storage', () => {
   it('ignores corrupt storage entries', () => {
     localStorage.setItem('bulwark-lite:refresh:0', '{not json');
     sessionStorage.setItem('bulwark-lite:basic:0', JSON.stringify({ username: 'x' }));
+    localStorage.setItem('bulwark-lite:access:0', JSON.stringify({ accessToken: 'AT' }));
     expect(readLiteRefreshToken(0)).toBeNull();
     expect(readLiteBasicSession(0)).toBeNull();
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(0)).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('lite access token cache (#552)', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    localStorage.clear();
+    sessionStorage.clear();
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ now: new Date('2026-09-29T12:00:00Z'), toFake: ['Date'] });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the access token where the session lives and reports its remaining life', () => {
+    saveLiteAccessToken(0, 'AT0', 1800, true);
+    saveLiteAccessToken(1, 'AT1', 600, false);
+
+    expect(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:access:1')).toBeNull();
+    expect(JSON.parse(sessionStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:access:1')!).accessToken).toBe('AT1');
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(300_000);
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(0)).toEqual({ accessToken: 'AT0', expiresIn: 1500 });
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(1)).toEqual({ accessToken: 'AT1', expiresIn: 300 });
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(2)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('stops serving a token in its last minute, when renewal is due anyway', () => {
+    saveLiteAccessToken(0, 'AT', 1800, true);
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1740_000);
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(0)?.expiresIn).toBe(60);
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1_000);
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(0)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('goes with the refresh token when the slot is cleared', () => {
+    saveLiteRefreshToken(0, { serverUrl: SERVER, username: 'a', refreshToken: 'r0' }, true);
+    saveLiteAccessToken(0, 'AT0', 1800, true);
+    saveLiteAccessToken(1, 'AT1', 1800, false);
+
+    clearLiteRefreshToken(0);
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(0)).toBeNull();
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(1)?.accessToken).toBe('AT1');
+
+    clearAllLiteSessions();
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(1)).toBeNull();
   });
 });
 
@@ -204,6 +253,8 @@ describe('liteRefreshTokens', () => {
     expect(tokens).toEqual({ accessToken: 'AT2', expiresIn: 900, refreshToken: 'RT2' });
     expect(JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:refresh:2')!).refreshToken).toBe('RT2');
     expect(sessionStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:refresh:2')).toBeNull();
+    // The new access token is cached beside it for the next reload.
+    expect(JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:access:2')!).accessToken).toBe('AT2');
   });
 
   it('keeps a tab-only token in sessionStorage after rotation', async () => {
@@ -212,6 +263,8 @@ describe('liteRefreshTokens', () => {
     await liteRefreshTokens(0);
     expect(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:refresh:0')).toBeNull();
     expect(readLiteRefreshToken(0)?.refreshToken).toBe('RT2');
+    expect(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:access:0')).toBeNull();
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(0)?.accessToken).toBe('AT');
   });
 
   it('rejects immediately without a stored token', async () => {
@@ -221,9 +274,11 @@ describe('liteRefreshTokens', () => {
 
   it('clears the slot when the server rejects the refresh token', async () => {
     saveLiteRefreshToken(0, { serverUrl: SERVER, username: 'a', refreshToken: 'RT' }, true);
+    saveLiteAccessToken(0, 'AT', 1800, true);
     fetchMock.mockResolvedValue(jsonResponse({ error: 'invalid_grant' }, 400));
     await expect(liteRefreshTokens(0)).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: 'refresh_rejected', status: 400 });
     expect(readLiteRefreshToken(0)).toBeNull();
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(0)).toBeNull();
   });
 
   it('keeps the token on a 5xx so the session can resume after the outage', async () => {
diff --git a/lib/auth/lite-tokens.ts b/lib/auth/lite-tokens.ts
index b10e13946..57a1343e3 100644
--- a/lib/auth/lite-tokens.ts
+++ b/lib/auth/lite-tokens.ts
@@ -17,11 +17,12 @@ import { IS_LITE_STALWART, getLiteInjectedClientId } from '@/lib/lite';
  * (or, for an account an external OpenID provider signs in, through that
  * provider's redirect flow: lib/auth/lite-oauth.ts)
  *
- * and renew with `grant_type=refresh_token`. The refresh token is the only
- * thing that persists: localStorage when the user ticked "remember me",
- * sessionStorage (this tab only) otherwise. Servers without /api/auth (older
- * Stalwart, other JMAP servers) fall back to Basic auth; those sessions can
- * only survive a reload inside the same tab.
+ * and renew with `grant_type=refresh_token`. The tokens are what persists:
+ * localStorage when the user ticked "remember me", sessionStorage (this tab
+ * only) otherwise. The current access token is kept beside the refresh token
+ * so a reload resumes with it instead of renewing early. Servers without
+ * /api/auth (older Stalwart, other JMAP servers) fall back to Basic auth;
+ * those sessions can only survive a reload inside the same tab.
  *
  * Trade-off, documented in LITE-README.md: a refresh token in web storage is
  * readable by any script on the origin. That is the standard SPA position,
@@ -81,6 +82,12 @@ interface StoredRefreshToken {
   revocationEndpoint?: string;
 }
 
+interface StoredAccessToken {
+  accessToken: string;
+  /** Unix seconds. */
+  expiresAt: number;
+}
+
 interface StoredBasicSession {
   serverUrl: string;
   username: string;
@@ -88,8 +95,17 @@ interface StoredBasicSession {
 }
 
 const REFRESH_KEY_PREFIX = 'bulwark-lite:refresh:';
+const ACCESS_KEY_PREFIX = 'bulwark-lite:access:';
 const BASIC_KEY_PREFIX = 'bulwark-lite:basic:';
 
+/**
+ * Seconds of life a cached access token needs left to be reused. Mirrors
+ * ACCESS_TOKEN_MIN_REMAINING_SECONDS in lib/oauth/tokens.ts, which cannot be
+ * imported here (server-only): inside this window the scheduled renewal is
+ * due anyway, and providers that gate refresh on `nbf` have opened by then.
+ */
+const ACCESS_TOKEN_MIN_REMAINING_SECONDS = 60;
+
 function trimUrl(url: string): string {
   return url.replace(/\/+$/, '');
 }
@@ -168,10 +184,36 @@ export function nameLiteRefreshToken(slot: number, username: string): void {
   saveLiteRefreshToken(slot, { ...stored, username }, refreshTokenIsPersistent(slot));
 }
 
+/** Forgets the slot's refresh token and the access token cached beside it. */
 export function clearLiteRefreshToken(slot: number): void {
-  const key = `${REFRESH_KEY_PREFIX}${slot}`;
+  for (const key of [`${REFRESH_KEY_PREFIX}${slot}`, `${ACCESS_KEY_PREFIX}${slot}`]) {
+    remove(storage('local'), key);
+    remove(storage('session'), key);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Caches the slot's current access token, so a reload resumes with it rather
+ * than spending the refresh token. Providers that stamp refresh tokens with
+ * `nbf` (Rauthy: iat + access token lifetime - 60s) refuse an early renewal,
+ * and a refused renewal ends the session (#552). `persistent` follows the
+ * refresh token: a remembered session reopened in a new tab needs it too.
+ */
+export function saveLiteAccessToken(slot: number, accessToken: string, expiresIn: number, persistent: boolean): void {
+  const key = `${ACCESS_KEY_PREFIX}${slot}`;
   remove(storage('local'), key);
   remove(storage('session'), key);
+  const entry: StoredAccessToken = { accessToken, expiresAt: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) + expiresIn };
+  writeJson(storage(persistent ? 'local' : 'session'), key, entry);
+}
+
+/** The slot's cached access token, while it has more than a minute to live. */
+export function readLiteAccessToken(slot: number): { accessToken: string; expiresIn: number } | null {
+  const key = `${ACCESS_KEY_PREFIX}${slot}`;
+  const entry = readJson<StoredAccessToken>(storage('local'), key) ?? readJson<StoredAccessToken>(storage('session'), key);
+  if (!entry || typeof entry.accessToken !== 'string' || !entry.accessToken || !Number.isFinite(entry.expiresAt)) return null;
+  const expiresIn = entry.expiresAt - Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
+  return expiresIn >= ACCESS_TOKEN_MIN_REMAINING_SECONDS ? { accessToken: entry.accessToken, expiresIn } : null;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -282,7 +324,7 @@ export function clearAllLiteSessions(): void {
     try {
       for (let i = 0; i < store.length; i++) {
         const key = store.key(i);
-        if (key && (key.startsWith(REFRESH_KEY_PREFIX) || key.startsWith(BASIC_KEY_PREFIX))) keys.push(key);
+        if (key && [REFRESH_KEY_PREFIX, ACCESS_KEY_PREFIX, BASIC_KEY_PREFIX].some((prefix) => key.startsWith(prefix))) keys.push(key);
       }
     } catch {
       continue;
@@ -449,12 +491,15 @@ export async function liteRefreshTokens(slot: number, clientIdOverride?: string)
     clearLiteRefreshToken(slot);
     throw new LiteLoginError('refresh_rejected', response.status || 401, tokens.error);
   }
+  const persistent = refreshTokenIsPersistent(slot);
   if (tokens.refresh_token && tokens.refresh_token !== stored.refreshToken) {
-    saveLiteRefreshToken(slot, { ...stored, refreshToken: tokens.refresh_token }, refreshTokenIsPersistent(slot));
+    saveLiteRefreshToken(slot, { ...stored, refreshToken: tokens.refresh_token }, persistent);
   }
+  const expiresIn = tokens.expires_in || 3600;
+  saveLiteAccessToken(slot, tokens.access_token, expiresIn, persistent);
   return {
     accessToken: tokens.access_token,
-    expiresIn: tokens.expires_in || 3600,
+    expiresIn,
     refreshToken: tokens.refresh_token ?? stored.refreshToken,
   };
 }
diff --git a/stores/__tests__/auth-store-lite.test.ts b/stores/__tests__/auth-store-lite.test.ts
index 8341d5682..f3edff9ce 100644
--- a/stores/__tests__/auth-store-lite.test.ts
+++ b/stores/__tests__/auth-store-lite.test.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,14 @@ import { JMAPClient } from '@/lib/jmap/client';
 import * as browserNavigation from '@/lib/browser-navigation';
 import { useAuthStore } from '../auth-store';
 import { useAccountStore } from '../account-store';
-import { readLiteRefreshToken, readLiteBasicSession, saveLiteRefreshToken, saveLiteBasicSession } from '@/lib/auth/lite-tokens';
+import {
+  readLiteAccessToken,
+  readLiteBasicSession,
+  readLiteRefreshToken,
+  saveLiteAccessToken,
+  saveLiteBasicSession,
+  saveLiteRefreshToken,
+} from '@/lib/auth/lite-tokens';
 import { readLiteOAuthFlow, saveLiteOAuthFlow } from '@/lib/auth/lite-oauth';
 
 type FetchInput = Parameters<typeof fetch>[0];
@@ -25,6 +32,11 @@ function jsonResponse(body: unknown, status = 200): Response {
   return new Response(JSON.stringify(body), { status, headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' } });
 }
 
+/** Rauthy's answer to a refresh token used before its `nbf` (#552). */
+function notYetValid(): Response {
+  return jsonResponse({ error: 'JwtToken', message: 'Token is not valid yet' }, 401);
+}
+
 /**
  * A fetch that serves Stalwart's login + token endpoints, the static
  * config/policy files, and fails on anything else - in particular on any
@@ -137,7 +149,7 @@ describe('auth-store in the static Lite build', () => {
     vi.unstubAllGlobals();
   });
 
-  it('"remember me" logs in through Stalwart token login and keeps only a refresh token in localStorage', async () => {
+  it('"remember me" logs in through Stalwart token login and keeps the tokens, never the password, in localStorage', async () => {
     const { calls } = stalwartFetch();
 
     const ok = await useAuthStore.getState().login(SERVER, 'alice', 'pw', undefined, true);
@@ -151,6 +163,7 @@ describe('auth-store in the static Lite build', () => {
     // The client the token was issued to rides along, so refreshes present the same one.
     expect(readLiteRefreshToken(0)).toEqual({ serverUrl: SERVER, username: 'alice', refreshToken: 'RT-1', clientId: 'bulwark-webmail' });
     expect(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:refresh:0')).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:access:0')).toContain('"accessToken":"AT-1"');
     // No password anywhere in web storage.
     const dump = JSON.stringify({ ...localStorage, ...sessionStorage });
     expect(dump).not.toContain('"pw"');
@@ -271,7 +284,37 @@ describe('auth-store in the static Lite build', () => {
     expect(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:basic:0')).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  it('restores a remembered token session on reload by refreshing against the mail server', async () => {
+  it('resumes a reload with the cached access token instead of renewing early (#552)', async () => {
+    saveLiteRefreshToken(0, { serverUrl: SERVER, username: 'alice', refreshToken: 'RT-1' }, true);
+    saveLiteAccessToken(0, 'AT-cached', 1800, true);
+    const id = registerAccount('oauth');
+    // A provider that gates refresh on `nbf` refuses a renewal this early.
+    const { calls } = stalwartFetch({ refreshAnswer: notYetValid });
+
+    await useAuthStore.getState().checkAuth();
+
+    expect(calls).toEqual([]);
+    const state = useAuthStore.getState();
+    expect(state.isAuthenticated).toBe(true);
+    expect(state.client?.getAuthHeader()).toBe('Bearer AT-cached');
+    expect(useAccountStore.getState().getAccountById(id)?.isConnected).toBe(true);
+    expect(readLiteRefreshToken(0)?.refreshToken).toBe('RT-1');
+  });
+
+  it('renews on reload once the cached access token is in its last minute', async () => {
+    saveLiteRefreshToken(0, { serverUrl: SERVER, username: 'alice', refreshToken: 'RT-1' }, true);
+    saveLiteAccessToken(0, 'AT-stale', 30, true);
+    registerAccount('oauth');
+    const { calls } = stalwartFetch();
+
+    await useAuthStore.getState().checkAuth();
+
+    expect(calls).toEqual([`POST ${SERVER}/auth/token`]);
+    expect(useAuthStore.getState().client?.getAuthHeader()).toBe('Bearer AT-refreshed');
+    expect(readLiteAccessToken(0)?.accessToken).toBe('AT-refreshed');
+  });
+
+  it('restores a remembered session without a cached access token by refreshing against the mail server', async () => {
     saveLiteRefreshToken(0, { serverUrl: SERVER, username: 'alice', refreshToken: 'RT-1' }, true);
     registerAccount('oauth');
     const { calls } = stalwartFetch();
@@ -433,6 +476,8 @@ describe('auth-store in the static Lite build', () => {
         serverUrl: SERVER, username: 'alice@example.com', refreshToken: 'RT-sso', clientId: 'app-client', tokenEndpoint: PROVIDER_TOKEN,
       });
       expect(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:refresh:0')).not.toBeNull();
+      // The reload that follows sign-in resumes with this token (#552).
+      expect(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:access:0')).toContain('"accessToken":"AT-sso"');
       // A code is good for one attempt.
       expect(readLiteOAuthFlow()).toBeNull();
 
@@ -449,6 +494,8 @@ describe('auth-store in the static Lite build', () => {
 
       expect(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:refresh:0')).toBeNull();
       expect(sessionStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:refresh:0')).not.toBeNull();
+      expect(localStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:access:0')).toBeNull();
+      expect(sessionStorage.getItem('bulwark-lite:access:0')).not.toBeNull();
     });
 
     it('refuses a callback it did not start', async () => {
diff --git a/stores/auth-store.ts b/stores/auth-store.ts
index 9e6a88d36..f2aa30f9a 100644
--- a/stores/auth-store.ts
+++ b/stores/auth-store.ts
@@ -35,9 +35,11 @@ import {
   liteRefreshTokens,
   liteTokenLogin,
   nameLiteRefreshToken,
+  readLiteAccessToken,
   readLiteBasicSession,
   revokeAllLiteSessions,
   revokeLiteSlot,
+  saveLiteAccessToken,
   saveLiteBasicSession,
   saveLiteRefreshToken,
 } from '@/lib/auth/lite-tokens';
@@ -393,6 +395,7 @@ async function exchangePasswordForTokens(params: {
     } else {
       clearLiteRefreshToken(slot);
     }
+    saveLiteAccessToken(slot, tokens.accessToken, tokens.expiresIn, rememberMe);
     return jsonResponse({ access_token: tokens.accessToken, expires_in: tokens.expiresIn, has_refresh_token: !!tokens.refreshToken });
   } catch (err) {
     if (err instanceof LiteLoginError) return jsonResponse({ error: err.code }, liteErrorStatus(err));
@@ -451,6 +454,7 @@ async function exchangeOAuthCode(params: {
     } else {
       clearLiteRefreshToken(slot);
     }
+    saveLiteAccessToken(slot, tokens.accessToken, tokens.expiresIn, flow.persistent);
     return jsonResponse({ access_token: tokens.accessToken, expires_in: tokens.expiresIn });
   } catch (err) {
     if (err instanceof LiteLoginError) return jsonResponse({ error: err.code }, liteErrorStatus(err));
@@ -485,6 +489,12 @@ async function fetchSlotAccessToken(slot: number, opts: { force?: boolean } = {}
   if (!IS_LITE) {
     return trackSessionWrite(slot, (signal) => apiFetch(`/api/auth/token?slot=${slot}${opts.force ? '&force=true' : ''}`, { method: 'PUT', signal }));
   }
+  // Like the route's cookie cache: a restore resumes with the token it had,
+  // since a renewal before the refresh token's `nbf` is refused (#552).
+  if (!opts.force) {
+    const cached = readLiteAccessToken(slot);
+    if (cached) return jsonResponse({ access_token: cached.accessToken, expires_in: cached.expiresIn });
+  }
   return trackSessionWrite(slot, async () => {
     try {
       const tokens = await liteRefreshTokens(slot);