diff --git a/static/js/sw.js b/static/js/sw.js
index d52308e..bb6afc0 100644
--- a/static/js/sw.js
+++ b/static/js/sw.js
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@
  * diora service worker — caches the app shell for offline use.
  */
 
-const CACHE = 'diora-v3';
+const CACHE = 'diora-v4';
 const PODCAST_CACHE = 'diora-podcast-v1';
 const SHELL = [
-  '/',
   '/static/css/app.css',
   '/static/js/app.js',
   '/static/manifest.json',
@@ -72,19 +71,13 @@ self.addEventListener('fetch', function (event) {
     return;
   }
 
-  event.respondWith(
-    caches.match(event.request).then(function (cached) {
-      if (cached) return cached;
-      return fetch(event.request).then(function (response) {
-        // Cache successful GET responses for shell assets
-        if (response && response.status === 200 && response.type === 'basic') {
-          const clone = response.clone();
-          caches.open(CACHE).then(function (cache) {
-            cache.put(event.request, clone);
-          });
-        }
-        return response;
-      });
-    })
-  );
+  // Cache-first only for pre-defined shell assets; everything else hits the network
+  const isShell = SHELL.some(function (s) { return url.pathname === s; });
+  if (isShell) {
+    event.respondWith(
+      caches.match(event.request).then(function (cached) {
+        return cached || fetch(event.request);
+      })
+    );
+  }
 });