diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9c25c8c..5f51311 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,18 +9,18 @@ buttons) behind previous / jump / next navigation, with an optional cache button
 `requirements.txt`:
 
 ```
-dpy_paginator @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/dpy_paginator.git@v0.1.3
+dpy_paginator @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/dpy_paginator.git@v0.1.4
 ```
 
 Direct:
 
 ```bash
-pip install "dpy_paginator @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/dpy_paginator.git@v0.1.3"
+pip install "dpy_paginator @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/dpy_paginator.git@v0.1.4"
 ```
 
 Requires `discord.py` (pulled transitively).
 
-Drop the `@v0.1.3` suffix from the line above to install the latest unpinned.
+Drop the `@v0.1.4` suffix from the line above to install the latest unpinned.
 
 ## Basic usage
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index e994982..b7a77a6 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "dpy_paginator"
-version = "0.1.3"
+version = "0.1.4"
 description = "Button-navigated paginator for discord.py — config-free, injectable emojis, installable."
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 dependencies = [
diff --git a/src/dpy_paginator/dpy_paginator.py b/src/dpy_paginator/dpy_paginator.py
index 1c70a08..d307c06 100644
--- a/src/dpy_paginator/dpy_paginator.py
+++ b/src/dpy_paginator/dpy_paginator.py
@@ -176,7 +176,9 @@ class ButtonPaginator(Generic[PageT_co], discord.ui.View):
 
         total_pages, left_over = divmod(len(self.pages), self.per_page)
         self.max_pages: int = total_pages + (1 if left_over else 0)
-        if cache is not None and len(cache) < self.max_pages:
+        # a falsy cache (None or []) disables the cache button (see the render path's
+        # `if self.cache:`); only a non-empty cache must have one entry per page
+        if cache and len(cache) < self.max_pages:
             raise ValueError(
                 f"cache has {len(cache)} entries but there are {self.max_pages} pages; "
                 "cache needs one entry per page"
@@ -294,9 +296,13 @@ class ButtonPaginator(Generic[PageT_co], discord.ui.View):
         nav=False rebuilds with only the page's custom buttons and no navigation
         items (prev/jump/cache/next) — a single-page result that still carries
         custom buttons keeps them (and their live callbacks) without a nav row.
+        the nav row is also suppressed for a single page (max_pages < 2) even when
+        nav is left at its default, so a re-render (update_page) never resurrects it.
         """
         self.clear_items()
 
+        nav = nav and self.max_pages >= 2
+
         if nav:
             self.previous_page.emoji = self.emojis["previous"]
             self.previous_page.disabled = self.current_page <= 0
@@ -382,17 +388,15 @@ class ButtonPaginator(Generic[PageT_co], discord.ui.View):
     ) -> Optional[Union[discord.Message, discord.WebhookMessage]]:
         """send the first page; obj is an Interaction or a Messageable"""
         kwargs = await self.get_page_kwargs(self.get_page(self.current_page))
+        # update_buttons already suppresses the nav row for a single page (max_pages < 2),
+        # keeping only the page's custom buttons — so a single page with custom buttons
+        # renders them (live callbacks) with no nav row
         self.update_buttons()
 
-        if self.max_pages < 2:
-            if self.current_page_buttons:
-                # single page WITH custom buttons: keep the view live so the
-                # buttons' callbacks still fire; strip only the navigation row
-                self.update_buttons(nav=False)
-            else:
-                # single page, no custom buttons: no interactive row at all
-                self.stop()
-                kwargs.pop("view", None)
+        if self.max_pages < 2 and not self.current_page_buttons:
+            # single page, no custom buttons: no interactive row at all, drop the view
+            self.stop()
+            kwargs.pop("view", None)
 
         self.reset_files(kwargs)