diff --git a/code/_onclick/hud/new_player.dm b/code/_onclick/hud/new_player.dm
index 04342f4267c..438a71619ca 100644
--- a/code/_onclick/hud/new_player.dm
+++ b/code/_onclick/hud/new_player.dm
@@ -201,8 +201,20 @@
 	name = "View Character Setup"
 	screen_loc = "TOP:-70,CENTER:-54"
 	icon = 'icons/hud/lobby/character_setup.dmi'
-	icon_state = "character_setup"
+	icon_state = "character_setup_disabled"
 	base_icon_state = "character_setup"
+	enabled = FALSE
+
+/atom/movable/screen/lobby/button/character_setup/Initialize(mapload, datum/hud/hud_owner)
+	. = ..()
+	// We need IconForge and the assets to be ready before allowing the menu to open
+	if(SSearly_assets.initialized == INITIALIZATION_INNEW_REGULAR || SSatoms.initialized == INITIALIZATION_INNEW_REGULAR)
+		flick("[base_icon_state]_enabled", src)
+		set_button_status(TRUE)
+	else
+		set_button_status(FALSE)
+		RegisterSignal(SSearly_assets, COMSIG_SUBSYSTEM_POST_INITIALIZE, PROC_REF(enable_character_setup))
+		RegisterSignal(SSatoms, COMSIG_SUBSYSTEM_POST_INITIALIZE, PROC_REF(enable_character_setup))
 
 /atom/movable/screen/lobby/button/character_setup/Click(location, control, params)
 	. = ..()
@@ -214,6 +226,13 @@
 	preferences.update_static_data(usr)
 	preferences.ui_interact(usr)
 
+/atom/movable/screen/lobby/button/character_setup/proc/enable_character_setup()
+	SIGNAL_HANDLER
+	flick("[base_icon_state]_enabled", src)
+	set_button_status(TRUE)
+	UnregisterSignal(SSearly_assets, COMSIG_SUBSYSTEM_POST_INITIALIZE)
+	UnregisterSignal(SSatoms, COMSIG_SUBSYSTEM_POST_INITIALIZE)
+
 ///Button that appears before the game has started
 /atom/movable/screen/lobby/button/ready
 	name = "Toggle Readiness"
@@ -373,9 +392,20 @@
 
 /atom/movable/screen/lobby/button/bottom/settings
 	name = "View Game Preferences"
-	icon_state = "settings"
+	icon_state = "settings_disabled"
 	base_icon_state = "settings"
 	screen_loc = "TOP:-122,CENTER:+29"
+	enabled = FALSE
+
+/atom/movable/screen/lobby/button/bottom/settings/Initialize(mapload, datum/hud/hud_owner)
+	. = ..()
+	// We need IconForge and the assets to be ready before allowing the menu to open
+	if(SSearly_assets.initialized == INITIALIZATION_INNEW_REGULAR || SSatoms.initialized == INITIALIZATION_INNEW_REGULAR)
+		set_button_status(TRUE)
+	else
+		set_button_status(FALSE)
+		RegisterSignal(SSearly_assets, COMSIG_SUBSYSTEM_POST_INITIALIZE, PROC_REF(enable_settings))
+		RegisterSignal(SSatoms, COMSIG_SUBSYSTEM_POST_INITIALIZE, PROC_REF(enable_settings))
 
 /atom/movable/screen/lobby/button/bottom/settings/Click(location, control, params)
 	. = ..()
@@ -387,6 +417,12 @@
 	preferences.update_static_data(usr)
 	preferences.ui_interact(usr)
 
+/atom/movable/screen/lobby/button/bottom/settings/proc/enable_settings()
+	SIGNAL_HANDLER
+	set_button_status(TRUE)
+	UnregisterSignal(SSearly_assets, COMSIG_SUBSYSTEM_POST_INITIALIZE)
+	UnregisterSignal(SSatoms, COMSIG_SUBSYSTEM_POST_INITIALIZE)
+
 /atom/movable/screen/lobby/button/bottom/changelog_button
 	name = "View Changelog"
 	icon_state = "changelog"
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystem.dm b/code/controllers/subsystem.dm
index 0dbe2af2f8b..02f45a54150 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystem.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystem.dm
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 	/// Which stage does this subsystem init at. Earlier stages can fire while later stages init.
 	var/init_stage = INITSTAGE_MAIN
 
-	/// This var is set to TRUE after the subsystem has been initialized.
+	/// This var is set to `INITIALIZATION_INNEW_REGULAR` after the subsystem has been initialized.
 	var/initialized = FALSE
 
 	/// Set to 0 to prevent fire() calls, mostly for admin use or subsystems that may be resumed later
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
index 173a06b677d..135dd8a0297 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 	// I'm making the assumption that ui close will be called whenever a user logs out, or loses a window
 	// If this isn't the case, kill me and restore the code, thanks
 
+	// We need IconForge and the assets to be ready before allowing the menu to open
+	if(SSearly_assets.initialized != INITIALIZATION_INNEW_REGULAR)
+		return
+
 	ui = SStgui.try_update_ui(user, src, ui)
 	if(!ui)
 		character_preview_view = create_character_preview_view(user)
diff --git a/icons/hud/lobby/character_setup.dmi b/icons/hud/lobby/character_setup.dmi
index d3b94fb43e9..a5f15dcd146 100644
Binary files a/icons/hud/lobby/character_setup.dmi and b/icons/hud/lobby/character_setup.dmi differ