diff --git a/cmd/aws.go b/cmd/aws.go
index 0ec0be43..4dd7d247 100644
--- a/cmd/aws.go
+++ b/cmd/aws.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/localstack/lstk/internal/awscli"
 	"github.com/localstack/lstk/internal/awsconfig"
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ Examples:
 
 			stdout, stderr := io.Writer(os.Stdout), io.Writer(os.Stderr)
 			if terminal.IsTerminal(os.Stderr) {
-				s := terminal.NewSpinner(os.Stderr, "Loading...")
+				s := terminal.NewSpinner(os.Stderr, "Loading service...", 4*time.Second)
 				s.Start()
 				defer s.Stop()
 				stdout = &terminal.StopOnWriteWriter{W: os.Stdout, Spinner: s}
diff --git a/internal/terminal/spinner.go b/internal/terminal/spinner.go
index 76417b28..a833f626 100644
--- a/internal/terminal/spinner.go
+++ b/internal/terminal/spinner.go
@@ -22,16 +22,21 @@ const (
 type Spinner struct {
 	out      io.Writer
 	label    string
+	delay    time.Duration
 	stop     chan struct{}
 	done     chan struct{}
 	mu       sync.Mutex
 	stopOnce sync.Once
 }
 
-func NewSpinner(out io.Writer, label string) *Spinner {
+// NewSpinner returns a spinner that, when started, waits for delay before
+// rendering its first frame. A zero delay renders immediately. If Stop is
+// called before the delay elapses, no output is written.
+func NewSpinner(out io.Writer, label string, delay time.Duration) *Spinner {
 	return &Spinner{
 		out:   out,
 		label: label,
+		delay: delay,
 		stop:  make(chan struct{}),
 		done:  make(chan struct{}),
 	}
@@ -40,6 +45,17 @@ func NewSpinner(out io.Writer, label string) *Spinner {
 func (s *Spinner) Start() {
 	go func() {
 		defer close(s.done)
+
+		if s.delay > 0 {
+			timer := time.NewTimer(s.delay)
+			select {
+			case <-s.stop:
+				timer.Stop()
+				return
+			case <-timer.C:
+			}
+		}
+
 		tick := time.NewTicker(100 * time.Millisecond)
 		defer tick.Stop()
 
diff --git a/internal/terminal/spinner_test.go b/internal/terminal/spinner_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eb34c4aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/terminal/spinner_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package terminal
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestSpinnerSilentWhenStoppedBeforeDelay(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	s := NewSpinner(&out, "loading", 200*time.Millisecond)
+	s.Start()
+	time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
+	s.Stop()
+
+	if got := out.String(); got != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no output when stopped before delay, got %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSpinnerRendersAfterDelay(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	s := NewSpinner(&out, "loading", 30*time.Millisecond)
+	s.Start()
+	time.Sleep(120 * time.Millisecond)
+	s.Stop()
+
+	if got := out.String(); !strings.Contains(got, "loading") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected label %q in output, got %q", "loading", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSpinnerRendersImmediatelyWithZeroDelay(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	s := NewSpinner(&out, "loading", 0)
+	s.Start()
+	time.Sleep(20 * time.Millisecond)
+	s.Stop()
+
+	if got := out.String(); !strings.Contains(got, "loading") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected label %q in output, got %q", "loading", got)
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/integration/aws_cmd_test.go b/test/integration/aws_cmd_test.go
index 15efa411..319e11e3 100644
--- a/test/integration/aws_cmd_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/aws_cmd_test.go
@@ -300,6 +300,68 @@ func TestAWSCommandWorksWithExternalContainer(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, stdout, "ENDPOINT:http://")
 }
 
+// writeSlowFakeAWS creates a fake `aws` script that sleeps for the given duration
+// before printing, so the spinner has time to render in PTY-based tests.
+func writeSlowFakeAWS(t *testing.T, sleepSeconds int) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		t.Skip("fake aws script not supported on Windows")
+	}
+
+	script := fmt.Sprintf(`#!/bin/sh
+sleep %d
+echo "ENDPOINT:$2"
+shift 2
+echo "ARGS:$@"
+`, sleepSeconds)
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "aws")
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(path, []byte(script), 0755))
+	return dir
+}
+
+func TestAWSCommandShowsSpinnerForSlowOperation(t *testing.T) {
+	requireDocker(t)
+	cleanup()
+	t.Cleanup(cleanup)
+	ctx := testContext(t)
+	// A running emulator is required: without it, `lstk aws` exits before reaching the spinner.
+	startTestContainer(t, ctx)
+
+	fakeDir := writeSlowFakeAWS(t, 5)
+	homeDir := t.TempDir()
+	writeAWSProfile(t, homeDir)
+	// /bin and /usr/bin are needed so the fake script can invoke `sleep`.
+	e := env.With(env.DisableEvents, "1").With("PATH", fakeDir+":/bin:/usr/bin").With(env.Home, homeDir)
+
+	out, err := runLstkInPTY(t, ctx, e, "aws", "s3", "ls")
+	require.NoError(t, err, "lstk aws failed: %s", out)
+
+	assert.Contains(t, out, "Loading service")
+	assert.Contains(t, out, "ARGS:--profile localstack s3 ls")
+}
+
+func TestAWSCommandSuppressesSpinnerForFastOperation(t *testing.T) {
+	requireDocker(t)
+	cleanup()
+	t.Cleanup(cleanup)
+	ctx := testContext(t)
+	// A running emulator is required: without it, `lstk aws` exits before reaching the spinner.
+	startTestContainer(t, ctx)
+
+	fakeDir := writeFakeAWS(t)
+	homeDir := t.TempDir()
+	writeAWSProfile(t, homeDir)
+	e := env.With(env.DisableEvents, "1").With("PATH", fakeDir).With(env.Home, homeDir)
+
+	out, err := runLstkInPTY(t, ctx, e, "aws", "s3", "ls")
+	require.NoError(t, err, "lstk aws failed: %s", out)
+
+	assert.NotContains(t, out, "Loading service")
+	assert.Contains(t, out, "ARGS:--profile localstack s3 ls")
+}
+
 func TestAWSCommandSuppressesHintWhenProfileExists(t *testing.T) {
 	requireDocker(t)
 	cleanup()