diff --git a/frontend/src/components/SortControl.dom.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/SortControl.dom.test.tsx
index 2459bb1f..2ff69e73 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/SortControl.dom.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/SortControl.dom.test.tsx
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ describe("SortControl", () => {
     expect(none.value).toBe("");
   });
 
+  it("falls back to the first option (not a blank select) for an unavailable key without defaultLabel", () => {
+    renderControl({ key: "ghost", dir: "asc" });
+    expect((screen.getByRole("combobox") as HTMLSelectElement).value).toBe("date");
+  });
+
   it("picking a new option fires onChange at that option's defaultDir", () => {
     const { onChange } = renderControl({ key: "title", dir: "asc" });
     fireEvent.change(screen.getByRole("combobox"), { target: { value: "date" } });
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/SortControl.tsx b/frontend/src/components/SortControl.tsx
index d4fd080f..cf3be5c6 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/SortControl.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/SortControl.tsx
@@ -36,10 +36,14 @@ export default function SortControl({
   const active = sort && options.some((o) => o.key === sort.key) ? sort : null;
   const activeOpt = active ? options.find((o) => o.key === active.key) : undefined;
   const showArrow = !!activeOpt && !activeOpt.directionless;
+  // An always-sorted view (no `defaultLabel`) must still show a real option when the current key isn't
+  // offered (a stale/out-of-scope sort) — fall back to the first option rather than a blank select
+  // (which also trips React's controlled-value warning). Views with a "no sort" option keep it.
+  const selectValue = active?.key ?? (defaultLabel === undefined ? (options[0]?.key ?? "") : "");
   return (
     <div className="flex items-center gap-1">
       <select
-        value={active?.key ?? ""}
+        value={selectValue}
         onChange={(e) => onChange(pickSort(options, active, e.target.value))}
         aria-label={label}
         className="bg-surface border border-border rounded-lg px-2 py-1.5 text-sm focus:outline-hidden focus:ring-2 focus:ring-accent/40"
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/plexSort.ts b/frontend/src/lib/plexSort.ts
index 4c92ee45..4b8617a4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/plexSort.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/plexSort.ts
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@ function plexSortKeys(scope: string): string[] {
   return [...(scope === "movie" ? MOVIE_SORTS : SHOW_SORTS)];
 }
 
-/** The historical default: `sort=title`, `sort_dir=asc`. */
-export const PLEX_SORT_FALLBACK: SortState = { key: "title", dir: "asc" };
+/** The historical default: `sort=title`, `sort_dir=asc`. Frozen: it is handed out by reference (from
+ * healSort/healPlexSort and as the provider's default state), so an accidental in-place mutation of a
+ * SortState would otherwise corrupt the shared fallback for every caller. */
+export const PLEX_SORT_FALLBACK: SortState = Object.freeze({ key: "title", dir: "asc" as const });
 
 /** Labelled, alpha-ordered options for the SortControl. `label` resolves each key (i18n
  * `plex.sort.<key>`). */