diff --git a/config/test.exs b/config/test.exs
index 3e7e396..362cd0e 100644
--- a/config/test.exs
+++ b/config/test.exs
@@ -40,3 +40,6 @@ config :phoenix_live_view,
 
 # Use inline testing mode for Oban
 config :simpleshop_theme, Oban, testing: :inline
+
+# Isolate image cache so test cleanup doesn't wipe the dev cache
+config :simpleshop_theme, :image_cache_dir, Path.expand("../tmp/test_image_cache", __DIR__)
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme/cart.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme/cart.ex
index a288520..a3288ec 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme/cart.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme/cart.ex
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Cart do
   """
 
   alias SimpleshopTheme.Products
+  alias SimpleshopTheme.Products.ProductImage
 
   @session_key "cart"
 
@@ -148,17 +149,9 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Cart do
   defp format_variant_options(_), do: nil
 
   defp variant_image_url(product) do
-    # Get first image from preloaded images
     case product.images do
-      [first | _] ->
-        if first.image_id do
-          "/images/#{first.image_id}/variant/400.webp"
-        else
-          first.src
-        end
-
-      _ ->
-        nil
+      [first | _] -> ProductImage.url(first, 400)
+      _ -> nil
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme/images/optimizer.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme/images/optimizer.ex
index 8e34ad9..6d8424a 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme/images/optimizer.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme/images/optimizer.ex
@@ -9,16 +9,26 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Images.Optimizer do
   alias SimpleshopTheme.Media.Image, as: ImageSchema
 
   @all_widths [400, 800, 1200]
-  # JPEG is generated on-demand to save ~50% disk space
-  # Only affects <5% of users (legacy browsers without AVIF/WebP support)
-  @pregenerated_formats [:avif, :webp]
+  @pregenerated_formats [:avif, :webp, :jpg]
   @thumb_size 200
   @max_stored_width 2000
   @storage_quality 90
 
-  def cache_dir, do: Application.app_dir(:simpleshop_theme, "priv/static/image_cache")
+  def cache_dir do
+    Application.get_env(:simpleshop_theme, :image_cache_dir) ||
+      Application.app_dir(:simpleshop_theme, "priv/static/image_cache")
+  end
+
   def all_widths, do: @all_widths
 
+  @doc """
+  Returns the expected disk path for a variant file.
+  Used to check the cache without loading the BLOB from the database.
+  """
+  def variant_path(image_id, width, format) do
+    Path.join(cache_dir(), "#{image_id}-#{width}.#{format_ext(format)}")
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Convert uploaded image to optimized WebP for storage.
   Images larger than #{@max_stored_width}px are resized down.
@@ -73,6 +83,10 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Images.Optimizer do
       %{data: data, source_width: width} = image ->
         File.mkdir_p!(cache_dir())
 
+        # Write source WebP to disk so it can be served by Plug.Static
+        source_path = Path.join(cache_dir(), "#{image_id}.webp")
+        unless File.exists?(source_path), do: File.write!(source_path, data)
+
         with {:ok, vips_image} <- Image.from_binary(data) do
           widths = applicable_widths(width)
 
@@ -135,10 +149,10 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Images.Optimizer do
 
   @doc """
   Check if disk variants exist for an image.
-  Only checks pre-generated formats (AVIF, WebP). JPEG is generated on-demand.
   """
   def disk_variants_exist?(image_id, source_width) do
     widths = applicable_widths(source_width)
+    source = File.exists?(Path.join(cache_dir(), "#{image_id}.webp"))
     thumb = File.exists?(Path.join(cache_dir(), "#{image_id}-thumb.jpg"))
 
     variants =
@@ -148,34 +162,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Images.Optimizer do
         end)
       end)
 
-    thumb and variants
-  end
-
-  @doc """
-  Generate a variant on-demand. Returns path to generated file.
-  Supports all formats: :avif, :webp, :jpg
-  Used as fallback if cache files are deleted, and for JPEG legacy browser support.
-  """
-  def generate_variant_on_demand(image_data, image_id, width, format)
-      when is_binary(image_data) and format in [:avif, :webp, :jpg] do
-    path = Path.join(cache_dir(), "#{image_id}-#{width}.#{format_ext(format)}")
-
-    if File.exists?(path) do
-      {:ok, path}
-    else
-      File.mkdir_p!(cache_dir())
-
-      with {:ok, vips_image} <- Image.from_binary(image_data),
-           {:ok, resized} <- Image.thumbnail(vips_image, width),
-           {:ok, _} <- write_format(resized, path, format) do
-        {:ok, path}
-      end
-    end
-  end
-
-  # Backward compatibility alias
-  def generate_jpeg_on_demand(image_data, image_id, width) do
-    generate_variant_on_demand(image_data, image_id, width, :jpg)
+    source and thumb and variants
   end
 
   @doc """
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme/images/variant_cache.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme/images/variant_cache.ex
index 55d3b5a..55dd4be 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme/images/variant_cache.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme/images/variant_cache.ex
@@ -51,37 +51,56 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Images.VariantCache do
   end
 
   defp ensure_database_image_variants do
-    incomplete =
+    # Only load IDs and source_width for the disk check — avoids loading BLOBs
+    incomplete_ids =
       ImageSchema
       |> where([i], i.variants_status != "complete" or is_nil(i.variants_status))
       |> where([i], i.is_svg == false)
+      |> select([i], {i.id, i.source_width})
       |> Repo.all()
 
-    complete_missing =
+    complete_missing_ids =
       ImageSchema
       |> where([i], i.variants_status == "complete")
       |> where([i], i.is_svg == false)
       |> where([i], not is_nil(i.source_width))
+      |> select([i], {i.id, i.source_width})
       |> Repo.all()
-      |> Enum.reject(fn img ->
-        Optimizer.disk_variants_exist?(img.id, img.source_width)
+      |> Enum.reject(fn {id, source_width} ->
+        Optimizer.disk_variants_exist?(id, source_width)
       end)
 
-    to_process = incomplete ++ complete_missing
+    to_process = incomplete_ids ++ complete_missing_ids
 
     if to_process == [] do
       Logger.info("[VariantCache] All database image variants up to date")
     else
       Logger.info(
-        "[VariantCache] Enqueueing #{length(to_process)} database images for processing"
+        "[VariantCache] Processing #{length(to_process)} images with missing variants..."
       )
 
-      Enum.each(to_process, fn image ->
-        image
-        |> ImageSchema.changeset(%{variants_status: "pending"})
-        |> Repo.update!()
+      # Process directly instead of round-tripping through Oban — more reliable at startup
+      to_process
+      |> Task.async_stream(
+        fn {id, _source_width} ->
+          case Optimizer.process_for_image(id) do
+            {:ok, _} ->
+              :ok
 
-        OptimizeWorker.enqueue(image.id)
+            {:error, reason} ->
+              Logger.warning("[VariantCache] Failed to process #{id}: #{inspect(reason)}")
+          end
+        end,
+        max_concurrency: 4,
+        timeout: :timer.seconds(30),
+        on_timeout: :kill_task
+      )
+      |> Enum.count(fn
+        {:ok, :ok} -> true
+        _ -> false
+      end)
+      |> then(fn count ->
+        Logger.info("[VariantCache] Processed #{count}/#{length(to_process)} image variants")
       end)
     end
   end
@@ -111,7 +130,12 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Images.VariantCache do
   defp mockup_variants_exist?(source_path) do
     basename = Path.basename(source_path) |> Path.rootname()
     dir = Path.dirname(source_path)
-    File.exists?(Path.join(dir, "#{basename}-800.webp"))
+
+    expected =
+      ["#{basename}-thumb.jpg"] ++
+        for w <- [400, 800, 1200], ext <- ["avif", "webp", "jpg"], do: "#{basename}-#{w}.#{ext}"
+
+    Enum.all?(expected, &File.exists?(Path.join(dir, &1)))
   end
 
   defp ensure_product_image_downloads do
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme/media.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme/media.ex
index 16077b2..2513cc5 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme/media.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme/media.ex
@@ -170,31 +170,4 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Media do
   def list_images_by_type(type) do
     Repo.all(from i in ImageSchema, where: i.image_type == ^type, order_by: [desc: i.inserted_at])
   end
-
-  @doc """
-  Gets the path to a thumbnail on disk.
-
-  ## Examples
-
-      iex> get_thumbnail_path("abc123-def456")
-      "priv/static/image_cache/abc123-def456-thumb.jpg"
-
-  """
-  def get_thumbnail_path(image_id) do
-    Path.join(Optimizer.cache_dir(), "#{image_id}-thumb.jpg")
-  end
-
-  @doc """
-  Gets the path to a variant on disk.
-
-  ## Examples
-
-      iex> get_variant_path("abc123-def456", 800, :webp)
-      "priv/static/image_cache/abc123-def456-800.webp"
-
-  """
-  def get_variant_path(image_id, width, format) do
-    ext = Atom.to_string(format)
-    Path.join(Optimizer.cache_dir(), "#{image_id}-#{width}.#{ext}")
-  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme/products.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme/products.ex
index 12c555e..4d251df 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme/products.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme/products.ex
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Products do
     )
     |> Repo.one()
     |> case do
-      {id, _src} when not is_nil(id) -> "/images/#{id}/variant/400.webp"
+      {id, _src} when not is_nil(id) -> "/image_cache/#{id}-400.webp"
       {_, src} when is_binary(src) -> src
       _ -> nil
     end
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme/products/product_image.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme/products/product_image.ex
index f29dd84..6108567 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme/products/product_image.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme/products/product_image.ex
@@ -40,30 +40,28 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Products.ProductImage do
   # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   @doc """
-  Returns the display URL for a product image at the given size.
-  Prefers local image_id (responsive optimized), falls back to CDN src.
+  Returns the URL for a product image variant at the given width.
+  Prefers local image_id (static file), falls back to CDN src.
+  Handles mockup URL patterns that need size suffixes.
   """
-  def display_url(image, size \\ 800)
+  def url(image, width \\ 800)
 
-  def display_url(%{image_id: id}, size) when not is_nil(id),
-    do: "/images/#{id}/variant/#{size}.webp"
+  def url(%{image_id: id}, width) when not is_nil(id),
+    do: "/image_cache/#{id}-#{width}.webp"
 
-  def display_url(%{src: src}, _size) when is_binary(src), do: src
-  def display_url(_, _), do: nil
+  def url(%{src: "/mockups/" <> _ = src}, width), do: "#{src}-#{width}.webp"
+  def url(%{src: src}, _width) when is_binary(src), do: src
+  def url(_, _), do: nil
 
   @doc """
-  Returns a fully resolved URL for an image at the given size.
-  Unlike `display_url/2`, handles mockup URL patterns that need size suffixes.
-  Use for `<img>` tags where the URL must resolve to an actual file.
+  Returns the URL for the pre-generated 200px thumbnail.
+  Used for small previews (admin lists, cart items).
   """
-  def direct_url(image, size \\ 800)
+  def thumbnail_url(%{image_id: id}) when not is_nil(id),
+    do: "/image_cache/#{id}-thumb.jpg"
 
-  def direct_url(%{image_id: id}, size) when not is_nil(id),
-    do: "/images/#{id}/variant/#{size}.webp"
-
-  def direct_url(%{src: "/mockups/" <> _ = src}, size), do: "#{src}-#{size}.webp"
-  def direct_url(%{src: src}, _size) when is_binary(src), do: src
-  def direct_url(_, _), do: nil
+  def thumbnail_url(%{src: src}) when is_binary(src), do: src
+  def thumbnail_url(_), do: nil
 
   @doc """
   Returns the source width from the linked Media.Image, if preloaded.
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/cart.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/cart.ex
index 022f9a2..b946b74 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/cart.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/cart.ex
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ShopComponents.Cart do
   end
 
   defp cart_item_image(product) do
-    ProductImage.direct_url(Product.primary_image(product), 400)
+    ProductImage.url(Product.primary_image(product), 400)
   end
 
   # Shared delivery line used by both cart_drawer and order_summary.
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/content.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/content.ex
index e8bc6c8..bdcf455 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/content.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/content.ex
@@ -1046,15 +1046,10 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ShopComponents.Content do
     available = Optimizer.applicable_widths(assigns.source_width)
     default_width = Enum.max(available)
 
-    # Database images end with / (e.g., /images/{id}/variant/)
-    # Mockups use - separator (e.g., /mockups/product-1)
-    separator = if String.ends_with?(assigns.src, "/"), do: "", else: "-"
-
     assigns =
       assigns
       |> assign(:available_widths, available)
       |> assign(:default_width, default_width)
-      |> assign(:separator, separator)
 
     ~H"""
     <picture>
@@ -1069,7 +1064,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ShopComponents.Content do
         sizes={@sizes}
       />
       <img
-        src={"#{@src}#{@separator}#{@default_width}.jpg"}
+        src={"#{@src}-#{@default_width}.jpg"}
         srcset={build_srcset(@src, @available_widths, "jpg")}
         sizes={@sizes}
         alt={@alt}
@@ -1163,12 +1158,8 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ShopComponents.Content do
   end
 
   defp build_srcset(base, widths, format) do
-    # Database images end with / (e.g., /images/{id}/variant/)
-    # Mockups use - separator (e.g., /mockups/product-1)
-    separator = if String.ends_with?(base, "/"), do: "", else: "-"
-
     widths
     |> Enum.sort()
-    |> Enum.map_join(", ", &"#{base}#{separator}#{&1}.#{format} #{&1}w")
+    |> Enum.map_join(", ", &"#{base}-#{&1}.#{format} #{&1}w")
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/layout.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/layout.ex
index 5876819..ea3ae16 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/layout.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/layout.ex
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ShopComponents.Layout do
         |> Enum.with_index()
         |> Enum.map(fn {product, idx} ->
           image = Product.primary_image(product)
-          %{product: product, image_url: ProductImage.direct_url(image, 400), idx: idx}
+          %{product: product, image_url: ProductImage.url(image, 400), idx: idx}
         end)
       )
 
@@ -880,7 +880,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ShopComponents.Layout do
     "/images/#{logo_image.id}/recolored/#{clean_color}"
   end
 
-  defp logo_url(logo_image, _), do: "/images/#{logo_image.id}"
+  defp logo_url(logo_image, _), do: "/image_cache/#{logo_image.id}.webp"
 
   # Logo content that links to home, except when already on home page.
   # This follows accessibility best practices - current page should not be a link.
@@ -970,7 +970,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ShopComponents.Layout do
 
   defp header_background_style(settings, header_image) do
     "position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; " <>
-      "background-image: url('/images/#{header_image.id}'); " <>
+      "background-image: url('/image_cache/#{header_image.id}.webp'); " <>
       "background-size: #{settings.header_zoom}%; " <>
       "background-position: #{settings.header_position_x}% #{settings.header_position_y}%; " <>
       "background-repeat: no-repeat; z-index: 0;"
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/product.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/product.ex
index b6a3a5e..a1ba1a9 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/product.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/components/shop_components/product.ex
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ShopComponents.Product do
           {nil, nil}
 
         Map.get(image, :image_id) ->
-          {"/images/#{image.image_id}/variant/", ProductImage.source_width(image)}
+          {"/image_cache/#{image.image_id}", ProductImage.source_width(image)}
 
         Map.get(image, :src) ->
           {Map.get(image, :src), ProductImage.source_width(image)}
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/controllers/image_controller.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/controllers/image_controller.ex
index dcf61f4..17fb283 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/controllers/image_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/controllers/image_controller.ex
@@ -4,168 +4,6 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ImageController do
   alias SimpleshopTheme.Media
   alias SimpleshopTheme.Media.SVGRecolorer
 
-  @doc """
-  Serves an image from the database by ID.
-
-  Images are served with aggressive caching headers since they are
-  immutable once uploaded.
-  """
-  def show(conn, %{"id" => id}) do
-    etag = ~s("#{id}")
-
-    if etag_match?(conn, etag) do
-      send_not_modified(conn, etag)
-    else
-      case Media.get_image(id) do
-        nil ->
-          send_resp(conn, 404, "Image not found")
-
-        image ->
-          conn
-          |> put_resp_content_type(image.content_type)
-          |> put_resp_header("cache-control", "public, max-age=31536000, immutable")
-          |> put_resp_header("etag", etag)
-          |> send_resp(200, image.data)
-      end
-    end
-  end
-
-  @doc """
-  Serves a thumbnail of an image from the disk cache.
-
-  Thumbnails are generated by the background image optimization pipeline.
-  If the thumbnail doesn't exist on disk yet (still processing), generates
-  it on-demand and saves it for future requests.
-  """
-  def thumbnail(conn, %{"id" => id}) do
-    etag = ~s("#{id}-thumb")
-
-    if etag_match?(conn, etag) do
-      send_not_modified(conn, etag)
-    else
-      thumb_path = Media.get_thumbnail_path(id)
-
-      if File.exists?(thumb_path) do
-        conn
-        |> put_resp_content_type("image/jpeg")
-        |> put_resp_header("cache-control", "public, max-age=31536000, immutable")
-        |> put_resp_header("etag", etag)
-        |> send_file(200, thumb_path)
-      else
-        case Media.get_image(id) do
-          nil ->
-            send_resp(conn, 404, "Image not found")
-
-          %{data: data} when is_binary(data) ->
-            case generate_thumbnail_on_demand(data, thumb_path) do
-              {:ok, binary} ->
-                conn
-                |> put_resp_content_type("image/jpeg")
-                |> put_resp_header("cache-control", "public, max-age=31536000, immutable")
-                |> put_resp_header("etag", etag)
-                |> send_resp(200, binary)
-
-              {:error, _} ->
-                conn
-                |> put_resp_content_type("image/webp")
-                |> put_resp_header("cache-control", "public, max-age=31536000, immutable")
-                |> send_resp(200, data)
-            end
-
-          %{data: nil} ->
-            send_resp(conn, 404, "Image data not available")
-        end
-      end
-    end
-  end
-
-  defp generate_thumbnail_on_demand(image_data, thumb_path) do
-    with {:ok, image} <- Image.from_binary(image_data),
-         {:ok, thumb} <- Image.thumbnail(image, 200),
-         {:ok, binary} <- Image.write(thumb, :memory, suffix: ".jpg", quality: 80) do
-      # Ensure cache directory exists and save for future requests
-      File.mkdir_p!(Path.dirname(thumb_path))
-      File.write!(thumb_path, binary)
-      {:ok, binary}
-    end
-  rescue
-    _ -> {:error, :thumbnail_generation_failed}
-  end
-
-  @supported_formats %{"avif" => :avif, "webp" => :webp, "jpg" => :jpg}
-
-  @doc """
-  Serves an image variant at the specified width and format.
-
-  Supports AVIF, WebP, and JPEG formats. If the variant doesn't exist on disk
-  (e.g., cache was deleted), it will be generated on-demand and cached.
-
-  JPEG variants are never pre-generated (to save disk space), so they are
-  always generated on first request.
-
-  ## URL format
-
-      /images/:id/variant/:width.:format
-
-  Examples:
-  - `/images/abc123/variant/800.avif`
-  - `/images/abc123/variant/400.webp`
-  - `/images/abc123/variant/1200.jpg`
-  """
-  def variant(conn, %{"id" => id, "width" => width_with_ext}) do
-    alias SimpleshopTheme.Images.Optimizer
-
-    with {width, format} <- parse_width_and_format(width_with_ext),
-         true <- width in Optimizer.all_widths() do
-      etag = ~s("#{id}-#{width}.#{format}")
-
-      if etag_match?(conn, etag) do
-        send_not_modified(conn, etag)
-      else
-        case Media.get_image(id) do
-          %{data: data} when is_binary(data) ->
-            case Optimizer.generate_variant_on_demand(data, id, width, format) do
-              {:ok, path} ->
-                conn
-                |> put_resp_content_type(format_content_type(format))
-                |> put_resp_header("cache-control", "public, max-age=31536000, immutable")
-                |> put_resp_header("etag", etag)
-                |> send_file(200, path)
-
-              {:error, _reason} ->
-                send_resp(conn, 500, "Failed to generate variant")
-            end
-
-          nil ->
-            send_resp(conn, 404, "Image not found")
-
-          %{data: nil} ->
-            send_resp(conn, 404, "Image data not available")
-        end
-      end
-    else
-      :error -> send_resp(conn, 400, "Invalid width or format")
-      false -> send_resp(conn, 400, "Width not supported")
-    end
-  end
-
-  defp parse_width_and_format(width_with_ext) do
-    case String.split(width_with_ext, ".") do
-      [width_str, ext] when is_map_key(@supported_formats, ext) ->
-        case Integer.parse(width_str) do
-          {width, ""} -> {width, @supported_formats[ext]}
-          _ -> :error
-        end
-
-      _ ->
-        :error
-    end
-  end
-
-  defp format_content_type(:avif), do: "image/avif"
-  defp format_content_type(:webp), do: "image/webp"
-  defp format_content_type(:jpg), do: "image/jpeg"
-
   @doc """
   Serves an SVG image recolored with the specified color.
 
@@ -208,18 +46,4 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ImageController do
       "#" <> color
     end
   end
-
-  defp etag_match?(conn, etag) do
-    case Plug.Conn.get_req_header(conn, "if-none-match") do
-      [^etag] -> true
-      _ -> false
-    end
-  end
-
-  defp send_not_modified(conn, etag) do
-    conn
-    |> put_resp_header("cache-control", "public, max-age=31536000, immutable")
-    |> put_resp_header("etag", etag)
-    |> send_resp(304, "")
-  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/product_show.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/product_show.ex
index 11663c4..02ee6ed 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/product_show.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/product_show.ex
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.Admin.ProductShow do
             class="aspect-square rounded bg-base-200 overflow-hidden"
           >
             <img
-              src={ProductImage.display_url(image, 400)}
+              src={ProductImage.url(image, 400)}
               alt={image.alt || @product.title}
               class="w-full h-full object-cover"
               loading="lazy"
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/products.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/products.ex
index 99742f1..644ff6f 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/products.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/products.ex
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.Admin.Products do
 
     url =
       if image do
-        ProductImage.display_url(image, 80)
+        ProductImage.thumbnail_url(image)
       end
 
     alt = (image && image.alt) || assigns.product.title
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/theme/index.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/theme/index.ex
index 7f732f1..d79ee8e 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/theme/index.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/theme/index.ex
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.Admin.Theme.Index do
 
     (Map.get(product, :images) || [])
     |> Enum.sort_by(& &1.position)
-    |> Enum.map(fn img -> ProductImage.direct_url(img, 1200) end)
+    |> Enum.map(fn img -> ProductImage.url(img, 1200) end)
     |> Enum.reject(&is_nil/1)
     |> case do
       [] -> []
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/theme/index.html.heex b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/theme/index.html.heex
index 3e40f76..2716ee6 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/theme/index.html.heex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/live/admin/theme/index.html.heex
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@
                 <%= if @logo_image do %>
                   <div class="relative w-16 h-10 bg-base-100 border border-base-300 rounded-lg flex items-center justify-center overflow-hidden">
                     <img
-                      src={"/images/#{@logo_image.id}"}
+                      src={"/image_cache/#{@logo_image.id}.webp"}
                       alt="Current logo"
                       class="max-w-full max-h-full object-contain"
                     />
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@
             <%= if @header_image do %>
               <div class="relative w-full h-[60px] bg-base-100 border border-base-300 rounded-lg mt-2 overflow-hidden">
                 <img
-                  src={"/images/#{@header_image.id}"}
+                  src={"/image_cache/#{@header_image.id}.webp"}
                   alt="Current header background"
                   class="w-full h-full object-cover"
                 />
diff --git a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/router.ex b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/router.ex
index 0ca0376..f54cf55 100644
--- a/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/router.ex
+++ b/lib/simpleshop_theme_web/router.ex
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.Router do
     plug :accepts, ["json"]
   end
 
+  # Lightweight pipeline for SVG recoloring — no session, CSRF, auth, or layout
+  pipeline :image do
+    plug :put_secure_browser_headers
+  end
+
   pipeline :printify_webhook do
     plug SimpleshopThemeWeb.Plugs.VerifyPrintifyWebhook
   end
@@ -88,13 +93,10 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.Router do
     post "/cart", CartController, :update
   end
 
-  # Image serving routes (public, no auth required)
+  # SVG recoloring (dynamic — can't be pre-generated to disk)
   scope "/images", SimpleshopThemeWeb do
-    pipe_through :browser
+    pipe_through :image
 
-    get "/:id", ImageController, :show
-    get "/:id/thumbnail", ImageController, :thumbnail
-    get "/:id/variant/:width", ImageController, :variant
     get "/:id/recolored/:color", ImageController, :recolored_svg
   end
 
diff --git a/test/simpleshop_theme/images/optimize_worker_test.exs b/test/simpleshop_theme/images/optimize_worker_test.exs
index e95da8c..3cdbbcc 100644
--- a/test/simpleshop_theme/images/optimize_worker_test.exs
+++ b/test/simpleshop_theme/images/optimize_worker_test.exs
@@ -17,13 +17,9 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Images.OptimizeWorkerTest do
 
       assert :ok = perform_job(OptimizeWorker, %{image_id: image.id})
 
-      # Verify pre-generated variants were created (AVIF and WebP only, not JPEG)
-      for w <- [400, 800, 1200], fmt <- [:avif, :webp] do
+      for w <- [400, 800, 1200], fmt <- [:avif, :webp, :jpg] do
         assert File.exists?(cache_path(image.id, w, fmt))
       end
-
-      # JPEG is generated on-demand, not pre-generated
-      refute File.exists?(cache_path(image.id, 400, :jpg))
     end
 
     test "cancels for missing image" do
diff --git a/test/simpleshop_theme/images/optimizer_test.exs b/test/simpleshop_theme/images/optimizer_test.exs
index 725fb90..4af6b2c 100644
--- a/test/simpleshop_theme/images/optimizer_test.exs
+++ b/test/simpleshop_theme/images/optimizer_test.exs
@@ -62,16 +62,14 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Images.OptimizerTest do
 
       assert {:ok, [400, 800, 1200]} = Optimizer.process_for_image(image.id)
 
-      # Only AVIF and WebP are pre-generated (JPEG is on-demand)
-      for w <- [400, 800, 1200], fmt <- [:avif, :webp] do
+      # Source WebP for Plug.Static serving
+      assert File.exists?(Path.join(Optimizer.cache_dir(), "#{image.id}.webp"))
+
+      for w <- [400, 800, 1200], fmt <- [:avif, :webp, :jpg] do
         assert File.exists?(cache_path(image.id, w, fmt)),
                "Missing #{w}.#{fmt}"
       end
 
-      # JPEG should NOT be pre-generated
-      refute File.exists?(cache_path(image.id, 400, :jpg))
-
-      # Thumbnail is still pre-generated as JPEG
       assert File.exists?(cache_path(image.id, "thumb", :jpg))
     end
 
@@ -138,36 +136,4 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Images.OptimizerTest do
       refute Optimizer.disk_variants_exist?(image.id, 1200)
     end
   end
-
-  describe "generate_jpeg_on_demand/3" do
-    test "generates JPEG variant and caches to disk" do
-      image = image_fixture(%{source_width: 1200, source_height: 800})
-
-      # JPEG shouldn't exist yet
-      refute File.exists?(cache_path(image.id, 400, :jpg))
-
-      # Generate on-demand
-      {:ok, path} = Optimizer.generate_jpeg_on_demand(image.data, image.id, 400)
-
-      assert File.exists?(path)
-      assert path == cache_path(image.id, 400, :jpg)
-    end
-
-    test "returns cached path if JPEG already exists" do
-      image = image_fixture(%{source_width: 1200, source_height: 800})
-
-      # Generate first time
-      {:ok, path1} = Optimizer.generate_jpeg_on_demand(image.data, image.id, 800)
-      {:ok, %{mtime: mtime1}} = File.stat(path1)
-
-      Process.sleep(1100)
-
-      # Generate second time - should return cached
-      {:ok, path2} = Optimizer.generate_jpeg_on_demand(image.data, image.id, 800)
-      {:ok, %{mtime: mtime2}} = File.stat(path2)
-
-      assert path1 == path2
-      assert mtime1 == mtime2, "File was regenerated instead of cached"
-    end
-  end
 end
diff --git a/test/simpleshop_theme/products/product_image_test.exs b/test/simpleshop_theme/products/product_image_test.exs
index 8629928..1b07bdb 100644
--- a/test/simpleshop_theme/products/product_image_test.exs
+++ b/test/simpleshop_theme/products/product_image_test.exs
@@ -67,28 +67,49 @@ defmodule SimpleshopTheme.Products.ProductImageTest do
   # Display helpers
   # =============================================================================
 
-  describe "display_url/2" do
+  describe "url/2" do
     test "prefers local image_id over src" do
       image = %{image_id: "abc-123", src: "https://cdn.example.com/img.jpg"}
-      assert ProductImage.display_url(image) == "/images/abc-123/variant/800.webp"
+      assert ProductImage.url(image) == "/image_cache/abc-123-800.webp"
     end
 
-    test "accepts custom size" do
+    test "accepts custom width" do
       image = %{image_id: "abc-123", src: "https://cdn.example.com/img.jpg"}
-      assert ProductImage.display_url(image, 400) == "/images/abc-123/variant/400.webp"
+      assert ProductImage.url(image, 400) == "/image_cache/abc-123-400.webp"
+    end
+
+    test "handles mockup URLs with size suffix" do
+      image = %{image_id: nil, src: "/mockups/product-1"}
+      assert ProductImage.url(image, 800) == "/mockups/product-1-800.webp"
     end
 
     test "falls back to src when no image_id" do
       image = %{image_id: nil, src: "https://cdn.example.com/img.jpg"}
-      assert ProductImage.display_url(image) == "https://cdn.example.com/img.jpg"
+      assert ProductImage.url(image) == "https://cdn.example.com/img.jpg"
     end
 
     test "returns nil when neither image_id nor src" do
-      assert ProductImage.display_url(%{image_id: nil, src: nil}) == nil
+      assert ProductImage.url(%{image_id: nil, src: nil}) == nil
     end
 
     test "returns nil for nil input" do
-      assert ProductImage.display_url(nil) == nil
+      assert ProductImage.url(nil) == nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "thumbnail_url/1" do
+    test "returns thumb path for local image" do
+      image = %{image_id: "abc-123"}
+      assert ProductImage.thumbnail_url(image) == "/image_cache/abc-123-thumb.jpg"
+    end
+
+    test "falls back to src when no image_id" do
+      image = %{image_id: nil, src: "https://cdn.example.com/img.jpg"}
+      assert ProductImage.thumbnail_url(image) == "https://cdn.example.com/img.jpg"
+    end
+
+    test "returns nil for nil input" do
+      assert ProductImage.thumbnail_url(nil) == nil
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/test/simpleshop_theme_web/controllers/image_controller_test.exs b/test/simpleshop_theme_web/controllers/image_controller_test.exs
index 0894f88..739a6dd 100644
--- a/test/simpleshop_theme_web/controllers/image_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/simpleshop_theme_web/controllers/image_controller_test.exs
@@ -3,81 +3,9 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ImageControllerTest do
 
   alias SimpleshopTheme.Media
 
-  # Minimal valid PNG (1x1 transparent pixel)
-  @png_binary <<137, 80, 78, 71, 13, 10, 26, 10>>
   @svg_content ~s(<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><circle fill="#000000" r="10"/></svg>)
   @sample_jpeg File.read!("test/fixtures/sample_1200x800.jpg")
 
-  describe "show/2" do
-    test "returns 404 for non-existent image", %{conn: conn} do
-      conn = get(conn, ~p"/images/#{Ecto.UUID.generate()}")
-      assert response(conn, 404) =~ "Image not found"
-    end
-
-    test "serves image with proper content type and caching headers", %{conn: conn} do
-      # Upload a real JPEG which gets converted to WebP
-      {:ok, image} =
-        Media.upload_image(%{
-          image_type: "logo",
-          filename: "test.jpg",
-          content_type: "image/jpeg",
-          file_size: byte_size(@sample_jpeg),
-          data: @sample_jpeg
-        })
-
-      conn = get(conn, ~p"/images/#{image.id}")
-
-      assert response(conn, 200)
-      # Image is converted to WebP for storage
-      assert get_resp_header(conn, "content-type") == ["image/webp; charset=utf-8"]
-      assert get_resp_header(conn, "cache-control") == ["public, max-age=31536000, immutable"]
-      assert get_resp_header(conn, "etag") == [~s("#{image.id}")]
-    end
-  end
-
-  describe "thumbnail/2" do
-    test "returns 404 for non-existent image", %{conn: conn} do
-      conn = get(conn, ~p"/images/#{Ecto.UUID.generate()}/thumbnail")
-      assert response(conn, 404) =~ "Image not found"
-    end
-
-    test "generates thumbnail on-demand and serves as JPEG", %{conn: conn} do
-      # Upload a real image to test thumbnail generation
-      {:ok, image} =
-        Media.upload_image(%{
-          image_type: "logo",
-          filename: "test.jpg",
-          content_type: "image/jpeg",
-          file_size: byte_size(@sample_jpeg),
-          data: @sample_jpeg
-        })
-
-      conn = get(conn, ~p"/images/#{image.id}/thumbnail")
-
-      assert response(conn, 200)
-      # Thumbnail is served as JPEG
-      assert get_resp_header(conn, "content-type") == ["image/jpeg; charset=utf-8"]
-      assert get_resp_header(conn, "cache-control") == ["public, max-age=31536000, immutable"]
-    end
-
-    test "falls back to full image when image data is invalid", %{conn: conn} do
-      # This uses an invalid PNG header that can't be processed
-      {:ok, image} =
-        Media.upload_image(%{
-          image_type: "logo",
-          filename: "test.png",
-          content_type: "image/png",
-          file_size: byte_size(@png_binary),
-          data: @png_binary
-        })
-
-      conn = get(conn, ~p"/images/#{image.id}/thumbnail")
-
-      # Falls back to WebP since that's what we tried to convert to
-      assert response(conn, 200)
-    end
-  end
-
   describe "recolored_svg/2" do
     test "returns 404 for non-existent image", %{conn: conn} do
       conn = get(conn, ~p"/images/#{Ecto.UUID.generate()}/recolored/ff6600")
@@ -88,10 +16,10 @@ defmodule SimpleshopThemeWeb.ImageControllerTest do
       {:ok, image} =
         Media.upload_image(%{
           image_type: "logo",
-          filename: "test.png",
-          content_type: "image/png",
-          file_size: byte_size(@png_binary),
-          data: @png_binary
+          filename: "test.jpg",
+          content_type: "image/jpeg",
+          file_size: byte_size(@sample_jpeg),
+          data: @sample_jpeg
         })
 
       conn = get(conn, ~p"/images/#{image.id}/recolored/ff6600")