diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/UI/MainMenu.cs b/Assets/Scripts/UI/MainMenu.cs
index faf545c73..e6ae44c99 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/UI/MainMenu.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/UI/MainMenu.cs
@@ -164,6 +164,10 @@ public class MainMenu : MonoBehaviour
                 .SectorMap
                 .Latest();
         }
+        catch (KeyNotFoundException ex) when (IsMissingDaemonFrame(ex))
+        {
+            return null;
+        }
         catch (Exception ex)
         {
             Debug.LogError($"Failed to bind typed Aetheria sector-map state for the main menu: {ex}");
@@ -209,6 +213,11 @@ public class MainMenu : MonoBehaviour
         }
     }
 
+    private static bool IsMissingDaemonFrame(KeyNotFoundException ex)
+    {
+        return ex?.Message?.Contains("daemon:aetheria.frame.latest.v1", StringComparison.Ordinal) == true;
+    }
+
     private void ContinueGame()
     {
         if (!TryStartDaemonObservedGame("Continuing Daemon Run"))
diff --git a/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeVerseClient.cs b/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeVerseClient.cs
index db97193b4..5e8276fcd 100644
--- a/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeVerseClient.cs
+++ b/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeVerseClient.cs
@@ -521,13 +521,11 @@ namespace GameCult.Aetheria.State.Verse
                 seatId => Document<AetheriaRuntimeStarbridgePlayerSeatDocument>(
                     AetheriaRuntimeVerseRecordKeys.StarbridgePlayerSeat(seatId)));
 
-            managedDaemonFrame = state.DaemonFrame.Reactive();
             managedCatalog = state.Catalog.Reactive();
             managedLoadoutTemplates = state.LoadoutTemplates.Reactive();
             managedPlayerSettings = state.PlayerSettings.Reactive();
             managedStarbridgeScenario = state.StarbridgeScenario.Reactive();
             managedStarbridgeSession = state.StarbridgeSession.Reactive();
-            _managedDaemonFrame = managedDaemonFrame;
             _managedCatalog = managedCatalog;
             _managedLoadoutTemplates = managedLoadoutTemplates;
             _managedPlayerSettings = managedPlayerSettings;
@@ -567,6 +565,8 @@ namespace GameCult.Aetheria.State.Verse
 
             AetheriaRuntimeDaemonFrameDocument RequireManagedFrame()
             {
+                managedDaemonFrame ??= latestFrameDocument.Reactive();
+                _managedDaemonFrame = managedDaemonFrame;
                 return managedDaemonFrame?.Current
                     ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("Aetheria Verse client has no daemon frame yet.");
             }