diff --git a/js/package.json b/js/package.json
index 8a573c7da..ab56e4035 100644
--- a/js/package.json
+++ b/js/package.json
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@
     "postcss-nested": "^1.0.0",
     "postcss-simple-vars": "^3.0.0",
     "raw-loader": "^0.5.1",
+    "react-addons-perf": "~15.3.2",
     "react-addons-test-utils": "~15.3.2",
     "react-copy-to-clipboard": "^4.2.3",
     "react-dom": "~15.3.2",
diff --git a/js/src/index.js b/js/src/index.js
index fda785842..0e0433c1e 100644
--- a/js/src/index.js
+++ b/js/src/index.js
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ import './index.html';
 
 injectTapEventPlugin();
 
+if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
+  // Expose the React Performance Tools on the`window` object
+  const Perf = require('react-addons-perf');
+  window.Perf = Perf;
+}
+
 const AUTH_HASH = '#/auth?';
 const parityUrl = process.env.PARITY_URL ||
   (
diff --git a/js/src/ui/ParityBackground/parityBackground.js b/js/src/ui/ParityBackground/parityBackground.js
index 0916d3a85..5198195c0 100644
--- a/js/src/ui/ParityBackground/parityBackground.js
+++ b/js/src/ui/ParityBackground/parityBackground.js
@@ -16,26 +16,17 @@
 
 import React, { Component, PropTypes } from 'react';
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
-import { bindActionCreators } from 'redux';
 
 class ParityBackground extends Component {
-  static contextTypes = {
-    muiTheme: PropTypes.object.isRequired
-  }
-
   static propTypes = {
+    style: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
     children: PropTypes.node,
     className: PropTypes.string,
-    gradient: PropTypes.string,
-    seed: PropTypes.any,
-    settings: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
     onClick: PropTypes.func
-  }
+  };
 
   render () {
-    const { muiTheme } = this.context;
-    const { children, className, gradient, seed, settings, onClick } = this.props;
-    const style = muiTheme.parity.getBackgroundStyle(gradient, seed || settings.backgroundSeed);
+    const { children, className, style, onClick } = this.props;
 
     return (
       <div
@@ -48,17 +39,29 @@ class ParityBackground extends Component {
   }
 }
 
-function mapStateToProps (state) {
-  const { settings } = state;
+function mapStateToProps (_, initProps) {
+  const { gradient, seed, muiTheme } = initProps;
 
-  return { settings };
-}
+  let _seed = seed;
+  let _props = { style: muiTheme.parity.getBackgroundStyle(gradient, seed) };
 
-function mapDispatchToProps (dispatch) {
-  return bindActionCreators({}, dispatch);
+  return (state, props) => {
+    const { backgroundSeed } = state.settings;
+    const { seed } = props;
+
+    const newSeed = seed || backgroundSeed;
+
+    if (newSeed === _seed) {
+      return _props;
+    }
+
+    _seed = newSeed;
+    _props = { style: muiTheme.parity.getBackgroundStyle(gradient, newSeed) };
+
+    return _props;
+  };
 }
 
 export default connect(
-  mapStateToProps,
-  mapDispatchToProps
+  mapStateToProps
 )(ParityBackground);
diff --git a/js/src/views/Accounts/Summary/summary.js b/js/src/views/Accounts/Summary/summary.js
index 5a96f64ff..88249bb1c 100644
--- a/js/src/views/Accounts/Summary/summary.js
+++ b/js/src/views/Accounts/Summary/summary.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 import React, { Component, PropTypes } from 'react';
 import { Link } from 'react-router';
+import { isEqual } from 'lodash';
 
 import { Balance, Container, ContainerTitle, IdentityIcon, IdentityName, Tags, Input } from '../../../ui';
 
@@ -30,7 +31,6 @@ export default class Summary extends Component {
     link: PropTypes.string,
     name: PropTypes.string,
     noLink: PropTypes.bool,
-    children: PropTypes.node,
     handleAddSearchToken: PropTypes.func
   };
 
@@ -42,8 +42,42 @@ export default class Summary extends Component {
     name: 'Unnamed'
   };
 
+  shouldComponentUpdate (nextProps) {
+    const prev = {
+      link: this.props.link, name: this.props.name,
+      noLink: this.props.noLink,
+      meta: this.props.account.meta, address: this.props.account.address
+    };
+
+    const next = {
+      link: nextProps.link, name: nextProps.name,
+      noLink: nextProps.noLink,
+      meta: nextProps.account.meta, address: nextProps.account.address
+    };
+
+    if (!isEqual(next, prev)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    const prevTokens = this.props.balance.tokens || [];
+    const nextTokens = nextProps.balance.tokens || [];
+
+    if (prevTokens.length !== nextTokens.length) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    const prevValues = prevTokens.map((t) => t.value.toNumber());
+    const nextValues = nextTokens.map((t) => t.value.toNumber());
+
+    if (!isEqual(prevValues, nextValues)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+  }
+
   render () {
-    const { account, children, handleAddSearchToken } = this.props;
+    const { account, handleAddSearchToken } = this.props;
     const { tags } = account.meta;
 
     if (!account) {
@@ -71,7 +105,6 @@ export default class Summary extends Component {
           byline={ addressComponent } />
 
         { this.renderBalance() }
-        { children }
       </Container>
     );
   }
diff --git a/js/src/views/Accounts/accounts.css b/js/src/views/Accounts/accounts.css
index f98a09ea3..0ed8b5256 100644
--- a/js/src/views/Accounts/accounts.css
+++ b/js/src/views/Accounts/accounts.css
@@ -30,3 +30,25 @@
   right: 1em;
   top: 4em;
 }
+
+.loadings {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+
+  .loading {
+    flex: 0 1 50%;
+    width: 50%;
+    height: 150px;
+    display: flex;
+    padding: 0.25em;
+    box-sizing: border-box;
+
+    > div {
+      display: flex;
+      flex: 1;
+      align-items: center;
+      justify-content: center;
+      background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/js/src/views/Accounts/accounts.js b/js/src/views/Accounts/accounts.js
index 0e7cd0500..0075a15a2 100644
--- a/js/src/views/Accounts/accounts.js
+++ b/js/src/views/Accounts/accounts.js
@@ -42,33 +42,63 @@ class Accounts extends Component {
     newDialog: false,
     sortOrder: '',
     searchValues: [],
-    searchTokens: []
+    searchTokens: [],
+    show: false
+  }
+
+  componentWillMount () {
+    window.setTimeout(() => {
+      this.setState({ show: true });
+    }, 100);
   }
 
   render () {
-    const { accounts, hasAccounts, balances } = this.props;
-    const { searchValues, sortOrder } = this.state;
-
     return (
       <div className={ styles.accounts }>
         { this.renderNewDialog() }
         { this.renderActionbar() }
-        <Page>
-          <List
-            search={ searchValues }
-            accounts={ accounts }
-            balances={ balances }
-            empty={ !hasAccounts }
-            order={ sortOrder }
-            handleAddSearchToken={ this.onAddSearchToken } />
-          <Tooltip
-            className={ styles.accountTooltip }
-            text='your accounts are visible for easy access, allowing you to edit the meta information, make transfers, view transactions and fund the account' />
-        </Page>
+
+        { this.state.show ? this.renderAccounts() : this.renderLoading() }
       </div>
     );
   }
 
+  renderLoading () {
+    const { accounts } = this.props;
+
+    const loadings = ((accounts && Object.keys(accounts)) || []).map((_, idx) => (
+      <div key={ idx } className={ styles.loading }>
+        <div></div>
+      </div>
+    ));
+
+    return (
+      <div className={ styles.loadings }>
+        { loadings }
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  renderAccounts () {
+    const { accounts, hasAccounts, balances } = this.props;
+    const { searchValues, sortOrder } = this.state;
+
+    return (
+      <Page>
+        <List
+          search={ searchValues }
+          accounts={ accounts }
+          balances={ balances }
+          empty={ !hasAccounts }
+          order={ sortOrder }
+          handleAddSearchToken={ this.onAddSearchToken } />
+        <Tooltip
+          className={ styles.accountTooltip }
+          text='your accounts are visible for easy access, allowing you to edit the meta information, make transfers, view transactions and fund the account' />
+      </Page>
+    );
+  }
+
   renderSearchButton () {
     const onChange = (searchTokens, searchValues) => {
       this.setState({ searchTokens, searchValues });
diff --git a/js/src/views/Application/Container/container.js b/js/src/views/Application/Container/container.js
index a1b9124c7..d3908f570 100644
--- a/js/src/views/Application/Container/container.js
+++ b/js/src/views/Application/Container/container.js
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ import { Errors, ParityBackground, Tooltips } from '../../../ui';
 import styles from '../application.css';
 
 export default class Container extends Component {
+  static contextTypes = {
+    muiTheme: PropTypes.object.isRequired
+  };
+
   static propTypes = {
     children: PropTypes.node.isRequired,
     showFirstRun: PropTypes.bool,
@@ -30,9 +34,10 @@ export default class Container extends Component {
 
   render () {
     const { children, showFirstRun, onCloseFirstRun } = this.props;
+    const { muiTheme } = this.context;
 
     return (
-      <ParityBackground className={ styles.container }>
+      <ParityBackground className={ styles.container } muiTheme={ muiTheme }>
         <FirstRun
           visible={ showFirstRun }
           onClose={ onCloseFirstRun } />
diff --git a/js/src/views/Application/TabBar/tabBar.css b/js/src/views/Application/TabBar/tabBar.css
index b855d4298..8ee1254f8 100644
--- a/js/src/views/Application/TabBar/tabBar.css
+++ b/js/src/views/Application/TabBar/tabBar.css
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@
 .tabs {
   width: 100%;
   position: relative;
+  display: flex;
+
+  & > * {
+    flex: 1;
+  }
 }
 
 .tabs button,
@@ -38,6 +43,7 @@
 
 button.tabactive,
 button.tabactive:hover {
+  color: white !important;
   background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25) !important;
   border-radius: 4px 4px 0 0;
 }
diff --git a/js/src/views/Application/TabBar/tabBar.js b/js/src/views/Application/TabBar/tabBar.js
index 01ca4df0d..62f02b43b 100644
--- a/js/src/views/Application/TabBar/tabBar.js
+++ b/js/src/views/Application/TabBar/tabBar.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import React, { Component, PropTypes } from 'react';
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
 import { bindActionCreators } from 'redux';
 import { Toolbar, ToolbarGroup } from 'material-ui/Toolbar';
-import { Tabs, Tab } from 'material-ui/Tabs';
+import { Tab as MUITab } from 'material-ui/Tabs';
 
 import { Badge, Tooltip } from '../../../ui';
 
@@ -33,20 +33,138 @@ const TABMAP = {
   deploy: 'contract'
 };
 
+class Tab extends Component {
+  static propTypes = {
+    active: PropTypes.bool,
+    view: PropTypes.object,
+    children: PropTypes.node,
+    pendings: PropTypes.number,
+    onChange: PropTypes.func
+  };
+
+  shouldComponentUpdate (nextProps) {
+    return nextProps.active !== this.props.active ||
+      (nextProps.view.id === 'signer' && nextProps.pendings !== this.props.pendings);
+  }
+
+  render () {
+    const { active, view, children } = this.props;
+
+    const label = this.getLabel(view);
+
+    return (
+      <MUITab
+        className={ active ? styles.tabactive : '' }
+        selected={ active }
+        icon={ view.icon }
+        label={ label }
+        onClick={ this.handleClick }
+      >
+        { children }
+      </MUITab>
+    );
+  }
+
+  getLabel (view) {
+    const { label } = view;
+
+    if (view.id === 'signer') {
+      return this.renderSignerLabel(label);
+    }
+
+    if (view.id === 'status') {
+      return this.renderStatusLabel(label);
+    }
+
+    return this.renderLabel(label);
+  }
+
+  renderLabel (name, bubble) {
+    return (
+      <div className={ styles.label }>
+        { name }
+        { bubble }
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  renderSignerLabel (label) {
+    const { pendings } = this.props;
+
+    if (pendings) {
+      const bubble = (
+        <Badge
+          color='red'
+          className={ styles.labelBubble }
+          value={ pendings } />
+      );
+
+      return this.renderLabel(label, bubble);
+    }
+
+    return this.renderLabel(label);
+  }
+
+  renderStatusLabel (label) {
+    // const { isTest, netChain } = this.props;
+    // const bubble = (
+    //   <Badge
+    //     color={ isTest ? 'red' : 'default' }
+    //     className={ styles.labelBubble }
+    //     value={ isTest ? 'TEST' : netChain } />
+    //   );
+
+    return this.renderLabel(label, null);
+  }
+
+  handleClick = () => {
+    const { onChange, view } = this.props;
+    onChange(view);
+  }
+}
+
 class TabBar extends Component {
   static contextTypes = {
     router: PropTypes.object.isRequired
-  }
+  };
 
   static propTypes = {
+    views: PropTypes.array.isRequired,
+    hash: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
     pending: PropTypes.array,
     isTest: PropTypes.bool,
-    netChain: PropTypes.string,
-    settings: PropTypes.object.isRequired
-  }
+    netChain: PropTypes.string
+  };
+
+  static defaultProps = {
+    pending: []
+  };
 
   state = {
-    activeRoute: '/accounts'
+    activeViewId: ''
+  };
+
+  setActiveView (props = this.props) {
+    const { hash, views } = props;
+    const view = views.find((view) => view.value === hash);
+
+    this.setState({ activeViewId: view.id });
+  }
+
+  componentWillMount () {
+    this.setActiveView();
+  }
+
+  componentWillReceiveProps (nextProps) {
+    if (nextProps.hash !== this.props.hash) {
+      this.setActiveView(nextProps);
+    }
+  }
+
+  shouldComponentUpdate (nextProps, nextState) {
+    return (nextProps.hash !== this.props.hash) ||
+      (nextProps.pending.length !== this.props.pending.length) ||
+      (nextState.activeViewId !== this.state.activeViewId);
   }
 
   render () {
@@ -81,100 +199,64 @@ class TabBar extends Component {
   }
 
   renderTabs () {
-    const { settings } = this.props;
-    const windowHash = (window.location.hash || '').split('?')[0].split('/')[1];
-    const hash = TABMAP[windowHash] || windowHash;
+    const { views, pending } = this.props;
+    const { activeViewId } = this.state;
 
-    const items = Object.keys(settings.views)
-      .filter((id) => settings.views[id].fixed || settings.views[id].active)
-      .map((id) => {
-        const view = settings.views[id];
-        let label = this.renderLabel(view.label);
-        let body = null;
+    const items = views
+      .map((view, index) => {
+        const body = (view.id === 'accounts')
+          ? (
+          <Tooltip className={ styles.tabbarTooltip } text='navigate between the different parts and views of the application, switching between an account view, token view and distributed application view' />
+          )
+          : null;
 
-        if (id === 'accounts') {
-          body = (
-            <Tooltip className={ styles.tabbarTooltip } text='navigate between the different parts and views of the application, switching between an account view, token view and distributed application view' />
-          );
-        } else if (id === 'signer') {
-          label = this.renderSignerLabel(label);
-        } else if (id === 'status') {
-          label = this.renderStatusLabel(label);
-        }
+        const active = activeViewId === view.id;
 
         return (
           <Tab
-            className={ hash === view.value ? styles.tabactive : '' }
-            value={ view.value }
-            icon={ view.icon }
-            key={ id }
-            label={ label }
-            onActive={ this.onActivate(view.route) }>
+            active={ active }
+            view={ view }
+            onChange={ this.onChange }
+            key={ index }
+            pendings={ pending.length }
+          >
             { body }
           </Tab>
         );
       });
 
     return (
-      <Tabs
+      <div
         className={ styles.tabs }
-        value={ hash }>
+        onChange={ this.onChange }>
         { items }
-      </Tabs>
-    );
-  }
-
-  renderLabel = (name, bubble) => {
-    return (
-      <div className={ styles.label }>
-        { name }
-        { bubble }
       </div>
     );
   }
 
-  renderSignerLabel = (label) => {
-    const { pending } = this.props;
-    let bubble = null;
-
-    if (pending && pending.length) {
-      bubble = (
-        <Badge
-          color='red'
-          className={ styles.labelBubble }
-          value={ pending.length } />
-      );
-    }
-
-    return this.renderLabel(label, bubble);
-  }
-
-  renderStatusLabel = (label) => {
-    // const { isTest, netChain } = this.props;
-    // const bubble = (
-    //   <Badge
-    //     color={ isTest ? 'red' : 'default' }
-    //     className={ styles.labelBubble }
-    //     value={ isTest ? 'TEST' : netChain } />
-    //   );
-
-    return this.renderLabel(label, null);
-  }
-
-  onActivate = (activeRoute) => {
+  onChange = (view) => {
     const { router } = this.context;
 
-    return (event) => {
-      router.push(activeRoute);
-      this.setState({ activeRoute });
-    };
+    router.push(view.route);
+    this.setState({ activeViewId: view.id });
   }
 }
 
 function mapStateToProps (state) {
-  const { settings } = state;
+  const { views } = state.settings;
 
-  return { settings };
+  const filteredViews = Object
+    .keys(views)
+    .filter((id) => views[id].fixed || views[id].active)
+    .map((id) => ({
+      ...views[id],
+      id
+    }));
+
+  const windowHash = (window.location.hash || '').split('?')[0].split('/')[1];
+  const hash = TABMAP[windowHash] || windowHash;
+
+  return { views: filteredViews, hash };
 }
 
 function mapDispatchToProps (dispatch) {
diff --git a/js/src/views/ParityBar/parityBar.js b/js/src/views/ParityBar/parityBar.js
index 0f3380ca0..40fe659ad 100644
--- a/js/src/views/ParityBar/parityBar.js
+++ b/js/src/views/ParityBar/parityBar.js
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ import imagesEthcoreBlock from '../../../assets/images/parity-logo-white-no-text
 import styles from './parityBar.css';
 
 class ParityBar extends Component {
+  static contextTypes = {
+    muiTheme: PropTypes.object.isRequired
+  };
+
   static propTypes = {
     pending: PropTypes.array,
     dapp: PropTypes.bool
@@ -62,6 +66,7 @@ class ParityBar extends Component {
 
   renderBar () {
     const { dapp } = this.props;
+    const { muiTheme } = this.context;
 
     if (!dapp) {
       return null;
@@ -75,7 +80,7 @@ class ParityBar extends Component {
 
     return (
       <div className={ styles.bar }>
-        <ParityBackground className={ styles.corner }>
+        <ParityBackground className={ styles.corner } muiTheme={ muiTheme }>
           <div className={ styles.cornercolor }>
             <Link to='/apps'>
               <Button
@@ -95,9 +100,11 @@ class ParityBar extends Component {
   }
 
   renderExpanded () {
+    const { muiTheme } = this.context;
+
     return (
       <div className={ styles.overlay }>
-        <ParityBackground className={ styles.expanded }>
+        <ParityBackground className={ styles.expanded } muiTheme={ muiTheme }>
           <div className={ styles.header }>
             <div className={ styles.title }>
               <ContainerTitle title='Parity Signer: Pending' />
diff --git a/js/src/views/Settings/Background/background.js b/js/src/views/Settings/Background/background.js
index e34c5d348..4b210881a 100644
--- a/js/src/views/Settings/Background/background.js
+++ b/js/src/views/Settings/Background/background.js
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ class Background extends Component {
   renderBackgrounds () {
     const { settings } = this.props;
     const { seeds } = this.state;
+    const { muiTheme } = this.context;
 
     return seeds.map((seed, index) => {
       return (
@@ -89,7 +90,9 @@ class Background extends Component {
             <ParityBackground
               className={ settings.backgroundSeed === seed ? styles.seedactive : styles.seed }
               seed={ seed }
-              onClick={ this.onSelect(seed) } />
+              onClick={ this.onSelect(seed) }
+              muiTheme={ muiTheme }
+            />
           </div>
         </div>
       );