diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp b/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp
index 865f7d96..c6c5723a 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp
@@ -537,14 +537,22 @@ void XMLCALL ChapterHtmlSlimParser::startElement(void* userData, const XML_Char*
               extractSuccess = self->epub->readItemContentsToStream(resolvedPath, cachedImageFile, 4096);
               cachedImageFile.flush();
               cachedImageFile.close();
-              delay(50);  // Give SD card time to sync
             }
 
             if (extractSuccess) {
-              // Get image dimensions
+              // Get image dimensions, retrying to absorb SD-card sync latency on slow
+              // cards. Replaces a blanket delay(50) that cost ~50ms on every image, and
+              // closes the silent-drop bug where a single getDimensions failure was fatal.
               ImageDimensions dims = {0, 0};
               ImageToFramebufferDecoder* decoder = ImageDecoderFactory::getDecoder(cachedImagePath);
-              if (decoder && decoder->getDimensions(cachedImagePath, dims)) {
+              bool gotDimensions = false;
+              for (int attempt = 0; attempt < 3 && !gotDimensions; attempt++) {
+                if (attempt > 0) {
+                  delay(50);  // Give a slow SD card time to finish syncing before retrying
+                }
+                gotDimensions = decoder && decoder->getDimensions(cachedImagePath, dims);
+              }
+              if (gotDimensions) {
                 LOG_DBG("EHP", "Image dimensions: %dx%d", dims.width, dims.height);
 
                 int displayWidth = 0;