diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index b5e4a7d7..93e9aec0 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import (
 	_ "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugin/docmanager"
 	pluginexternal "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugin/external"
 	_ "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugin/storebrowser"
+	pluginadmin "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/admin"
 	pluginai "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/ai"
 	pluginapi "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/api"
 	pluginauth "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/auth"
@@ -49,7 +50,6 @@ import (
 	pluginmodcompat "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/modularcompat"
 	pluginobs "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/observability"
 	pluginpipeline "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/pipelinesteps"
-	pluginadmin "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/admin"
 	pluginplatform "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/platform"
 	pluginscheduler "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/scheduler"
 	pluginsecrets "github.com/GoCodeAlone/workflow/plugins/secrets"
@@ -307,13 +307,7 @@ func setup(logger *slog.Logger, cfg *config.WorkflowConfig) (*serverApp, error)
 		logger: logger,
 	}
 
-	// Merge admin config into primary config — admin UI is always enabled.
-	// The admin config provides all management endpoints (auth, API, schema,
-	// AI, dynamic components) via the engine's own modules and routes.
-	if err := mergeAdminConfig(logger, cfg); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set up admin: %w", err)
-	}
-
+	// Admin config is merged by the admin plugin's wiring hook during buildEngine.
 	engine, loader, registry, err := buildEngine(cfg, logger)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to build engine: %w", err)
@@ -347,59 +341,6 @@ func setup(logger *slog.Logger, cfg *config.WorkflowConfig) (*serverApp, error)
 	return app, nil
 }
 
-// mergeAdminConfig loads the embedded admin config and merges admin
-// modules/routes into the primary config. If --admin-ui-dir (or ADMIN_UI_DIR
-// env var) is set the static.fileserver root is updated to that path,
-// allowing the admin UI to be deployed and updated independently of the binary.
-// If the config already contains admin modules (e.g., the user passed the
-// admin config directly), the merge is skipped to avoid duplicates — but
-// the UI root is still injected so the static fileserver works.
-func mergeAdminConfig(logger *slog.Logger, cfg *config.WorkflowConfig) error {
-	// Resolve the UI root: flag > ADMIN_UI_DIR env > leave as configured in config.yaml
-	uiDir := *adminUIDir
-
-	// Check if the config already contains admin modules
-	for _, m := range cfg.Modules {
-		if m.Name == "admin-server" {
-			logger.Info("Config already contains admin modules, skipping merge")
-			if uiDir != "" {
-				injectUIRoot(cfg, uiDir)
-				logger.Info("Admin UI root overridden", "uiDir", uiDir)
-			}
-			return nil
-		}
-	}
-
-	adminCfg, err := admin.LoadConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if uiDir != "" {
-		injectUIRoot(adminCfg, uiDir)
-		logger.Info("Admin UI root overridden", "uiDir", uiDir)
-	}
-
-	// Merge admin modules and routes into primary config
-	admin.MergeInto(cfg, adminCfg)
-
-	logger.Info("Admin UI enabled")
-	return nil
-}
-
-// injectUIRoot updates every static.fileserver module config in cfg to serve
-// from the given root directory.
-func injectUIRoot(cfg *config.WorkflowConfig, uiRoot string) {
-	for i := range cfg.Modules {
-		if cfg.Modules[i].Type == "static.fileserver" {
-			if cfg.Modules[i].Config == nil {
-				cfg.Modules[i].Config = make(map[string]any)
-			}
-			cfg.Modules[i].Config["root"] = uiRoot
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 // initManagementHandlers creates all management service handlers and stores
 // them on the serverApp struct. These handlers are created once and persist
 // across engine reloads. Only the service registrations need to be refreshed.
diff --git a/plugins/admin/plugin.go b/plugins/admin/plugin.go
index 84a73b2a..91278ed7 100644
--- a/plugins/admin/plugin.go
+++ b/plugins/admin/plugin.go
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ func (p *Plugin) ModuleFactories() map[string]plugin.ModuleFactory {
 			if r, ok := cfg["root"].(string); ok {
 				root = r
 			}
+			root = config.ResolvePathInConfig(cfg, root)
 			if p.UIDir != "" {
 				root = p.UIDir
 			}
@@ -103,7 +104,25 @@ func (p *Plugin) ModuleFactories() map[string]plugin.ModuleFactory {
 			if pfx, ok := cfg["prefix"].(string); ok {
 				prefix = pfx
 			}
-			return module.NewStaticFileServer(name, root, prefix)
+			// SPA fallback is enabled by default for the admin dashboard UI.
+			spaFallback := true
+			if sf, ok := cfg["spaFallback"].(bool); ok {
+				spaFallback = sf
+			}
+			var opts []module.StaticFileServerOption
+			if spaFallback {
+				opts = append(opts, module.WithSPAFallback())
+			}
+			if cma, ok := cfg["cacheMaxAge"].(int); ok {
+				opts = append(opts, module.WithCacheMaxAge(cma))
+			} else if cma, ok := cfg["cacheMaxAge"].(float64); ok {
+				opts = append(opts, module.WithCacheMaxAge(int(cma)))
+			}
+			sfs := module.NewStaticFileServer(name, root, prefix, opts...)
+			if routerName, ok := cfg["router"].(string); ok && routerName != "" {
+				sfs.SetRouterName(routerName)
+			}
+			return sfs
 		},
 		"admin.config_loader": func(name string, _ map[string]any) modular.Module {
 			return newConfigLoaderModule(name)
@@ -185,11 +204,11 @@ func (p *Plugin) mergeAdminConfig(cfg *config.WorkflowConfig) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// injectUIRoot updates every static.fileserver module config in cfg to serve
-// from the given root directory.
+// injectUIRoot updates every static.fileserver and admin.dashboard module
+// config in cfg to serve from the given root directory.
 func injectUIRoot(cfg *config.WorkflowConfig, uiRoot string) {
 	for i := range cfg.Modules {
-		if cfg.Modules[i].Type == "static.fileserver" {
+		if cfg.Modules[i].Type == "static.fileserver" || cfg.Modules[i].Type == "admin.dashboard" {
 			if cfg.Modules[i].Config == nil {
 				cfg.Modules[i].Config = make(map[string]any)
 			}
diff --git a/plugins/admin/plugin_test.go b/plugins/admin/plugin_test.go
index 3ecd3c41..4fddcbb1 100644
--- a/plugins/admin/plugin_test.go
+++ b/plugins/admin/plugin_test.go
@@ -207,6 +207,32 @@ func TestWiringHookInjectsUIDir(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestWiringHookInjectsUIDirForAdminDashboard(t *testing.T) {
+	p := New().WithUIDir("/custom/admin-ui")
+	hooks := p.WiringHooks()
+
+	cfg := &config.WorkflowConfig{
+		Modules: []config.ModuleConfig{
+			{Name: "admin-server", Type: "http.server"},
+			{Name: "admin-dashboard", Type: "admin.dashboard", Config: map[string]any{"root": "ui/dist"}},
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := hooks[0].Hook(nil, cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("wiring hook failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// The admin.dashboard should have the overridden root
+	for _, m := range cfg.Modules {
+		if m.Type == "admin.dashboard" {
+			if m.Config["root"] != "/custom/admin-ui" {
+				t.Errorf("expected root %q, got %q", "/custom/admin-ui", m.Config["root"])
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestWithLoggerChaining(t *testing.T) {
 	p := New()
 	p2 := p.WithUIDir("/dir").WithLogger(nil)