diff --git a/library/components/poster/PosterWall.vue b/library/components/poster/PosterWall.vue
index 5bbf1fda2..7ca97cea0 100644
--- a/library/components/poster/PosterWall.vue
+++ b/library/components/poster/PosterWall.vue
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ const STEP_EN = {
   records: 'loading the people groups', boundaries: 'loading the map outlines', generator: 'loading the poster engine',
   'map-frame': 'fitting the map', neighbours: 'drawing the neighbouring provinces', seas: 'naming the seas',
   pins: 'placing the pins', 'side-lanes': 'laying out the side lanes', cities: 'adding the cities',
-  names: 'placing the names', header: 'writing the header', print: 'opening the print dialog',
+  names: 'placing the names', header: 'writing the header', print: 'preparing the print',
 }
 const stepKey = (name) => name.replace(/-([a-z])/g, (m, c) => c.toUpperCase())
 const nowMs = ref(Date.now())
@@ -616,6 +616,8 @@ async function exportPoster(item) {
         // (60in 96in), where an image of it would be shrunk onto letter. A download still rasterises, without them.
         if (props.posterAction === 'print' && hasExternalImages(html)) { await printSheetDocument(html); return }
         step('print')
+        // let the step paint before the raster starts: the SVG decode below holds the page while it draws
+        await new Promise((r) => (typeof requestAnimationFrame === 'function' ? requestAnimationFrame(() => setTimeout(r, 0)) : setTimeout(r, 0)))
         const blob = await rasterPoster(html, { scale: 2 })
         if (await looksRendered(blob)) { await deliverPoster(blob, item); return }
       }
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/ar/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/ar/wall.json
index 31fd86b8c..f5b73a782 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/ar/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/ar/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/de/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/de/wall.json
index 284a23b1d..e1e47b3bf 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/de/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/de/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/en/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/en/wall.json
index 27219826f..93a6394ab 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/en/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/en/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/es/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/es/wall.json
index 5dcae9cad..e05e89be2 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/es/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/es/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/fr/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/fr/wall.json
index 545b18884..ebc893747 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/fr/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/fr/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/hi/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/hi/wall.json
index 7df3fe47a..a2975ebca 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/hi/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/hi/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/it/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/it/wall.json
index d6827081e..3f877a4a3 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/it/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/it/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/pt/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/pt/wall.json
index 780d2d8ca..54836989c 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/pt/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/pt/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/ro/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/ro/wall.json
index 599a4254b..19071c918 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/ro/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/ro/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/ru/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/ru/wall.json
index 494d3d700..0a9a1e74a 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/ru/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/ru/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"
diff --git a/library/i18n/locales/zh/wall.json b/library/i18n/locales/zh/wall.json
index 88467a805..78caf95aa 100644
--- a/library/i18n/locales/zh/wall.json
+++ b/library/i18n/locales/zh/wall.json
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
       "cities": "adding the cities",
       "names": "placing the names",
       "header": "writing the header",
-      "print": "opening the print dialog"
+      "print": "preparing the print"
     },
     "stepOf": "step {n} of {m}",
     "elapsed": "{s} s"