diff --git a/doc/changelog.d/202.added.md b/doc/changelog.d/202.added.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a0550567
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/changelog.d/202.added.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Queue client-mode scene updates and skip the rebuild for data-only updates
diff --git a/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/jest-tests/SerialUpdateQueue.test.ts b/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/jest-tests/SerialUpdateQueue.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..37c7029d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/jest-tests/SerialUpdateQueue.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+import { SerialUpdateQueue } from '../wasm/SerialUpdateQueue';
+
+/**
+ * Server updates run one at a time.  Updates arriving while one runs merge
+ * into one pending update, which keeps the latest options and rebuilds if any
+ * arrival was structural.  A failed update never rebuilds and never blocks
+ * the next one.
+ *
+ * The fake apply records `start:<tag>` and is held on a promise the test
+ * settles; the fake rebuild records `rebuild`.  Expected records are literals.
+ */
+
+type Update = Readonly<{ tag: string; dataOnly?: boolean }>;
+type Held = { resolve: () => void; reject: (reason: unknown) => void };
+
+function makeQueue() {
+    const record: string[] = [];
+    const held: Held[] = [];
+    const queue = new SerialUpdateQueue(
+        (bindCanvas: unknown) => {
+            record.push(`start:${(bindCanvas as Update).tag}`);
+            return new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => held.push({ resolve, reject }));
+        },
+        () => {
+            record.push('rebuild');
+        }
+    );
+    return { record, held, queue };
+}
+
+const flushAsync = () => new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 0));
+
+describe('SerialUpdateQueue', () => {
+    test('second update starts only after the first fulfils', async () => {
+        const { record, held, queue } = makeQueue();
+
+        queue.run({ tag: 'A' });
+        queue.run({ tag: 'B' });
+        await flushAsync();
+        expect(record).toEqual(['start:A']);
+
+        held[0].resolve();
+        await flushAsync();
+        expect(record).toEqual(['start:A', 'rebuild', 'start:B']);
+    });
+
+    test('second update starts only after the first rejects', async () => {
+        const { record, held, queue } = makeQueue();
+
+        const first = queue.run({ tag: 'A' });
+        const firstRejects = expect(first).rejects.toThrow('A failed');
+        queue.run({ tag: 'B' });
+        await flushAsync();
+        expect(record).toEqual(['start:A']);
+
+        held[0].reject(new Error('A failed'));
+        await flushAsync();
+        expect(record).toEqual(['start:A', 'start:B']);
+        await firstRejects;
+    });
+
+    test('updates arriving during a held update merge into one', async () => {
+        const { record, held, queue } = makeQueue();
+
+        queue.run({ tag: 'A' });
+        const b = queue.run({ tag: 'B' });
+        const c = queue.run({ tag: 'C' });
+        const d = queue.run({ tag: 'D' });
+        expect(c).toBe(b);
+        expect(d).toBe(b);
+
+        held[0].resolve();
+        await flushAsync();
+        expect(record).toEqual(['start:A', 'rebuild', 'start:D']);
+    });
+
+    test('merged update does not rebuild when every arrival was data-only', async () => {
+        const { record, held, queue } = makeQueue();
+
+        queue.run({ tag: 'A', dataOnly: true });
+        queue.run({ tag: 'B', dataOnly: true });
+        queue.run({ tag: 'C', dataOnly: true });
+        queue.run({ tag: 'D', dataOnly: true });
+        held[0].resolve();
+        await flushAsync();
+        held[1].resolve();
+        await flushAsync();
+
+        expect(record).toEqual(['start:A', 'start:D']);
+    });
+
+    test('merged update rebuilds once when any arrival was structural', async () => {
+        const { record, held, queue } = makeQueue();
+
+        queue.run({ tag: 'A', dataOnly: true });
+        queue.run({ tag: 'B', dataOnly: true });
+        queue.run({ tag: 'C' });
+        queue.run({ tag: 'D', dataOnly: true });
+        held[0].resolve();
+        await flushAsync();
+        expect(record).toEqual(['start:A', 'start:D']);
+
+        held[1].resolve();
+        await flushAsync();
+        expect(record).toEqual(['start:A', 'start:D', 'rebuild']);
+    });
+
+    test('an arrival after the pending update started waits for it', async () => {
+        const { record, held, queue } = makeQueue();
+
+        queue.run({ tag: 'A', dataOnly: true });
+        queue.run({ tag: 'B', dataOnly: true });
+        held[0].resolve();
+        await flushAsync();
+        queue.run({ tag: 'E', dataOnly: true });
+        await flushAsync();
+        expect(record).toEqual(['start:A', 'start:B']);
+
+        held[1].resolve();
+        await flushAsync();
+        expect(record).toEqual(['start:A', 'start:B', 'start:E']);
+    });
+});
diff --git a/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/jest-tests/WasmUpdateOptions.test.ts b/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/jest-tests/WasmUpdateOptions.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..afe99fae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/jest-tests/WasmUpdateOptions.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { WasmUpdateOptions } from '../wasm/WasmUpdateOptions';
+
+/**
+ * The server's update options decide whether an update rebuilds the frontend.
+ *
+ * The key is written here as a literal, never read from the class under test.
+ */
+
+describe('WasmUpdateOptions', () => {
+    test('an object whose dataOnly is true does not rebuild', () => {
+        expect(WasmUpdateOptions.parse({ dataOnly: true }).rebuildsFrontend).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    test('an empty object rebuilds', () => {
+        expect(WasmUpdateOptions.parse({}).rebuildsFrontend).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    test('the load-time true rebuilds', () => {
+        expect(WasmUpdateOptions.parse(true).rebuildsFrontend).toBe(true);
+    });
+});
diff --git a/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/wasm/RemoteVtkScene.js b/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/wasm/RemoteVtkScene.js
index 6d548b6b..5b1048ca 100644
--- a/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/wasm/RemoteVtkScene.js
+++ b/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/wasm/RemoteVtkScene.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { VtkWASMHandler } from '@kitware/vtk-wasm/remote';
+import { SerialUpdateQueue } from './SerialUpdateQueue';
 import TrameInterface from './TrameInterface.js';
 import VtkScene from './VtkScene.js';
 import { VtkWasmPerfCounter } from './VtkWasmPerfCounters.js';
@@ -334,14 +335,23 @@ export default class RemoteVtkScene {
         return object;
     };
     /**
-     * @param {boolean} [bindCanvas=false]
+     * Apply a server update through the serial queue; does nothing until the wasm module is loaded.
+     * @param {unknown} bindCanvas - the server's update options, or `true` at load; passed to
+     * `VtkWASMHandler.update` unchanged
      * @return {Promise<void>}
      */
     updateAsync = async (bindCanvas) => {
         if (!this.#wasmHandler.loaded) {
             return;
         }
-
+        await this.#updates.run(bindCanvas);
+    };
+    /**
+     * Pull and apply one server update, free cached memory, resize, and report perf.
+     * @param {unknown} bindCanvas
+     * @return {Promise<void>}
+     */
+    #applyUpdateAsync = async (bindCanvas) => {
         let t0 = 0;
         let t1 = 0;
 
@@ -370,11 +380,24 @@ export default class RemoteVtkScene {
             );
             this.trameTriggerAsync('perf_report_wasm', report).catch(() => {});
         }
-
+    };
+    /**
+     * Call every server-updated listener once.
+     * @return {void}
+     */
+    #fireServerUpdated = () => {
         for (const callback of this.#serverUpdatedListeners.values()) {
             callback();
         }
     };
+    /**
+     * Serial queue every server update runs through.
+     * @type{SerialUpdateQueue}
+     */
+    #updates = new SerialUpdateQueue(
+        (bindCanvas) => this.#applyUpdateAsync(bindCanvas),
+        () => this.#fireServerUpdated()
+    );
     /**
      * @param {string} name
      * @param {function(...any):any} f
diff --git a/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/wasm/SerialUpdateQueue.ts b/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/wasm/SerialUpdateQueue.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f74c875f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/wasm/SerialUpdateQueue.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+import { WasmUpdateOptions } from './WasmUpdateOptions';
+
+/** One update to apply: the latest arrival's options, the OR of every arrival's rebuild flag, one promise for all callers. */
+class PendingUpdate {
+    #bindCanvas: unknown;
+    #rebuildsFrontend: boolean;
+    readonly #resolve: () => void;
+    readonly #reject: (reason: unknown) => void;
+
+    /** The promise every caller merged into this update receives. */
+    readonly promise: Promise<void>;
+
+    /** A pending update holding its first arrival. */
+    constructor(bindCanvas: unknown) {
+        this.#bindCanvas = bindCanvas;
+        this.#rebuildsFrontend = WasmUpdateOptions.parse(bindCanvas).rebuildsFrontend;
+        let resolve!: () => void;
+        let reject!: (reason: unknown) => void;
+        this.promise = new Promise<void>((res, rej) => {
+            resolve = res;
+            reject = rej;
+        });
+        this.#resolve = resolve;
+        this.#reject = reject;
+    }
+
+    /** The latest arrival's options. */
+    get bindCanvas(): unknown {
+        return this.#bindCanvas;
+    }
+
+    /** True when any merged arrival was structural. */
+    get rebuildsFrontend(): boolean {
+        return this.#rebuildsFrontend;
+    }
+
+    /** Keep this arrival's options and OR in its rebuild flag. */
+    merge(bindCanvas: unknown): void {
+        this.#bindCanvas = bindCanvas;
+        this.#rebuildsFrontend ||= WasmUpdateOptions.parse(bindCanvas).rebuildsFrontend;
+    }
+
+    /** Settle every merged caller's promise as applied settles. */
+    settleWith(applied: Promise<void>): void {
+        applied.then(this.#resolve, this.#reject);
+    }
+}
+
+/** Applies server updates one at a time; updates arriving while one runs merge into a single pending update. */
+export class SerialUpdateQueue {
+    readonly #applyWasmAsync: (bindCanvas: unknown) => Promise<void>;
+    readonly #rebuild: () => void;
+    #running: Promise<void> | null = null;
+    #pending: PendingUpdate | null = null;
+
+    /** applyAsync applies one wasm update; rebuild fires the server-updated listeners once. */
+    constructor(applyAsync: (bindCanvas: unknown) => Promise<void>, rebuild: () => void) {
+        this.#applyWasmAsync = applyAsync;
+        this.#rebuild = rebuild;
+    }
+
+    /** Starts at once on an idle queue; otherwise merges into the pending update; returns that update's promise. */
+    run(bindCanvas: unknown): Promise<void> {
+        if (this.#running === null) {
+            const update = new PendingUpdate(bindCanvas);
+            this.#start(update);
+            return update.promise;
+        }
+        if (this.#pending === null) {
+            this.#pending = new PendingUpdate(bindCanvas);
+        } else {
+            this.#pending.merge(bindCanvas);
+        }
+        return this.#pending.promise;
+    }
+
+    /** Apply one update; rebuild once if its flag is set and the apply fulfilled. */
+    async #applyAsync(update: PendingUpdate): Promise<void> {
+        await this.#applyWasmAsync(update.bindCanvas);
+        if (update.rebuildsFrontend) {
+            this.#rebuild();
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** Begin applying an update and hold it as the running one. */
+    #start(update: PendingUpdate): void {
+        const applied = this.#applyAsync(update);
+        update.settleWith(applied);
+        this.#track(applied);
+    }
+
+    /** When the running update settles, fulfilled or rejected, start the pending one or go idle. */
+    #track(running: Promise<void>): void {
+        this.#running = running;
+        const next = () => {
+            const pending = this.#pending;
+            this.#pending = null;
+            if (pending === null) {
+                this.#running = null;
+            } else {
+                this.#start(pending);
+            }
+        };
+        running.then(next, next);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/wasm/WasmUpdateOptions.ts b/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/wasm/WasmUpdateOptions.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..052598e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ansys/visor/visor-client/src/wasm/WasmUpdateOptions.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/** How the client applies one server update: with or without rebuilding the frontend. */
+export class WasmUpdateOptions {
+    /** The update-option key that marks an update as data-only. */
+    static readonly DATA_ONLY_KEY = 'dataOnly';
+
+    /** Whether the server-updated listeners fire once this update is applied. */
+    readonly rebuildsFrontend: boolean;
+
+    private constructor(rebuildsFrontend: boolean) {
+        this.rebuildsFrontend = rebuildsFrontend;
+    }
+
+    /** The options an update's argument carries; only an object whose dataOnly is true skips the rebuild. */
+    static parse(value: unknown): WasmUpdateOptions {
+        const dataOnly =
+            value != null &&
+            typeof value === 'object' &&
+            (value as Record<string, unknown>)[WasmUpdateOptions.DATA_ONLY_KEY] === true;
+        return new WasmUpdateOptions(!dataOnly);
+    }
+}