diff --git a/app/features/scanner/README.md b/app/features/scanner/README.md
index c5158874c..db91cb3b4 100644
--- a/app/features/scanner/README.md
+++ b/app/features/scanner/README.md
@@ -116,8 +116,10 @@ sequenceDiagram
   the gate. `checkIntervalS` hard-caps both phases; `attachFrame: false`
   keeps continuously-firing events from storing a frame PNG each. Frames no
   detector is due for skip canvas readback, and everything is counted in
-  `core/detectors/telemetry.ts` (VoD tab's telemetry panel). A match's
-  objective reads render as one step-line timeline
+  `core/detectors/telemetry.ts` — but only when the VoD tab is opened with
+  `?telemetry=true` (nothing links there); otherwise the workers skip
+  collection and the panel stays hidden. A match's objective reads render
+  as one step-line timeline
   (`~/components/ObjectiveTimeline.tsx`, shared with the match page).
 - VoD scans (`components/VodPage.tsx`): on the WebCodecs path each worker
   demuxes + decodes its own contiguous slice (mediabunny in the worker — no
diff --git a/app/features/scanner/components/VodPage.tsx b/app/features/scanner/components/VodPage.tsx
index 76aebf6b4..95f975246 100644
--- a/app/features/scanner/components/VodPage.tsx
+++ b/app/features/scanner/components/VodPage.tsx
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import { SendouButton } from "~/components/elements/Button";
 import { SendouMenu, SendouMenuItem } from "~/components/elements/Menu";
 import { FormWithConfirm } from "~/components/FormWithConfirm";
 import { ObjectiveTimeline } from "~/components/ObjectiveTimeline";
+import { useSearchParam } from "~/modules/search-params/hooks";
 import { openSeekScan, probeWebCodecs } from "../capture/vod-frames";
 import { connectAbilities } from "../core/ability-harvest";
 import { OBJECTIVE_EVENT_TYPE } from "../core/detectors/objective/index";
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ import {
 	invalidObjectiveEvents,
 } from "../core/match-builder";
 import { TimelineBuilder } from "../core/timeline/index";
+import { scannerSearchParams } from "../scanner-search-params";
 import type { SendStatus } from "../store/events";
 import {
 	deleteVod,
@@ -133,6 +135,9 @@ export function VodPage({
 	// in-flight thumbnail work; awaited before persisting a finished scan
 	const sideWorkRef = useRef<Promise<void>[]>([]);
 	const nextMatchKeyRef = useRef(0);
+	// telemetry collection is baked into the workers at init, so a change of
+	// the search param needs a fresh pool
+	const clientsCollectTelemetryRef = useRef(false);
 
 	const [fileName, setFileName] = useState<string | null>(null);
 	/** live scan vs. reopened saved VoD (no video element for the latter) */
@@ -149,6 +154,9 @@ export function VodPage({
 	const [eventsOpen, setEventsOpen] = useState(false);
 	const [resultsSend, setResultsSend] = useState<ResultsSend | null>(null);
 
+	// opt-in via ?telemetry=true only; nothing in the UI links to it
+	const [collectTelemetry] = useSearchParam(scannerSearchParams, "telemetry");
+
 	const formatSavedAt = useEventDateTimeFormatter();
 
 	const abilityMap = connectAbilities(matches.map((m) => m.event));
@@ -259,6 +267,11 @@ export function VodPage({
 			urlRef.current = URL.createObjectURL(file);
 			video.src = urlRef.current;
 
+			if (clientsCollectTelemetryRef.current !== collectTelemetry) {
+				for (const client of clientsRef.current) client.dispose();
+				clientsRef.current = [];
+				clientsCollectTelemetryRef.current = collectTelemetry;
+			}
 			if (clientsRef.current.length === 0) {
 				clientsRef.current = Array.from(
 					{ length: defaultScanWorkerCount() },
@@ -310,6 +323,7 @@ export function VodPage({
 								frameDoneRef.current?.();
 								frameDoneRef.current = null;
 							},
+							{ collectTelemetry },
 						),
 				);
 			}
@@ -365,10 +379,12 @@ export function VodPage({
 				abortScanRef.current = () => {
 					for (const client of clients) client.abortChunk();
 				};
-				const mergedTelemetry = () =>
-					mergeScanTelemetry(
-						chunks.flatMap((c) => (c.telemetry ? [c.telemetry] : [])),
+				const mergedTelemetry = () => {
+					const parts = chunks.flatMap((c) =>
+						c.telemetry ? [c.telemetry] : [],
 					);
+					return parts.length > 0 ? mergeScanTelemetry(parts) : null;
+				};
 				let lastUiUpdate = Number.NEGATIVE_INFINITY;
 				const pushUiUpdate = () => {
 					const now = performance.now();
diff --git a/app/features/scanner/scanner-search-params.test.ts b/app/features/scanner/scanner-search-params.test.ts
index 56af67ec4..77b9f5456 100644
--- a/app/features/scanner/scanner-search-params.test.ts
+++ b/app/features/scanner/scanner-search-params.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ describe("scannerSearchParams", () => {
 		assertRoundTrips(scannerSearchParams, {
 			tab: ["live", "screenshot", "vod"],
 			inspect: ["1723456789012-abc123", null],
+			telemetry: [true, false],
 		});
 	});
 
diff --git a/app/features/scanner/scanner-search-params.ts b/app/features/scanner/scanner-search-params.ts
index fcb4a8b0e..1dcf0adc0 100644
--- a/app/features/scanner/scanner-search-params.ts
+++ b/app/features/scanner/scanner-search-params.ts
@@ -10,4 +10,9 @@ export const scannerSearchParams = SearchParams.define({
 	tab: SP.param(z.enum(SCANNER_TABS), { default: "live", loader: false }),
 	/** Inspect handoff key: the screenshot tab claims this frame on load */
 	inspect: SP.param(z.string().max(100).nullable(), { loader: false }),
+	/**
+	 * Opt-in scan telemetry: counters are accumulated and the panel is shown
+	 * only when this is set by hand in the URL (no link points at it)
+	 */
+	telemetry: SP.param(z.boolean(), { default: false, loader: false }),
 });
diff --git a/app/features/scanner/worker/analyzer.worker.ts b/app/features/scanner/worker/analyzer.worker.ts
index e0a1aaef7..02ffb56d7 100644
--- a/app/features/scanner/worker/analyzer.worker.ts
+++ b/app/features/scanner/worker/analyzer.worker.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import { DetectorScheduler } from "../core/detectors/scheduler";
 import {
 	createScanTelemetry,
 	detectorTelemetry,
+	type ScanTelemetry,
 } from "../core/detectors/telemetry";
 import type { Detector } from "../core/detectors/types";
 import { normalizeFrame, toMat } from "../core/image";
@@ -53,7 +54,9 @@ const PREVIEW_HEIGHT = 270;
 
 let detectors: Detector<unknown>[] = [];
 let scheduler: DetectorScheduler | null = null;
-let telemetry = createScanTelemetry();
+/** null unless the init message asked for telemetry */
+let telemetry: ScanTelemetry | null = null;
+let collectTelemetry = false;
 let chunkAborted = false;
 /** last per-frame t, to reset telemetry when a new session rewinds the clock */
 let lastFrameT = Number.NEGATIVE_INFINITY;
@@ -65,6 +68,7 @@ function post(message: WorkerResponse, transfer: Transferable[] = []): void {
 async function init({
 	assetsBaseUrl,
 	suppressSteadyFrames = true,
+	collectTelemetry: collect = false,
 }: InitRequest): Promise<void> {
 	try {
 		await loadOpenCV();
@@ -75,7 +79,8 @@ async function init({
 			matchOpeningTypes: [MAP_START_EVENT_TYPE],
 			matchClosingTypes: SCOREBOARD_EVENT_TYPES,
 		});
-		telemetry = createScanTelemetry();
+		collectTelemetry = collect;
+		telemetry = freshTelemetry();
 		post({ kind: "ready" });
 	} catch (error) {
 		post({ kind: "error", message: `init failed: ${String(error)}` });
@@ -115,7 +120,7 @@ async function analyzeFrame(
 	} finally {
 		src.delete();
 	}
-	telemetry.analyzedFrames++;
+	if (telemetry) telemetry.analyzedFrames++;
 
 	// On detection, ship back the exact analyzed pixels (lossless, at capture
 	// resolution) so the UI never has to re-grab a later frame — encoded at
@@ -127,21 +132,27 @@ async function analyzeFrame(
 	try {
 		for (const detector of detectors) {
 			if (!due.includes(detector.id)) continue;
-			const counters = detectorTelemetry(telemetry, detector.id);
-			counters.checks++;
-			const gateStart = performance.now();
+			const counters = telemetry
+				? detectorTelemetry(telemetry, detector.id)
+				: null;
+			const gateStart = counters ? performance.now() : 0;
 			const gate = detector.gate(frame);
-			counters.gateMs += performance.now() - gateStart;
+			if (counters) {
+				counters.checks++;
+				counters.gateMs += performance.now() - gateStart;
+			}
 			scheduler!.recordGate(detector.id, t, gate.pass, gate.signature);
-			if (gate.pass) counters.gatePasses++;
+			if (counters && gate.pass) counters.gatePasses++;
 			const runParse = gate.pass && scheduler!.shouldParse(detector.id, t);
-			if (gate.pass && !runParse) counters.suppressedParses++;
+			if (counters && gate.pass && !runParse) counters.suppressedParses++;
 			let events: ReturnType<typeof detector.parse> = [];
 			if (runParse) {
-				const parseStart = performance.now();
+				const parseStart = counters ? performance.now() : 0;
 				events = detector.parse(frame, t, gate);
-				counters.parses++;
-				counters.parseMs += performance.now() - parseStart;
+				if (counters) {
+					counters.parses++;
+					counters.parseMs += performance.now() - parseStart;
+				}
 				scheduler!.recordParse(detector.id, t, events);
 			}
 			const blob =
@@ -163,7 +174,7 @@ async function analyzeFrame(
 }
 
 async function analyze({ bitmap, t }: AnalyzeRequest): Promise<void> {
-	if (t + 5 < lastFrameT) telemetry = createScanTelemetry();
+	if (t + 5 < lastFrameT) telemetry = freshTelemetry();
 	lastFrameT = t;
 	try {
 		await analyzeFrame(bitmap, t);
@@ -181,7 +192,7 @@ async function scanChunk({
 }: ScanChunkRequest): Promise<void> {
 	chunkAborted = false;
 	scheduler!.reset(tStart);
-	telemetry = createScanTelemetry();
+	telemetry = freshTelemetry();
 	const wallStart = performance.now();
 	let lastProgressAt = 0;
 	let lastPreviewAt = 0;
@@ -201,11 +212,13 @@ async function scanChunk({
 		const packets = new EncodedPacketSink(track);
 
 		const handleSample = async (sample: VideoSample): Promise<void> => {
-			telemetry.decodedFrames++;
 			const t = sample.timestamp;
-			const span = Math.max(0, t - cursor);
-			if (mode === "active") telemetry.activeVideoS += span;
-			else telemetry.skimVideoS += span;
+			if (telemetry) {
+				telemetry.decodedFrames++;
+				const span = Math.max(0, t - cursor);
+				if (mode === "active") telemetry.activeVideoS += span;
+				else telemetry.skimVideoS += span;
+			}
 			cursor = Math.max(cursor, t);
 			const frame = sample.toVideoFrame();
 			sample.close();
@@ -225,7 +238,7 @@ async function scanChunk({
 			}
 			if (preview || now - lastProgressAt >= PROGRESS_POST_INTERVAL_MS) {
 				lastProgressAt = now;
-				telemetry.wallMs = performance.now() - wallStart;
+				if (telemetry) telemetry.wallMs = performance.now() - wallStart;
 				post(
 					{
 						kind: "chunkProgress",
@@ -282,7 +295,7 @@ async function scanChunk({
 			}
 		}
 
-		telemetry.wallMs = performance.now() - wallStart;
+		if (telemetry) telemetry.wallMs = performance.now() - wallStart;
 		post({ kind: "chunkDone", chunkIndex, telemetry });
 	} catch (error) {
 		post({
@@ -294,6 +307,10 @@ async function scanChunk({
 	}
 }
 
+function freshTelemetry(): ScanTelemetry | null {
+	return collectTelemetry ? createScanTelemetry() : null;
+}
+
 self.onmessage = (e: MessageEvent) => {
 	const msg = e.data as WorkerRequest;
 	if (msg.kind === "init") void init(msg);
diff --git a/app/features/scanner/worker/client.ts b/app/features/scanner/worker/client.ts
index 9b87d378b..e586db72b 100644
--- a/app/features/scanner/worker/client.ts
+++ b/app/features/scanner/worker/client.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ export type ResultHandler = (
 export type ErrorHandler = (message: string) => void;
 export interface DoneInfo {
 	calm: boolean;
-	telemetry: ScanTelemetry;
+	/** null unless the client was created with collectTelemetry */
+	telemetry: ScanTelemetry | null;
 }
 export type DoneHandler = (t: number, info: DoneInfo) => void;
 export type ChunkProgress = Extract<WorkerResponse, { kind: "chunkProgress" }>;
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ export function defaultScanWorkerCount(): number {
 }
 
 interface PendingChunk {
-	resolve(telemetry: ScanTelemetry): void;
+	resolve(telemetry: ScanTelemetry | null): void;
 	reject(error: Error): void;
 	onProgress?: ChunkProgressHandler;
 }
@@ -51,7 +52,10 @@ export class AnalyzerClient {
 		// biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noConsole: default sink for worker errors when no handler is passed
 		onError: ErrorHandler = console.error,
 		onDone?: DoneHandler,
-		options: { suppressSteadyFrames?: boolean } = {},
+		options: {
+			suppressSteadyFrames?: boolean;
+			collectTelemetry?: boolean;
+		} = {},
 	) {
 		this.#onResult = onResult;
 		this.#onError = onError;
@@ -104,6 +108,7 @@ export class AnalyzerClient {
 			kind: "init",
 			assetsBaseUrl: Config.staticAssetsUrl,
 			suppressSteadyFrames: options.suppressSteadyFrames ?? true,
+			collectTelemetry: options.collectTelemetry ?? false,
 		});
 	}
 
@@ -141,7 +146,7 @@ export class AnalyzerClient {
 	scanChunk(
 		request: { file: File; chunkIndex: number; tStart: number; tEnd: number },
 		onProgress?: ChunkProgressHandler,
-	): Promise<ScanTelemetry> {
+	): Promise<ScanTelemetry | null> {
 		if (this.busy) {
 			return Promise.reject(new Error("analyzer is busy"));
 		}
diff --git a/app/features/scanner/worker/protocol.ts b/app/features/scanner/worker/protocol.ts
index 399ca25a7..ca4d4d466 100644
--- a/app/features/scanner/worker/protocol.ts
+++ b/app/features/scanner/worker/protocol.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ export interface InitRequest {
 	 * off to get every detector on every frame
 	 */
 	suppressSteadyFrames?: boolean;
+	/**
+	 * accumulate scan telemetry counters (and time the detectors) so they can
+	 * be reported back with progress and done messages; default false — the
+	 * VoD tab only asks for them when the telemetry panel is opted into
+	 */
+	collectTelemetry?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface AnalyzeRequest {
@@ -70,7 +76,8 @@ export type WorkerResponse =
 			t: number;
 			/** scheduler sees dead air — the caller may widen its sampling stride */
 			calm: boolean;
-			telemetry: ScanTelemetry;
+			/** null when the worker was not asked to collect telemetry */
+			telemetry: ScanTelemetry | null;
 	  }
 	| {
 			kind: "chunkProgress";
@@ -78,9 +85,9 @@ export type WorkerResponse =
 			/** seconds of video the chunk scan has reached */
 			t: number;
 			mode: "active" | "skim";
-			telemetry: ScanTelemetry;
+			telemetry: ScanTelemetry | null;
 			/** small bitmap of the latest decoded frame, for the preview canvas */
 			preview?: ImageBitmap;
 	  }
-	| { kind: "chunkDone"; chunkIndex: number; telemetry: ScanTelemetry }
+	| { kind: "chunkDone"; chunkIndex: number; telemetry: ScanTelemetry | null }
 	| { kind: "error"; message: string };