diff --git a/backend/src/services/publish.js b/backend/src/services/publish.js
index 0c2a094..a144598 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/publish.js
+++ b/backend/src/services/publish.js
@@ -151,8 +151,8 @@ module.exports = class PublishService {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Save dev content to stage environment
-   * This is the first step in the publishing workflow: dev -> stage -> production
+   * Save dev content to stage environment (non-blocking)
+   * Returns immediately, processing continues in background.
    */
   static async saveToStage(projectId, currentUser) {
     if (!projectId) {
@@ -173,47 +173,43 @@ module.exports = class PublishService {
       updatedById: currentUser?.id || null,
     });
 
-    try {
-      const summary = await this.withProjectPublishLock(
-        projectId,
-        async (transaction) => {
-          await publishEvent.update(
-            {
-              started_at: new Date(),
-              status: EVENT_STATUS.RUNNING,
-              error_message: null,
-              updatedById: currentUser?.id || null,
-            },
-            { transaction },
-          );
+    // Process in background
+    setImmediate(async () => {
+      try {
+        const summary = await this.withProjectPublishLock(
+          projectId,
+          async (transaction) => {
+            await publishEvent.update(
+              {
+                started_at: new Date(),
+                status: EVENT_STATUS.RUNNING,
+                updatedById: currentUser?.id || null,
+              },
+              { transaction },
+            );
+            return this.copyDevToStage(projectId, currentUser, transaction);
+          },
+        );
 
-          return this.copyDevToStage(projectId, currentUser, transaction);
-        },
-      );
+        await publishEvent.update({
+          status: EVENT_STATUS.SUCCESS,
+          finished_at: new Date(),
+          pages_copied: summary.pages_copied,
+          audios_copied: summary.audios_copied,
+          updatedById: currentUser?.id || null,
+        });
+      } catch (error) {
+        await publishEvent.update({
+          status: EVENT_STATUS.FAILED,
+          finished_at: new Date(),
+          error_message: error.message,
+          updatedById: currentUser?.id || null,
+        });
+        console.error('[SaveToStage] Background error:', error);
+      }
+    });
 
-      await publishEvent.update({
-        status: EVENT_STATUS.SUCCESS,
-        finished_at: new Date(),
-        pages_copied: summary.pages_copied,
-        audios_copied: summary.audios_copied,
-        error_message: null,
-        updatedById: currentUser?.id || null,
-      });
-
-      return {
-        success: true,
-        publishEventId: publishEvent.id,
-        summary,
-      };
-    } catch (error) {
-      await publishEvent.update({
-        status: EVENT_STATUS.FAILED,
-        finished_at: new Date(),
-        error_message: error.message,
-        updatedById: currentUser?.id || null,
-      });
-      throw error;
-    }
+    return { success: true, publishEventId: publishEvent.id };
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useConstructorPageActions.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useConstructorPageActions.ts
index 6f159c8..8d359d0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/useConstructorPageActions.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useConstructorPageActions.ts
@@ -232,29 +232,12 @@ export function useConstructorPageActions({
       return;
     }
 
-    // First save current changes
     await saveConstructor();
 
     try {
       setIsSavingToStage(true);
-
-      const response = await axios.post<{
-        success: boolean;
-        summary?: { pages_copied: number; audios_copied: number };
-      }>('/publish/save-to-stage', { projectId });
-
-      const pagesCopied = response.data?.summary?.pages_copied ?? 0;
-      const audiosCopied = response.data?.summary?.audios_copied ?? 0;
-
-      if (pagesCopied === 0) {
-        onError?.(
-          'No pages were found to copy. Make sure you have dev pages saved before publishing to stage.',
-        );
-      } else {
-        onSuccess?.(
-          `Successfully saved to stage: ${pagesCopied} page${pagesCopied !== 1 ? 's' : ''} and ${audiosCopied} audio track${audiosCopied !== 1 ? 's' : ''} copied.`,
-        );
-      }
+      await axios.post('/publish/save-to-stage', { projectId });
+      onSuccess?.('Saved to stage.');
     } catch (error: unknown) {
       const axiosError = error as {
         response?: { data?: { message?: string } };