diff --git a/packages/odyssey-react-mui/src/labs/UiShell/UiShellContent.tsx b/packages/odyssey-react-mui/src/labs/UiShell/UiShellContent.tsx
index 54b74c4b0..e3ffd1d03 100644
--- a/packages/odyssey-react-mui/src/labs/UiShell/UiShellContent.tsx
+++ b/packages/odyssey-react-mui/src/labs/UiShell/UiShellContent.tsx
@@ -141,6 +141,15 @@ const UiShellContent = ({
       </StyledBannersContainer>
 
       <StyledAppSwitcherContainer>
+        {
+          /* If AppSwitcher should be initially visible and we have not yet received props, render AppSwitcher in the loading state */
+          initialVisibleSections?.includes("AppSwitcher") &&
+            !appSwitcherProps && (
+              <ErrorBoundary fallback={null} onError={onError}>
+                <AppSwitcher isLoading appIcons={[]} selectedAppName="" />
+              </ErrorBoundary>
+            )
+        }
         {appSwitcherProps && (
           <ErrorBoundary fallback={null} onError={onError}>
             <AppSwitcher {...appSwitcherProps} />
diff --git a/packages/odyssey-storybook/src/components/odyssey-labs/UiShell/UiShell.stories.tsx b/packages/odyssey-storybook/src/components/odyssey-labs/UiShell/UiShell.stories.tsx
index 154a3f14f..2ff94f42f 100644
--- a/packages/odyssey-storybook/src/components/odyssey-labs/UiShell/UiShell.stories.tsx
+++ b/packages/odyssey-storybook/src/components/odyssey-labs/UiShell/UiShell.stories.tsx
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ export const InvisibleFirstRender: StoryObj<UiShellProps> = {
 
 export const TopNavOnly: StoryObj<UiShellProps> = {
   args: {
-    initialVisibleSections: ["TopNav", "AppSwitcher"],
+    initialVisibleSections: ["TopNav"],
     optionalComponents: sharedOptionalComponents,
     subscribeToPropChanges: (subscriber) => {
       subscriber({
@@ -256,6 +256,7 @@ export const TopNavOnly: StoryObj<UiShellProps> = {
 
 export const AppSwitcherOnly: StoryObj<UiShellProps> = {
   args: {
+    initialVisibleSections: ["AppSwitcher"],
     subscribeToPropChanges: (subscriber) => {
       subscriber({
         topNavProps: {},