diff --git a/frontend/src/App.gameMode.test.tsx b/frontend/src/App.gameMode.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30a693b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/App.gameMode.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest';
+import { render, act, cleanup } from '@testing-library/react';
+import '@testing-library/jest-dom/vitest';
+import App from './App';
+import { gameBridge } from './game/gameBridge';
+import type { GameStudy } from './game/types';
+import type { UserConfig } from './api';
+
+// Keep the App tree light — these presentational pieces are irrelevant to the
+// config-propagation path under test (mirrors App.configUpload.test.tsx).
+vi.mock('./components/VisualizationPanel', () => ({ default: () => <div data-testid="viz" /> }));
+vi.mock('./components/ActionFeed', () => ({ default: () => <div /> }));
+vi.mock('./components/OverloadPanel', () => ({ default: () => <div /> }));
+vi.mock('./hooks/usePanZoom', () => ({ usePanZoom: () => ({ viewBox: null, setViewBox: vi.fn() }) }));
+vi.mock('./utils/svgUtils', () => ({
+  processSvg: (svg: string) => ({ svg, viewBox: { x: 0, y: 0, w: 100, h: 100 } }),
+  buildMetadataIndex: () => null,
+  applyOverloadedHighlights: vi.fn(),
+  applyDeltaVisuals: vi.fn(),
+  applyActionTargetHighlights: vi.fn(),
+  applyContingencyHighlight: vi.fn(),
+  getIdMap: () => new Map(),
+  invalidateIdMapCache: vi.fn(),
+  isCouplingAction: vi.fn(() => false),
+  attachVlInteractions: vi.fn(() => () => {}),
+}));
+
+// The active persisted environment config (what `config_path.txt` points at —
+// e.g. config_pypsa_eur_eur220_225_380_400.json). Crucially it carries
+// `min_redispatch: 2` and a NETWORK PATH that differs from the study's, so the
+// two assertions below are independent: the recommender minima must come from
+// THIS config, while the network path must come from the study override.
+const ENV_CONFIG: UserConfig = {
+  network_path: 'data/active_env/network.xiidm',
+  action_file_path: 'data/active_env/actions.json',
+  layout_path: 'data/active_env/grid_layout.json',
+  output_folder_path: '',
+  lines_monitoring_path: '',
+  min_line_reconnections: 2,
+  min_close_coupling: 3,
+  min_open_coupling: 2,
+  min_line_disconnections: 3,
+  min_pst: 1,
+  min_load_shedding: 2,
+  min_renewable_curtailment_actions: 2,
+  min_redispatch: 2,
+  allowed_action_types: [],
+  n_prioritized_actions: 15,
+  monitoring_factor: 0.95,
+  pre_existing_overload_threshold: 0.02,
+  ignore_reconnections: false,
+  pypowsybl_fast_mode: true,
+  model: 'expert',
+  compute_overflow_graph: true,
+};
+
+const STUDY: GameStudy = {
+  id: 'eu-pyrenees',
+  label: 'Pyrenees (France / Spain) 225 kV — LANNEL61PRAGN',
+  networkPath: 'data/pypsa_eur_eur220_225_380_400/network.xiidm',
+  actionFilePath: 'data/pypsa_eur_eur220_225_380_400/actions.json',
+  layoutPath: 'data/pypsa_eur_eur220_225_380_400/grid_layout.json',
+  // Empty so loadGameStudy skips arming a contingency (no N-1 fetch needed —
+  // this test is only about the /api/config payload).
+  contingencyElementId: '',
+};
+
+// `getUserConfig` is deferred per-test so we can hold the config fetch open and
+// reproduce the real race: GameShell mounts <App/> and fires the study loader
+// BEFORE useSettings' async getUserConfig() effect has applied to state.
+let resolveUserConfig: (cfg: UserConfig) => void;
+
+const mockApi = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  getUserConfig: vi.fn(),
+  getConfigFilePath: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue('/active/config.json'),
+  saveUserConfig: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({}),
+  getModels: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ models: [] }),
+  setRecommenderModel: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({}),
+  updateConfig: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ monitored_lines_count: 0, total_lines_count: 0 }),
+  getBranches: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ branches: [], name_map: {} }),
+  getVoltageLevels: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ voltage_levels: [], name_map: {} }),
+  getNominalVoltages: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ mapping: {}, unique_kv: [] }),
+  getVoltageLevelSubstations: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ mapping: {} }),
+  getNetworkDiagram: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ svg: '<svg></svg>', metadata: null }),
+}));
+vi.mock('./api', () => ({ api: mockApi }));
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  cleanup();
+  window.history.replaceState({}, '', '/');
+});
+
+describe('Game Mode config propagation', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+    localStorage.clear();
+    // Launch in game mode so App registers its study loader on the bridge.
+    window.history.replaceState({}, '', '/?game=1');
+    // Deferred — left pending until we choose to release it.
+    mockApi.getUserConfig.mockReturnValue(
+      new Promise<UserConfig>((res) => { resolveUserConfig = res; }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('loadGameStudy sends the persisted env config minima (min_redispatch=2), not stale useSettings defaults, while the study path override still wins', async () => {
+    render(<App />);
+
+    // useSettings' mount effect is now blocked on the deferred getUserConfig,
+    // so the recommender settings in component state are at their hardcoded
+    // defaults (minRedispatch = 0, nPrioritizedActions = 10). App's game-mode
+    // effect has synchronously registered the loader on the bridge.
+
+    // Drive the study load WHILE the config fetch is still in flight. The
+    // pre-fix code read `buildConfigRequest()` (stale state) here and posted
+    // min_redispatch=0; the fix awaits the persisted config instead.
+    let loadPromise!: Promise<void>;
+    await act(async () => {
+      loadPromise = gameBridge.loadStudy(STUDY);
+      // let loadGameStudy run up to its `await api.getUserConfig()`
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    // Suspended on the deferred config — nothing posted yet.
+    expect(mockApi.updateConfig).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    // Release the active environment config (the one carrying min_redispatch=2).
+    await act(async () => {
+      resolveUserConfig(ENV_CONFIG);
+      await loadPromise;
+    });
+
+    expect(mockApi.updateConfig).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    const sent = mockApi.updateConfig.mock.calls[0][0];
+
+    // Recommender settings come from the persisted env config — the regression:
+    // these must NOT be the useSettings defaults (0 / [] / 10).
+    expect(sent).toMatchObject({
+      min_redispatch: 2,
+      min_load_shedding: 2,
+      min_renewable_curtailment_actions: 2,
+      allowed_action_types: [],
+      n_prioritized_actions: 15,
+      model: 'expert',
+    });
+
+    // …but the network / action / layout PATHS are still overridden by the
+    // study (they differ from the env config's own paths on purpose).
+    expect(sent).toMatchObject({
+      network_path: STUDY.networkPath,
+      action_file_path: STUDY.actionFilePath,
+      layout_path: STUDY.layoutPath,
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index 41b57d5d..78b2451e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -1396,8 +1396,22 @@ function App() {
     if (study.layoutPath !== undefined) setLayoutPath(study.layoutPath);
     if (study.linesMonitoringPath !== undefined) setLinesMonitoringPath(study.linesMonitoringPath);
     try {
+      // Recommender settings (per-type minima, model, monitoring factor, …)
+      // must come from the active persisted environment config, NOT the
+      // in-memory `useSettings` state. GameShell mounts <App/> and fires this
+      // loader before useSettings' async `getUserConfig()` effect has resolved,
+      // so `buildConfigRequest()` here would replay the hardcoded defaults
+      // (min_redispatch=0, n_prioritized_actions=10, allowed_action_types=[], …)
+      // and the environment's real config (e.g. min_redispatch=2) would be
+      // silently dropped — the same stale-closure trap `handleLoadConfig`
+      // guards against. The study only dictates the network / action / layout
+      // PATHS + contingency; everything else comes from the env config.
+      const freshCfg = await api.getUserConfig().catch(() => null);
+      const baseConfig = freshCfg
+        ? configRequestFromUserConfig(freshCfg)
+        : buildConfigRequest();
       const configRequest = {
-        ...buildConfigRequest(),
+        ...baseConfig,
         network_path: study.networkPath,
         action_file_path: study.actionFilePath,
         layout_path: study.layoutPath ?? '',
@@ -1445,7 +1459,8 @@ function App() {
       setConfigLoading(false);
     }
   }, [
-    buildConfigRequest, applyConfigResponse, resetAllState, diagrams,
+    buildConfigRequest, configRequestFromUserConfig, applyConfigResponse,
+    resetAllState, diagrams,
     setNetworkPath, setActionPath, setLayoutPath, setLinesMonitoringPath,
     setBranches, setVoltageLevels, setNameMap, setPendingContingency,
     setVlToSubstation, setSelectedContingency, setConfigLoading, setError,