diff --git a/api/models/index.js b/api/models/index.js
index 048e270e11..7f2c651941 100644
--- a/api/models/index.js
+++ b/api/models/index.js
@@ -24,8 +24,15 @@ const { getConvoTitle, getConvo, saveConvo, deleteConvos } = require('./Conversa
 const { getPreset, getPresets, savePreset, deletePresets } = require('./Preset');
 const { File } = require('~/db/models');
 
+const seedDatabase = async () => {
+  await methods.initializeRoles();
+  await methods.seedDefaultRoles();
+  await methods.ensureDefaultCategories();
+};
+
 module.exports = {
   ...methods,
+  seedDatabase,
   comparePassword,
   findFileById,
   createFile,
diff --git a/api/models/interface.js b/api/models/interface.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a79a8e747f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/models/interface.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+const { logger } = require('@librechat/data-schemas');
+const { updateInterfacePermissions: updateInterfacePerms } = require('@librechat/api');
+const { getRoleByName, updateAccessPermissions } = require('./Role');
+
+/**
+ * Update interface permissions based on app configuration.
+ * Must be done independently from loading the app config.
+ * @param {AppConfig} appConfig
+ */
+async function updateInterfacePermissions(appConfig) {
+  try {
+    await updateInterfacePerms({
+      appConfig,
+      getRoleByName,
+      updateAccessPermissions,
+    });
+  } catch (error) {
+    logger.error('Error updating interface permissions:', error);
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  updateInterfacePermissions,
+};
diff --git a/api/server/index.js b/api/server/index.js
index 1c9f571468..c28418b869 100644
--- a/api/server/index.js
+++ b/api/server/index.js
@@ -14,13 +14,14 @@ const { isEnabled, ErrorController } = require('@librechat/api');
 const { connectDb, indexSync } = require('~/db');
 const validateImageRequest = require('./middleware/validateImageRequest');
 const { jwtLogin, ldapLogin, passportLogin } = require('~/strategies');
+const { updateInterfacePermissions } = require('~/models/interface');
 const { checkMigrations } = require('./services/start/migration');
 const initializeMCPs = require('./services/initializeMCPs');
 const configureSocialLogins = require('./socialLogins');
 const { getAppConfig } = require('./services/Config');
-const AppService = require('./services/AppService');
 const staticCache = require('./utils/staticCache');
 const noIndex = require('./middleware/noIndex');
+const { seedDatabase } = require('~/models');
 const routes = require('./routes');
 
 const { PORT, HOST, ALLOW_SOCIAL_LOGIN, DISABLE_COMPRESSION, TRUST_PROXY } = process.env ?? {};
@@ -46,8 +47,10 @@ const startServer = async () => {
   app.disable('x-powered-by');
   app.set('trust proxy', trusted_proxy);
 
-  await AppService();
+  await seedDatabase();
+
   const appConfig = await getAppConfig();
+  await updateInterfacePermissions(appConfig);
   const indexPath = path.join(appConfig.paths.dist, 'index.html');
   const indexHTML = fs.readFileSync(indexPath, 'utf8');
 
diff --git a/api/server/services/AppService.js b/api/server/services/AppService.js
index bafeec66a8..eaaf47894c 100644
--- a/api/server/services/AppService.js
+++ b/api/server/services/AppService.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ const {
   loadMemoryConfig,
   agentsConfigSetup,
   loadWebSearchConfig,
+  loadDefaultInterface,
 } = require('@librechat/api');
 const {
   FileSources,
@@ -16,16 +17,14 @@ const {
   checkHealth,
   checkConfig,
 } = require('./start/checks');
-const { ensureDefaultCategories, seedDefaultRoles, initializeRoles } = require('~/models');
-const { setCachedTools, setAppConfig, loadCustomConfig } = require('./Config');
 const { initializeAzureBlobService } = require('./Files/Azure/initialize');
 const { initializeFirebase } = require('./Files/Firebase/initialize');
 const handleRateLimits = require('./Config/handleRateLimits');
-const { loadDefaultInterface } = require('./start/interface');
+const loadCustomConfig = require('./Config/loadCustomConfig');
 const { loadTurnstileConfig } = require('./start/turnstile');
 const { processModelSpecs } = require('./start/modelSpecs');
 const { initializeS3 } = require('./Files/S3/initialize');
-const { loadAndFormatTools } = require('./ToolService');
+const { loadAndFormatTools } = require('./start/tools');
 const { loadEndpoints } = require('./start/endpoints');
 const paths = require('~/config/paths');
 
@@ -34,9 +33,6 @@ const paths = require('~/config/paths');
  * @function AppService
  */
 const AppService = async () => {
-  await initializeRoles();
-  await seedDefaultRoles();
-  await ensureDefaultCategories();
   /** @type {TCustomConfig} */
   const config = (await loadCustomConfig()) ?? {};
   const configDefaults = getConfigDefaults();
@@ -73,17 +69,11 @@ const AppService = async () => {
     adminFilter: filteredTools,
     adminIncluded: includedTools,
     directory: paths.structuredTools,
-    imageOutputType,
-    fileStrategy,
   });
 
-  await setCachedTools(availableTools, { isGlobal: true });
-
-  // Store MCP config for later initialization
   const mcpConfig = config.mcpServers || null;
-
   const registration = config.registration ?? configDefaults.registration;
-  const interfaceConfig = await loadDefaultInterface(config, configDefaults);
+  const interfaceConfig = await loadDefaultInterface({ config, configDefaults });
   const turnstileConfig = loadTurnstileConfig(config, configDefaults);
   const speech = config.speech;
 
@@ -100,6 +90,7 @@ const AppService = async () => {
     registration,
     filteredTools,
     includedTools,
+    availableTools,
     imageOutputType,
     interfaceConfig,
     turnstileConfig,
@@ -115,8 +106,7 @@ const AppService = async () => {
         [EModelEndpoint.agents]: agentsDefaults,
       },
     };
-    await setAppConfig(appConfig);
-    return;
+    return appConfig;
   }
 
   checkConfig(config);
@@ -131,7 +121,7 @@ const AppService = async () => {
     endpoints: loadedEndpoints,
   };
 
-  await setAppConfig(appConfig);
+  return appConfig;
 };
 
 module.exports = AppService;
diff --git a/api/server/services/Config/app.js b/api/server/services/Config/app.js
index 03c90293da..e357b55d9f 100644
--- a/api/server/services/Config/app.js
+++ b/api/server/services/Config/app.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 const { logger } = require('@librechat/data-schemas');
 const { CacheKeys } = require('librechat-data-provider');
+const AppService = require('~/server/services/AppService');
+const { setCachedTools } = require('./getCachedTools');
 const getLogStores = require('~/cache/getLogStores');
 
 /**
@@ -22,9 +24,20 @@ async function getAppConfig(options = {}) {
     }
   }
 
-  const baseConfig = await cache.get(CacheKeys.APP_CONFIG);
+  let baseConfig = await cache.get(CacheKeys.APP_CONFIG);
   if (!baseConfig) {
-    throw new Error('App configuration not initialized. Please ensure AppService has been called.');
+    logger.info('[getAppConfig] App configuration not initialized. Initializing AppService...');
+    baseConfig = await AppService();
+
+    if (!baseConfig) {
+      throw new Error('Failed to initialize app configuration through AppService.');
+    }
+
+    if (baseConfig.availableTools) {
+      await setCachedTools(baseConfig.availableTools, { isGlobal: true });
+    }
+
+    await cache.set(CacheKeys.APP_CONFIG, baseConfig);
   }
 
   // For now, return the base config
@@ -49,19 +62,7 @@ async function clearAppConfigCache() {
   return await cache.delete(cacheKey);
 }
 
-/**
- * Initialize the app configuration during startup
- * @param {AppConfig} config - The initial configuration to store
- * @returns {Promise<void>}
- */
-async function setAppConfig(config) {
-  const cache = getLogStores(CacheKeys.CONFIG_STORE);
-  await cache.set(CacheKeys.APP_CONFIG, config);
-  logger.debug('[getAppConfig] App configuration initialized');
-}
-
 module.exports = {
   getAppConfig,
-  setAppConfig,
   clearAppConfigCache,
 };