diff --git a/apps/studio/server/index.ts b/apps/studio/server/index.ts
index 966d1724e..7d0c3000e 100644
--- a/apps/studio/server/index.ts
+++ b/apps/studio/server/index.ts
@@ -104,6 +104,10 @@ async function ensureKernel(): Promise<ObjectKernel> {
             }), 'turso'));
             await kernel.use(new AppPlugin(studioConfig));
 
+            // SetupPlugin must load BEFORE other plugins that contribute navigation items
+            // so that the setupNav service is available during their init() phase
+            await kernel.use(new SetupPlugin());
+
             // Auth plugin — uses better-auth for real authentication
             // Prefer VERCEL_PROJECT_PRODUCTION_URL (stable across deployments)
             // over VERCEL_URL (unique per deployment, causes origin mismatch).
@@ -129,7 +133,6 @@ async function ensureKernel(): Promise<ObjectKernel> {
             await kernel.use(new AIServicePlugin());
             await kernel.use(new AutomationServicePlugin());
             await kernel.use(new AnalyticsServicePlugin());
-            await kernel.use(new SetupPlugin());
 
             // Broker shim — bridges HttpDispatcher → ObjectQL engine
             (kernel as any).broker = createBrokerShim(kernel);
diff --git a/apps/studio/src/mocks/createKernel.ts b/apps/studio/src/mocks/createKernel.ts
index a412b9b02..0ef1b601c 100644
--- a/apps/studio/src/mocks/createKernel.ts
+++ b/apps/studio/src/mocks/createKernel.ts
@@ -82,12 +82,14 @@ export async function createKernel(options: KernelOptions) {
     }
 
     // Register services and plugins
+    // SetupPlugin must load BEFORE other plugins that contribute navigation items
+    // so that the setupNav service is available during their init() phase
+    await kernel.use(new SetupPlugin());
     await kernel.use(new FeedServicePlugin());
     await kernel.use(new MetadataPlugin({ watch: false }));
     await kernel.use(new AIServicePlugin());
     await kernel.use(new AutomationServicePlugin());
     await kernel.use(new AnalyticsServicePlugin());
-    await kernel.use(new SetupPlugin());
 
     // Protocol service is registered automatically by ObjectQLPlugin.init()
     // via ObjectStackProtocolImplementation (which uses SchemaRegistry internally).