diff --git a/src/controller/apiserver.c b/src/controller/apiserver.c
index 58425c23..7e079e85 100644
--- a/src/controller/apiserver.c
+++ b/src/controller/apiserver.c
@@ -647,8 +647,14 @@ int apiserver_init(cluster_t* c)
 
 int on_apiserver_join(cluster_t* c, endpoint_t* ep)
 {
-    xce_apiserver_push_configs(c, ep);
+    /* Push the WORKER dataset BEFORE the config push. The API server's
+     * OnHostConfigUpdated only applies config-sourced fields (max_slot,
+     * host_type/host_model) to hosts already in its store — if the config
+     * push arrives first, every host is skipped (bug: hosts showed max_slot
+     * 0 and t1 host_type "unknown" on first connect). Pushing workers first
+     * populates the host entries so the config push lands. */
     xce_apiserver_push_workers(c, ep);
+    xce_apiserver_push_configs(c, ep);
     xce_apiserver_push_jobs(c, ep);
 
     return 0;