diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx
index f4765ed..55c40b4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ export default function Dashboard() {
   const [week, setWeek] = useState<PeriodStats | null>(null)
   const [month, setMonth] = useState<PeriodStats | null>(null)
   const [overBudget, setOverBudget] = useState<DeptOverBudget[]>([])
+  const [hasDeptSplit, setHasDeptSplit] = useState(false)
   const [weekLabel, setWeekLabel] = useState('')
   const [monthLabel, setMonthLabel] = useState('')
   const [statsLoading, setStatsLoading] = useState(true)
@@ -169,8 +170,11 @@ export default function Dashboard() {
       const monthNetSalesFull = monthSalesRes.days.reduce((s, d) => s + d.net_sales, 0)
 
       // ── Budget-watch: departments forecast to finish the month over their budget share ──
+      // Only meaningful once a per-department split is actually configured (Settings) —
+      // otherwise every dept_pcts share is 0/undefined and there's nothing to evaluate.
+      const deptSplitConfigured = Object.values(monthActRes.dept_pcts).some(pct => pct > 0)
       const overBudgetList: DeptOverBudget[] = []
-      if (monthBudgetFull != null) {
+      if (monthBudgetFull != null && deptSplitConfigured) {
         for (const dep of monthDeptRows) {
           const share = monthActRes.dept_pcts[dep.id] ?? 0
           if (share <= 0) continue
@@ -203,6 +207,7 @@ export default function Dashboard() {
         pctSalesForecast: monthNetSalesFull > 0 ? (monthForecast / monthNetSalesFull) * 100 : null,
       })
       setOverBudget(overBudgetList.slice(0, 3))
+      setHasDeptSplit(deptSplitConfigured)
       setWeekLabel(`${fmtDisplay(weekFrom)} – ${fmtDisplay(weekTo)}`)
       setMonthLabel(new Date(monthFrom + 'T00:00:00').toLocaleDateString('en-GB', { month: 'long', year: 'numeric' }))
     } catch (e: unknown) {
@@ -284,7 +289,7 @@ export default function Dashboard() {
       {!statsLoading && !statsError && week && renderPeriodGrid(`This Week (${weekLabel})`, 'Actual WTD', 'Forecast Full Week', week)}
       {!statsLoading && !statsError && month && renderPeriodGrid(`This Month (${monthLabel})`, 'Actual MTD', 'Forecast EOM', month)}
 
-      {!statsLoading && !statsError && month?.budgetFull != null && (
+      {!statsLoading && !statsError && month?.budgetFull != null && hasDeptSplit && (
         <div className="card">
           <div className="card-title" style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 8 }}>
             <AlertTriangle size={16} strokeWidth={1.75} color={overBudget.length ? '#dc2626' : 'var(--app-primary)'} />