diff --git a/app/soapbox/actions/soapbox.js b/app/soapbox/actions/soapbox.js
index 0b18c9bc1..318050219 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/actions/soapbox.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/actions/soapbox.js
@@ -47,21 +47,34 @@ export function rememberSoapboxConfig(host) {
   };
 }
 
-export function fetchSoapboxConfig(host) {
+export function fetchFrontendConfigurations() {
   return (dispatch, getState) => {
-    api(getState).get('/api/pleroma/frontend_configurations').then(response => {
-      if (response.data.soapbox_fe) {
-        dispatch(importSoapboxConfig(response.data.soapbox_fe, host));
-      } else {
-        dispatch(fetchSoapboxJson(host));
-      }
-    }).catch(error => {
-      dispatch(fetchSoapboxJson(host));
-    });
+    return api(getState)
+      .get('/api/pleroma/frontend_configurations')
+      .then(({ data }) => data);
   };
 }
 
-// Tries to remember the config from browser storage before fetching it
+/** Conditionally fetches Soapbox config depending on backend features */
+export function fetchSoapboxConfig(host) {
+  return (dispatch, getState) => {
+    const features = getFeatures(getState().instance);
+
+    if (features.frontendConfigurations) {
+      return dispatch(fetchFrontendConfigurations()).then(data => {
+        if (data.soapbox_fe) {
+          dispatch(importSoapboxConfig(data.soapbox_fe, host));
+        } else {
+          dispatch(fetchSoapboxJson(host));
+        }
+      });
+    } else {
+      return dispatch(fetchSoapboxJson(host));
+    }
+  };
+}
+
+/** Tries to remember the config from browser storage before fetching it */
 export function loadSoapboxConfig() {
   return (dispatch, getState) => {
     const host = getHost(getState());
diff --git a/app/soapbox/containers/soapbox.js b/app/soapbox/containers/soapbox.js
index ba59cef92..b3f318c01 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/containers/soapbox.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/containers/soapbox.js
@@ -48,18 +48,21 @@ const loadInitial = () => {
   return async(dispatch, getState) => {
     // Await for authenticated fetch
     await dispatch(fetchMe());
+    // Await for feature detection
+    await dispatch(loadInstance());
 
-    await Promise.all([
-      dispatch(loadInstance()),
-      dispatch(loadSoapboxConfig()),
-    ]);
+    const promises = [];
+
+    promises.push(dispatch(loadSoapboxConfig()));
 
     const state = getState();
     const features = getFeatures(state.instance);
 
     if (features.pepe && !state.me) {
-      await dispatch(fetchVerificationConfig());
+      promises.push(dispatch(fetchVerificationConfig()));
     }
+
+    await Promise.all(promises);
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/app/soapbox/utils/features.ts b/app/soapbox/utils/features.ts
index 2fdc310f9..27982f15d 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/utils/features.ts
+++ b/app/soapbox/utils/features.ts
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ const getInstanceFeatures = (instance: Instance) => {
     pepe: v.software === TRUTHSOCIAL,
     accountLocation: v.software === TRUTHSOCIAL,
     accountWebsite: v.software === TRUTHSOCIAL,
+    frontendConfigurations: v.software === PLEROMA,
 
     // FIXME: long-term this shouldn't be a feature,
     // but for now we want it to be overrideable in the build