diff --git a/__init__.py b/__init__.py
index 468b2b5..d6311e1 100644
--- a/__init__.py
+++ b/__init__.py
@@ -1,8 +1,26 @@
+import os
+import asyncio
 from comfy_api.latest import ComfyExtension, io
 from .gemini_nodes import GetKeyAPI, SSL_GeminiAPIKeyConfig, SSL_GeminiTextPrompt
 
 
 class GeminiExtension(ComfyExtension):
+	async def on_load(self) -> None:
+		# Check if environment variables indicate Vertex AI usage
+		if os.environ.get("GOOGLE_GENAI_USE_VERTEXAI") == "True" or os.environ.get("GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT"):
+			asyncio.create_task(self._background_auth())
+
+	async def _background_auth(self) -> None:
+		try:
+			print("[INFO] Attempting background Vertex AI authentication...")
+			from google import genai
+			# This will absorb the potential 60s metadata server timeout
+			client = genai.Client(vertexai=True)
+			await asyncio.to_thread(client._api_client._access_token)
+			print("[INFO] Background Vertex AI authentication successful.")
+		except Exception as e:
+			print(f"[WARNING] Background Vertex AI auth failed (will retry at inference): {e}")
+
 	async def get_node_list(self) -> list[type[io.ComfyNode]]:
 		return [
 			GetKeyAPI,
diff --git a/gemini_nodes.py b/gemini_nodes.py
index d715b07..330d9a3 100644
--- a/gemini_nodes.py
+++ b/gemini_nodes.py
@@ -581,8 +581,10 @@ class SSL_GeminiTextPrompt(IO.ComfyNode):
                                 **client_options
                             )
                             print(f"[INFO] Created new genai.Client (vertexai_env)")
+                            is_new_client = True
                         else:
                             print(f"[INFO] Reusing cached genai.Client (vertexai_env)")
+                            is_new_client = False
                         client = cls._client_cache[client_key]
 
                     except KeyError as e:
@@ -624,8 +626,10 @@ class SSL_GeminiTextPrompt(IO.ComfyNode):
                             **client_options
                         )
                         print(f"[INFO] Created new genai.Client (vertexai_express)")
+                        is_new_client = True
                     else:
                         print(f"[INFO] Reusing cached genai.Client (vertexai_express)")
+                        is_new_client = False
                     client = cls._client_cache[client_key]
 
                 else:
@@ -637,10 +641,20 @@ class SSL_GeminiTextPrompt(IO.ComfyNode):
                             **client_options
                         )
                         print(f"[INFO] Created new genai.Client (standard)")
+                        is_new_client = True
                     else:
                         print(f"[INFO] Reusing cached genai.Client (standard)")
+                        is_new_client = False
                     client = cls._client_cache[client_key]
 
+                if is_new_client:
+                    try:
+                        if hasattr(client, '_api_client') and hasattr(client._api_client, '_access_token'):
+                            print("[INFO] Pre-fetching auth token to avoid timeout interference...")
+                            client._api_client._access_token()
+                    except Exception as auth_e:
+                        print(f"[WARNING] Pre-auth check failed (will attempt during generation): {auth_e}")
+
             except Exception as e:
                 print(f"[ERROR] Gemini client initialization failed: {str(e)}")
                 return IO.NodeOutput(f"Gemini client initialization failed: {str(e)}", cls.generate_empty_image(), actual_seed if actual_seed is not None else 0)
@@ -858,8 +872,10 @@ class SSL_GeminiTextPrompt(IO.ComfyNode):
 
         final_actual_seed = actual_seed if actual_seed is not None else 0
 
+        is_success = not text_output.startswith("API call/processing error:") and not text_output.startswith("Gemini API request/processing timed out")
+
         # Cache the result
-        if use_seed:
+        if use_seed and is_success:
             try:
                 cls._cache[fingerprint] = (text_output, image_tensor, final_actual_seed)
             except Exception: