diff --git a/apps/web/src/routes/-routes.test.tsx b/apps/web/src/routes/-routes.test.tsx
index 8d4a7911..4035919a 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/routes/-routes.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/routes/-routes.test.tsx
@@ -298,30 +298,6 @@ describe("route smoke tests", () => {
     })
   })
 
-  describe("/design-system", () => {
-    it("throws notFound in production", async () => {
-      const origDev = import.meta.env.DEV
-      try {
-        import.meta.env.DEV = false
-        const { Route } = await import("./design-system")
-        expect(() => Reflect.apply(Route.options.beforeLoad!, undefined, [])).toThrow()
-      } finally {
-        import.meta.env.DEV = origDev
-      }
-    })
-
-    it("allows loading in dev mode", async () => {
-      const origDev = import.meta.env.DEV
-      try {
-        import.meta.env.DEV = true
-        const { Route } = await import("./design-system")
-        expect(() => Reflect.apply(Route.options.beforeLoad!, undefined, [])).not.toThrow()
-      } finally {
-        import.meta.env.DEV = origDev
-      }
-    })
-  })
-
   describe("404 Not Found", () => {
     it("renders the not-found view", async () => {
       const { Route } = await import("./__root")
diff --git a/apps/web/src/routes/design-system.tsx b/apps/web/src/routes/design-system.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 0a6d81fa..00000000
--- a/apps/web/src/routes/design-system.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-import { createFileRoute, notFound } from "@tanstack/react-router"
-import { DesignSystemPage } from "@/features/design-system/design-system-page"
-
-export const Route = createFileRoute("/design-system")({
-  beforeLoad: () => {
-    if (!import.meta.env.DEV) {
-      throw notFound()
-    }
-  },
-  component: DesignSystemPage,
-})
diff --git a/apps/web/vite.config.ts b/apps/web/vite.config.ts
index 871a7750..d685a579 100644
--- a/apps/web/vite.config.ts
+++ b/apps/web/vite.config.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export default defineConfig(({ mode }) => {
       tailwindcss(),
       tanstackStart(),
       viteReact(),
-      bundleSizeGuard(2000), // Budget: 2000 KB per chunk max
+      bundleSizeGuard(1500), // Budget: 1500 KB per chunk max
     ],
     // stellar-wallets-kit is ESM but its Freighter module imports named exports
     // from @stellar/freighter-api which ships as CJS. Node's native ESM loader
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/empty-state.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/empty-state.tsx
index a9f6e062..88c46c23 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/empty-state.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/empty-state.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import type { VariantProps } from "class-variance-authority"
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 const emptyStateVariants = cva(
-  "flex flex-col items-center justify-center text-center",
+  "flex flex-col items-center justify-center text-center animate-in fade-in duration-500",
   {
     variants: {
       variant: {
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ const emptyStateVariants = cva(
 )
 
 const iconWrapperVariants = cva(
-  "flex items-center justify-center rounded-full text-muted-foreground",
+  "flex items-center justify-center rounded-full text-muted-foreground animate-in fade-in zoom-in-75 duration-300",
   {
     variants: {
       variant: {