diff --git a/packages/backend/src/managers/catalogManager.ts b/packages/backend/src/managers/catalogManager.ts
index 565b3df1a..db1e390bd 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/managers/catalogManager.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/managers/catalogManager.ts
@@ -59,9 +59,6 @@ export class CatalogManager {
 
   async loadCatalog() {
     const catalogPath = path.resolve(this.appUserDirectory, 'catalog.json');
-    if (!existsSync(catalogPath)) {
-      return this.setCatalog(defaultCatalog);
-    }
 
     try {
       this.watchCatalogFile(catalogPath); // do not await, we want to do this async
@@ -69,6 +66,10 @@ export class CatalogManager {
       console.error(`unable to watch catalog file, changes to the catalog file won't be reflected to the UI`, err);
     }
 
+    if (!existsSync(catalogPath)) {
+      return this.setCatalog(defaultCatalog);
+    }
+
     try {
       const cat = await this.readAndAnalyzeCatalog(catalogPath);
       return this.setCatalog(cat);