diff --git a/core/.changelog.d/4492.fixed b/core/.changelog.d/4492.fixed
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..47972e662de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/.changelog.d/4492.fixed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+[T3T1] Fixed flashing old content when fading
diff --git a/core/embed/io/display/st-7789/display_fb.c b/core/embed/io/display/st-7789/display_fb.c
index 97b98443ce1..795ec33bdd2 100644
--- a/core/embed/io/display/st-7789/display_fb.c
+++ b/core/embed/io/display/st-7789/display_fb.c
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ void display_fb_clear(void) {
 static void bg_copy_callback(void) {
   display_driver_t *drv = &g_display_driver;
 
-  drv->update_pending = 1;
+  drv->update_pending = 2;
 
   fb_queue_put(&drv->empty_frames, fb_queue_take(&drv->ready_frames));
 }
@@ -267,13 +267,6 @@ void display_ensure_refreshed(void) {
       irq_unlock(irq_key);
       __WFI();
     } while (copy_pending);
-
-    // Wait until the display is fully refreshed
-    // (TE signal is low when the display is updating)
-    while (GPIO_PIN_RESET ==
-           HAL_GPIO_ReadPin(DISPLAY_TE_PORT, DISPLAY_TE_PIN)) {
-      __WFI();
-    }
   }
 #endif
 }
diff --git a/core/embed/projects/bootloader/.changelog.d/4492.fixed b/core/embed/projects/bootloader/.changelog.d/4492.fixed
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..68632c51175
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/embed/projects/bootloader/.changelog.d/4492.fixed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+[T3T1] Fix slow fade in/non responsiveness in bootloader UI
diff --git a/core/embed/rust/librust_qstr.h b/core/embed/rust/librust_qstr.h
index a6afb178f02..79b5a67f4ee 100644
--- a/core/embed/rust/librust_qstr.h
+++ b/core/embed/rust/librust_qstr.h
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ static void _librust_qstrs(void) {
   MP_QSTR_auto_lock__change_template;
   MP_QSTR_auto_lock__title;
   MP_QSTR_auto_lock__turned_on;
+  MP_QSTR_backlight_fade;
+  MP_QSTR_backlight_set;
   MP_QSTR_backup__can_back_up_anytime;
   MP_QSTR_backup__create_backup_to_prevent_loss;
   MP_QSTR_backup__info_multi_share_backup;
diff --git a/core/embed/rust/src/time.rs b/core/embed/rust/src/time.rs
index abdb8bedf06..98a59612514 100644
--- a/core/embed/rust/src/time.rs
+++ b/core/embed/rust/src/time.rs
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ impl Stopwatch {
     pub fn elapsed(&self) -> Duration {
         match *self {
             Self::Stopped(duration) => duration,
-            Self::Running(time) => Instant::now().checked_duration_since(time).unwrap(),
+            Self::Running(time) => unwrap!(Instant::now().checked_duration_since(time)),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/core/embed/rust/src/ui/api/firmware_micropython.rs b/core/embed/rust/src/ui/api/firmware_micropython.rs
index 3cc636cd604..91f41933060 100644
--- a/core/embed/rust/src/ui/api/firmware_micropython.rs
+++ b/core/embed/rust/src/ui/api/firmware_micropython.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ use crate::{
 };
 use heapless::Vec;
 
+#[cfg(feature = "backlight")]
+use crate::ui::display::{fade_backlight_duration, set_backlight};
+
 /// Dummy implementation so that we can use `Empty` in a return type of
 /// unimplemented trait function
 impl ComponentMsgObj for Empty {
@@ -1035,6 +1038,24 @@ pub extern "C" fn upy_check_homescreen_format(data: Obj) -> Obj {
     unsafe { util::try_or_raise(block) }
 }
 
+pub extern "C" fn upy_backlight_set(_level: Obj) -> Obj {
+    let block = || {
+        #[cfg(feature = "backlight")]
+        set_backlight(_level.try_into()?);
+        Ok(Obj::const_none())
+    };
+    unsafe { util::try_or_raise(block) }
+}
+
+pub extern "C" fn upy_backlight_fade(_level: Obj) -> Obj {
+    let block = || {
+        #[cfg(feature = "backlight")]
+        fade_backlight_duration(_level.try_into()?, 150);
+        Ok(Obj::const_none())
+    };
+    unsafe { util::try_or_raise(block) }
+}
+
 #[no_mangle]
 pub static mp_module_trezorui_api: Module = obj_module! {
     /// from trezor import utils
@@ -1141,6 +1162,14 @@ pub static mp_module_trezorui_api: Module = obj_module! {
     ///     """Disable animations, debug builds only."""
     Qstr::MP_QSTR_disable_animation => obj_fn_1!(upy_disable_animation).as_obj(),
 
+    /// def backlight_set(level: int) -> None:
+    ///     """Set backlight to desired level."""
+    Qstr::MP_QSTR_backlight_set => obj_fn_1!(upy_backlight_set).as_obj(),
+
+    /// def backlight_fade(level: int) -> None:
+    ///     """Fade backlight to desired level."""
+    Qstr::MP_QSTR_backlight_fade => obj_fn_1!(upy_backlight_fade).as_obj(),
+
     /// def confirm_action(
     ///     *,
     ///     title: str,
diff --git a/core/embed/rust/src/ui/display/mod.rs b/core/embed/rust/src/ui/display/mod.rs
index 4a8d3c95095..a48d0e9bb9b 100644
--- a/core/embed/rust/src/ui/display/mod.rs
+++ b/core/embed/rust/src/ui/display/mod.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ use crate::{strutil::TString, trezorhal::display};
 #[cfg(feature = "backlight")]
 use crate::ui::lerp::Lerp;
 
+#[cfg(feature = "backlight")]
+use crate::{time::Stopwatch, ui::util::animation_disabled};
+
 // Reexports
 pub use crate::ui::display::toif::Icon;
 pub use color::Color;
@@ -39,11 +42,19 @@ pub fn fade_backlight(target: u8) {
 #[cfg(feature = "backlight")]
 pub fn fade_backlight_duration(target: u8, duration_ms: u32) {
     let target = target as i32;
-    let duration_ms = duration_ms as i32;
     let current = backlight() as i32;
+    let duration = Duration::from_millis(duration_ms);
+
+    if animation_disabled() {
+        set_backlight(target as u8);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    let timer = Stopwatch::new_started();
 
-    for i in 0..duration_ms {
-        let val = i32::lerp(current, target, i as f32 / duration_ms as f32);
+    while timer.elapsed() < duration {
+        let elapsed = timer.elapsed();
+        let val = i32::lerp(current, target, elapsed / duration);
         set_backlight(val as u8);
         time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(1));
     }
diff --git a/core/embed/upymod/modtrezorui/modtrezorui-display.h b/core/embed/upymod/modtrezorui/modtrezorui-display.h
index d5494a93299..637d49b5d90 100644
--- a/core/embed/upymod/modtrezorui/modtrezorui-display.h
+++ b/core/embed/upymod/modtrezorui/modtrezorui-display.h
@@ -103,29 +103,6 @@ STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_VAR_BETWEEN(mod_trezorui_Display_orientation_obj,
                                            1, 2,
                                            mod_trezorui_Display_orientation);
 
-/// def backlight(self, val: int | None = None) -> int:
-///     """
-///     Sets backlight intensity to the value specified in val.
-///     Call without the val parameter to just perform the read of the value.
-///     """
-STATIC mp_obj_t mod_trezorui_Display_backlight(size_t n_args,
-                                               const mp_obj_t *args) {
-  mp_int_t val;
-  if (n_args > 1) {
-    val = mp_obj_get_int(args[1]);
-    if (val < 0 || val > 255) {
-      mp_raise_ValueError("Value must be between 0 and 255");
-    }
-    val = display_set_backlight(val);
-  } else {
-    val = display_get_backlight();
-  }
-  return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(val);
-}
-STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_VAR_BETWEEN(mod_trezorui_Display_backlight_obj,
-                                           1, 2,
-                                           mod_trezorui_Display_backlight);
-
 /// def save(self, prefix: str) -> None:
 ///     """
 ///     Saves current display contents to PNG file with given prefix.
@@ -162,8 +139,6 @@ STATIC const mp_rom_map_elem_t mod_trezorui_Display_locals_dict_table[] = {
     {MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_bar), MP_ROM_PTR(&mod_trezorui_Display_bar_obj)},
     {MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_orientation),
      MP_ROM_PTR(&mod_trezorui_Display_orientation_obj)},
-    {MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_backlight),
-     MP_ROM_PTR(&mod_trezorui_Display_backlight_obj)},
     {MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_save), MP_ROM_PTR(&mod_trezorui_Display_save_obj)},
     {MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_clear_save),
      MP_ROM_PTR(&mod_trezorui_Display_clear_save_obj)},
diff --git a/core/mocks/generated/trezorui.pyi b/core/mocks/generated/trezorui.pyi
index ed57058ae84..aa4527178c7 100644
--- a/core/mocks/generated/trezorui.pyi
+++ b/core/mocks/generated/trezorui.pyi
@@ -37,12 +37,6 @@ class Display:
         value.
         """
 
-    def backlight(self, val: int | None = None) -> int:
-        """
-        Sets backlight intensity to the value specified in val.
-        Call without the val parameter to just perform the read of the value.
-        """
-
     def save(self, prefix: str) -> None:
         """
         Saves current display contents to PNG file with given prefix.
diff --git a/core/mocks/generated/trezorui_api.pyi b/core/mocks/generated/trezorui_api.pyi
index afe82746f30..e2dd7a1db87 100644
--- a/core/mocks/generated/trezorui_api.pyi
+++ b/core/mocks/generated/trezorui_api.pyi
@@ -80,6 +80,16 @@ def disable_animation(disable: bool) -> None:
     """Disable animations, debug builds only."""
 
 
+# rust/src/ui/api/firmware_micropython.rs
+def backlight_set(level: int) -> None:
+    """Set backlight to desired level."""
+
+
+# rust/src/ui/api/firmware_micropython.rs
+def backlight_fade(level: int) -> None:
+    """Fade backlight to desired level."""
+
+
 # rust/src/ui/api/firmware_micropython.rs
 def confirm_action(
     *,
diff --git a/core/src/trezor/ui/__init__.py b/core/src/trezor/ui/__init__.py
index 2bd3c3e9126..698f0abfa08 100644
--- a/core/src/trezor/ui/__init__.py
+++ b/core/src/trezor/ui/__init__.py
@@ -8,7 +8,13 @@
 from trezor.messages import ButtonAck, ButtonRequest
 from trezor.wire import context
 from trezor.wire.protocol_common import Context
-from trezorui_api import AttachType, BacklightLevels, LayoutState
+from trezorui_api import (
+    AttachType,
+    BacklightLevels,
+    LayoutState,
+    backlight_fade,
+    backlight_set,
+)
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from typing import Any, Callable, Generator, Generic, Iterator, TypeVar
@@ -67,12 +73,12 @@ async def _alert(count: int) -> None:
     long_sleep = loop.sleep(80)
     for i in range(count * 2):
         if i % 2 == 0:
-            display.backlight(BacklightLevels.MAX)
+            backlight_set(BacklightLevels.MAX)
             await short_sleep
         else:
-            display.backlight(BacklightLevels.DIM)
+            backlight_set(BacklightLevels.DIM)
             await long_sleep
-    display.backlight(BacklightLevels.NORMAL)
+    backlight_set(BacklightLevels.NORMAL)
     global _alert_in_progress
     _alert_in_progress = False
 
@@ -87,24 +93,6 @@ def alert(count: int = 3) -> None:
         loop.schedule(_alert(count))
 
 
-def backlight_fade(val: int, delay: int = 14000, step: int = 15) -> None:
-    if utils.USE_BACKLIGHT:
-        if __debug__:
-            if utils.DISABLE_ANIMATION:
-                display.backlight(val)
-                return
-        current = display.backlight()
-        if current < 0:
-            display.backlight(val)
-            return
-        elif current > val:
-            step = -step
-        for i in range(current, val, step):
-            display.backlight(i)
-            utime.sleep_us(delay)
-        display.backlight(val)
-
-
 class Shutdown(Exception):
     pass
 
@@ -526,9 +514,9 @@ def start(self) -> None:
 
         self.layout.request_complete_repaint()
         painted = self.layout.paint()
-        backlight_fade(BacklightLevels.NORMAL)
         if painted:
             refresh()
+        backlight_fade(BacklightLevels.NORMAL)
 
     def stop(self) -> None:
         global CURRENT_LAYOUT
diff --git a/core/tests/test_trezor.ui.display.py b/core/tests/test_trezor.ui.display.py
index 3dac73498db..55c7502a00b 100644
--- a/core/tests/test_trezor.ui.display.py
+++ b/core/tests/test_trezor.ui.display.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from common import *  # isort:skip
 
 from trezor.ui import display
+from trezorui_api import backlight_set
 
 
 class TestDisplay(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ def test_orientation(self):
 
     def test_backlight(self):
         for b in range(256):
-            display.backlight(b)
+            backlight_set(b)
 
     def test_raw(self):
         pass