diff --git a/plugins/highway_3d/screen.js b/plugins/highway_3d/screen.js
index 25198bf..53c6c08 100644
--- a/plugins/highway_3d/screen.js
+++ b/plugins/highway_3d/screen.js
@@ -14459,7 +14459,11 @@
             // costs nothing.
             const _paneKey = _aspectPaneKey(
                 bundle && bundle.songInfo && bundle.songInfo.arrangement, _paneUid);
-            _aspectRegisterPane(_paneKey);
+            // Only feed the Target-picker registry while the tuner is open (same
+            // gate as the readout). Closed → nothing is registered, so the registry
+            // can't grow for users who never open the panel; the key is still
+            // resolved below so any saved overrides keep applying.
+            if (window.__h3dAspectPanelOpen) _aspectRegisterPane(_paneKey);
             const _aspTune = _resolveTuneFor(_paneKey);
             const _aspActive = !!(_aspTune && _aspTune.enabled
                 && !(_aspTune.splitOnly && !_ssActive()));
diff --git a/tests/js/highway_3d_wide_fov.test.js b/tests/js/highway_3d_wide_fov.test.js
index ead7b58..475dc9c 100644
--- a/tests/js/highway_3d_wide_fov.test.js
+++ b/tests/js/highway_3d_wide_fov.test.js
@@ -170,8 +170,8 @@ test('a Target select and pane registry drive the per-pane picker', () => {
         'the panel must build a Target <select>');
     assert.match(src, /function\s+_aspectRegisterPane\s*\(/,
         '_aspectRegisterPane must record live panes for the picker');
-    assert.match(src, /_aspectRegisterPane\(\s*_paneKey\s*\)/,
-        'camUpdate must register its pane each frame');
+    assert.match(src, /if\s*\(\s*window\.__h3dAspectPanelOpen\s*\)\s*_aspectRegisterPane\(\s*_paneKey\s*\)/,
+        'camUpdate must register its pane only while the tuner panel is open');
 });
 
 test('panes are keyed by arrangement (stable across songs, no split-API dep)', () => {