diff --git a/ledger_lab/api/dashboard.py b/ledger_lab/api/dashboard.py
index 8867731..f9678c1 100644
--- a/ledger_lab/api/dashboard.py
+++ b/ledger_lab/api/dashboard.py
@@ -11,17 +11,27 @@
 VALID_SCOPES = frozenset({"fy", "all"})
 
 
+def _first_accessible_company() -> str | None:
+	"""Oldest company the current user can read, or None if there are none."""
+	companies = frappe.get_list("Company", pluck="name", order_by="creation asc", limit=1)
+	return companies[0] if companies else None
+
+
 def _resolve_company(company: str | None) -> str:
 	company = company.strip() if company else None
 	if not company:
 		company = frappe.defaults.get_user_default("Company") or frappe.db.get_single_value(
 			"Global Defaults", "default_company"
 		)
+	# A missing or stale default (e.g. a deleted/renamed company, or a leftover
+	# user default pointing at a company that no longer exists) shouldn't blank
+	# out the dashboard. Fall back to the first company the user can access so
+	# the page always opens with data. The Company picker only ever submits real
+	# companies, so this lenient fallback never masks a genuine bad selection.
+	if not company or not frappe.db.exists("Company", company):
+		company = _first_accessible_company()
 	if not company:
-		frappe.throw(_("No company found. Please set a default company."))
-
-	if not frappe.db.exists("Company", company):
-		frappe.throw(_("Company {0} does not exist.").format(company))
+		frappe.throw(_("No company found. Please create a company first."))
 
 	frappe.has_permission("Company", ptype="read", doc=company, throw=True)
 	return company
diff --git a/ledger_lab/ledger_lab/page/ledger_lab/ledger_lab.js b/ledger_lab/ledger_lab/page/ledger_lab/ledger_lab.js
index de55b9c..e7e9031 100644
--- a/ledger_lab/ledger_lab/page/ledger_lab/ledger_lab.js
+++ b/ledger_lab/ledger_lab/page/ledger_lab/ledger_lab.js
@@ -451,6 +451,8 @@ class LedgerLab {
 		if (this.company) this.company_field.set_value(this.company);
 
 		// Scope tabs: This Fiscal Year / All Time.
+		// (sync_company_field below keeps the picker honest once the server
+		// echoes the authoritatively-resolved company.)
 		this.page.main.find(".ll-scope-tab").on("click", (e) => {
 			const scope = e.currentTarget.getAttribute("data-scope");
 			if (scope === this.scope) return;
@@ -558,6 +560,16 @@ class LedgerLab {
 		this.load_feed();
 	}
 
+	// Point the picker at the server-resolved company without re-triggering a
+	// reload (the change handler no-ops when the value already matches
+	// this.company, which refresh() sets just before calling this).
+	sync_company_field() {
+		if (!this.company_field || !this.company) return;
+		if (this.company_field.get_value() !== this.company) {
+			this.company_field.set_value(this.company);
+		}
+	}
+
 	bind_realtime() {
 		frappe.realtime.off("ledger_lab_gl_posted");
 		frappe.realtime.on("ledger_lab_gl_posted", (data) => {
@@ -592,6 +604,11 @@ class LedgerLab {
 			callback: (r) => {
 				if (!r.message) return;
 				this.company = r.message.company;
+				// Reflect the server-resolved company in the picker. Handles the
+				// case where the client-side default was empty or stale (pointing
+				// at a company that no longer exists): the box loads data for the
+				// real fallback company, so the picker should show it too.
+				this.sync_company_field();
 				this.currency = r.message.currency;
 				this.date_range = r.message.date_range || { start: null, end: null };
 				const b = r.message.boxes || {};