diff --git a/src/features/editScene/EditorApp.cpp b/src/features/editScene/EditorApp.cpp
index fb5e740..b4acf5e 100644
--- a/src/features/editScene/EditorApp.cpp
+++ b/src/features/editScene/EditorApp.cpp
@@ -449,11 +449,34 @@ void EditorApp::setup()
 			std::make_unique<PlayerControllerSystem>(
 				m_world, m_sceneMgr, this);
 
-		// Pre-load fonts before showing overlay
-		if (m_startupMenuSystem)
-			m_startupMenuSystem->prepareFont();
-		if (m_dialogueSystem)
-			m_dialogueSystem->prepareFont();
+		if (m_gameMode == GameMode::Game) {
+			// Load startup menu scene configured in editor.
+			// This must happen before show() so the
+			// StartupMenuComponent entity exists for font preparation.
+			SceneSerializer serializer(m_world, m_sceneMgr);
+			Ogre::LogManager::getSingleton().logMessage(
+				"Game mode: Loading startup_menu.json...");
+			if (serializer.loadFromFile("startup_menu.json",
+						    m_uiSystem.get())) {
+				PrefabSystem prefabSys(m_world, m_sceneMgr);
+				prefabSys.resolveInstances();
+				Ogre::LogManager::getSingleton().logMessage(
+					"Game mode: startup_menu.json loaded");
+			} else {
+				Ogre::LogManager::getSingleton().logMessage(
+					"Game mode: Failed to load startup_menu.json: " +
+					serializer.getLastError());
+			}
+
+			// Pre-load fonts before showing overlay so the font is
+			// added to the atlas before OGRE builds it in createFontTexture().
+			// The StartupMenuComponent entity is now available from the
+			// startup_menu.json scene loaded above.
+			if (m_startupMenuSystem)
+				m_startupMenuSystem->prepareFont();
+			if (m_dialogueSystem)
+				m_dialogueSystem->prepareFont();
+		}
 
 		// Now show the overlay — font atlas will be built with our font
 		if (m_imguiOverlay)
@@ -511,24 +534,10 @@ void EditorApp::setup()
 		}
 
 		if (m_gameMode == GameMode::Game) {
-			// Queue "game_start" event before loading the startup menu
+			// Queue "game_start" event after Lua scripts are loaded
+			// so Lua subscribers registered via ecs.subscribe_event()
+			// will receive the event.
 			EventBus::getInstance().send("game_start");
-
-			// Load startup menu scene configured in editor
-			SceneSerializer serializer(m_world, m_sceneMgr);
-			Ogre::LogManager::getSingleton().logMessage(
-				"Game mode: Loading startup_menu.json...");
-			if (serializer.loadFromFile("startup_menu.json",
-						    m_uiSystem.get())) {
-				PrefabSystem prefabSys(m_world, m_sceneMgr);
-				prefabSys.resolveInstances();
-				Ogre::LogManager::getSingleton().logMessage(
-					"Game mode: startup_menu.json loaded");
-			} else {
-				Ogre::LogManager::getSingleton().logMessage(
-					"Game mode: Failed to load startup_menu.json: " +
-					serializer.getLastError());
-			}
 		}
 
 		// Game mode can be set externally before setup() is called