diff --git a/packages/template/src/pushed-config-error-overlay/index.test.ts b/packages/template/src/pushed-config-error-overlay/index.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b59040f98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/template/src/pushed-config-error-overlay/index.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { envVars } from "../generated/env";
+import { StackClientApp } from "../lib/hexclave-app";
+import { mountPushedConfigErrorOverlay } from ".";
+
+function createMockElement() {
+  return {
+    style: {},
+    appendChild: () => {},
+    addEventListener: () => {},
+    setAttribute: () => {},
+    replaceChildren: () => {},
+    remove: () => {},
+  };
+}
+
+describe("pushed config error overlay", () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllEnvs();
+    vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+  });
+
+  it("defers the first project refresh until after construction-time callers finish", async () => {
+    const app = new StackClientApp({
+      baseUrl: "http://localhost:12345",
+      projectId: "00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000000",
+      publishableClientKey: "stack-pk-test",
+      tokenStore: "memory",
+      redirectMethod: "none",
+      devTool: false,
+    });
+    const getProject = vi.fn(async () => ({
+      pushedConfigError: null,
+      configWarnings: [],
+    }));
+    Reflect.set(app, "getProject", getProject);
+    const appendChild = vi.fn();
+    vi.stubEnv("NODE_ENV", "development");
+    expect(Reflect.get(envVars, "NODE_ENV")).toBe("development");
+
+    vi.stubGlobal("window", {
+      "__hexclave-pushed-config-error-overlay": null,
+      location: {
+        href: "http://localhost:3000",
+      },
+    });
+    vi.stubGlobal("document", {
+      body: {
+        appendChild,
+      },
+      createElement: () => createMockElement(),
+      createTextNode: () => createMockElement(),
+    });
+    vi.stubGlobal("localStorage", {
+      getItem: () => null,
+      setItem: () => {},
+      removeItem: () => {},
+    });
+
+    const cleanup = mountPushedConfigErrorOverlay(app);
+    try {
+      expect(appendChild).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+      expect(getProject).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+      await Promise.resolve();
+
+      expect(getProject).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    } finally {
+      cleanup();
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/template/src/pushed-config-error-overlay/index.ts b/packages/template/src/pushed-config-error-overlay/index.ts
index 7167ac791..145d3a93b 100644
--- a/packages/template/src/pushed-config-error-overlay/index.ts
+++ b/packages/template/src/pushed-config-error-overlay/index.ts
@@ -528,7 +528,10 @@ export function mountPushedConfigErrorOverlay(app: StackClientApp<true>): () =>
     });
   };
 
-  refresh();
+  // This is mounted from the base client-app constructor, which also runs
+  // before subclass field initializers. Defer the first app call so overridden
+  // methods like adminApp.getProject() can safely touch subclass caches.
+  queueMicrotask(refresh);
   const interval = setInterval(refresh, REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS);
 
   const cleanup = () => {