Set MPLCONFIGDIR for matplotlib and safely run GPU warmup in request context

app.py

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ print(f"Starting up: {time.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')}")
 # Standard library imports
 
 import os
+os.environ["MPLCONFIGDIR"] = "/tmp/matplotlib"  # set BEFORE importing matplotlib
 
 #Enforce local cching:
 
@@ -238,12 +239,10 @@ def no_op_decorator(func):
 # decorator_to_use = spaces.GPU() if is_running_in_hf_space() else no_op_decorator
 # #duration=120
 
-@spaces.GPU(duration=1)          # ← forces the detector to see a GPU-aware fn
-def _warmup(): 
+@spaces.GPU(duration=1)
+def _warmup():
     print("Warming up...")
 
-_warmup()
-
 
 # if is_running_in_hf_space():
 @spaces.GPU(duration=30)
@@ -1423,6 +1422,9 @@ with gr.Blocks(theme=theme, css=f"""
         outputs=query_display
     )
 
+    # Run a tiny GPU warmup safely inside a request context
+    demo.load(fn=_warmup, inputs=None, outputs=None, queue=False)
+
 
 # demo.static_dirs = {
 #     "static": str(static_dir)