diff --git a/containers/libreportal/frontend/js/components/config/config-manager.js b/containers/libreportal/frontend/js/components/config/config-manager.js
index 5589a35..689ebc5 100755
--- a/containers/libreportal/frontend/js/components/config/config-manager.js
+++ b/containers/libreportal/frontend/js/components/config/config-manager.js
@@ -25,6 +25,13 @@ if (typeof window.ConfigManager === 'undefined') {
         return;
       }
 
+      // The sidebar and page headers read window.configData. Load it up front so
+      // populateSidebar() has categories on a cold admin visit (e.g. straight
+      // from the dashboard); otherwise the overview/tools branches below render
+      // an empty sidebar until something else populates configData. Cached after
+      // the first call, so the config-category path below is a cache hit.
+      try { await this.core.loadConfig(category); } catch (e) {}
+
       // Overview is the Admin landing — an ops/health board, not a config form.
       if (category === 'overview') {
         try { this.sidebar.populateSidebar(); } catch (e) {}