diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editor.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editor.js
index f804e6de2..68883d4de 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editor.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editor.js
@@ -2321,7 +2321,6 @@ RED.editor = (function() {
     }
     return {
         init: function() {
-            if(window.ace) { window.ace.config.set('basePath', 'vendor/ace'); }
             RED.tray.init();
             RED.actions.add("core:confirm-edit-tray", function() {
                 $(document.activeElement).blur();
@@ -2333,7 +2332,6 @@ RED.editor = (function() {
                 $("#node-dialog-cancel").trigger("click");
                 $("#node-config-dialog-cancel").trigger("click");
             });
-            RED.editor.codeEditor.init();
         },
         generateViewStateId: generateViewStateId,
         edit: showEditDialog,
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/code-editor.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/code-editor.js
index 2b2e90a43..cd9763b95 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/code-editor.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/code-editor.js
@@ -36,6 +36,15 @@
             if (!selectedCodeEditor || (editorChoice === MONACO && (browser.ie || !window.monaco))) {
                 selectedCodeEditor = RED.editor.codeEditor[defaultEditor];
             }
+            // On first uncached load, editor may not yet be downloaded and in the DOM, so we check for the presence in `window` and defer
+            // initialization until the editor is actually loaded. Not relevant for basic editor as it is always present.
+            if (editorChoice === MONACO && !window.monaco) {
+                console.debug("Monaco editor is not yet loaded, delaying initialization");
+                return
+            } else if (editorChoice === ACE && !window.ace) {
+                console.debug("ACE editor is not yet loaded, delaying initialization");
+                return
+            }
             initialised = selectedCodeEditor.init();
         } catch (error) {
             selectedCodeEditor = null;
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/code-editors/ace.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/code-editors/ace.js
index 02b65528d..be275cbbf 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/code-editors/ace.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/code-editors/ace.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ RED.editor.codeEditor.ace = (function() {
     var initOptions = {};
 
     function init(options) {
+        window.ace.config.set('basePath', 'vendor/ace');
         initOptions = options || {}; 
         initialised = true;
         return initialised;