diff --git a/src/Aetherphone.Tests/RaceWatchTests.cs b/src/Aetherphone.Tests/RaceWatchTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a3d8928fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Aetherphone.Tests/RaceWatchTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+using Aetherphone.Core.Game;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace Aetherphone.Tests;
+
+public sealed class RaceWatchTests
+{
+    private const byte HyurRace = 1;
+    private const byte Unpopulated = 0;
+    private const int CustomizeLength = 26;
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void StartsUnknown_SoNothingIsReportedBeforeACharacterLoads()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+
+        Assert.Null(watch.Race);
+        Assert.Null(watch.IsLalafell);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Observe_RecordsTheRaceItRead()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+
+        watch.Observe(Customize(HyurRace));
+
+        Assert.Equal(HyurRace, watch.Race);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Observe_RecordsALalafell()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+
+        watch.Observe(Customize(RaceWatch.LalafellRaceId));
+
+        Assert.Equal(RaceWatch.LalafellRaceId, watch.Race);
+        Assert.True(watch.IsLalafell);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Observe_RecordsANonLalafell()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+
+        watch.Observe(Customize(HyurRace));
+
+        Assert.False(watch.IsLalafell);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Observe_LeavesTheAnswerUnknownWhenThereIsNoCustomizeData()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+
+        watch.Observe([]);
+
+        Assert.Null(watch.Race);
+        Assert.Null(watch.IsLalafell);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Observe_TreatsAnUnpopulatedRaceByteAsNoAnswer()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+
+        watch.Observe(Customize(Unpopulated));
+
+        Assert.Null(watch.Race);
+        Assert.Null(watch.IsLalafell);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void AnUnpopulatedReadDoesNotOverwriteAKnownAnswer()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+        watch.Observe(Customize(RaceWatch.LalafellRaceId));
+
+        watch.Observe(Customize(Unpopulated));
+
+        Assert.True(watch.IsLalafell);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void AFailedReadDoesNotEraseAnAnswerWeAlreadyHave()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+        watch.Observe(Customize(RaceWatch.LalafellRaceId));
+
+        watch.Observe([]);
+
+        Assert.True(watch.IsLalafell);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Observe_TracksARaceChangeRatherThanLatchingTheFirstRead()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+        watch.Observe(Customize(HyurRace));
+
+        watch.Observe(Customize(RaceWatch.LalafellRaceId));
+
+        Assert.True(watch.IsLalafell);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Forget_ReturnsToUnknownWhenTheCharacterGoesAway()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+        watch.Observe(Customize(RaceWatch.LalafellRaceId));
+
+        watch.Forget();
+
+        Assert.Null(watch.Race);
+        Assert.Null(watch.IsLalafell);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ObserveAfterForget_DoesNotKeepThePreviousCharactersAnswer()
+    {
+        var watch = new RaceWatch();
+        watch.Observe(Customize(RaceWatch.LalafellRaceId));
+        watch.Forget();
+
+        watch.Observe(Customize(HyurRace));
+
+        Assert.False(watch.IsLalafell);
+    }
+
+    private static byte[] Customize(byte race)
+    {
+        var customize = new byte[CustomizeLength];
+        customize[RaceWatch.RaceIndex] = race;
+        return customize;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Aetherphone/Apps/Velvet/VelvetShell.cs b/src/Aetherphone/Apps/Velvet/VelvetShell.cs
index 7b1d7267c..735a8c649 100644
--- a/src/Aetherphone/Apps/Velvet/VelvetShell.cs
+++ b/src/Aetherphone/Apps/Velvet/VelvetShell.cs
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 using Aetherphone.Core.Wallpapers;
 using Aetherphone.Windows.Components;
 using Dalamud.Bindings.ImGui;
-using Dalamud.Game.ClientState.Objects.Enums;
 using Dalamud.Interface;
 using Dalamud.Interface.Utility;
 
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@ namespace Aetherphone.Apps.Velvet;
 internal sealed partial class VelvetShell : IPhoneApp
 {
     private const float HeartbeatSeconds = 45f;
+    private const long RaceProbeIntervalMilliseconds = 1000;
 
     private readonly VelvetStore store;
     private readonly StoryPresenter stories;
@@ -66,11 +66,13 @@ internal sealed partial class VelvetShell : IPhoneApp
     private readonly RouterDraw<VelvetView> drawView;
     private readonly Action back;
 
+    private readonly RaceWatch race = new();
+    private readonly FrameworkTicker raceTicker;
+
     private PhoneTheme theme = PhoneTheme.Default;
     private INavigator navigation = null!;
     private VelvetPage activeTab = VelvetPage.Discover;
     private float sinceHeartbeat = HeartbeatSeconds;
-    private bool cachedLalafell;
 
     public VelvetShell(AethernetSession session, AethernetApi net, LodestoneService lodestone,
         Configuration configuration, PhotoLibrary library, HttpService http, RemoteImageCache images,
@@ -109,6 +111,8 @@ public VelvetShell(AethernetSession session, AethernetApi net, LodestoneService
         drawView = DrawView;
         back = () => router.Pop();
         threadView = new ThreadView(this);
+        raceTicker = new FrameworkTicker(Plugin.Framework, RaceProbeIntervalMilliseconds, ProbeRace,
+            installer.Gate(Id));
     }
 
     public string Id => "velvet";
@@ -206,7 +210,7 @@ public void Draw(in PhoneContext context)
             return;
         }
 
-        if (IsLalafellCharacter() || store.AccessBlocked)
+        if (Unavailable)
         {
             TourHolds.Hold(Id);
             store.EnsureMe();
@@ -263,6 +267,7 @@ public void Draw(in PhoneContext context)
 
     public void Dispose()
     {
+        raceTicker.Dispose();
         threadView.Dispose();
         stories.Dispose();
         store.Dispose();
@@ -272,34 +277,38 @@ public void Dispose()
         configuration.VelvetAcknowledgedGate &&
         configuration.VelvetAcknowledgedGateVersion >= Configuration.VelvetGateVersion;
 
+    private bool Unavailable => race.IsLalafell is not false || store.AccessBlocked;
+
     private void TickHeartbeat()
     {
         sinceHeartbeat += ImGui.GetIO().DeltaTime;
-        if (sinceHeartbeat >= HeartbeatSeconds)
+        if (sinceHeartbeat < HeartbeatSeconds)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (race.IsLalafell is not { } isLalafell)
         {
-            sinceHeartbeat = 0f;
-            store.Heartbeat(SocialRegion.EffectiveCode(configuration, gameData), IsLalafellCharacter());
+            return;
         }
+
+        sinceHeartbeat = 0f;
+        store.Heartbeat(SocialRegion.EffectiveCode(configuration, gameData), isLalafell);
     }
 
-    private bool IsLalafellCharacter()
+    private void ProbeRace()
     {
-        const byte lalafellRaceId = 3;
-        if (!Plugin.Framework.IsInFrameworkUpdateThread)
+        if (!Plugin.ClientState.IsLoggedIn)
         {
-            return cachedLalafell;
+            race.Forget();
+            return;
         }
 
         var local = gameData.LocalPlayer;
-        if (local is null)
+        if (local is not null)
         {
-            return cachedLalafell;
+            race.Observe(local.Customize);
         }
-
-        var customize = local.Customize;
-        var raceIndex = (int)CustomizeIndex.Race;
-        cachedLalafell = customize.Length > raceIndex && customize[raceIndex] == lalafellRaceId;
-        return cachedLalafell;
     }
 
     private void DrawView(VelvetView view, Rect area, int depth)
diff --git a/src/Aetherphone/Core/Game/RaceWatch.cs b/src/Aetherphone/Core/Game/RaceWatch.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d57926b68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Aetherphone/Core/Game/RaceWatch.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+using Dalamud.Game.ClientState.Objects.Enums;
+
+namespace Aetherphone.Core.Game;
+
+internal sealed class RaceWatch
+{
+    internal const int RaceIndex = (int)CustomizeIndex.Race;
+    internal const byte LalafellRaceId = 3;
+
+    private const byte UnknownRaceId = 0;
+
+    private volatile byte race = UnknownRaceId;
+
+    public byte? Race => race == UnknownRaceId ? null : race;
+
+    public bool? IsLalafell => Race is { } known ? known == LalafellRaceId : null;
+
+    public void Forget() => race = UnknownRaceId;
+
+    public void Observe(ReadOnlySpan<byte> customize)
+    {
+        if (customize.Length <= RaceIndex)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var observed = customize[RaceIndex];
+        if (observed == UnknownRaceId)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        race = observed;
+    }
+}