diff --git a/lib/berrypod/pages/defaults.ex b/lib/berrypod/pages/defaults.ex
index 3d21762..ae3c814 100644
--- a/lib/berrypod/pages/defaults.ex
+++ b/lib/berrypod/pages/defaults.ex
@@ -8,7 +8,19 @@ defmodule Berrypod.Pages.Defaults do
   """
 
   @doc "Returns the default page definition for the given slug."
-  def for_slug(slug), do: %{slug: slug, title: title(slug), blocks: blocks(slug)}
+  def for_slug(slug) do
+    %{
+      slug: slug,
+      title: title(slug),
+      blocks: blocks(slug),
+      type: "system",
+      published: true,
+      meta_description: nil,
+      show_in_nav: false,
+      nav_label: nil,
+      nav_position: nil
+    }
+  end
 
   @doc "Returns default definitions for all pages."
   def all do
diff --git a/lib/berrypod_web/components/shop_components/site_editor.ex b/lib/berrypod_web/components/shop_components/site_editor.ex
index 98d0157..407beac 100644
--- a/lib/berrypod_web/components/shop_components/site_editor.ex
+++ b/lib/berrypod_web/components/shop_components/site_editor.ex
@@ -641,10 +641,8 @@ defmodule BerrypodWeb.ShopComponents.SiteEditor do
           class="site-editor-nav-item"
           data-item-id={item.id}
         >
-          <%
-            # Determine if this item links to a known page (by URL match or page_id)
-            is_page_link = item.page_id != nil or MapSet.member?(@page_urls, item.url)
-          %>
+          <% # Determine if this item links to a known page (by URL match or page_id)
+          is_page_link = item.page_id != nil or MapSet.member?(@page_urls, item.url) %>
           <form
             class="site-editor-nav-item-form"
             phx-change={@event_prefix <> "update_nav_item"}
diff --git a/lib/berrypod_web/live/shop/page.ex b/lib/berrypod_web/live/shop/page.ex
index a6397af..36edd07 100644
--- a/lib/berrypod_web/live/shop/page.ex
+++ b/lib/berrypod_web/live/shop/page.ex
@@ -237,6 +237,9 @@ defmodule BerrypodWeb.Shop.Page do
     # Must run after handle_params since Content pages set @page there.
     socket = maybe_sync_editing_blocks(socket)
 
+    # If edit mode was requested via URL but @page wasn't available yet, enter it now
+    socket = BerrypodWeb.PageEditorHook.maybe_enter_pending_page_mode(socket)
+
     {:noreply, socket}
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/berrypod_web/page_editor_hook.ex b/lib/berrypod_web/page_editor_hook.ex
index 67cc142..45ffb21 100644
--- a/lib/berrypod_web/page_editor_hook.ex
+++ b/lib/berrypod_web/page_editor_hook.ex
@@ -81,6 +81,21 @@ defmodule BerrypodWeb.PageEditorHook do
     {:cont, socket}
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Called by Shop.Page after @page is assigned. If edit mode was requested via
+  URL but couldn't be entered because @page wasn't available yet, enters it now.
+  """
+  def maybe_enter_pending_page_mode(socket) do
+    if socket.assigns[:editor_pending_page_mode] && socket.assigns[:page] &&
+         !socket.assigns.editing do
+      socket
+      |> assign(:editor_pending_page_mode, false)
+      |> enter_edit_mode()
+    else
+      socket
+    end
+  end
+
   # ── handle_params: track current path and restore editor state ────
 
   defp handle_editor_params(params, uri, socket) do
@@ -164,7 +179,8 @@ defmodule BerrypodWeb.PageEditorHook do
       if socket.assigns[:page] do
         enter_edit_mode(socket)
       else
-        socket
+        # Page not yet loaded - mark that we need to enter edit mode when it is
+        assign(socket, :editor_pending_page_mode, true)
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/berrypod_web/page_renderer.ex b/lib/berrypod_web/page_renderer.ex
index 17c889a..a6d65e5 100644
--- a/lib/berrypod_web/page_renderer.ex
+++ b/lib/berrypod_web/page_renderer.ex
@@ -374,18 +374,20 @@ defmodule BerrypodWeb.PageRenderer do
     form = assigns.form || %{}
     is_custom = assigns.page[:type] == "custom"
 
+    page = assigns.page
+
     assigns =
       assigns
       |> assign(:is_custom, is_custom)
-      |> assign(:form_title, form["title"] || assigns.page.title || "")
-      |> assign(:form_slug, form["slug"] || assigns.page.slug || "")
-      |> assign(:form_meta, form["meta_description"] || assigns.page.meta_description || "")
-      |> assign(:form_published, form_checked?(form, "published", assigns.page.published))
-      |> assign(:form_show_in_nav, form_checked?(form, "show_in_nav", assigns.page.show_in_nav))
-      |> assign(:form_nav_label, form["nav_label"] || assigns.page.nav_label || "")
+      |> assign(:form_title, form["title"] || page[:title] || "")
+      |> assign(:form_slug, form["slug"] || page[:slug] || "")
+      |> assign(:form_meta, form["meta_description"] || page[:meta_description] || "")
+      |> assign(:form_published, form_checked?(form, "published", page[:published]))
+      |> assign(:form_show_in_nav, form_checked?(form, "show_in_nav", page[:show_in_nav]))
+      |> assign(:form_nav_label, form["nav_label"] || page[:nav_label] || "")
       |> assign(
         :form_nav_position,
-        form["nav_position"] || to_string(assigns.page.nav_position || 0)
+        form["nav_position"] || to_string(page[:nav_position] || 0)
       )
 
     ~H"""