diff --git a/graphql-codegen.yml b/graphql-codegen.yml
index 633927cd77..c70f4e72a2 100644
--- a/graphql-codegen.yml
+++ b/graphql-codegen.yml
@@ -44,24 +44,6 @@ config:
     DateTime: string
     JSON: any  
 generates:
-  './packages/data-context/src/gen/all-operations.gen.ts':
-    config:
-      <<: *documentFilters
-      flattenGeneratedTypes: true
-    schema: 'packages/graphql/schemas/schema.graphql'
-    documents:
-      - './packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/**/*.{vue,ts,tsx,js,jsx}'
-      - './packages/app/src/**/*.{vue,ts,tsx,js,jsx}'
-      - './packages/launchpad/src/**/*.{vue,ts,tsx,js,jsx}'
-    plugins:
-      - add:
-          content: '/* eslint-disable */'
-      - 'typescript':
-          noExport: true
-      - 'typescript-operations':
-          noExport: true
-      - 'typed-document-node'
-
   ###
   # Generates types for us to infer the correct "source types" when we mock out on the frontend
   # This ensures we have proper type checking when we're using cy.mountFragment in component tests
diff --git a/npm/webpack-dev-server-fresh/test/.mocharc.js b/npm/webpack-dev-server-fresh/test/.mocharc.js
index 44e0d5a0f7..b41c643ee9 100644
--- a/npm/webpack-dev-server-fresh/test/.mocharc.js
+++ b/npm/webpack-dev-server-fresh/test/.mocharc.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 module.exports = {
   spec: 'test/**/*.spec.ts',
+  timeout: 10000,
 }
diff --git a/npm/webpack-dev-server/test/.mocharc.js b/npm/webpack-dev-server/test/.mocharc.js
index 44e0d5a0f7..b41c643ee9 100644
--- a/npm/webpack-dev-server/test/.mocharc.js
+++ b/npm/webpack-dev-server/test/.mocharc.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 module.exports = {
   spec: 'test/**/*.spec.ts',
+  timeout: 10000,
 }
diff --git a/packages/app/cypress/e2e/sidebar_navigation.cy.ts b/packages/app/cypress/e2e/sidebar_navigation.cy.ts
index 09e4a415b8..77c9cab23e 100644
--- a/packages/app/cypress/e2e/sidebar_navigation.cy.ts
+++ b/packages/app/cypress/e2e/sidebar_navigation.cy.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ describe('Sidebar Navigation', () => {
 
     it('closes the left nav bar when clicking the expand button and persist the state if browser is refreshed', () => {
       cy.findByLabelText('Sidebar').closest('[aria-expanded]').should('have.attr', 'aria-expanded', 'true')
+      cy.contains('todos')
       cy.findAllByText('todos').eq(1).as('title')
       cy.get('@title').should('be.visible')
 
diff --git a/packages/app/cypress/e2e/specs_list_e2e.cy.ts b/packages/app/cypress/e2e/specs_list_e2e.cy.ts
index 7b8c464115..3ef7c0f98f 100644
--- a/packages/app/cypress/e2e/specs_list_e2e.cy.ts
+++ b/packages/app/cypress/e2e/specs_list_e2e.cy.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ describe('App: Spec List (E2E)', () => {
     })
 
     cy.visitApp()
+    cy.contains('E2E Specs')
   })
 
   it('shows the "Specs" navigation as highlighted in the lefthand nav bar', () => {
diff --git a/packages/app/cypress/e2e/top-nav.cy.ts b/packages/app/cypress/e2e/top-nav.cy.ts
index 87977c432a..86f49c62a6 100644
--- a/packages/app/cypress/e2e/top-nav.cy.ts
+++ b/packages/app/cypress/e2e/top-nav.cy.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 import type { SinonStub } from 'sinon'
 import defaultMessages from '@packages/frontend-shared/src/locales/en-US.json'
+import type Sinon from 'sinon'
 
 const pkg = require('@packages/root')
 
 const loginText = defaultMessages.topNav.login
 
+beforeEach(() => {
+  cy.clock(Date.UTC(2021, 9, 30), ['Date'])
+})
+
 describe('App Top Nav Workflows', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     cy.scaffoldProject('launchpad')
-
-    cy.clock(Date.UTC(2021, 9, 30), ['Date'])
   })
 
   describe('Page Name', () => {
@@ -219,16 +222,15 @@ describe('App Top Nav Workflows', () => {
     context('version data unreachable', () => {
       it('treats unreachable data as current version', () => {
         cy.withCtx((ctx, o) => {
+          (ctx.util.fetch as Sinon.SinonStub).restore()
           const oldFetch = ctx.util.fetch
 
-          o.sinon.stub(ctx.util, 'fetch').get(() => {
-            return async (url: RequestInfo, init?: RequestInit) => {
-              if (['https://download.cypress.io/desktop.json', 'https://registry.npmjs.org/cypress'].includes(String(url))) {
-                throw new Error(String(url))
-              }
-
-              return oldFetch(url, init)
+          o.sinon.stub(ctx.util, 'fetch').callsFake(async (url: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) => {
+            if (['https://download.cypress.io/desktop.json', 'https://registry.npmjs.org/cypress'].includes(String(url))) {
+              throw new Error(String(url))
             }
+
+            return oldFetch(url, init)
           })
         })
 
@@ -627,6 +629,8 @@ describe('Growth Prompts Can Open Automatically', () => {
     )
 
     cy.visitApp()
+    cy.contains('E2E Specs')
+    cy.wait(1000)
     cy.contains('Configure CI').should('be.visible')
   })
 
@@ -642,6 +646,8 @@ describe('Growth Prompts Can Open Automatically', () => {
     )
 
     cy.visitApp()
+    cy.contains('E2E Specs')
+    cy.wait(1000)
     cy.contains('Configure CI').should('not.exist')
   })
 })
diff --git a/packages/app/src/main.ts b/packages/app/src/main.ts
index c0c1eb7ca8..4404c76e84 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/main.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/main.ts
@@ -38,9 +38,11 @@ app.use(Toast, {
   closeOnClick: false,
 })
 
-app.use(urql, makeUrqlClient({ target: 'app', namespace: config.namespace, socketIoRoute: config.socketIoRoute }))
-app.use(createRouter())
-app.use(createI18n())
-app.use(createPinia())
+makeUrqlClient({ target: 'app', namespace: config.namespace, socketIoRoute: config.socketIoRoute }).then((client) => {
+  app.use(urql, client)
+  app.use(createRouter())
+  app.use(createI18n())
+  app.use(createPinia())
 
-app.mount('#app')
+  app.mount('#app')
+})
diff --git a/packages/app/src/navigation/SidebarNavigation.vue b/packages/app/src/navigation/SidebarNavigation.vue
index f691b62a30..347add500f 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/navigation/SidebarNavigation.vue
+++ b/packages/app/src/navigation/SidebarNavigation.vue
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ query SideBarNavigation {
 }
 `
 
-const query = useQuery({ query: SideBarNavigationDocument, requestPolicy: 'network-only' })
+const query = useQuery({ query: SideBarNavigationDocument })
 
 const setPreferences = useMutation(SideBarNavigation_SetPreferencesDocument)
 
diff --git a/packages/app/src/pages/Specs/Index.vue b/packages/app/src/pages/Specs/Index.vue
index 0b545eb69b..bc39deb8e6 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/pages/Specs/Index.vue
+++ b/packages/app/src/pages/Specs/Index.vue
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@
       @showCreateSpecModal="showCreateSpecModal"
     />
   </div>
-
-  <div v-else>
-    Loading...
-  </div>
 </template>
 
 <script lang="ts" setup>
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/DataContext.ts b/packages/data-context/src/DataContext.ts
index 5ab3fb31f4..4aee820cee 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/DataContext.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/DataContext.ts
@@ -23,19 +23,18 @@ import {
   StorybookDataSource,
   CloudDataSource,
   EnvDataSource,
-  GraphQLDataSource,
   HtmlDataSource,
   UtilDataSource,
   BrowserApiShape,
   MigrationDataSource,
 } from './sources/'
 import { cached } from './util/cached'
-import type { GraphQLSchema } from 'graphql'
-import type { Server } from 'http'
+import type { GraphQLSchema, OperationTypeNode, DocumentNode } from 'graphql'
+import type { IncomingHttpHeaders, Server } from 'http'
 import type { AddressInfo } from 'net'
 import type { App as ElectronApp } from 'electron'
 import { VersionsDataSource } from './sources/VersionsDataSource'
-import type { Socket, SocketIOServer } from '@packages/socket'
+import type { SocketIOServer } from '@packages/socket'
 import { globalPubSub } from '.'
 import { InjectedConfigApi, ProjectLifecycleManager } from './data/ProjectLifecycleManager'
 import type { CypressError } from '@packages/errors'
@@ -69,7 +68,17 @@ export interface DataContextConfig {
   browserApi: BrowserApiShape
 }
 
+export interface GraphQLRequestInfo {
+  app: 'app' | 'launchpad'
+  operationName: string | null
+  document: DocumentNode
+  operation: OperationTypeNode
+  variables: Record<string, any> | null
+  headers: IncomingHttpHeaders
+}
+
 export class DataContext {
+  readonly graphqlRequestInfo?: GraphQLRequestInfo
   private _config: Omit<DataContextConfig, 'modeOptions'>
   private _modeOptions: Readonly<Partial<AllModeOptions>>
   private _coreData: CoreDataShape
@@ -194,10 +203,6 @@ export class DataContext {
     return new DataEmitterActions(this)
   }
 
-  graphqlClient () {
-    return new GraphQLDataSource(this, this._config.schema)
-  }
-
   @cached
   get html () {
     return new HtmlDataSource(this)
@@ -232,11 +237,7 @@ export class DataContext {
 
   setAppSocketServer (socketServer: SocketIOServer | undefined) {
     this.update((d) => {
-      if (d.servers.appSocketServer !== socketServer) {
-        d.servers.appSocketServer?.off('connection', this.initialPush)
-        socketServer?.on('connection', this.initialPush)
-      }
-
+      d.servers.appSocketServer?.disconnectSockets(true)
       d.servers.appSocketServer = socketServer
     })
   }
@@ -250,23 +251,11 @@ export class DataContext {
 
   setGqlSocketServer (socketServer: SocketIOServer | undefined) {
     this.update((d) => {
-      if (d.servers.gqlSocketServer !== socketServer) {
-        d.servers.gqlSocketServer?.off('connection', this.initialPush)
-        socketServer?.on('connection', this.initialPush)
-      }
-
+      d.servers.gqlSocketServer?.disconnectSockets(true)
       d.servers.gqlSocketServer = socketServer
     })
   }
 
-  initialPush = (socket: Socket) => {
-    // TODO: This is a hack that will go away when we refine the whole socket communication
-    // layer w/ GraphQL subscriptions, we shouldn't be pushing so much
-    setTimeout(() => {
-      socket.emit('data-context-push')
-    }, 100)
-  }
-
   /**
    * This will be replaced with Immer, for immutable state updates.
    */
@@ -369,16 +358,6 @@ export class DataContext {
     }
   }
 
-  /**
-   * If we really want to get around the guards added in proxyContext
-   * which disallow referencing ctx.actions / ctx.emitter from context for a GraphQL query,
-   * we can call ctx.deref.emitter, etc. This should only be used in exceptional situations where
-   * we're certain this is a good idea.
-   */
-  get deref () {
-    return this
-  }
-
   async destroy () {
     const destroy = util.promisify(this.coreData.servers.gqlServer?.destroy || (() => {}))
 
@@ -441,10 +420,14 @@ export class DataContext {
       this.actions.dev.watchForRelaunch()
     }
 
+    // We want to fetch the user immediately, but we don't need to block the UI on this
+    this.actions.auth.getUser().catch((e) => {
+      // This error should never happen, since it's internally handled by getUser
+      // Log anyway, just incase
+      this.logTraceError(e)
+    })
+
     const toAwait: Promise<any>[] = [
-      // load the cached user & validate the token on start
-      this.actions.auth.getUser(),
-      // and grab the user device settings
       this.actions.localSettings.refreshLocalSettings(),
     ]
 
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/actions/DataEmitterActions.ts b/packages/data-context/src/actions/DataEmitterActions.ts
index 593329a3c1..5c13e5b7c6 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/actions/DataEmitterActions.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/actions/DataEmitterActions.ts
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ export class DataEmitterActions extends DataEmitterEvents {
    * a re-query of data on the frontend
    */
   toApp (...args: any[]) {
-    this.ctx.coreData.servers.appSocketServer?.emit('data-context-push', ...args)
+    this.ctx.coreData.servers.appSocketServer?.emit('graphql-refresh')
   }
 
   /**
@@ -81,7 +81,21 @@ export class DataEmitterActions extends DataEmitterEvents {
    * typically used to trigger a re-query of data on the frontend
    */
   toLaunchpad (...args: any[]) {
-    this.ctx.coreData.servers.gqlSocketServer?.emit('data-context-push', ...args)
+    this.ctx.coreData.servers.gqlSocketServer?.emit('graphql-refresh')
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Notifies the client to refetch a specific query, fired when we hit a remote data
+   * source, and respond with the data before the initial hit was able to resolve
+   */
+  notifyClientRefetch (target: 'app' | 'launchpad', operation: string, field: string, variables: any) {
+    const server = target === 'app' ? this.ctx.coreData.servers.appSocketServer : this.ctx.coreData.servers.gqlSocketServer
+
+    server?.emit('graphql-refresh', {
+      field,
+      operation,
+      variables,
+    })
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/actions/WizardActions.ts b/packages/data-context/src/actions/WizardActions.ts
index 6fd567eead..cb61864719 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/actions/WizardActions.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/actions/WizardActions.ts
@@ -146,8 +146,10 @@ export class WizardActions {
   async scaffoldTestingType () {
     const { currentTestingType, wizard: { chosenLanguage } } = this.ctx.coreData
 
-    assert(currentTestingType)
-    assert(chosenLanguage)
+    // TODO: tgriesser, clean this up as part of UNIFY-1256
+    if (!currentTestingType || !chosenLanguage) {
+      return
+    }
 
     switch (currentTestingType) {
       case 'e2e': {
@@ -155,14 +157,20 @@ export class WizardActions {
         this.ctx.lifecycleManager.refreshMetaState()
         this.ctx.actions.project.setForceReconfigureProjectByTestingType({ forceReconfigureProject: false, testingType: 'e2e' })
 
-        return chosenLanguage
+        return
       }
       case 'component': {
+        const { chosenBundler, chosenFramework } = this.ctx.wizard
+
+        if (!chosenBundler || !chosenFramework) {
+          return
+        }
+
         this.ctx.coreData.scaffoldedFiles = await this.scaffoldComponent()
         this.ctx.lifecycleManager.refreshMetaState()
         this.ctx.actions.project.setForceReconfigureProjectByTestingType({ forceReconfigureProject: false, testingType: 'component' })
 
-        return chosenLanguage
+        return
       }
       default:
         throw new Error('Unreachable')
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/data/coreDataShape.ts b/packages/data-context/src/data/coreDataShape.ts
index 62c8c40a69..42e9c818ba 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/data/coreDataShape.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/data/coreDataShape.ts
@@ -138,6 +138,10 @@ export interface CoreDataShape {
   packageManager: typeof PACKAGE_MANAGERS[number]
   forceReconfigureProject: ForceReconfigureProjectDataShape | null
   cancelActiveLogin: (() => void) | null
+  versionData: {
+    latestVersion: Promise<string>
+    npmMetadata: Promise<Record<string, string>>
+  } | null
 }
 
 /**
@@ -209,5 +213,6 @@ export function makeCoreData (modeOptions: Partial<AllModeOptions> = {}): CoreDa
     packageManager: 'npm',
     forceReconfigureProject: null,
     cancelActiveLogin: null,
+    versionData: null,
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/index.ts b/packages/data-context/src/index.ts
index 7ad79cbb33..93b84ae8c6 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/index.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export {
 
 export type {
   DataContextConfig,
+  GraphQLRequestInfo,
 } from './DataContext'
 
 export type {
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/sources/CloudDataSource.ts b/packages/data-context/src/sources/CloudDataSource.ts
index 4f42e9e62e..ccbb802fed 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/sources/CloudDataSource.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/sources/CloudDataSource.ts
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ import {
   Client,
   createRequest,
   OperationResult,
-  RequestPolicy,
 } from '@urql/core'
 import _ from 'lodash'
 import { getError } from '@packages/errors'
+import type { RemoteExecutionRoot } from '@packages/graphql'
 
 const debug = debugLib('cypress:data-context:CloudDataSource')
 const cloudEnv = getenv('CYPRESS_INTERNAL_CLOUD_ENV', process.env.CYPRESS_INTERNAL_ENV || 'development') as keyof typeof REMOTE_SCHEMA_URLS
@@ -29,12 +29,11 @@ const REMOTE_SCHEMA_URLS = {
   production: 'https://dashboard.cypress.io',
 }
 
-export interface CloudExecuteRemote {
+export interface CloudExecuteRemote extends RemoteExecutionRoot {
   operationType: OperationTypeNode
   query: string
   document?: DocumentNode
   variables: any
-  requestPolicy?: RequestPolicy
 }
 
 export class CloudDataSource {
@@ -52,7 +51,10 @@ export class CloudDataSource {
         cacheExchange,
         fetchExchange,
       ],
-      fetch: this.ctx.util.fetch,
+      // Set this way so we can intercept the fetch on the context for testing
+      fetch: (...args) => {
+        return this.ctx.util.fetch(...args)
+      },
     })
   }
 
@@ -67,7 +69,7 @@ export class CloudDataSource {
       return { data: null }
     }
 
-    const requestPolicy = config.requestPolicy ?? 'cache-and-network'
+    const requestPolicy = config.requestPolicy ?? 'cache-first'
 
     const isQuery = config.operationType !== 'mutation'
 
@@ -114,10 +116,8 @@ export class CloudDataSource {
               this.ctx.coreData.dashboardGraphQLError = null
             }
 
-            // TODO(tim): send a signal to the frontend so when it refetches it does 'cache-only' request,
-            // since we know we're up-to-date
-            this.ctx.deref.emitter.toApp()
-            this.ctx.deref.emitter.toLaunchpad()
+            this.ctx.emitter.toApp()
+            this.ctx.emitter.toLaunchpad()
           }
 
           if (!res.stale) {
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/sources/GraphQLDataSource.ts b/packages/data-context/src/sources/GraphQLDataSource.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 1c3f2f03b2..0000000000
--- a/packages/data-context/src/sources/GraphQLDataSource.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,62 +0,0 @@
-import { createClient, Client, dedupExchange, ssrExchange } from '@urql/core'
-import { cacheExchange } from '@urql/exchange-graphcache'
-import { executeExchange } from '@urql/exchange-execute'
-import { GraphQLSchema, introspectionFromSchema } from 'graphql'
-import type { DataContext } from '../DataContext'
-import type * as allOperations from '../gen/all-operations.gen'
-import { urqlCacheKeys } from '../util/urqlCacheKeys'
-
-// Filter out non-Query shapes
-type AllQueries<T> = {
-  [K in keyof T]: T[K] extends { __resultType?: infer U }
-    ? U extends { __typename?: 'Query' }
-      ? K
-      : never
-    : never
-}[keyof T]
-
-export class GraphQLDataSource {
-  private _urqlClient: Client
-  private _ssr: ReturnType<typeof ssrExchange>
-
-  constructor (private ctx: DataContext, private schema: GraphQLSchema) {
-    this._ssr = ssrExchange({ isClient: false })
-    this._urqlClient = this.makeClient()
-  }
-
-  resetClient () {
-    this._urqlClient = this.makeClient()
-  }
-
-  private _allQueries?: typeof allOperations
-
-  executeQuery (document: AllQueries<typeof allOperations>, variables: Record<string, any>) {
-    // Late require'd to avoid erroring if codegen hasn't run (for legacy Cypress workflow)
-    const allQueries = (this._allQueries ??= require('../gen/all-operations.gen'))
-
-    if (!allQueries[document]) {
-      throw new Error(`Trying to execute unknown operation ${document}, needs to be one of: [${Object.keys(allQueries).join(', ')}]`)
-    }
-
-    return this._urqlClient.query(allQueries[document], variables).toPromise()
-  }
-
-  getSSRData () {
-    return this._ssr.extractData()
-  }
-
-  private makeClient () {
-    return createClient({
-      url: `__`,
-      exchanges: [
-        dedupExchange,
-        cacheExchange({ ...urqlCacheKeys, schema: introspectionFromSchema(this.schema) }),
-        this._ssr,
-        executeExchange({
-          schema: this.schema,
-          context: this.ctx,
-        }),
-      ],
-    })
-  }
-}
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/sources/HtmlDataSource.ts b/packages/data-context/src/sources/HtmlDataSource.ts
index 660f2368f9..7165216865 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/sources/HtmlDataSource.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/sources/HtmlDataSource.ts
@@ -11,37 +11,6 @@ const PATH_TO_NON_PROXIED_ERROR = resolveFromPackages('server', 'lib', 'html', '
 export class HtmlDataSource {
   constructor (private ctx: DataContext) {}
 
-  async fetchLaunchpadInitialData () {
-    const graphql = this.ctx.graphqlClient()
-
-    await Promise.all([
-      graphql.executeQuery('HeaderBar_HeaderBarQueryDocument', {}),
-      graphql.executeQuery('MainLaunchpadQueryDocument', {}),
-    ])
-
-    return graphql.getSSRData()
-  }
-
-  async fetchAppInitialData () {
-    // run mode is not driven by GraphQL, so we don't
-    // need the data from these queries.
-    if (this.ctx.isRunMode) {
-      return {}
-    }
-
-    const graphql = this.ctx.graphqlClient()
-
-    await Promise.all([
-      graphql.executeQuery('SettingsDocument', {}),
-      graphql.executeQuery('SpecPageContainerDocument', {}),
-      graphql.executeQuery('SpecsPageContainerDocument', {}),
-      graphql.executeQuery('HeaderBar_HeaderBarQueryDocument', {}),
-      graphql.executeQuery('SideBarNavigationDocument', {}),
-    ])
-
-    return graphql.getSSRData()
-  }
-
   async fetchAppHtml () {
     if (process.env.CYPRESS_INTERNAL_VITE_DEV) {
       const response = await this.ctx.util.fetch(`http://localhost:${process.env.CYPRESS_INTERNAL_VITE_APP_PORT}/`, { method: 'GET' })
@@ -90,25 +59,19 @@ export class HtmlDataSource {
       return this.ctx.fs.readFile(PATH_TO_NON_PROXIED_ERROR, 'utf-8')
     }
 
-    const [appHtml, appInitialData, serveConfig] = await Promise.all([
+    const [appHtml, serveConfig] = await Promise.all([
       this.fetchAppHtml(),
-      this.fetchAppInitialData(),
       this.makeServeConfig(),
     ])
 
-    return this.replaceBody(appHtml, appInitialData, serveConfig)
+    return this.replaceBody(appHtml, serveConfig)
   }
 
-  private replaceBody (html: string, initialData: object, serveConfig: object) {
-    // base64 before embedding so user-supplied contents can't break out of <script>
-    // https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress/issues/4952
-    const base64InitialData = Buffer.from(JSON.stringify(initialData)).toString('base64')
-
+  private replaceBody (html: string, serveConfig: object) {
     return html.replace('<body>', `
       <body>
         <script>
           window.__RUN_MODE_SPECS__ = ${JSON.stringify(this.ctx.project.specs)}
-          window.__CYPRESS_INITIAL_DATA_ENCODED__ = "${base64InitialData}";
           window.__CYPRESS_MODE__ = ${JSON.stringify(this.ctx.isRunMode ? 'run' : 'open')};
           window.__CYPRESS_CONFIG__ = ${JSON.stringify(serveConfig)};
           window.__CYPRESS_TESTING_TYPE__ = '${this.ctx.coreData.currentTestingType}'
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/sources/MigrationDataSource.ts b/packages/data-context/src/sources/MigrationDataSource.ts
index f74f922c0c..cdecd91d52 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/sources/MigrationDataSource.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/sources/MigrationDataSource.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export class MigrationDataSource {
         }
 
         // TODO(lachlan): is this the right place to use the emitter?
-        this.ctx.deref.emitter.toLaunchpad()
+        this.ctx.emitter.toLaunchpad()
       }
 
       const { status, watcher } = await initComponentTestingMigration(
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/sources/UtilDataSource.ts b/packages/data-context/src/sources/UtilDataSource.ts
index 30368f14d0..404d72b4e3 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/sources/UtilDataSource.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/sources/UtilDataSource.ts
@@ -6,10 +6,6 @@ import type { DataContext } from '../DataContext'
 // Require rather than import since data-context is stricter than network and there are a fair amount of errors in agent.
 const { agent } = require('@packages/network')
 
-// @ts-ignore agent isn't a part of cross-fetch's API since it's not a part of the browser's fetch but it is a part of node-fetch
-// which is what will be used here
-const proxiedFetch = (input: RequestInfo, init?: RequestInit) => fetch(input, { agent, ...init })
-
 /**
  * this.ctx.util....
  *
@@ -62,7 +58,9 @@ export class UtilDataSource {
     return crypto.createHash('sha1').update(value).digest('hex')
   }
 
-  get fetch () {
-    return proxiedFetch
+  fetch (input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) {
+    // @ts-ignore agent isn't a part of cross-fetch's API since it's not a part of the browser's fetch but it is a part of node-fetch
+    // which is what will be used here
+    return fetch(input, { agent, ...init })
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/sources/VersionsDataSource.ts b/packages/data-context/src/sources/VersionsDataSource.ts
index 3c36cd38f9..19b29dbe8e 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/sources/VersionsDataSource.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/sources/VersionsDataSource.ts
@@ -25,14 +25,28 @@ const NPM_CYPRESS_REGISTRY = 'https://registry.npmjs.org/cypress'
 export class VersionsDataSource {
   private _initialLaunch: boolean
   private _currentTestingType: TestingType | null
-  private _latestVersion: Promise<string>
-  private _npmMetadata: Promise<Record<string, string>>
 
   constructor (private ctx: DataContext) {
     this._initialLaunch = true
     this._currentTestingType = this.ctx.coreData.currentTestingType
-    this._latestVersion = this.getLatestVersion()
-    this._npmMetadata = this.getVersionMetadata()
+    this.#ensureData()
+  }
+
+  #ensureData () {
+    let versionData = this.ctx.coreData.versionData
+
+    if (!versionData) {
+      versionData = {
+        latestVersion: this.getLatestVersion().catch((e) => pkg.version),
+        npmMetadata: this.getVersionMetadata().catch((e) => ({})),
+      }
+
+      this.ctx.update((d) => {
+        d.versionData = versionData
+      })
+    }
+
+    return versionData
   }
 
   /**
@@ -51,7 +65,11 @@ export class VersionsDataSource {
    * }
    */
   async versionData (): Promise<VersionData> {
-    const [latestVersion, npmMetadata] = await Promise.all([this._latestVersion, this._npmMetadata])
+    const versionData = this.#ensureData()
+    const [latestVersion, npmMetadata] = await Promise.all([
+      versionData.latestVersion,
+      versionData.npmMetadata,
+    ])
 
     const latestVersionMetadata: Version = {
       id: latestVersion,
@@ -73,7 +91,11 @@ export class VersionsDataSource {
     if (this.ctx.coreData.currentTestingType !== this._currentTestingType) {
       debug('resetting latest version telemetry call due to a different testing type')
       this._currentTestingType = this.ctx.coreData.currentTestingType
-      this._latestVersion = this.getLatestVersion()
+      this.ctx.update((d) => {
+        if (d.versionData) {
+          d.versionData.latestVersion = this.getLatestVersion()
+        }
+      })
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/data-context/src/sources/index.ts b/packages/data-context/src/sources/index.ts
index 5066b3d28f..08588d7e9c 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/src/sources/index.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/src/sources/index.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ export * from './EnvDataSource'
 export * from './ErrorDataSource'
 export * from './FileDataSource'
 export * from './GitDataSource'
-export * from './GraphQLDataSource'
 export * from './HtmlDataSource'
 export * from './MigrationDataSource'
 export * from './ProjectDataSource'
diff --git a/packages/data-context/test/unit/sources/VersionsDataSource.spec.ts b/packages/data-context/test/unit/sources/VersionsDataSource.spec.ts
index 5982fe0d9f..03cb442a21 100644
--- a/packages/data-context/test/unit/sources/VersionsDataSource.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/data-context/test/unit/sources/VersionsDataSource.spec.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ describe('VersionsDataSource', () => {
 
     beforeEach(() => {
       nmiStub = sinon.stub(nmi, 'machineId')
-      sinon.stub(ctx.util, 'fetch').get(() => fetchStub)
+      sinon.stub(ctx.util, 'fetch').callsFake(fetchStub)
       sinon.stub(os, 'platform').returns('darwin')
       sinon.stub(os, 'arch').returns('x64')
       sinon.useFakeTimers({ now: mockNow })
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ describe('VersionsDataSource', () => {
 
       versionsDataSource.resetLatestVersionTelemetry()
 
-      const latestVersion = await privateVersionsDataSource._latestVersion
+      const latestVersion = await ctx.coreData.versionData.latestVersion
 
       expect(latestVersion).to.eql('16.0.0')
     })
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ describe('VersionsDataSource', () => {
 
       const versionInfo = await versionsDataSource.versionData()
 
-      expect(versionInfo.current).to.eql(versionInfo.latest)
+      expect(versionInfo.current.version).to.eql(currentCypressVersion)
     })
   })
 })
diff --git a/packages/frontend-shared/cypress/e2e/e2ePluginSetup.ts b/packages/frontend-shared/cypress/e2e/e2ePluginSetup.ts
index 4f66261c78..34f0968a47 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-shared/cypress/e2e/e2ePluginSetup.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend-shared/cypress/e2e/e2ePluginSetup.ts
@@ -191,65 +191,63 @@ async function makeE2ETasks () {
 
       const operationCount: Record<string, number> = {}
 
-      sinon.stub(ctx.util, 'fetch').get(() => {
-        return async (url: RequestInfo, init?: RequestInit) => {
-          if (String(url).endsWith('/test-runner-graphql')) {
-            const { query, variables } = JSON.parse(String(init?.body))
-            const document = parse(query)
-            const operationName = getOperationName(document)
+      sinon.stub(ctx.util, 'fetch').callsFake(async (url: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) => {
+        if (String(url).endsWith('/test-runner-graphql')) {
+          const { query, variables } = JSON.parse(String(init?.body))
+          const document = parse(query)
+          const operationName = getOperationName(document)
 
-            operationCount[operationName ?? 'unknown'] = operationCount[operationName ?? 'unknown'] ?? 0
+          operationCount[operationName ?? 'unknown'] = operationCount[operationName ?? 'unknown'] ?? 0
 
-            let result = await execute({
-              operationName,
-              document,
-              variableValues: variables,
-              schema: cloudSchema,
-              rootValue: CloudRunQuery,
-              contextValue: {
-                __server__: ctx,
-              },
-            })
+          let result = await execute({
+            operationName,
+            document,
+            variableValues: variables,
+            schema: cloudSchema,
+            rootValue: CloudRunQuery,
+            contextValue: {
+              __server__: ctx,
+            },
+          })
 
-            operationCount[operationName ?? 'unknown']++
+          operationCount[operationName ?? 'unknown']++
 
-            if (remoteGraphQLIntercept) {
-              try {
-                result = await remoteGraphQLIntercept({
-                  operationName,
-                  variables,
-                  document,
-                  query,
-                  result,
-                  callCount: operationCount[operationName ?? 'unknown'],
-                }, testState)
-              } catch (e) {
-                const err = e as Error
+          if (remoteGraphQLIntercept) {
+            try {
+              result = await remoteGraphQLIntercept({
+                operationName,
+                variables,
+                document,
+                query,
+                result,
+                callCount: operationCount[operationName ?? 'unknown'],
+              }, testState)
+            } catch (e) {
+              const err = e as Error
 
-                result = { data: null, extensions: [], errors: [new GraphQLError(err.message, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, err)] }
-              }
+              result = { data: null, extensions: [], errors: [new GraphQLError(err.message, undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined, err)] }
             }
-
-            return new Response(JSON.stringify(result), { status: 200 })
           }
 
-          if (String(url) === 'https://download.cypress.io/desktop.json') {
-            return new Response(JSON.stringify({
-              name: 'Cypress',
-              version: pkg.version,
-            }), { status: 200 })
-          }
-
-          if (String(url) === 'https://registry.npmjs.org/cypress') {
-            return new Response(JSON.stringify({
-              'time': {
-                [pkg.version]: '2022-02-10T01:07:37.369Z',
-              },
-            }), { status: 200 })
-          }
-
-          return fetchApi(url, init)
+          return new Response(JSON.stringify(result), { status: 200 })
         }
+
+        if (String(url) === 'https://download.cypress.io/desktop.json') {
+          return new Response(JSON.stringify({
+            name: 'Cypress',
+            version: pkg.version,
+          }), { status: 200 })
+        }
+
+        if (String(url) === 'https://registry.npmjs.org/cypress') {
+          return new Response(JSON.stringify({
+            'time': {
+              [pkg.version]: '2022-02-10T01:07:37.369Z',
+            },
+          }), { status: 200 })
+        }
+
+        return fetchApi(url, init)
       })
 
       return null
diff --git a/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/HeaderBarContent.vue b/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/HeaderBarContent.vue
index d2dab7827f..b089be86f5 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/HeaderBarContent.vue
+++ b/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/HeaderBarContent.vue
@@ -38,18 +38,18 @@
           @clear-force-open="isForceOpenAllowed = false"
         >
           <template
-            v-if="!!props.gql?.cloudViewer"
+            v-if="userData"
             #login-title
           >
             <UserAvatar
-              :email="email"
+              :email="userData?.email"
               class="h-24px w-24px"
               data-cy="user-avatar-title"
             />
             <span class="sr-only">{{ t('topNav.login.profileMenuLabel') }}</span>
           </template>
           <template
-            v-if="!!props.gql?.cloudViewer"
+            v-if="userData"
             #login-panel
           >
             <div
@@ -58,14 +58,14 @@
             >
               <div class="border-b flex border-b-gray-100 p-16px">
                 <UserAvatar
-                  :email="email"
+                  :email="userData?.email"
                   class="h-48px mr-16px w-48px"
                   data-cy="user-avatar-panel"
                 />
                 <div>
-                  <span class="text-gray-800">{{ props.gql?.cloudViewer?.fullName }}</span>
+                  <span class="text-gray-800">{{ userData?.fullName }}</span>
                   <br>
-                  <span class="text-gray-600">{{ props.gql?.cloudViewer?.email }}</span>
+                  <span class="text-gray-600">{{ userData?.email }}</span>
                   <br>
                   <ExternalLink
                     href="https://on.cypress.io/dashboard/profile"
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
             </div>
           </template>
         </TopNav>
-        <div v-if="!props.gql?.cloudViewer">
+        <div v-if="!userData">
           <button
             class="flex text-gray-600 group items-center focus:outline-transparent"
             @click="openLogin"
@@ -121,10 +121,26 @@ import ExternalLink from './ExternalLink.vue'
 import interval from 'human-interval'
 import { sortBy } from 'lodash'
 
+gql`
+fragment HeaderBarContent_Auth on Query {
+  cloudViewer {
+    id
+    fullName
+    email
+  }
+  cachedUser {
+    id
+    fullName
+    email
+  }
+}
+`
+
 gql`
 subscription HeaderBarContent_authChange {
   authChange {
     ...Auth
+    ...HeaderBarContent_Auth
   }
 }
 `
@@ -152,9 +168,14 @@ fragment HeaderBar_HeaderBarContent on Query {
   projectRootFromCI
   ...TopNav
   ...Auth
+  ...HeaderBarContent_Auth
 }
 `
 
+const userData = computed(() => {
+  return props.gql.cloudViewer ?? props.gql.cachedUser
+})
+
 const savedState = computed(() => {
   return props.gql?.currentProject?.savedState
 })
@@ -164,7 +185,6 @@ const cloudProjectId = computed(() => {
 
 const isLoginOpen = ref(false)
 const clearCurrentProjectMutation = useMutation(GlobalPageHeader_ClearCurrentProjectDocument)
-const email = computed(() => props.gql.cloudViewer?.email || undefined)
 
 const openLogin = () => {
   isLoginOpen.value = true
diff --git a/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/topnav/UserAvatar.cy.tsx b/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/topnav/UserAvatar.cy.tsx
index f9a7dca887..f74187afee 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/topnav/UserAvatar.cy.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/topnav/UserAvatar.cy.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ describe('<UserAvatar />', { viewportWidth: 48, viewportHeight: 48 }, () => {
     cy.percySnapshot()
   })
 
+  it('renders when a null email address is passed', () => {
+    cy.mount(() => <UserAvatar email={null} class="h-50px w-50px"/>)
+    validateUserAvatar()
+  })
+
   it('renders when no email address is passed', () => {
     cy.mount(() => <UserAvatar class="h-50px w-50px"/>)
     validateUserAvatar()
diff --git a/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/topnav/UserAvatar.vue b/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/topnav/UserAvatar.vue
index 2c4359500e..9308940773 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/topnav/UserAvatar.vue
+++ b/packages/frontend-shared/src/gql-components/topnav/UserAvatar.vue
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import gravatar from 'gravatar'
 import { computed } from 'vue'
 
 const props = defineProps<{
-  email?: string
+  email?: string | null
 }>()
 
 const gravatarUrl = computed(() => {
diff --git a/packages/frontend-shared/src/graphql/urqlClient.ts b/packages/frontend-shared/src/graphql/urqlClient.ts
index e21c12c064..39edf45b9c 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-shared/src/graphql/urqlClient.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend-shared/src/graphql/urqlClient.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import {
   dedupExchange,
   errorExchange,
   fetchExchange,
-  ssrExchange,
   subscriptionExchange,
 } from '@urql/core'
 import { devtoolsExchange } from '@urql/devtools'
@@ -20,7 +19,6 @@ import { urqlSchema } from '../generated/urql-introspection.gen'
 
 import { pubSubExchange } from './urqlExchangePubsub'
 import { namedRouteExchange } from './urqlExchangeNamedRoute'
-import { decodeBase64Unicode } from '../utils/decodeBase64'
 import type { SpecFile, AutomationElementId, Browser } from '@packages/types'
 import { urqlFetchSocketAdapter } from './urqlFetchSocketAdapter'
 
@@ -38,8 +36,6 @@ declare global {
      * to use cy.intercept in tests that we need it
      */
     __CYPRESS_GQL_NO_SOCKET__?: string
-    __CYPRESS_INITIAL_DATA__: object
-    __CYPRESS_INITIAL_DATA_ENCODED__: string
     __CYPRESS_MODE__: 'run' | 'open'
     __RUN_MODE_SPECS__: SpecFile[]
     __CYPRESS_TESTING_TYPE__: 'e2e' | 'component'
@@ -53,16 +49,6 @@ declare global {
 
 const cypressInRunMode = window.top === window && window.__CYPRESS_MODE__ === 'run'
 
-export async function preloadLaunchpadData () {
-  try {
-    const resp = await fetch('/__launchpad/preload')
-
-    window.__CYPRESS_INITIAL_DATA__ = await resp.json()
-  } catch (e) {
-    //
-  }
-}
-
 interface LaunchpadUrqlClientConfig {
   target: 'launchpad'
 }
@@ -75,13 +61,17 @@ interface AppUrqlClientConfig {
 
 export type UrqlClientConfig = LaunchpadUrqlClientConfig | AppUrqlClientConfig
 
-export function makeUrqlClient (config: UrqlClientConfig): Client {
+export async function makeUrqlClient (config: UrqlClientConfig): Promise<Client> {
   let hasError = false
 
   const exchanges: Exchange[] = [dedupExchange]
 
   const io = window.ws ?? getPubSubSource(config)
 
+  const connectPromise = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    io.once('connect', resolve)
+  })
+
   const socketClient = getSocketSource(config)
 
   // GraphQL and urql are not used in app + run mode, so we don't add the
@@ -120,13 +110,6 @@ export function makeUrqlClient (config: UrqlClientConfig): Client {
     }),
     // https://formidable.com/open-source/urql/docs/graphcache/errors/
     makeCacheExchange(),
-    ssrExchange({
-      isClient: true,
-      // @ts-ignore - this seems fine locally, but on CI tsc is failing - bizarre.
-      initialState: (window.__CYPRESS_INITIAL_DATA_ENCODED__
-        ? JSON.parse(decodeBase64Unicode(window.__CYPRESS_INITIAL_DATA_ENCODED__))
-        : window.__CYPRESS_INITIAL_DATA__) || {},
-    }),
     namedRouteExchange,
     fetchExchange,
     subscriptionExchange({
@@ -151,7 +134,7 @@ export function makeUrqlClient (config: UrqlClientConfig): Client {
 
   const url = config.target === 'launchpad' ? `/__launchpad/graphql` : `/${config.namespace}/graphql`
 
-  return createClient({
+  const client = createClient({
     url,
     requestPolicy: cypressInRunMode ? 'cache-only' : 'cache-first',
     exchanges,
@@ -161,6 +144,10 @@ export function makeUrqlClient (config: UrqlClientConfig): Client {
     // swap in-and-out during integration tests.
     fetch: config.target === 'launchpad' || window.__CYPRESS_GQL_NO_SOCKET__ ? window.fetch : urqlFetchSocketAdapter(io),
   })
+
+  await connectPromise
+
+  return client
 }
 
 interface LaunchpadPubSubConfig {
diff --git a/packages/frontend-shared/src/graphql/urqlExchangePubsub.ts b/packages/frontend-shared/src/graphql/urqlExchangePubsub.ts
index 72191d9d67..6c430e42f8 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-shared/src/graphql/urqlExchangePubsub.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend-shared/src/graphql/urqlExchangePubsub.ts
@@ -1,20 +1,51 @@
 import { pipe, tap } from 'wonka'
 import type { Exchange, Operation, OperationResult } from '@urql/core'
 import type { Socket } from '@packages/socket/lib/browser'
+import type { DefinitionNode, DocumentNode, OperationDefinitionNode } from 'graphql'
 
 export const pubSubExchange = (io: Socket): Exchange => {
   return ({ client, forward }) => {
     const watchedOperations = new Map<number, Operation>()
     const observedOperations = new Map<number, number>()
+    // Keeps track of the operations we're expecting to re-query,
+    // but which haven't resolved yet on their initial request.
+    const awaitingMount: Record<string, RefreshOnlyInfo> = {}
 
-    io.on('data-context-push', (...args) => {
-      watchedOperations.forEach((op) => {
-        client.reexecuteOperation(
-          client.createRequestOperation('query', op, {
-            requestPolicy: 'cache-and-network',
-          }),
-        )
-      })
+    function reexecuteOperation (op: Operation, refetchHeader = 'true') {
+      client.reexecuteOperation(
+        client.createRequestOperation('query', op, {
+          requestPolicy: 'cache-and-network',
+          fetchOptions: {
+            headers: {
+              'x-cypress-graphql-refetch': refetchHeader,
+            },
+          },
+        }),
+      )
+    }
+
+    interface RefreshOnlyInfo {
+      operation: string
+      field: string
+      variables: any
+    }
+
+    // Handles the refresh of the GraphQL operation
+    io.on('graphql-refresh', (refreshOnly?: RefreshOnlyInfo) => {
+      if (refreshOnly?.operation) {
+        const fieldHeader = `${refreshOnly.operation}.${refreshOnly.field}`
+        const toRefresh = Array.from(watchedOperations.values()).find((o) => getOperationName(o.query) === refreshOnly.operation)
+
+        if (!toRefresh) {
+          awaitingMount[refreshOnly.operation] = refreshOnly
+        } else {
+          reexecuteOperation(toRefresh, fieldHeader)
+        }
+      } else {
+        watchedOperations.forEach((op) => {
+          reexecuteOperation(op)
+        })
+      }
     })
 
     const processIncomingOperation = (op: Operation) => {
@@ -28,6 +59,14 @@ export const pubSubExchange = (io: Socket): Exchange => {
       if (op.operation.kind === 'query' && !observedOperations.has(op.operation.key)) {
         observedOperations.set(op.operation.key, 1)
         watchedOperations.set(op.operation.key, op.operation)
+        const name = getOperationName(op.operation.query)
+
+        if (name && awaitingMount[name]) {
+          const awaiting = awaitingMount[name]
+
+          delete awaitingMount[name]
+          reexecuteOperation(op.operation, `${awaiting.operation}.${awaiting.field}`)
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -40,3 +79,15 @@ export const pubSubExchange = (io: Socket): Exchange => {
     }
   }
 }
+
+function getOperationName (query: DocumentNode): string | undefined {
+  return getPrimaryOperation(query)?.name?.value
+}
+
+function getPrimaryOperation (query: DocumentNode): OperationDefinitionNode | undefined {
+  return query.definitions.find(isOperationDefinitionNode)
+}
+
+function isOperationDefinitionNode (node: DefinitionNode): node is OperationDefinitionNode {
+  return node.kind === 'OperationDefinition'
+}
diff --git a/packages/graphql/schemas/schema.graphql b/packages/graphql/schemas/schema.graphql
index 7616b4505b..38e36167ae 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/schemas/schema.graphql
+++ b/packages/graphql/schemas/schema.graphql
@@ -50,6 +50,21 @@ enum BrowserStatus {
   opening
 }
 
+"""
+When we don't have an immediate response for the cloudViewer request, we'll use this as a fallback to 
+render the avatar in the header bar / signal authenticated state immediately
+"""
+type CachedUser implements Node {
+  """Email address of the cached user"""
+  email: String
+
+  """Name of the cached user"""
+  fullName: String
+
+  """Relay style Node ID field for the CachedUser field"""
+  id: ID!
+}
+
 """
 A CloudOrganization represents an Organization stored in the Cypress Cloud
 """
@@ -1137,6 +1152,7 @@ type Query {
   """The latest state of the auth process"""
   authState: AuthState!
   baseError: ErrorWrapper
+  cachedUser: CachedUser
 
   """Returns an object conforming to the Relay spec"""
   cloudNode(
@@ -1254,7 +1270,9 @@ type Subscription {
   """Status of the currently opened browser"""
   browserStatusChange: CurrentProject
 
-  """"""
+  """
+  Triggered when there is a change to the info associated with the cloud project (org added, project added)
+  """
   cloudViewerChange: Query
 
   """Issued for internal development changes"""
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/index.ts b/packages/graphql/src/index.ts
index 705631dade..bf523d07fd 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/index.ts
@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ export { graphqlSchema } from './schema'
 export { execute, parse, print } from 'graphql'
 
 export { remoteSchemaWrapped } from './stitching/remoteSchemaWrapped'
+
+export type { RemoteExecutionRoot } from './stitching/remoteSchemaExecutor'
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/makeGraphQLServer.ts b/packages/graphql/src/makeGraphQLServer.ts
index 8b1cd586f0..a1f0705421 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/makeGraphQLServer.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/makeGraphQLServer.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-import express from 'express'
+import express, { Request } from 'express'
 import type { AddressInfo, Socket } from 'net'
-import { DataContext, getCtx, globalPubSub } from '@packages/data-context'
+import { DataContext, getCtx, globalPubSub, GraphQLRequestInfo } from '@packages/data-context'
 import pDefer from 'p-defer'
 import cors from 'cors'
 import { SocketIOServer } from '@packages/socket'
 import type { Server } from 'http'
-import { graphqlHTTP, GraphQLParams } from 'express-graphql'
+import { graphqlHTTP } from 'express-graphql'
 import serverDestroy from 'server-destroy'
 import send from 'send'
 import { getPathToDist } from '@packages/resolve-dist'
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ import { Server as WebSocketServer } from 'ws'
 import { useServer } from 'graphql-ws/lib/use/ws'
 
 import { graphqlSchema } from './schema'
-import { execute, parse } from 'graphql'
+import { DefinitionNode, DocumentNode, execute, Kind, OperationDefinitionNode, OperationTypeNode, parse } from 'graphql'
 
-const debugOperation = debugLib(`cypress-verbose:graphql:operation`)
+const debug = debugLib(`cypress-verbose:graphql:operation`)
 
-const SHOW_GRAPHIQL = process.env.CYPRESS_INTERNAL_ENV !== 'production'
+const IS_DEVELOPMENT = process.env.CYPRESS_INTERNAL_ENV !== 'production'
 
 let gqlSocketServer: SocketIOServer
 let gqlServer: Server
@@ -35,17 +35,6 @@ export async function makeGraphQLServer () {
 
   app.use(cors())
 
-  app.get('/__launchpad/preload', (req, res) => {
-    const ctx = getCtx()
-
-    ctx.html.fetchLaunchpadInitialData().then((data) => {
-      res.json(data)
-    }).catch((e) => {
-      ctx.logTraceError(e)
-      res.json({})
-    })
-  })
-
   app.get('/cloud-notification', (req, res) => {
     const ctx = getCtx()
 
@@ -106,7 +95,7 @@ export async function makeGraphQLServer () {
       console.log(`GraphQL server is running at ${endpoint}`)
     }
 
-    ctx.debug(`GraphQL Server at ${endpoint}`)
+    debug(`GraphQL Server at ${endpoint}`)
 
     gqlServer = srv
 
@@ -153,13 +142,19 @@ interface GraphQLSocketPayload {
 export async function handleGraphQLSocketRequest (uid: string, payload: string, callback: Function) {
   try {
     const operation = JSON.parse(payload) as GraphQLSocketPayload
-
+    const context = getCtx()
+    const document = parse(operation.query)
     const result = await execute({
       operationName: operation.operationName,
       variableValues: operation.variables,
-      document: parse(operation.query),
+      document,
       schema: graphqlSchema,
-      contextValue: getCtx(),
+      contextValue: graphqlRequestContext({
+        app: 'app',
+        context,
+        document,
+        variables: operation.variables ?? null,
+      }),
     })
 
     callback(result)
@@ -195,20 +190,41 @@ export const graphqlWS = (httpServer: Server, targetRoute: string) => {
   return graphqlWs
 }
 
+/**
+ * An Express middleware function handler which can be added to
+ * routes expected to service a GraphQL request from an HTTP client.
+ */
 export const graphQLHTTP = graphqlHTTP((req, res, params) => {
   const context = getCtx()
-  const ctx = SHOW_GRAPHIQL ? maybeProxyContext(params, context) : context
+  let document: DocumentNode | undefined
+
+  // Parse the query ahead-of-time, so we can use in the graphqlRequestContext
+  try {
+    // @ts-expect-error
+    document = parse(params.query)
+  } catch {
+    // error will be re-thrown in customParseFn below
+  }
 
   return {
     schema: graphqlSchema,
-    graphiql: SHOW_GRAPHIQL,
-    context: ctx,
+    graphiql: IS_DEVELOPMENT,
+    context: params && document ? graphqlRequestContext({
+      req: req as Request,
+      context,
+      document,
+      variables: params.variables,
+    }) : undefined,
+    customParseFn: (source) => {
+      // No need to re-parse if we have a document, otherwise re-parse to throw the error
+      return document ?? parse(source)
+    },
     customExecuteFn: (args) => {
       const date = new Date()
       const prefix = `${args.operationName ?? '(anonymous)'}`
 
       return Promise.resolve(execute(args)).then((val) => {
-        debugOperation(`${prefix} completed in ${new Date().valueOf() - date.valueOf()}ms with ${val.errors?.length ?? 0} errors`)
+        debug(`${prefix} completed in ${new Date().valueOf() - date.valueOf()}ms with ${val.errors?.length ?? 0} errors`)
 
         return val
       })
@@ -216,35 +232,46 @@ export const graphQLHTTP = graphqlHTTP((req, res, params) => {
   }
 })
 
-/**
- * Adds runtime validations during development to ensure patterns of access are enforced
- * on the DataContext
- */
-function maybeProxyContext (params: GraphQLParams | undefined, context: DataContext): DataContext {
-  if (params?.query) {
-    const parsed = parse(params.query)
-    const def = parsed.definitions[0]
-
-    if (def?.kind === 'OperationDefinition') {
-      return def.operation === 'query' ? proxyContext(context, def.name?.value ?? '(anonymous)') : context
-    }
-  }
-
-  return context
+interface GraphQLRequestContextOptions {
+  app?: 'launchpad' | 'app'
+  req?: Request
+  context: DataContext
+  document: DocumentNode
+  variables: Record<string, unknown> | null
 }
 
-function proxyContext (ctx: DataContext, operationName: string) {
-  return new Proxy(ctx, {
+/**
+ * Since the DataContext is considered a singleton throughout the electron app process,
+ * we create a Proxy object for it, adding metadata associated each GraphQL operation.
+ * This is used in middleware, such as the `nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin`, to associate
+ * remote requests to operations needing to be refetched on the client.
+ */
+function graphqlRequestContext (options: GraphQLRequestContextOptions) {
+  const app = options.app ?? (options.req?.originalUrl.startsWith('/__launchpad') ? 'launchpad' : 'app')
+
+  const primaryOperation = getPrimaryOperation(options.document)
+
+  const requestInfo: GraphQLRequestInfo = {
+    app,
+    operation: (primaryOperation?.kind ?? 'query') as OperationTypeNode,
+    document: options.document,
+    headers: options.req?.headers ?? {},
+    variables: options.variables,
+    operationName: primaryOperation?.name?.value ?? null,
+  }
+
+  debug('Creating context for %s, operation %s', app, primaryOperation?.name?.value)
+
+  return new Proxy(options.context, {
     get (target, p, receiver) {
-      // Allows us to get the context value, deref'ed so it's not guarded
-      if (p === 'deref') {
-        return Reflect.get(ctx, 'deref', ctx)
+      if (p === 'graphqlRequestInfo') {
+        return requestInfo
       }
 
-      if (p === 'actions' || p === 'emitter') {
+      if (p === 'actions' && IS_DEVELOPMENT && requestInfo.operation === 'query') {
         throw new Error(
           `Cannot access ctx.${p} within a query, only within mutations / outside of a GraphQL request\n` +
-          `Seen in operation: ${operationName}`,
+          `Seen in operation: ${requestInfo.operationName}`,
         )
       }
 
@@ -252,3 +279,11 @@ function proxyContext (ctx: DataContext, operationName: string) {
     },
   })
 }
+
+function getPrimaryOperation (query: DocumentNode): OperationDefinitionNode | undefined {
+  return query.definitions.find(isOperationDefinitionNode)
+}
+
+function isOperationDefinitionNode (node: DefinitionNode): node is OperationDefinitionNode {
+  return node.kind === Kind.OPERATION_DEFINITION
+}
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/plugins/index.ts b/packages/graphql/src/plugins/index.ts
index b2bc30b788..6141bfbda2 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/plugins/index.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/plugins/index.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // created by autobarrel, do not modify directly
 
 export * from './nexusDebugFieldPlugin'
+export * from './nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin'
 export * from './nexusMutationErrorPlugin'
 export * from './nexusNodePlugin'
 export * from './nexusSlowGuardPlugin'
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/plugins/nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin.ts b/packages/graphql/src/plugins/nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ae6509dfbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/plugins/nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+import { plugin } from 'nexus'
+import debugLib from 'debug'
+import { getNamedType, isNonNullType } from 'graphql'
+import type { DataContext } from '@packages/data-context'
+import { remoteSchema } from '../stitching/remoteSchema'
+
+const NO_RESULT = {}
+// 2ms should be enough time to resolve from the local cache of the
+// cloudUrqlClient in CloudDataSource
+const RACE_MAX_EXECUTION_MS = 2
+const IS_DEVELOPMENT = process.env.CYPRESS_INTERNAL_ENV !== 'production'
+const debug = debugLib('cypress:graphql:nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin')
+
+/**
+ * This plugin taps into each of the requests and checks for the existence
+ * of a "Cloud" prefixed type. When we see these, we know that we're dealing
+ * with a remote API. We can also specify `deferIfNotLoaded: true` on the Nexus definition
+ * to indicate that this is a remote request, such as resolving the "versions" field
+ */
+export const nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin = plugin({
+  name: 'nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin',
+  fieldDefTypes: 'deferIfNotLoaded?: true',
+  onCreateFieldResolver (def) {
+    const { name: parentTypeName } = def.parentTypeConfig
+
+    // Don't ever need to do this on Subscription / Mutation fields.
+    if (parentTypeName === 'Mutation' || parentTypeName === 'Subscription') {
+      return
+    }
+
+    // Also don't need to if the type is in the cloud schema, (and isn't a Query) since these don't
+    // actually need to resolve themselves, they're resolved from the remote request
+    if (parentTypeName !== 'Query' && remoteSchema.getType(parentTypeName)) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    // Specified w/ deferIfNotLoaded: true on the field definition
+    const shouldDeferIfNotLoaded = Boolean(def.fieldConfig.extensions?.nexus?.config.deferIfNotLoaded)
+
+    // Fields where type: 'Cloud*', e.g. 'cloudViewer' which is type: 'CloudUser'
+    const isEligibleCloudField = getNamedType(def.fieldConfig.type).name.startsWith('Cloud')
+
+    if (!isEligibleCloudField && !shouldDeferIfNotLoaded) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const qualifiedField = `${def.parentTypeConfig.name}.${def.fieldConfig.name}`
+
+    // We should never allow a non-null query type, this is an error should be caught at development time
+    if (isNonNullType(def.fieldConfig.type)) {
+      throw new Error(`Cannot add nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin to non-nullable field ${qualifiedField}`)
+    }
+
+    debug(`Adding nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin for %s`, qualifiedField)
+
+    return async (source, args, ctx: DataContext, info, next) => {
+      // Don't need to race Mutations / Subscriptions, which can return types containing these fields
+      // these can just call through and don't need to be resolved immediately, because there's an expectation
+      // of potential delay built-in to these contracts
+      if (
+        info.operation.operation === 'mutation' ||
+        info.operation.operation === 'subscription'
+      ) {
+        return next(source, args, ctx, info)
+      }
+
+      debug(`Racing execution for %s`, qualifiedField)
+
+      let didRace = false
+
+      const raceResult: unknown = await Promise.race([
+        new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(() => resolve(NO_RESULT), RACE_MAX_EXECUTION_MS)),
+        Promise.resolve(next(source, args, ctx, info)).then((result) => {
+          if (!didRace) {
+            debug(`Racing %s resolved immediately`, qualifiedField)
+
+            return result
+          }
+
+          debug(`Racing %s eventually resolved with %o`, qualifiedField, result, ctx.graphqlRequestInfo?.operationName)
+
+          // If we raced the query, and this looks like a client request we can re-execute,
+          // we will look to do so.
+          if (ctx.graphqlRequestInfo?.operationName) {
+            // We don't want to notify the client if we see a refetch header, and we want to warn if
+            // we raced twice, as this means we're not caching the data properly
+            if (ctx.graphqlRequestInfo.headers['x-cypress-graphql-refetch']) {
+              // If we've hit this during a refetch, but the refetch was unrelated to the original request,
+              // that's fine, it just means that we might receive a notification to refetch in the future for the other field
+              if (IS_DEVELOPMENT && ctx.graphqlRequestInfo.headers['x-cypress-graphql-refetch'] === `${ctx.graphqlRequestInfo?.operationName}.${qualifiedField}`) {
+                // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+                console.error(new Error(`
+                  It looks like we hit the Promise.race while re-executing the operation ${ctx.graphqlRequestInfo.operationName}
+                  this means that we sent the client a signal to refetch, but the data wasn't stored when it did.
+                  This likely means we're not caching the result of the the data properly.
+                `))
+              }
+            } else {
+              debug(`Notifying app %s, %s of updated field %s`, ctx.graphqlRequestInfo.app, ctx.graphqlRequestInfo.operationName, qualifiedField)
+              ctx.emitter.notifyClientRefetch(ctx.graphqlRequestInfo.app, ctx.graphqlRequestInfo.operationName, qualifiedField, ctx.graphqlRequestInfo.variables)
+            }
+          } else {
+            debug(`No operation to notify of result for %s`, qualifiedField)
+          }
+        }).catch((e) => {
+          debug(`Remote execution error %o`, e)
+
+          return null
+        }),
+      ])
+
+      if (raceResult === NO_RESULT) {
+        debug(`%s did not resolve immediately`, qualifiedField)
+        didRace = true
+
+        return null
+      }
+
+      return raceResult
+    }
+  },
+})
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/plugins/nexusSlowGuardPlugin.ts b/packages/graphql/src/plugins/nexusSlowGuardPlugin.ts
index 34f240cbdf..a4552901e9 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/plugins/nexusSlowGuardPlugin.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/plugins/nexusSlowGuardPlugin.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { plugin } from 'nexus'
 import { isPromiseLike, pathToArray } from 'nexus/dist/utils'
 import chalk from 'chalk'
 
-const HANGING_RESOLVER_THRESHOLD = 2000
+const HANGING_RESOLVER_THRESHOLD = 15
 
 export const nexusSlowGuardPlugin = plugin({
   name: 'NexusSlowGuard',
@@ -12,9 +12,12 @@ export const nexusSlowGuardPlugin = plugin({
   onCreateFieldResolver (field) {
     const threshold = (field.fieldConfig.extensions?.nexus?.config.slowLogThreshold ?? HANGING_RESOLVER_THRESHOLD) as number | false
 
-    // For fields, we only want to log if the field takes longer than SLOW_FIELD_THRESHOLD to execute.
-    // Also log if it's hanging for some reason
     return (root, args, ctx, info, next) => {
+      // Don't worry about slowness in Mutations / Subscriptions, these aren't blocking the execution of initial load
+      if (info.operation.operation === 'mutation' || info.operation.operation === 'subscription') {
+        return next(root, args, ctx, info)
+      }
+
       const result = next(root, args, ctx, info)
 
       if (isPromiseLike(result) && threshold !== false) {
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/schema.ts b/packages/graphql/src/schema.ts
index b98bdad778..5c91b68ed6 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/schema.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/schema.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { makeSchema, connectionPlugin } from 'nexus'
 import * as schemaTypes from './schemaTypes/'
 import { nodePlugin } from './plugins/nexusNodePlugin'
 import { remoteSchemaWrapped } from './stitching/remoteSchemaWrapped'
-import { mutationErrorPlugin, nexusDebugLogPlugin, nexusSlowGuardPlugin } from './plugins'
+import { mutationErrorPlugin, nexusDebugLogPlugin, nexusSlowGuardPlugin, nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin } from './plugins'
 
 const isCodegen = Boolean(process.env.CYPRESS_INTERNAL_NEXUS_CODEGEN)
 
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export const graphqlSchema = makeSchema({
   },
   plugins: [
     nexusSlowGuardPlugin,
+    nexusDeferIfNotLoadedPlugin,
     nexusDebugLogPlugin,
     mutationErrorPlugin,
     connectionPlugin({
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-CachedUser.ts b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-CachedUser.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a0d2aa3b08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-CachedUser.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import dedent from 'dedent'
+import { objectType } from 'nexus'
+
+export const CachedUser = objectType({
+  name: 'CachedUser',
+  description: dedent`
+    When we don't have an immediate response for the cloudViewer request, we'll use this as a fallback to 
+    render the avatar in the header bar / signal authenticated state immediately
+  `,
+  node: 'email',
+  definition (t) {
+    t.string('fullName', {
+      description: 'Name of the cached user',
+      resolve: (source) => source.name ?? null,
+    })
+
+    t.string('email', {
+      description: 'Email address of the cached user',
+    })
+  },
+  sourceType: {
+    export: 'AuthenticatedUserShape',
+    module: '@packages/data-context/src/data/coreDataShape',
+  },
+})
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-ErrorWrapper.ts b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-ErrorWrapper.ts
index 27f2645ee1..24f87cc2ea 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-ErrorWrapper.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-ErrorWrapper.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export const ErrorWrapper = objectType({
     t.nonNull.string('errorMessage', {
       description: 'The markdown formatted content associated with the ErrorTypeEnum',
       resolve (source) {
-        return source.cypressError.messageMarkdown
+        return source.cypressError.messageMarkdown ?? source.cypressError.message
       },
     })
 
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Mutation.ts b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Mutation.ts
index 443ba44e62..214cec3549 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Mutation.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Mutation.ts
@@ -258,7 +258,6 @@ export const mutation = mutationType({
 
     t.field('login', {
       type: Query,
-      slowLogThreshold: false,
       description: 'Auth with Cypress Dashboard',
       resolve: async (_, args, ctx) => {
         await ctx.actions.auth.login()
@@ -279,7 +278,6 @@ export const mutation = mutationType({
 
     t.field('launchOpenProject', {
       type: CurrentProject,
-      slowLogThreshold: false,
       description: 'Launches project from open_project global singleton',
       args: {
         specPath: stringArg(),
@@ -352,7 +350,7 @@ export const mutation = mutationType({
       async resolve (_, args, ctx) {
         await ctx.actions.project.setProjectPreferences(args)
 
-        return ctx.appData
+        return {}
       },
     })
 
@@ -559,7 +557,6 @@ export const mutation = mutationType({
     t.field('migrateConfigFile', {
       description: 'Transforms cypress.json file into cypress.config.js file',
       type: Query,
-      slowLogThreshold: 5000, // This mutation takes a little time
       resolve: async (_, args, ctx) => {
         await ctx.actions.migration.createConfigFile()
         await ctx.actions.migration.nextStep()
@@ -634,7 +631,7 @@ export const mutation = mutationType({
           await ctx.actions.project.reconfigureProject()
         }
 
-        return true
+        return {}
       },
     })
 
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Query.ts b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Query.ts
index 3e47a53d4d..74ee1f752b 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Query.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Query.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { Migration } from './gql-Migration'
 import { VersionData } from './gql-VersionData'
 import { Wizard } from './gql-Wizard'
 import { ErrorWrapper } from './gql-ErrorWrapper'
+import { CachedUser } from './gql-CachedUser'
 
 export const Query = objectType({
   name: 'Query',
@@ -18,6 +19,11 @@ export const Query = objectType({
       resolve: (root, args, ctx) => ctx.baseError,
     })
 
+    t.field('cachedUser', {
+      type: CachedUser,
+      resolve: (root, args, ctx) => ctx.user,
+    })
+
     t.nonNull.list.nonNull.field('warnings', {
       type: ErrorWrapper,
       description: 'A list of warnings',
@@ -45,6 +51,7 @@ export const Query = objectType({
     })
 
     t.field('versions', {
+      deferIfNotLoaded: true,
       type: VersionData,
       description: 'Previous versions of cypress and their release date',
       resolve: (root, args, ctx) => {
@@ -100,4 +107,8 @@ export const Query = objectType({
       resolve: (_, args, ctx) => ctx.coreData.scaffoldedFiles,
     })
   },
+  sourceType: {
+    module: '@packages/graphql',
+    export: 'RemoteExecutionRoot',
+  },
 })
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Subscription.ts b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Subscription.ts
index 2566a8bf70..cb53a3c588 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Subscription.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/gql-Subscription.ts
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ export const Subscription = subscriptionType({
 
     t.field('cloudViewerChange', {
       type: Query,
-      description: '',
+      description: 'Triggered when there is a change to the info associated with the cloud project (org added, project added)',
       subscribe: (source, args, ctx) => ctx.emitter.subscribeTo('cloudViewerChange'),
       resolve: (source, args, ctx) => {
         return {
           requestPolicy: 'network-only',
-        }
+        } as const
       },
     })
 
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/index.ts b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/index.ts
index 76f8607790..d26046c185 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/index.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/schemaTypes/objectTypes/index.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 export * from './gql-AuthState'
 export * from './gql-Browser'
+export * from './gql-CachedUser'
 export * from './gql-CodeFrame'
 export * from './gql-CodeGenGlobs'
 export * from './gql-CurrentProject'
diff --git a/packages/graphql/src/stitching/remoteSchemaExecutor.ts b/packages/graphql/src/stitching/remoteSchemaExecutor.ts
index ae0d3a506b..6a2ad3c405 100644
--- a/packages/graphql/src/stitching/remoteSchemaExecutor.ts
+++ b/packages/graphql/src/stitching/remoteSchemaExecutor.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import { DocumentNode, print } from 'graphql'
 
 import type { DataContext } from '@packages/data-context'
+import type { RequestPolicy } from '@urql/core'
+
+export interface RemoteExecutionRoot {
+  requestPolicy?: RequestPolicy
+}
 
 /**
  * Takes a "document" and executes it against the GraphQL schema
@@ -16,12 +21,14 @@ export const remoteSchemaExecutor = async (obj: Record<string, any>) => {
     return { data: null }
   }
 
+  const requestPolicy: RequestPolicy | undefined = rootValue?.requestPolicy ?? null
+
   const executorResult = await context.cloud.executeRemoteGraphQL({
     operationType,
     document,
     variables,
     query: print(document),
-    requestPolicy: rootValue?.requestPolicy,
+    requestPolicy,
   })
 
   context.debug('executorResult %o', executorResult)
diff --git a/packages/launchpad/cypress/e2e/slow-network.cy.ts b/packages/launchpad/cypress/e2e/slow-network.cy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..00fc56dad9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/launchpad/cypress/e2e/slow-network.cy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+import type Sinon from 'sinon'
+
+describe('slow network: launchpad', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    cy.scaffoldProject('todos')
+    cy.withCtx((ctx, o) => {
+      const currentStubbbedFetch = ctx.util.fetch;
+
+      (ctx.util.fetch as Sinon.SinonStub).restore()
+      o.testState.pendingFetches = []
+      o.sinon.stub(ctx.util, 'fetch').callsFake(async (input, init) => {
+        const dfd = o.pDefer()
+
+        o.testState.pendingFetches.push(dfd)
+        const result = await currentStubbbedFetch(input, init)
+
+        setTimeout(dfd.resolve, 60000)
+        await dfd.promise
+
+        return result
+      })
+    })
+
+    cy.openProject('todos')
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    cy.withCtx(async (ctx, o) => {
+      o.testState.pendingFetches.map((f) => f.resolve())
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('loads through to the browser screen when the network is slow', () => {
+    cy.loginUser()
+    cy.visitLaunchpad()
+    cy.get('[data-cy=top-nav-cypress-version-current-link]').should('not.exist')
+    cy.contains('E2E Testing').click()
+    cy.get('h1').should('contain', 'Choose a Browser')
+  })
+
+  it('shows the versions after they resolve', () => {
+    cy.visitLaunchpad()
+    cy.get('[data-cy=top-nav-cypress-version-current-link]').should('not.exist')
+    cy.contains('Log In')
+    cy.withCtx(async (ctx, o) => {
+      o.testState.pendingFetches.map((f) => f.resolve())
+    })
+
+    // This will show up after it resolves
+    cy.get('[data-cy=top-nav-cypress-version-current-link]')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/launchpad/src/main.ts b/packages/launchpad/src/main.ts
index 7c2f8b5b42..d177b57629 100644
--- a/packages/launchpad/src/main.ts
+++ b/packages/launchpad/src/main.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import { createApp } from 'vue'
+import { HeaderBar_HeaderBarQueryDocument } from './generated/graphql'
 import './main.scss'
 import 'virtual:windi.css'
-import type { Client } from '@urql/vue'
 import urql from '@urql/vue'
 import App from './App.vue'
 import Toast, { POSITION } from 'vue-toastification'
 import 'vue-toastification/dist/index.css'
-import { makeUrqlClient, preloadLaunchpadData } from '@packages/frontend-shared/src/graphql/urqlClient'
+import { makeUrqlClient } from '@packages/frontend-shared/src/graphql/urqlClient'
 import { createI18n } from '@cy/i18n'
 import { initHighlighter } from '@cy/components/ShikiHighlight.vue'
 
@@ -20,17 +20,20 @@ app.use(Toast, {
 
 app.use(createI18n())
 
-let launchpadClient: Client
-
-// Make sure highlighter is initialized before
-// we show any code to avoid jank at rendering
 Promise.all([
-  // @ts-ignore
-  initHighlighter(),
-  preloadLaunchpadData(),
-]).then(() => {
-  launchpadClient = makeUrqlClient({ target: 'launchpad' })
-  app.use(urql, launchpadClient)
+  makeUrqlClient({ target: 'launchpad' }).then((launchpadClient) => {
+    app.use(urql, launchpadClient)
 
+    // Loading the Header Bar Query document prior to mounting leads to a better experience
+    // when doing things like taking snapshots of the DOM during testing, and it
+    // shouldn't be any different to the user
+    launchpadClient
+    .query(HeaderBar_HeaderBarQueryDocument)
+    .toPromise()
+  }),
+  // Make sure highlighter is initialized immediately at app
+  // start, so it's available when we render code blocks
+  initHighlighter(),
+]).then(() => {
   app.mount('#app')
 })
diff --git a/scripts/gulp/gulpfile.ts b/scripts/gulp/gulpfile.ts
index a87a2db255..343a4fd1b6 100644
--- a/scripts/gulp/gulpfile.ts
+++ b/scripts/gulp/gulpfile.ts
@@ -69,8 +69,6 @@ gulp.task(
         'codegen',
       ),
 
-      killExistingCypress,
-
       // Now that we have the codegen, we can start the frontend(s)
       gulp.parallel(
         viteApp,
@@ -101,6 +99,8 @@ gulp.task(
   gulp.series(
     'dev:watch',
 
+    killExistingCypress,
+
     // And we're finally ready for electron, watching for changes in
     // /graphql to auto-restart the server
     startCypressWatch,