diff --git a/e2e/tests/scope.spec.ts b/e2e/tests/scope.spec.ts
index 6902e386..a2fda001 100644
--- a/e2e/tests/scope.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/tests/scope.spec.ts
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ test.describe('Scope: on some featured visualization', () => {
     })
 
     test('minimizing a tab', async ({page}) => {
+        await expect(page.locator('#visualiserTab')).not.toHaveClass(
+            /minimized/
+        )
         await page.locator('#visualiserTab .minimize').click()
         await expect(page.locator('#visualiserTab')).toHaveClass(/minimized/)
         await expect(
diff --git a/src/components/Thumbnail.vue b/src/components/Thumbnail.vue
index 337ded64..b35ad2d5 100644
--- a/src/components/Thumbnail.vue
+++ b/src/components/Thumbnail.vue
@@ -3,24 +3,80 @@
 </template>
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
-    import {onMounted, onUnmounted, ref} from 'vue'
+    import {onMounted, onUnmounted, ref, watch} from 'vue'
+
+    import {thumbnailGCcount} from './thumbnails'
+
     import {Specimen} from '@/shared/Specimen'
     import {DrawingUnmounted} from '@/visualizers/VisualizerInterface'
 
     const canvasContainer = ref<HTMLDivElement | null>(null)
     let savedContainer: HTMLDivElement | null = null
     let specimen: Specimen | undefined = undefined
+    let usingGC = false
+    let needsSetup = true
+    const TGClim = 7
     const props = defineProps<{query: string}>()
 
+    function setupSpecimen() {
+        needsSetup = false
+        if (!specimen || !savedContainer) return
+        specimen.setup(savedContainer)
+        setTimeout(() => {
+            if (usingGC) {
+                thumbnailGCcount.value -= 1
+                usingGC = false
+            }
+            if (!specimen || !savedContainer) return
+            const canvas = savedContainer.querySelector('canvas')
+            if (canvas instanceof HTMLCanvasElement) {
+                const {width, height} = canvas.getBoundingClientRect()
+                const vizShot = new Image(width, height)
+                vizShot.src = canvas.toDataURL()
+                specimen.visualizer.depart(savedContainer)
+                savedContainer.appendChild(vizShot)
+            } else {
+                specimen.visualizer.stop()
+            }
+        }, 4000)
+    }
+
     onMounted(async () => {
         specimen = await Specimen.fromQuery(props.query)
         if (!(canvasContainer.value instanceof HTMLElement)) return
         savedContainer = canvasContainer.value
-        specimen.setup(savedContainer)
-        setTimeout(() => specimen?.visualizer.stop(), 4000)
+        if (specimen.visualizer.usesGL()) {
+            usingGC = true
+            if (thumbnailGCcount.value > TGClim) {
+                // defer setup
+                const limitMsg = document.createTextNode(
+                    '[... waiting for WebGL graphics context]'
+                )
+                savedContainer.appendChild(limitMsg)
+                watch(thumbnailGCcount, newCount => {
+                    if (!savedContainer) return
+                    if (newCount <= TGClim && needsSetup) {
+                        if (savedContainer.lastChild) {
+                            savedContainer.removeChild(
+                                savedContainer.lastChild
+                            )
+                        }
+                        setupSpecimen()
+                        thumbnailGCcount.value += 1
+                    }
+                })
+            } else {
+                setupSpecimen()
+                thumbnailGCcount.value += 1
+            }
+        } else setupSpecimen()
     })
 
     onUnmounted(() => {
+        if (usingGC) {
+            thumbnailGCcount.value -= 1
+            usingGC = false
+        }
         // Turns out canvasContainer has already been de-refed
         // by the time we get here, so we can't depart using that.
         // Hence the need for savedContainer, unfortunately.
diff --git a/src/components/thumbnails.ts b/src/components/thumbnails.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f4198402
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/thumbnails.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import {ref} from 'vue'
+
+export const thumbnailGCcount = ref(0)
diff --git a/src/visualizers/P5GLVisualizer.ts b/src/visualizers/P5GLVisualizer.ts
index deebce7c..09f3a189 100644
--- a/src/visualizers/P5GLVisualizer.ts
+++ b/src/visualizers/P5GLVisualizer.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ export function P5GLVisualizer<PD extends GenericParamDescription>(desc: PD) {
             this.name = this.category
         }
 
+        usesGL() {
+            return true
+        }
+
         // Just like P5Visualizer, but use WebGL renderer, load the brush,
         // and create a camera.
         // However we override rather than extend so there is only one call
diff --git a/src/visualizers/P5Visualizer.ts b/src/visualizers/P5Visualizer.ts
index 2285a999..5759e271 100644
--- a/src/visualizers/P5Visualizer.ts
+++ b/src/visualizers/P5Visualizer.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ export function P5Visualizer<PD extends GenericParamDescription>(desc: PD) {
         drawingState: DrawingState = DrawingUnmounted
 
         within?: HTMLElement
+        usesGL() {
+            return false
+        }
         get sketch(): p5 {
             if (this._sketch === undefined) {
                 throw (
diff --git a/src/visualizers/VisualizerInterface.ts b/src/visualizers/VisualizerInterface.ts
index 609051fc..4d98f126 100644
--- a/src/visualizers/VisualizerInterface.ts
+++ b/src/visualizers/VisualizerInterface.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,15 @@ implementations for all or almost all of them.
 **/
 
 export interface VisualizerInterface extends ParamableInterface {
+    /** md */
+    usesGL(): boolean
+    /* **/
+    /** md
+:   Should return true if this visualizer requires a WebGL graphics context
+    (of which a limited number are available concurrently in a browser),
+    false otherwise.
+<!-- -->
+    **/
     /** md */
     view(sequence: SequenceInterface): Promise<void>
     /* **/