diff --git a/contact/ui/contact_ui.py b/contact/ui/contact_ui.py
index 4627cee..cfbbbef 100644
--- a/contact/ui/contact_ui.py
+++ b/contact/ui/contact_ui.py
@@ -964,7 +964,9 @@ def handle_backtick(stdscr: curses.window) -> None:
             settings_menu(
                 stdscr,
                 interface,
-                node=interface.getNode(remote_node_num),
+                # Settings requests configs explicitly; avoid getNode's
+                # implicit channel request racing that setup.
+                node=interface.getNode(remote_node_num, False),
                 remote=True,
                 status_callback=lambda message: update_remote_admin_wait(wait_win, message),
             )
diff --git a/contact/ui/control_ui.py b/contact/ui/control_ui.py
index 7684a89..bcd7a4f 100644
--- a/contact/ui/control_ui.py
+++ b/contact/ui/control_ui.py
@@ -326,7 +326,10 @@ def settings_menu(
             _request_remote_with_timeout(node.requestConfig, config_type)
         if status_callback:
             status_callback("Requesting channels…")
-        _request_remote_with_timeout(node.requestChannels)
+        node.requestChannels()
+        if status_callback:
+            status_callback("Waiting for channel list…")
+        _request_remote_with_timeout(node.waitForConfig, "channels")
 
     menu = generate_menu_from_protobuf(interface, node=node, include_app_settings=not remote)
     menu_state.current_menu = menu["Main Menu"]