diff --git a/lib/host/blog.sx b/lib/host/blog.sx
index 82d08658..51f16680 100644
--- a/lib/host/blog.sx
+++ b/lib/host/blog.sx
@@ -1374,16 +1374,23 @@
 (define host/blog--block-editor
   (fn (slug)
     (let ((refs (host/blog-body-refs slug)))
-      (let ((rows (map (fn (c) (host/blog--block-row slug c)) refs))
-            (type-opts (map (fn (ct) (quasiquote (option :value (unquote ct) (unquote ct))))
-                            (list "card-heading" "card-text" "card-quote" "card-code" "card-callout"))))
+      (let ((rows (map (fn (c) (host/blog--block-row slug c)) refs)))
         (quasiquote
           (div :id "block-editor" :style "margin-top:1.5em;border-top:1px solid #ccc;padding-top:1em"
             (h3 :style "font-size:1em;margin:0 0 0.3em" "Blocks")
             (unquote (if (> (len refs) 0) (cons (quote ul) rows) (quote (p :style "color:#999" "No blocks yet."))))
             (form :method "post" :action (unquote (str "/" slug "/blocks/add"))
               :sx-post (unquote (str "/" slug "/blocks/add")) :sx-target "#block-editor" :sx-swap "outerHTML"
-              (select :name "ctype" (unquote (cons (quote span) type-opts)))
+              ;; options MUST be DIRECT children of <select> — a wrapper (e.g. a span to splice
+              ;; a dynamic list) leaves the dropdown empty when the DOM is built programmatically
+              ;; on a boosted swap (a full-page HTML parse would hoist them out, masking it). The
+              ;; card types are a fixed set, so inline them.
+              (select :name "ctype"
+                (option :value "card-heading" "heading")
+                (option :value "card-text" "text")
+                (option :value "card-quote" "quote")
+                (option :value "card-code" "code")
+                (option :value "card-callout" "callout"))
               " " (input :name "text" :placeholder "text…" :style "width:50%")
               " " (button :type "submit" "+ add block"))))))))
 
diff --git a/lib/host/playwright/boost-nav.spec.js b/lib/host/playwright/boost-nav.spec.js
index b0a5b54d..c4daf196 100644
--- a/lib/host/playwright/boost-nav.spec.js
+++ b/lib/host/playwright/boost-nav.spec.js
@@ -88,4 +88,20 @@ test.describe('boosted navigation (browser-only)', () => {
     await expect(page.locator('body')).toContainText('Posts', { timeout: 12000 });
     expect(new URL(page.url()).pathname).toBe('/');
   });
+
+  test('LOGGED IN: the block-editor card-type dropdown populates after a boosted nav to edit', async ({ page }) => {
+    test.setTimeout(90000);
+    await login(page);
+    await page.goto(BASE + '/');
+    await waitReady(page);
+    await page.locator('a[href="/compose-demo/"]').first().click();
+    await expect(page.locator('body')).toContainText('composition object', { timeout: 15000 });
+    await page.locator('a[href="/compose-demo/edit"]').last().click();
+    await expect(page.locator('body')).toContainText('Edit:', { timeout: 15000 });
+    // the ctype <select> must have selectable <option> DIRECT children. A <span> wrapper
+    // leaves the dropdown empty when the DOM is built programmatically on a boosted swap
+    // (the HTML parser would hoist them out on a full load, hiding the bug there).
+    await expect(page.locator('#block-editor select[name="ctype"] > option')).toHaveCount(5, { timeout: 10000 });
+    await expect(page.locator('#block-editor select[name="ctype"] > option[value="card-heading"]')).toHaveCount(1);
+  });
 });