diff --git a/docs/PR_FIX2_CANVAS_CONFETTI_BODY.md b/docs/PR_FIX2_CANVAS_CONFETTI_BODY.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..560eac2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/PR_FIX2_CANVAS_CONFETTI_BODY.md
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# PR: Optional canvas-confetti via CDN (Fix 2)
+
+Copy from "Summary" below for the PR description.
+
+---
+
+## Summary
+
+Makes the celebration service work when the `canvas-confetti` package is not installed in `node_modules`, so the app builds and runs without "Failed to resolve import 'canvas-confetti'" (e.g. after a fresh clone before `npm install`, or in environments where dependencies are not fully installed).
+
+**When the import fails:** The error occurs when Vite tries to resolve `canvas-confetti` at build or dev startup and the package is missing from `node_modules` — for example right after cloning the repo without running `npm install`, or in a workspace where dependencies have not been installed yet. We did not observe it in CI, Tauri build, or a specific Node version; it was the "package not installed" case.
+
+**Implementation:**
+- Load confetti at runtime from a CDN script instead of bundling the npm package. No `import 'canvas-confetti'` in source, so Vite never tries to resolve it.
+- Use a **module-scoped cached promise** for the load so that only one `<script>` tag is ever appended. The record celebration calls `run()` twice (300ms apart); without the cache, a second script would be appended if the first load had not finished. All callers now share the same promise.
+- Do **not** add `optimizeDeps.include: ['canvas-confetti']` in vite.config, so the package remains optional and Vite does not try to pre-bundle it at dev startup.
+
+**Trade-off:** If the CDN is unavailable or the user is offline, celebrations still run but no confetti is shown. When the package is installed (after `npm install`), the CDN is used the same way so behavior is consistent.
+
+## Type of change
+
+- [x] Bug fix
+- [ ] New feature
+- [ ] Other
+
+## Affected areas
+
+- [ ] Map / Globe
+- [ ] News panels / RSS feeds
+- [ ] Other: celebration service (`src/services/celebration.ts`)
+
+## Checklist
+
+- [x] No API keys or secrets committed
+- [x] TypeScript compiles (run `npm install` first if typecheck fails for canvas-confetti)
+
+## Screenshots
+
+None. Manual check: run the app without `canvas-confetti` in node_modules (e.g. remove it from node_modules and run `npm run dev`); app should start and celebrations should load confetti from CDN when triggered.
diff --git a/src/services/celebration.ts b/src/services/celebration.ts
index f72fd390..164e4776 100644
--- a/src/services/celebration.ts
+++ b/src/services/celebration.ts
@@ -9,12 +9,23 @@
  * so celebrations feel special, not repetitive.
  *
  * Respects prefers-reduced-motion: no animations when that media query matches.
+ *
+ * Loads confetti at runtime via CDN when the canvas-confetti package is not
+ * in node_modules (e.g. after clone without npm install). Uses a single cached
+ * promise so only one script tag is ever appended even when celebrate() is
+ * called multiple times in quick succession (e.g. record type calls run() twice).
  */
 
-import confetti from 'canvas-confetti';
-
 // ---- Types ----
 
+type ConfettiFn = (opts: {
+  particleCount: number;
+  spread: number;
+  origin: { y: number };
+  colors: string[];
+  disableForReducedMotion: boolean;
+}) => void;
+
 export interface MilestoneData {
   speciesRecoveries?: Array<{ name: string; status: string }>;
   renewablePercent?: number;
@@ -34,6 +45,30 @@ const WARM_COLORS = ['#6B8F5E', '#C4A35A', '#7BA5C4', '#8BAF7A', '#E8B96E', '#7F
 /** Session-level dedup set. Stores milestone keys that have already been celebrated this session. */
 const celebrated = new Set<string>();
 
+/** Cached promise for loading confetti from CDN so we never append more than one script tag. */
+let confettiLoadPromise: Promise<ConfettiFn | null> | null = null;
+
+/**
+ * Load confetti from CDN at runtime. Returns the same promise for every call so
+ * multiple celebrate() calls (e.g. record type with two bursts 300ms apart) share
+ * one script load and only one script tag is appended.
+ */
+function loadConfetti(): Promise<ConfettiFn | null> {
+  if (typeof window === 'undefined') return Promise.resolve(null);
+  const w = window as Window & { confetti?: ConfettiFn };
+  if (typeof w.confetti === 'function') return Promise.resolve(w.confetti);
+  if (confettiLoadPromise !== null) return confettiLoadPromise;
+  confettiLoadPromise = new Promise<ConfettiFn | null>((resolve) => {
+    const script = document.createElement('script');
+    script.src = 'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/canvas-confetti@1.9.4/dist/canvas-confetti.min.js';
+    script.async = true;
+    script.onload = () => (typeof w.confetti === 'function' ? resolve(w.confetti!) : resolve(null));
+    script.onerror = () => resolve(null);
+    document.head.appendChild(script);
+  });
+  return confettiLoadPromise;
+}
+
 // ---- Public API ----
 
 /**
@@ -45,31 +80,18 @@ const celebrated = new Set<string>();
 export function celebrate(type: 'milestone' | 'record' = 'milestone'): void {
   if (REDUCED_MOTION) return;
 
-  if (type === 'milestone') {
-    void confetti({
-      particleCount: 40,
-      spread: 60,
-      origin: { y: 0.7 },
-      colors: WARM_COLORS,
-      disableForReducedMotion: true,
+  const run = (opts: { particleCount: number; spread: number; origin: { y: number }; colors: string[] }) => {
+    void loadConfetti().then((confetti) => {
+      if (confetti) confetti({ ...opts, disableForReducedMotion: true });
     });
+  };
+
+  if (type === 'milestone') {
+    run({ particleCount: 40, spread: 60, origin: { y: 0.7 }, colors: WARM_COLORS });
   } else {
-    // 'record' -- double burst for extra emphasis
-    void confetti({
-      particleCount: 80,
-      spread: 90,
-      origin: { y: 0.6 },
-      colors: WARM_COLORS,
-      disableForReducedMotion: true,
-    });
+    run({ particleCount: 80, spread: 90, origin: { y: 0.6 }, colors: WARM_COLORS });
     setTimeout(() => {
-      void confetti({
-        particleCount: 80,
-        spread: 90,
-        origin: { y: 0.6 },
-        colors: WARM_COLORS,
-        disableForReducedMotion: true,
-      });
+      run({ particleCount: 80, spread: 90, origin: { y: 0.6 }, colors: WARM_COLORS });
     }, 300);
   }
 }