diff --git a/libs/libnameplate.lua b/libs/libnameplate.lua
index b97ab84..026556b 100644
--- a/libs/libnameplate.lua
+++ b/libs/libnameplate.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 local _G = ShaguTweaks.GetGlobalEnv()
 local GetExpansion = ShaguTweaks.GetExpansion
-local GetUnitData = ShaguTweaks.GetUnitData
+local API = ShaguTweaks.API or {}
 
 local NAMEPLATE_OBJECTORDER = { "border", "glow", "name", "level", "levelicon", "raidicon" }
 local NAMEPLATE_TYPE = "Button"
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ if GetExpansion() == "tbc" then
 end
 
 local function IsNamePlate(frame)
-  if frame:GetObjectType() ~= NAMEPLATE_TYPE then return nil end
-  regions = frame:GetRegions()
+  if not frame or frame:GetObjectType() ~= NAMEPLATE_TYPE then return nil end
+  local regions = frame:GetRegions()
 
   if not regions then return nil end
   if not regions.GetObjectType then return nil end
@@ -22,54 +22,82 @@ local function IsNamePlate(frame)
 end
 
 local registry = {}
-local initialized = 0
-local parentcount, childs, plate
 ShaguTweaks.libnameplate = CreateFrame("Frame", nil, UIParent)
 ShaguTweaks.libnameplate.OnInit = {}
 ShaguTweaks.libnameplate.OnShow = {}
 ShaguTweaks.libnameplate.OnUpdate = {}
-ShaguTweaks.libnameplate:SetScript("OnUpdate", function()
-  parentcount = WorldFrame:GetNumChildren()
-  if initialized < parentcount then
-    childs = { WorldFrame:GetChildren() }
-    for i = initialized + 1, parentcount do
-      plate = childs[i]
 
-      if IsNamePlate(plate) and not registry[plate] then
-        plate.healthbar = plate:GetChildren()
-        for i, object in pairs({plate:GetRegions()}) do
-          if plate and NAMEPLATE_OBJECTORDER[i] then
-            plate[NAMEPLATE_OBJECTORDER[i]] = object
-          end
+local function InitializePlate(plate)
+  if not IsNamePlate(plate) or registry[plate] then return end
+
+  plate.healthbar = plate:GetChildren()
+  for i, object in pairs({plate:GetRegions()}) do
+    if NAMEPLATE_OBJECTORDER[i] then
+      plate[NAMEPLATE_OBJECTORDER[i]] = object
+    end
+  end
+
+  -- run OnInit functions
+  for id, func in pairs(ShaguTweaks.libnameplate.OnInit) do
+    func(plate)
+  end
+
+  -- preserve the plate's existing scripts and append ShaguTweaks callbacks
+  local oldUpdate = plate:GetScript("OnUpdate")
+  plate:SetScript("OnUpdate", function(self, elapsed)
+    if oldUpdate then oldUpdate(self, elapsed) end
+    for id, func in pairs(ShaguTweaks.libnameplate.OnUpdate) do
+      func(self, elapsed)
+    end
+  end)
+
+  local oldShow = plate:GetScript("OnShow")
+  plate:SetScript("OnShow", function(self)
+    if oldShow then oldShow(self) end
+    for id, func in pairs(ShaguTweaks.libnameplate.OnShow) do
+      func(self)
+    end
+  end)
+
+  registry[plate] = true
+end
+
+-- ClassicAPI exposes real nameplate lifecycle events and nameplateN unit
+-- tokens. Prefer those so ShaguTweaks no longer scans every WorldFrame child
+-- on every rendered frame.
+if API.nameplates and _G.C_NamePlate and _G.C_NamePlate.GetNamePlates then
+  ShaguTweaks.libnameplate:RegisterEvent("NAME_PLATE_CREATED")
+  ShaguTweaks.libnameplate:RegisterEvent("NAME_PLATE_UNIT_ADDED")
+  ShaguTweaks.libnameplate:RegisterEvent("PLAYER_ENTERING_WORLD")
+
+  ShaguTweaks.libnameplate:SetScript("OnEvent", function()
+    if event == "NAME_PLATE_CREATED" then
+      InitializePlate(arg1)
+    elseif event == "NAME_PLATE_UNIT_ADDED" then
+      InitializePlate(API.GetNamePlateForUnit(arg1))
+    elseif event == "PLAYER_ENTERING_WORLD" then
+      local plates = _G.C_NamePlate.GetNamePlates()
+      if plates then
+        for _, plate in pairs(plates) do
+          InitializePlate(plate)
         end
-
-        -- run OnInit functions
-        for id, func in pairs(ShaguTweaks.libnameplate.OnInit) do
-          func(plate)
-        end
-
-        -- register OnUpdate functions
-        local oldUpdate = plate:GetScript("OnUpdate")
-        plate:SetScript("OnUpdate", function(self, elapsed)
-          if oldUpdate then oldUpdate(self, elapsed) end
-          for id, func in pairs(ShaguTweaks.libnameplate.OnUpdate) do
-            func(self, elapsed)
-          end
-        end)
-
-        -- register OnShow functions
-        local oldShow = plate:GetScript("OnShow")
-        plate:SetScript("OnShow", function(self)
-          if oldShow then oldShow(self) end
-          for id, func in pairs(ShaguTweaks.libnameplate.OnShow) do
-            func(self)
-          end
-        end)
-
-        registry[plate] = plate
       end
     end
+  end)
+else
+  -- Compatibility fallback for clients without the ClassicAPI nameplate API.
+  local initialized = 0
+  local parentcount, childs, plate
 
-    initialized = parentcount
-  end
-end)
+  ShaguTweaks.libnameplate:SetScript("OnUpdate", function()
+    parentcount = WorldFrame:GetNumChildren()
+    if initialized < parentcount then
+      childs = { WorldFrame:GetChildren() }
+      for i = initialized + 1, parentcount do
+        plate = childs[i]
+        InitializePlate(plate)
+      end
+      initialized = parentcount
+    end
+  end)
+end