diff --git a/backend/src/api/admin.ts b/backend/src/api/admin.ts
index 8792ef5..cf2b1f3 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/admin.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/admin.ts
@@ -38,12 +38,28 @@ export async function registerAdminRoutes(app: FastifyInstance) {
 			categoriesDb.setCategoryOrder(body.categoryPriority);
 			delete body.categoryPriority;
 		}
+		const before = settingsDb.getSettings();
 		const settings = withStorageUsed(settingsDb.updateSettings(body));
 		if (body.weather) {
 			// Poll immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduler tick (up to 45
 			// minutes) — the admin just changed the location/unit and expects to see it reflected.
 			pollWeatherNow().catch((err) => logger.error('weather', `Immediate poll failed: ${err.message}`));
 		}
+		if (body.widgets) {
+			// Re-enabling a widget (see the Widgets tab) should show fresh data right away
+			// instead of waiting out its normal cadence (up to 45m/15m/1h) — scheduler.ts
+			// skips polling entirely while a widget is disabled, so there's nothing recent
+			// to fall back on otherwise.
+			if (body.widgets.weather && !before.widgets.weather) {
+				pollWeatherNow().catch((err) => logger.error('weather', `Immediate poll failed: ${err.message}`));
+			}
+			if (body.widgets.stocks && !before.widgets.stocks) {
+				pollStocksNow().catch((err) => logger.error('stocks', `Immediate poll failed: ${err.message}`));
+			}
+			if (body.widgets.poe2 && !before.widgets.poe2) {
+				pollPoe2Now().catch((err) => logger.error('poe2', `Immediate poll failed: ${err.message}`));
+			}
+		}
 		return { ...settings, categoryPriority: categoriesDb.listCategories() };
 	});
 
diff --git a/backend/src/queue/scheduler.ts b/backend/src/queue/scheduler.ts
index 39d9f56..76dd754 100644
--- a/backend/src/queue/scheduler.ts
+++ b/backend/src/queue/scheduler.ts
@@ -69,19 +69,32 @@ export function startScheduler() {
 	// Immediate first call for all three — unlike RSS sources (whose "due" check makes a
 	// brand-new source eligible on the very next 1-minute tick), weather/stocks/poe2 have
 	// no such shortcut; without this the sidebar is empty for up to 45/15/60 minutes after
-	// every restart.
-	pollWeatherNow().catch((err) => logger.error('weather', `Initial poll failed: ${err.message}`));
+	// every restart. Each is also gated on its Widgets-tab enabled flag (see
+	// admin/settings' consolidated Widgets tab) — disabling a widget stops these external
+	// calls entirely rather than just hiding the sidebar box, so there's no pointless
+	// polling for something nobody's looking at. Re-enabling it triggers an immediate
+	// poll instead (see admin.ts's PATCH /api/admin/settings), same as this initial call.
+	if (settingsDb.getSettings().widgets.weather) {
+		pollWeatherNow().catch((err) => logger.error('weather', `Initial poll failed: ${err.message}`));
+	}
 	setInterval(() => {
+		if (!settingsDb.getSettings().widgets.weather) return;
 		pollWeatherNow().catch((err) => logger.error('weather', `Poll tick failed: ${err.message}`));
 	}, WEATHER_TICK_MS);
 
-	pollStocksNow().catch((err) => logger.error('stocks', `Initial poll failed: ${err.message}`));
+	if (settingsDb.getSettings().widgets.stocks) {
+		pollStocksNow().catch((err) => logger.error('stocks', `Initial poll failed: ${err.message}`));
+	}
 	setInterval(() => {
+		if (!settingsDb.getSettings().widgets.stocks) return;
 		pollStocksNow().catch((err) => logger.error('stocks', `Poll tick failed: ${err.message}`));
 	}, STOCKS_TICK_MS);
 
-	pollPoe2Now().catch((err) => logger.error('poe2', `Initial poll failed: ${err.message}`));
+	if (settingsDb.getSettings().widgets.poe2) {
+		pollPoe2Now().catch((err) => logger.error('poe2', `Initial poll failed: ${err.message}`));
+	}
 	setInterval(() => {
+		if (!settingsDb.getSettings().widgets.poe2) return;
 		pollPoe2Now().catch((err) => logger.error('poe2', `Poll tick failed: ${err.message}`));
 	}, POE2_TICK_MS);