diff --git a/web/packages/gallery/components/viewer/data-source.ts b/web/packages/gallery/components/viewer/data-source.ts
index 5b388e98f2..6c5d4a3727 100644
--- a/web/packages/gallery/components/viewer/data-source.ts
+++ b/web/packages/gallery/components/viewer/data-source.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
     type HLSPlaylistData,
 } from "ente-gallery/services/video";
 import type { EnteFile } from "ente-media/file";
-import { fileCaption } from "ente-media/file-metadata";
+import { fileCaption, filePublicMagicMetadata } from "ente-media/file-metadata";
 import { FileType } from "ente-media/file-type";
 import { ensureString } from "ente-utils/ensure";
 
@@ -498,8 +498,16 @@ const enqueueUpdates = async (
         const thumbnailData = await withDimensionsIfPossible(
             ensureString(thumbnailURL),
         );
+
+        // If the aspect ratio of the original file matches the aspect ratio of
+        // the thumbnail, then render the thumbnail using the original's
+        // dimensions for a better visual experience.
+        const { width, height } = thumbnailDimensions(thumbnailData, file);
+
         update({
             ...thumbnailData,
+            width,
+            height,
             isContentLoading: true,
             isContentZoomable: false,
         });
@@ -624,6 +632,29 @@ const withDimensionsIfPossible = (
         image.src = imageURL;
     });
 
+/**
+ * Return the dimensions to use for the thumbnail associated with {@link file}.
+ *
+ * If the aspect ratio of the thumbnail is (approximately) equal to that of the
+ * dimensions we have on record for the original image (obtained from the file
+ * metadata), then use the dimensions of the original image in lieu of the
+ * thumbnail dimensions for a more graceful transition during image loads.
+ */
+const thumbnailDimensions = (
+    { width: thumbnailWidth, height: thumbnailHeight }: Partial<ItemData>,
+    file: EnteFile,
+) => {
+    const { w: imageWidth, h: imageHeight } =
+        filePublicMagicMetadata(file) ?? {};
+    if (thumbnailWidth && thumbnailHeight && imageWidth && imageHeight) {
+        const arThumb = thumbnailWidth / thumbnailHeight;
+        const arImage = imageWidth / imageHeight;
+        if (Math.abs(arThumb - arImage) < 0.1) {
+            return { width: imageWidth, height: imageHeight };
+        }
+    }
+    return { width: thumbnailWidth, height: thumbnailHeight };
+};
 /**
  * Return a new validity for a HLS playlist containing presigned URLs.
  *