diff --git a/cache-bust.json b/cache-bust.json
index 637b191d..38f4d645 100644
--- a/cache-bust.json
+++ b/cache-bust.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "version": "969cdb8dc567be69",
+  "version": "5be459fb48f09ce6",
   "generatedBy": "scripts/updateCacheBusting.mjs",
   "assets": {
     "assets/app-icon-16.png": "6645731d86da1071",
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
     "src/core/domReady.js": "f385624460b061da",
     "src/core/dynamicFieldStorage.js": "1ff73616e74c57db",
     "src/core/fieldAccess.js": "2b23c13ba7c64dc6",
-    "src/core/fieldDefs.js": "d2591627fb51e4b4",
+    "src/core/fieldDefs.js": "b83155408257c564",
     "src/core/formatting/cellDisplayFormatting.js": "be7e1f92547161d8",
     "src/core/formatting/dataFormatters.js": "01cc0a530b21639c",
     "src/core/formatting/dateValues.js": "8346afd2fe520d11",
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@
     "src/features/templates/data/queryTemplateRepository.js": "76b24ebd79844cf5",
     "src/features/templates/data/queryTemplateState.js": "cfea7d82eb831bfe",
     "src/features/templates/data/queryTemplateUiConfig.js": "89542ddf66e29e9f",
-    "src/features/templates/queryTemplates.js": "948b2105fb218318",
+    "src/features/templates/queryTemplates.js": "93c038712414291f",
     "src/features/templates/view/queryTemplateDetailView.js": "6e2a8355b61e2e79",
     "src/features/templates/view/queryTemplateElements.js": "1eeb873c56db8d39",
     "src/features/templates/view/queryTemplateListView.js": "2f4f1ac2cd5440d4",
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@
     "src/ui/mobileTableControls.js": "7cdf395901b8c776",
     "src/ui/modalManager.js": "35da15fad2658581",
     "src/ui/queryAnimation.js": "a39c12407a8bb1d3",
-    "src/ui/queryBuilderShell.js": "fce746ac4656510c",
+    "src/ui/queryBuilderShell.js": "61b3e9bacc2468f1",
     "src/ui/queryTableView.js": "8ef5bf8101a16ffc",
     "src/ui/queryUI.js": "c82dc41c880a00b2",
     "src/ui/siteUpdate.js": "195b5eabf5a54404",
diff --git a/src/core/fieldDefs.js b/src/core/fieldDefs.js
index da604bc0..0fc3c562 100644
--- a/src/core/fieldDefs.js
+++ b/src/core/fieldDefs.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
  * @module FieldDefs
  */
 import { BackendApi } from './backendApi.js';
+import { getSession } from './authSession.js';
 import {
   getFieldAccessState,
   isFieldAccessAuthorized,
@@ -217,6 +218,8 @@ async function fetchFieldDefinitions() {
 }
 
 async function loadFieldDefinitions() {
+    const session = getSession();
+    if (!session?.token && !session?.cookieSession) return fieldDefsArray;
     if (isFieldsLoaded) return fieldDefsArray;
     if (fieldDefinitionsLoadPromise) return fieldDefinitionsLoadPromise;
 
diff --git a/src/features/templates/queryTemplates.js b/src/features/templates/queryTemplates.js
index 23f2bc23..9c52acb1 100644
--- a/src/features/templates/queryTemplates.js
+++ b/src/features/templates/queryTemplates.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { BackendApi } from '../../core/backendApi.js';
+import { getSession } from '../../core/authSession.js';
 import { onDOMReady } from '../../core/domReady.js';
 import { showToastMessage } from '../../core/toast.js';
 import { getClientErrorMessage } from '../../core/clientErrorMessages.js';
@@ -195,6 +196,10 @@ import { escapeHtml } from '../../core/formatting/html.js';
   }
 
   async function refreshTemplates(options = {}) {
+    if (!getSession()?.token && !getSession()?.cookieSession) {
+      render();
+      return;
+    }
     const force = options.force === true;
     if (state.loading) {
       return;
diff --git a/src/ui/queryBuilderShell.js b/src/ui/queryBuilderShell.js
index 5729ed43..60df7911 100644
--- a/src/ui/queryBuilderShell.js
+++ b/src/ui/queryBuilderShell.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
 import { QueryChangeManager } from '../core/queryState.js';
 import { appServices } from '../core/appServices.js';
 import { appUiActions, registerAppUiActionDependencies } from '../core/appUiActions.js';
+import { getSession } from '../core/authSession.js';
 import { DOM } from '../core/domCache.js';
 import { StartupStatus } from './startupStatus.js';
 
@@ -37,6 +38,10 @@ let QueryBuilderShell;
     services.closeAllModals();
   }
 
+  function hasAuthenticatedSession(session = getSession()) {
+    return Boolean(session?.token || session?.cookieSession);
+  }
+
   async function initializeBuilderState() {
     try {
       console.log('Initializing application for live queries (test data disabled)');
@@ -99,7 +104,19 @@ let QueryBuilderShell;
     });
 
     initializeBuilderState();
-    loadDynamicFields();
+    if (hasAuthenticatedSession()) {
+      loadDynamicFields();
+    } else {
+      StartupStatus.update({
+        title: 'Sign in to continue',
+        detail: 'Field controls will load after your account is verified.'
+      });
+      StartupStatus.complete({ delay: 180 });
+    }
+
+    globalThis.addEventListener?.('query-auth:changed', event => {
+      if (hasAuthenticatedSession(event.detail) && !hasLoadedFieldDefinitions()) void loadDynamicFields();
+    });
   }
 
   QueryBuilderShell = Object.freeze({
diff --git a/tests/browser/browserSmoke.mjs b/tests/browser/browserSmoke.mjs
index 49cf7a1a..4330c7d5 100644
--- a/tests/browser/browserSmoke.mjs
+++ b/tests/browser/browserSmoke.mjs
@@ -2110,6 +2110,9 @@ async function runSmokeTest() {
       throw new Error('Query History control must remain hidden until the user signs in');
     }
     await signedOutPage.locator('#auth-session-dialog[open]').waitFor({ state: 'visible', timeout: 5000 });
+    if (signedOutApiStub.countAction('get_fields') !== 0 || signedOutApiStub.countAction('list_templates') !== 0) {
+      throw new Error(`Signed-out startup must not request protected data before authentication: ${JSON.stringify(signedOutApiStub.getRequests())}`);
+    }
     const signedOutLockState = await signedOutPage.evaluate(() => ({
       authRequired: document.body.classList.contains('query-auth-required'),
       appVisible: Boolean(document.querySelector('#query-app-shell')?.getBoundingClientRect().width),