diff --git a/admin-spa/src/App.tsx b/admin-spa/src/App.tsx
index da7d9b5..5d07041 100644
--- a/admin-spa/src/App.tsx
+++ b/admin-spa/src/App.tsx
@@ -86,7 +86,9 @@ function ActiveNavLink({ to, startsWith, children, className, end }: any) {
       to={to}
       end={end}
       className={(nav) => {
-        const activeByPath = starts ? location.pathname.startsWith(starts) : false;
+        // Special case: Dashboard should also match root path "/"
+        const isDashboard = starts === '/dashboard' && location.pathname === '/';
+        const activeByPath = starts ? (location.pathname.startsWith(starts) || isDashboard) : false;
         const mergedActive = nav.isActive || activeByPath;
         if (typeof className === 'function') {
           // Preserve caller pattern: className receives { isActive }
diff --git a/includes/Admin/StandaloneAdmin.php b/includes/Admin/StandaloneAdmin.php
index 5450d4c..5eeea93 100644
--- a/includes/Admin/StandaloneAdmin.php
+++ b/includes/Admin/StandaloneAdmin.php
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ class StandaloneAdmin {
 	 * Initialize standalone admin handler
 	 */
 	public static function init() {
-		// Catch /admin requests early
-		add_action( 'template_redirect', [ __CLASS__, 'handle_admin_request' ], 1 );
+		// Catch /admin requests very early (before WordPress routing)
+		add_action( 'parse_request', [ __CLASS__, 'handle_admin_request' ], 1 );
 	}
 	
 	/**